Page 15 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – September 2019

Kelleys Island
fresh lake breezes. The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake offers an Ohio Wine Shuttle to safely sip wines from a host of wineries. If you prefer to chart your path, check out the wine trails and information from the Ohio Wine Producers and Ohio Grape Industries.
When you’re ready to get out into the fall foliage,
Lake Erie Canopy Tours provides an adrenalin-inducing zipline adventure with outstanding views. Downtown, the strip is full of vintage fun with arcade games, amusement rides, mini-golf, bumper boats, go-carts, restaurants and more. Consider planning your visit around the Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival on Oct. 12. This celebration of the area’s 19 covered bridges, including the longest and shortest covered bridges in the country, is worth the trip. Also, while you’re in the area, be sure to stop at Holden Arboretum in Kirtland. It may be one of the best kept natural secrets in Ohio, and it shines in the autumn. The relatively new Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Family Emergent Tower takes adventurers 65 feet up into the treetops on a 500-foot-long walkway while the tower provides an even higher view at 120 feet.
Before You Go: Check the Fall Color Report from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Find It Here at Ohio.org.
STOP 4: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
A scenic road trip wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The park follows the old Ohio to Erie Canal from Cleveland down to Akron and is steeped in canal boat history in addition to providing more than 125 miles of hiking trails. The Boston Store
Island Tram with Students
Visitor Center is a great place to begin your exploration
if you haven’t mapped out your visit or want to learn about experiences available in the park. For an immersive experience in canals, the Canal Exploration Center is a must. Both centers are located on the Towpath Trail, which serves as the backbone of the park. The trail once followed by horses and mules pulling canal boats now serves hikers, cyclists and equestrians.
From a natural standpoint, Brandywine Falls is the star here with a moderately strenuous series of stairs and elevations to reach the top about 60 feet above the valley below. Fall foliage around the falls makes this a popular spot for photo-ops. There are plenty more waterfalls to search out on the hiking maps, from Buttermilk Falls to Blue Hen Falls, and each has its own natural beauty.
Browse artsy shops in the very New England-style town of Peninsula and rent bicycles to explore the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Catch a ride back on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad or make some stops along the way to explore, including Hale Farm & Village.
Before You Go: Check the train schedule in general and for special events such as fall color tours, wine or beer tasting and more.
Autumn is a stunning time to explore the Buckeye State.
Maumee Bay State Park Lodge Downtown Put In Bay
Tamara Brown is a former public relations manager for TourismOhio.
For travel planning assistance, visit your AAA store or AAA.com/travel.
Photos provided by TourismOhio
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