This Dreamy Train-Themed Trip Around Greater Cleveland Will Take You On The Journey Of A Lifetime
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Nikki Rhoades
Author
Northeast Ohio hides so many secrets, and many of its best surprises are clustered in and around the Greater Cleveland area. No matter what you’re itching to get out and experience, there is something nearby that will help you fulfill your sense of adventure. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, a train-themed excursion around the region may just be exactly what you need.
Built from local sandstone in 1876, the historic Union Depot is reminiscent of both a church and a train depot. Today, however, it is an upscale eatery with a casual dress code. Gourmet burgers are accompanied by small dishes and craft brews to delight your taste buds, and the ambiance will knock your socks off... especially if you ever find yourself dining in the historic Pullman Car!
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Stretching from Independence to Akron and carving through our national park is one of the dreamiest train routes in the state. It will treat you to a grand tour of the loveliest parts of the park and a few truly picture-perfect places. Take a day trip or adventure to a historic B&B along the way—either way, you are about to embark on the most scenic train ride near Cleveland. For the full article, click here.
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As you might imagine, this delightful eatery specializes in Italian cuisine. If that doesn't pique your interest, the ambiance of this charmer will. You can actually eat in a train car, and if that's not enough, you might like dining in the birdcage. You'll just have to pay it a visit and see!
All aboard! This roundhouse once operated 24/7, but today it serves as the home of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society, which is dedicating to preserving pieces of railway equipment and educating the public. You may remember this roundhouse as the home of Cleveland's haunted death car, which is said to host spirits from a 1943 accident that claimed roughly 200 lives. The museum will begin hosting regular open house hours in March with the celebratory Bunny Run with the Easter Bunny event. For a full schedule of 2018 events, click here.
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©Nikki Rhoades
©Nikki Rhoades
Medina is a picture-perfect community straight out of a model train set. Its charming downtown is full of mom and pop shops and the area is criss-crossed with train tracks. As you explore, you may hear the whistle a-blowin'. Stop by Ormandy's Trains & Toys and the free Medina Toy and Train Museum for an epic experience. Right down West Liberty Street next to Root Candles is the ever-charming Medina Depot Antiques, housed in an actual historic depot. You'll fall in love with this town, and locals will welcome you whether you stay for a day or a lifetime.
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Located just a stone's throw from the abandoned site of the Chippewa Lake Amusement Park is one of the coolest train museums in the region. It is open to the public for walking tours on Saturdays from mid-May through October. This museum preserves and restores railway equipment, admission is free, and train ride tickets are $4 for adults and are valid all day.
This railway will take you back in time, and fun events like Wine on Rails and fall foliage excursions will ensure you stay entertained along the way. Here you will encounter the Bessemer & Lake Erie freight car, which features added benches so that you can lounge and enjoy the view. Operating each spring through December, this charming railway is a must on every train enthusiast's bucket list.
At just a little over an hour from Downtown Cleveland, Bellevue makes for an incredible day trip. This dreamy landscape near Sandusky and the shore of Lake Erie hosts an incredible collection of local railroad history. Locomotives, a restored depot, and impressive displays will take you back in time There truly is something for everyone at this charming museum! Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
There is an incredible story of growth and expansion that is waiting to be told via the artifacts of Cleveland’s railways of decades past. You will love journeying around Northeast Ohio to unravel that tale, and these destinations will leave you with a sense of nostalgia.
Did you enjoy that peek back in time? Wait until you see these photos that demonstrate how Cleveland has changed.
Want more fun attractions? Check out this amazing list and have a blast.
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