8 Charming River Towns Near Cleveland To Visit This Spring

Close to home and picture-perfect, Chagrin Falls is scenic and laid-back. While the word chagrin may denote distress or embarrassment, this town actually takes its name from the Chagrin River that flows through the community. In fact, its High Falls (pictured) is located right at the center of town and once fueled local industry.

If this town looks familiar to your non-Cleveland-based friends, it might be because it was home to Popeye cartoonist Bela "Bill" Zaboly and is generally regarded as the hometown of Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. From TV to book series, it's plain to see why this gorgeous community is often the setting of many urban adventures. It's the perfect place to pursue your own adventures, too!

At circa 20,000 residents, Painesville isn't exactly quaint... and yet, this historic and breathtaking community feels like a hidden gem. The area was first settled around 1800, and today it hosts what is said to be the most haunted lodging in Ohio. Spookiness aside, beauty is absolutely the focal point of this area. With a gorgeous Historic Downtown Painesville Recreation Area and a two-tiered waterfall that you can drive over, Painesville has everything you could ever ask for in a historic setting. It's no wonder this beautiful spot has inspired writers like Minerva Dayton Bateham and Harlan Ellison.

Huron, a community of fewer than 7,000 residents, is a hike from Cleveland. However, it's well worth the trek! This charming community, completed by the length of the Huron River shaping its landscape, is a nature lover's dream. With Nickel Plate Beach (pictured) looking a bit like a tropical paradise and Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve providing shelter to nearly 300 bird species, it's not hard to imagine that Huron is a municipality that attracts so much foot traffic. Everything here seems secluded and pristine! However, if you decide to take a weekend trip to explore the area, local lodging and dining destinations will make you feel right at home.

While Shakespeare's fabled Illyria was a land nestled against the Adriatic Sea, Ohio's Elyria is a bit more mundane. As the county seat of Lorain County, this densely populated community is known for suburban comforts and up-and-coming businesses. It is anchored at the fork of the Black River, where Cascade Park spans 135 acres and showcases two gorgeous waterfalls. Cascade Park is a particularly popular attraction, and it shares a glacial history with the Great Lakes. This community is known as the final resting place of silent film superstar Lila Lee, the birthplace of Arthur Lovett Garford (the inventor of the padded bicycle seat), and the hometown of several professional athletes.

Fairport Harbor is perhaps most famous for its lighthouse ghost kitty and as the possible setting of a Scooby-Doo movie, locals know this charming town as a nautical playground. Nestled against Lake Erie and the Grand River, this tiny Lake County village has much to offer. With lighthouses, fabulous architecture, and a deeply rooted melting pot heritage, this is a fascinating area to explore. The coast alone is well worth the view!

While it has over 51,000 residents nowadays, Cuyahoga Falls still feels like a charming small town. This lovely Victorian-era district is laid back and quintessentially American. Explore small businesses, dine at some of the region's best-loved restaurants (complete with views of the Cuyahoga River), or hike at High Bridge Glens. Right outside of town, you'll also find the sprawling expanse of Cuyahoga Valley National Park and F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm. The abundance of nature here is no surprise... after all, the local waterfalls once fueled industry, so the community literally grew around natural features. Perhaps most interestingly, Kyle Craven of Bad Luck Brian meme fame is a born and raised Cuyahoga Falls resident.

While Ashtabula may be best known for its coastal locale, it's one of many communities featuring a river that connects to Lake Erie. With less than 20,000 residents, this old Rust Belt city isn't as big as it once was. The lovely Bridge Street near Ashtabula Harbor has been recognized as one of the finest main streets in the nation, and the local maritime museum hides the largest piece of beach glass in the world. While it is now a charming slice of paradise, this area has a storied past. From one of the most impactful train disasters in U.S. history to other unfortunate accidents, this area has seen its fair share of historic tragedy.

Peninsula, Ohio is full of charm. Area Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts know it as a camping destination, and local nature lovers know it for its hiking trails. With Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Towpath Trail, covered bridges, farms, quarries... well, there's no shortage of visual splendor here. There are also a handful of small restaurants and businesses on its main strip that are delightfully walkable and surrounded by the sounds of the mighty Cuyahoga River rushing nearby.