About a week ago, we set out to Buffalo, New York for a rather sad occasion. However, I wanted to make the most of our trip by adding in a few interesting stops along the way, particularly at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park lies along the Cuyahoga River between the Ohio cities of Cleveland and Akron and is about the halfway point to Buffalo, New York. With me purchasing my national park pass this year, I wanted to make sure that we stopped and saw as much as possible.
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Things to Do at Cuyahoga Valley National Park
The weather was not the best. It was cold and snowed off and on. In addition to this, there had been some flooding the day prior. Had the weather been better, I intended to get a few nice photos at the national park sign, visit the Boston Mill Visitor Center, and take the Scenic Train Ride throughout the park. And, eventually, I would like my daughter to participate in the Junior Ranger programs.
Unfortunately, the train is temporarily out of service from March 8 through May 2, 2024, and we never made it to any of the visitor centers, however, we did enjoy taking the scenic route through the town of Peninsula, as we drove through the park, and toward Northlawn Memorial Gardens where my grandfather is buried.
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Northlawn Memorial Gardens (Just 7 Minutes Away)
Northlawn Memorial Gardens was established in 1961 and is located in Peninsula, Ohio. It is a short distance from Cuyahoga Valley National Park and takes about seven minutes to get around the corner.
Visiting my grandfather and putting flowers on his grave has been on my list of things to do for years and on this trip, it was finally accomplished. Once we located his plot, we spoke our thoughts and prayers, added the flowers, and continued on our journey.
The cemetery itself was very wet and flooded in many areas. It was certainly not an ideal time for visiting the cemetery or the park, but we made it, and that’s all that mattered to me at the time.
After about 45 minutes off the beaten path, we arrived in Alliance, Ohio, a beautiful city with a lot to offer, where we checked into our hotel room to rest and prepare for the long day ahead of us including a visit to the Troll Hole Museum.
Final Thoughts
Although the visit didn’t happen as planned, I am grateful for the safe travels and the lovely scenic drive through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. One day, my hope is to return and explore more of the park.
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