We are halfway through October, and fall colors are at their peak in the Cleveland area of Ohio! The temperatures are cool, and layers of apparel comfort us as we explore our backyard.
Over the weekend, we enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage as the trees wore their best shades of yellow, orange, and red!
Our adventure began the instant we decided we were going to Holden Arboretum! We were in awe of the sun filtering through the golden leaves upon our arrival!
Our experience was educational as we learned about the variety of trees, flowers, and shrubbery that can be grown in our northern Ohio climate.
Holden Arboretum has some thrilling attractions, too! The Murch Canopy Walk over the forest is suspended 65’ above the floor of the woods. It’s a fun time swaying back and forth while walking along the treetops. The Canopy Walk is incredibly family-friendly, stroller and wheelchair accessible, too!
Next, we headed to The Kalberer Emergent Tower. Let’s just say, “Wow! What an engineering marvel of timber!” We climbed the 202 steps to the top, and at 120’ up, we could see Lake Erie 10 miles away, along with the vista of forest around us. If you’re an adventure seeker not afraid of heights, check out The Emergent Tower!
Holden Arboretum is dog friendly. In fact, we went with David’s mom and her dog, and it was so fun to see other families hiking and exploring with their dogs too! Dogs can do almost everything humans can, except they cannot enter the Butterfly Garden and cannot go on The Canopy Walk or Emergent Tower structures.
Stickwork by artist Patrick Dougherty is in its last few weeks at Holden Arboretum. “Tilt-A-Whirl” is constructed of willow sticks and is an incredible architectural masterpiece. It is perfect for children to play games like “Hide and Seek” (no climbing) as it features a labyrinth to walk through with “windows” and “doorways.” We were so honored to see that, as it was the first place in Northeast Ohio to see it!
For a small admission price, you will be able to take in the beauty and grandeur of lakes, trails, gardens, forests, and meadows, along with supporting the preservation, ecology, and biological sciences that make our world a sustainable place for all! We recommend arriving there earlier in the day, enjoying Spice Grab + Go Cafe, or packing a picnic! Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle, a backpack, and your camera!
Regarding how much time to spend at Holden Arboretum, honestly, you could spend days here and not see everything. It’s such a sprawling landscape. There are many trails. In fact, miles upon miles of trails. There are many gardens to take in. And there are many birding observation areas as well. Lastly, there are ample benches to sit, rest and take in the day.
When was the last time you took an adventure in your extended backyard?
We are an interracial, same-sex married couple, on our journey of building a family, turning our house into a home and capturing our daily adventures.
