Madison Township Park is a small city park on Lake Erie. On this 85 degree day in May, I thought it…read morewould be nice to stop by a place I spent a lot of time at years ago since I happened to be in Madison. It wasn't nearly like I remember it. Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but I don't recall trash and burnt logs all over the swimming beach, as well as broken stairs with caution tape leading down to the beach. The beach area is small but it's nice if you want to swim real quick and you don't feel like driving to a bigger beach. The water also looked like it was unsafe to swim (that murky green color of algae blooms) yet there were no signs warning you of that. Perhaps the fact that Memorial Day has not happened yet is why the park wasn't cleaned up. There are also restrooms, picnic areas and baseball diamonds. There are several restaurants nearby which is nice. If they clean this place up, it could be great.

Too many big trucks taking up parking spaces designated for automobile parking. They are all…read moreparallel parked taking up 10 or more angle parking spaces meant for cars. The general public has to run around looking for a space to park. I went to the park yesterday and three large utility trucks were parked taking up all the angle parking spaces. Is this a public park or is a truck stop?

We were in the area to enjoy the wineries, but thought a morning hike would be a smart move. We…read morestarted out on the Butterfly path, which was short and easily walked, and then transitioned to Hemlock Ridge and finally Bluebell Valley and then back on Hemlock Ridge. Bluebell Valley had some areas that were steep and slippery and a huge flight of stairs. We got to see a snake and a deer, as well as chipmunks. There are many beautiful trees, but unfortunately the water was so low that the stream was barely running. We saw one picnic pavilion and there was a restroom. Metro Parks does a great job taking care of their parks.

I hadn't really planned a covered bridge tour on my way back from Ashtabula, but saw the signs, and…read moreI'm not one to miss a "Local Attraction" road sign, so off I went. I think that the wooden structure of the bridge has been replaced quite recently as it smells like a lumber yard and was nice and bright. The bridge is long-ish, and there is a covered walkway for foot traffic. There's a bit of parking, and you can drive or walk over to a park and small walking trail as well. Not a bad place to stop, but it wasn't as scenic as I had expected. The bathroom was a little scary, but there and free, so just make sure you have wet wipes and go fast.

We stopped here on a cold, rainy day not thinking there would be much to see. The bridge was pretty…read morelong and there was a covered walkway on the side if you prefer walking over driving through. Someone was fishing off the bridge in there so I guess that's an option if you'd prefer a longer stay. There's a small gift shop that wasn't open when we stopped by. The surrounding park was beautiful. Benches surround the water off the trail in you're interested in stopping to take in the views. The fall colors were stunning in mid November and I felt compelled to walk amongst them, even in the rain.

This Metro Park is located on the east side of Lake county. I've been going there since I was a…read morekid. It's right on the lake shore and the landscape is constantly changing. In some areas the erosion is really bad, so you have to pay attention to your surroundings and what trails are now closed. I got married here in 2015, in front of the big stone sundial. A little history about the stone garden: " The memorial was dedicated on October 29, 1978 to Luanna Strock, wife of the park system's first naturalist Don Strock. The memorial includes a sculpted sundial designed by nationally-known sculptor Carl Floyd of Madison. The Lake County Unit of the American Cancer Society dedicated a memorial sanctuary of plantings in the field north of the parking lot." My hubby and I were reminiscing about our wedding day in the stone garden. It's such a beautiful, well maintained park that is so worth going out of your way for. A bonus is that the bathrooms are heated and have proper plumbing. It's nice to pop in for a minute to warm up in between adventures. There is still beach access, but you'll have to climb 93 creepy stone stairs each way to get there, but it's worth it. This park is a decent size, so plan for a day if you want to fully explore it. There is one big campsite available with a lake view, see the website for reservation info. It's a safe park that is patrolled. We are very blessed to have such amazing parks within 10 minutes of our home. Their sister park further west up the coast, Lake Erie Bluffs, is also well worth checking out.

Such a great park!…read more Lots of room to spread out and just enjoy. Two picnic pavilions, a playground and swingset, some little pond thingy and a closed fence dog park - I mean Win...ning! There is a sand volleyball court but no net and I think a baseball sort of diamond. No walking path but if you just use the U shaped driveway you are aces!

If you're the whimsical/spontaneous type, and you happen to be in NE Ohio, take a jaunt east to…read morePerry to see this behemoth spectacle. It was built in the early 1980s and is -- ostensibly -- very safe. Security appears to be very tight, and I'm almost certain you cannot get into this place. In that sense, the fun is pretty limited. But a community park, complete with a breathtaking view of both Lake Erie and the nuclear plant, is just a minute north on Perry Park Road. Grade: A (For what the experience is worth. And I'm not going to be the one who slights the giant nuclear reactor monster that's capable of destroying half of Ohio :)

As the anniversary of the Fukushima meltdown in Japan nears, I would just like to big up Perry for…read morenot killing me. You are a stalwart electric dynamo, and I have grown to love the way your output powers the various servers out of state that allow me to steal music. Shine on you crazy poisonous diamond. Shit, at this point, e.coli has killed more people than nuclear power. So down with spinach and up with nukes!