We spent yesterday, Friday May 21st, enjoying nature and the outdoors experiences Cleveland has to offer. First, we took a trip to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, located in University Circle at 11030 East Boulevard. Founded in 1930 as the Garden Center of Cleveland, the Botanical Gardens are a community treasure where guests can experience over 20 different specialty gardens and year-round biomes. Special Garden events include WinterShow, Orchid Mania, and weekly Gourmets in the garden during the summer. On our trip to the Botanical Gardens, we visited the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse, which immensed us in two very distinct landscapes- the Spiny Desert of Madagascar and the Lush Rainforest of Costa Rica. We saw over 350 species of exotic plants and over 50 types of butterflies, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. We even got to see a colossal strangler fig and an "upside down" baobab tree! Then, we visited the Japanese Garden, the C.K. Patrick Perennial Border, the Katherine Philipp Geis Terrace, the Mary Ann Sears Swetland Rose Garden, and the Woodland Garden. We didn't have time to see them all, but there were still a handful of other gardens available for public viewing! We took about 200 pictures, and you'll want to too, so be sure to bring a camera! The 10 acres of the Gardens serve more than just pure entertainment purposes, as they are also a tool for education. They are a trusted resource in the study of environmental conservation, plant-based health and nutrition, plant science, and more. Visiting hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10am to 5pm, and Sunday 12pm to 5pm. (They are closed Mondays). Admission is $7.50 for adults, but during the summer it is only $5 after 5pm on Wednesdays! Find more information about the Gardens and plan your visit by visiting their website http://www.cbgarden.org/.
Next, we grabbed a quick lunch in University Circle and headed downtown for some exercise! The Towpath Trail, constructed 175 years ago as part of the Ohio & Erie Canal, was originally a simple dirt path used to lead animals towing canal boats. After the Establishment of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in 1974, the Towpath, along with numerous other trails, become a part of one large shared use trail. Now, more than a million people walk/run this trail each year. The Towpath Trail stetches from the industrial center of downtown Cleveland all the way through the valley and into downtown Akron, with picnic areas, restrooms, and train access points along the way. The trail's surface is wide, flat, tightly packed limestone, allowing its visitors to walk, run, bike, and more! There is also a Towpath Marathon for any serious runners. The Towpath is open 24 hours, so you can even explore it at night! The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, also known as CVSR, provides a Bikes Aboard! service, which allows you to bike the trail one way and take a train back for only $2. Train schedules can be found at the official CVSR website http://www.cvsr.com/.
We decided to bike the trail so as to see the most we could of the park. We strapped our four bikes to our bike rack, and headed downtown to the start of the Towpath Trail. It was overcast yesterday with a nice breeze, which made our long ride comfortable and easy. The park is very green, and being outdoors all afternoon was refreshing for us all. We really loved the Towpath experience, and want to visit it again soon to try walking and or running it. It is free and open all hours, so the Towpath Trail is a great place to visit if you have no plans!
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