zoos & parks

Akron Zoo
Jun 7: Jellyfish exhibit opens (see Buzz), constructed by YouthBuild students; includes a touchtank of crabs, starfish & sea urchins. Jun 14: Explore with Dora, kids activities. Camps for all ages thru Aug. Jun 18: Come Alive with Jazz concert. Legends of the Wild, Komodo Kingdom, Tiger Valley & Asian Trail, Penguin Point & 700+ animals from around the world. Daily 10-5;
$; 500 Edgewood Ave, Akron; 330-375-2550; akronzoo.org.

Cedar Point
See Planet Snoopy, a new Peanuts-themed area. The amusement park voted best on the planet offers 75 rides & 17 roller coasters, including Skyscraper, a “giant windmill on steroids.
” Fri-Sun thru Oct 29; $; Sandusky; 419-627-2350; cedarpoint.com.

Cedar Point Castaway Bay
38,000-sq-ft indoor waterpark, palm trees, lagoons, wave pool, huge arcade, 50-person whirlpools, spa, 237 rooms.
$; 2001 Cleve Rd, Sandusky; 419-627- 2500; castawaybay.com.

Cleveland Cultural Gardens
Explore the 36-garden chain on 241 acres along the Doan Brook Valley in Rockefeller Park (begun in 1916), learning local & international history.
Always open & free; along MLK Blvd & East Blvd, from Univ Circle to the lake, Cleve; culturalgardens.org, clevelandmemory.org/gardens.

Cleveland Hiking Club
Established in 1919, this group plans leisure, moderate & strenuous hikes daily.
Free for first 6 hikes; see web for schedule; clevelandhikingclub.com.

Cleveland Metroparks
Jun 1-30: Greg Terepka’s train photography (CanalWay). Jun 1-30: George Weidinger’s world photography (N Chagrin). Jun 6 at 7pm: Cold- Blooded Creatures (N Chagrin). Jun 7 at 9:30am: Greenway Corridor Bikeway (Concord Twp). Jun 8 at 2: Knee-high naturalists (S Chagrin). Jun 8 at 2: Beaver Lodge (RR Nature Ctr). Jun 14 at 10: Brothers Golf Championship (Brecksville). Jun 21: Train Day (CanalWay; see Buzz). Jun 21-22: Voyageur canoeing (Mill Stream Run; see Buzz). Jun 23-27: Golf camp (Washington). Jun 27 at 8: Divein Movie (Hinckley). Concerts: Jun 1 at 3: Recorder Consort (RR Nature Ctr); Jun 14 at 1: Hank Mallery & friends do train songs (CanalWay); Jun 20 at 8: Third Boxcar (CanalWay); Jun 27 at 8: The Ex- Chromatones (Brookside); Fri fireside concerts (Look About Lodge). Seven golf courses; four swimming areas; camps; activities on 21,000 acres in 15 reservations.
Mostly free; 216-635-3200; clemetparks.com.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
May 31 at 6:30: Bowling for Rhinos (Cloverleaf Lanes, Independence). Jun 14: Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo: 100+ adoptable pets from 20+ local animal shelters & rescue groups (free). Jun 15: Free for fathers. Jun 27: Senior Safari activities & health info. Thru Sep 28: Frogs, Hogs & Dogs, rare species never before seen. Touch! Amazing Rays & Sharks and Butterfly Magic return. Summer day camps. Point, Shoot & Win photo contest. Home to 3,000 animals from six continents and 600 tropical creatures in the RainForest.
Daily 10-5, Sat/Sun to 7 from Memorial Day to Labor Day; $; 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleve; 216-661-6500; clemetzoo.com.

Cleveland Out And About
Jun 1: Annual canoe & picnic. Jun 13-15: Punderson camping trip. Jun 28 & Jul 3: Hikes. All-volunteer outdoor LGBT rec group, open to all.
Donation; 216-556-4832; clevelandoutandabout.org.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Jun 1-Sep 30: Cuyahoga Challenge, a 10-trail hike/run/walk. Jun 7: National Trails Day: adopt-atrail workshop. Jun 11: Music in the Meadow: Lost State of Franklin; Jul 2: Jessica Lea Mayfield (Howe Meadow). Jun 12 & 26: Contra dance (Boston Twp Schoolhouse). Jun 13: Jr Ranger: night hike. Jun 14: Quilting demo, Walking the Ledges, Wetlands Serenade. Jun 1, 15, 29 at 8am: Beat the Heat hikes. Jun 18 at 9: Full moon hike (Lock 29 trailhead). Jun 21 at 7pm: Summer Solstice hike (Ledges Shelter). Jun 22 at 6: Boomerang lessons (Howe Meadow). Thru Jun 29: Water & Woods exhibit (MD Garage). See Park Place, new store in Peninsula. Visit one of the seven Countryside Initiative Farms. Centennial Initiative under way to reinvigorate America’s national parks; special emphasis on outreach to underserved audiences. Enjoy 33,000 acres of guided & DIY activities, classes, hikes, concerts, art exhibits & train rides (CVSR).
Mostly free; 216- 524-1497, 800-445-9667; nps.gov/cuva.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Jun 19: Summer in the Valley, for those 55+. Sat/Sun: Ride vintage cars. Independence to Akron to Canton, with stops at historic sites & museums. Bring your bike for $2.
RSVP for special trips; $; 800-468-4070 x3099; cvsr.com.

Geauga Park District
12 parks & many preserves. Hiking/biking/horse trails.
Free; 800-536-4006; geaugaparkdistrict.org.

Lake County: Back Roads & Beaches
Miles of rolling, rural roads with beautiful scenery, small towns, beaches, hiking & attractions.
Free; 800-334-1673; backroadsandbeachesohio.com.

Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail National Scenic Byway
This newly formed organization promotes the 49 public miles of Ohio’s 312-mile shoreline.
Free; 419- 609-0399; coastalohio.com.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center
Jun 10-12: Spanish KinderCamp. Jun 10-12: Frogs of All Colors, a language sampler. Jun 17-20: Space camp. Jun 23-26: Girl Scout camp. Thru Jun 21: Laser Lights & Music Magic inside the planetarium, at five start times daily. Jun 27: Family overnight. Summer camps thru Aug 21.
$; 28728 Wolf Rd, Bay Village; 440-871-2900; lensc.org.

Lake Metroparks
May 31: Fairport Harbor beach open for season. Jun 7-8: Working Dog Wkd. Jun 14-15: Dairy Days; combined rose show. Jun 22: Snakes ’n Such. Jun 28- 29: Woolfest; the Big Campout! Jun 7-Aug 3: Amateur photography contest show. Thru Oct 19: In Celebration, exhibit of 50-year park history. Ongoing: 50-year anniversary exhibit. Enjoy 27 sites on 7,625 acres; lakefront, golf courses, wetlands, hikes, educational programs, summer camps.
Daily 9-5; mostly free; 8800 Chardon Rd, Kirtland; 440- 256-2122; lakemetroparks.com.

Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve
Diverse wetlands on 450 acres, with 1. 5 miles of shoreline, trails, marina; adjacent to Headlands Beach State Park.
Free; 440-974-5735, 440-205- 3625; 8365 Harbor Dr, Mentor; cityofmentor.com.

Metro Parks, Serving Summit County
Jun 1 (recep at 1) -Oct 31: Spider exhibit: creatures, crafts, games & activities. Jun 7 at 9am: Towpath Trail cleanup (Clinton). Jun 8 at 2: Spiderstock puppet show. Jun 10 at 5: Metro Parks Ensemble & free swimming. Jun 12 at 7: Akron Pops Orchestra & kids activities. Jun 13 at 7: Revolution Pie concert; also, Civil War campfire. Jun 14: Free lake swimming. Jun 14 at 8: Moonlight bike ride. Jun 17 & 20: Bike thru Time, in Clinton. Jun 20 at 7: The Prowlers concert. Jun 20 at 8: Summer Solstice drum circle. Jun 21 at 2: Knots & Rigging. Jun 27 at 7: Twist concert. Thru Jun 30: Spree for All hiking series. Guided/history hikes & nature activities on 9,000 acres, including 13 developed parks, six conservation areas & 120+ miles of trails (16 on Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail).
Daily 6am-11pm; free; 975 Treaty Line Rd, Akron; 330-865-8065; summitmetroparks.org.

Mill Creek Metroparks
More than 2,600 acres, including Nature Education Center (exhibits, programs & hikes), monthly exhibits and Fellows Riverside Gardens.
Free; 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd, Canfield; 330-702-3000; millcreekmetroparks.com.

Nature Center At Shaker Lakes
Jun 19 at 5: Family Fun in the Forest. Jun 22 at 3: Bug Bash (kids up to age 8); at 6: Chrysalis (ages 9- 14); Pest Bar of wines for adults ($). Sat/Sun thru Jul 12: Hands-on natural construction; build cob walls. Hiking, birding, lectures, day/overnight camps, photo club, etc. Mon-Sat 10-5 & Sun 1-5; trails open dawn-dusk;
free; check web for other programs; 2600 S Park Blvd, Shaker Hts; 216-321-5935; shakerlakes.org.

Ohio State Parks
Cleve Lakefront State Park (478 acres): Edgewater Park, 55th St Marina, Gordon Park, Euclid Beach, Villa Angela, Wildwood Park; also Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor (120 acres).
Free; 216-881- 8141; clevelandlakefront.org.

Portage Park District
May 31, Jun 7 & 21: Wild Hikes Challenge. May 31: Breakneck Creek fish survey. Jun 11, 18 & 25: Creepy Crawly Insects. Jun 22: Farm tours. Thru Oct: Heritage tours for county bicentennial. Ten parks & preserves on 644 acres, with 20 miles of trails.
Call for hrs; free; 128 N Prospect St, Ravenna; 330-297-7728; portageparkdistrict.org.

Rockefeller Park Greenhouse
Greenhouse, botanical gardens & flower shows, on land donated by John D. Rockefeller in 1902.
Free; daily 10-4; 750 E 88 St, Cleve; 216-664-3103; rockefellergreenhouse.org.

Slavic Village Morgana Trail
A 3-mile paved trail replacing a rail spur that once served Republic Steel with the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, potentially linking to the Canal Reservation & Towpath Trail.
Free; Cleve; 216-429- 1182 x104; slavicvillage.org.

Wendy Park On Whiskey Island
Enjoy 22 acres along Lake Erie & the Cuyahoga River, with sand volleyball, birding, boating, fishing, sunsets, etc.
216-771-8444; E of Edgewater Pk, Cleve; wendyparkfoundation.org.

Western Reserve Land Conservancy
Jun 14 at 10am: Coastline bird & nature walk in Sheldon’s Marsh State Nature Preserve; 4 mi of trails.
Free; 2715 Cleveland Rd, W Huron (Sandusky area); 440-774-4226; wrlc.cc, sheldonsmarsh.org.

The Wilderness Center
Jun 14 at 7: Romantic Moonlight Serenade ($). Hiking, birding, lectures, etc on 619 acres, plus Zoar Woods, 193 acres.
Mostly free; 9877 Alabama Ave SW, Wilmot; 877-359-5235; wildernesscenter.org.