As the leaves change colors and white sweaters and blue jeans come back in fashion, fall has brought its appearance to Ohio. Cozying up in a fluffy blanket, drinking warm apple cider and watching beloved fall films is the perfect vision to a crisp fall night. As this new season arrives, more attractions are becoming available to Ohio throughout different counties.
What is fall without the classic films to watch bundled up in your blanket? My personal favorite thing to do is watch my comfort horror movies while seeing the leaves outside fall.
Classic Fall Films
Because the fall season includes Halloween, some popular horror movies you could watch include any films directed by Tim Burton. For example, Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice are great choices out of Burton’s collection.
Some of my favorite classic horror movies are The Shining, the first IT and The Ritual which all provide the right amount of scary for you to flinch at a sudden noise.
As far as Halloween attractions go for Northeast Ohio, there are many options to choose from.
Spooky Ranch
Who doesn’t love a haunted house to kick off the Halloween experience?
The Spooky Ranch at Rockin’ R Ranch (located on River Rd. at Columbia Station) combines multiple different terrifying activities for friends and family to enjoy together. Some of the attractions include The Famous Haunted Hayride, The Haunted Barn, Bloodslingers’ Saloon and Monster Vision in 3-D. You can check out the descriptions of each and their schedule at their website.
Szalay’s Farm & Market
I have already begun celebrating the coming of fall by going to Szalay’s Farm & Market located in Peninsula off of Riverview Rd.. This market includes an interactive corn maze, hay bail rides, a produce market with organic products inside and delicious treats.
Some of these eateries include roasted corn on the cob with freshly melted butter, fresh squeezed lemonade and sweet tea, along with classic BBQ options such as deli dogs and pork loin sandwiches.
Szalay’s Farm & Market is open Saturday and Sunday (September 9th to October 31st) from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Cleveland Metroparks
Another option available for someone who needs time to relax or families who want to spend quality time with each other outdoors is driving over to their nearest metropark.
These parks offer a place where someone can find peace and enjoy the view of the changing colors in the trees. A person can choose if they want to take a run while listening to their favorite music, stay intune with the nature around them,or play games with their family or friends. Some popular trails in Northeast Ohio include Brandywine Falls, Rocky River Reservation and Chapin Forest Reservation. You can find many more using this link.
Fall Forest Fest
If you are interested in exploring more fall activities such as pumpkin painting, spooky story times or enjoying live music, you should head down to the Holden Arboretum. They are active every weekend in October from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Holden Arboretum offers a variety of food trucks including The Dawg Bowl, Kountry Krunchins and Bubble Time Mobile Kitchen.
They also offer palm and tarot card readings, and as mentioned before, live music from singers such as Thomas Evanchuck and Ed Purcell. These musicians come every weekend in October.
Throughout this area you will find creative decorations to bring out the Halloween spirit.
Many popular areas in the Arboretum include the Display Garden which has a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs of vibrant colors displayed in beautiful arrays of patterns.
I personally visited the Canopy Walk and Emergent Tower.
The Emergent Tower stretches 120 feet tall (which is approximately 12 stories) and was a lot of work to climb up, but every so often there are platforms with information about the trees surrounding the tower and benches if a person needs to take a rest.
The most rewarding part about climbing the tower is the view. On a clear day, it is possible for a person to be able to see Lake Erie. When I visited, the view was absolutely breathtaking (displayed in the photo on the left).
Another attraction that I found fun to experience at the Holden Arboretum is the Murch Canopy Walk. This walk consists of a 500-foot-long elevated walkway that rises 65 feet above the forest floor.
I was able to experience nature from right in the middle of a mature forest.
The only issue I have with Holden Arboretum is that they don’t allow dogs for most of the attractions, which was kind of a bummer. But regardless, this was a great experience to enjoy with friends.
Fall is the perfect time to go out with family and enjoy the outdoors. It is just the perfect weather, not too hot, not too cold, and the scenery never disappoints. So make a plan now, invite the people you love, and enjoy fall while it lasts.
