EXPLORE
Designated the “Gateway to Amish Country” and founded in 1796, Wayne County, located south of Cleveland, certainly has its fair share of quilts and homemade jams, but it also boasts beautiful, nature-filled areas to discover. For instance, there’s Secrest Arboretum, 110 acres presented by The Ohio State University that contains a 200-seat amphitheater, butterfly and hummingbird garden, and water garden, with paved walkways winding all the way through. The Wilderness Center features 12 miles of trails and 3,380 protected acres with an old-growth forest and prairies. Don’t miss the Center’s Astronomy Education Building, complete with a digital planetarium and lookout tower on the grounds.
LEARN
To add an educational activity to your trip, take your group to the Buckeye Agricultural Museum and Education Center. With exhibits that showcase farm equipment, an antique cider press, and old-fashioned buggies, you can all go on a journey through the area’s farming history.
DO
Looking for some culture in the area? You’re in luck with the Ohio Light Opera. Last year, the theater presented an impressive 50 performances of six shows, but this year, you can plan a group outing to performances like “Guys & Dolls” and “The Sound of Music.” For an activity that celebrates the area’s bountiful harvests, look no further than Bauman Orchards, a growing and selling farm with 260 acres and 100,000 apple trees. The orchards have three local farm stand locations where your guests can take home fresh-picked fruits and other treats. For something a bit more on the active side, book your group at Bullseye’s Axe Throwing. Your guests will get the chance to learn from experts before throwing their own axes at targets and having some fun along the way.
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Wayne County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Main Image: The Wilderness Center; Credit: Wayne County Convention & Visitors Bureau