12 Small Towns Around Cleveland Where Everyone Knows Your Name
A staycation is where one takes time off to explore the area surrounding their hometown like a tourist. It’s like a vacation, but at the end of the day, you get to sleep in your own bed. There’s nothing like exploring Greater Cleveland’s tiny towns — the unshakable charm of small-town Midwestern life is captured flawlessly all across Northeast Ohio. Whether you’re planning a day trip or a week of day trips, there are so many delightful communities that are well worth visiting. Here are some of the most impossibly charming small towns near Cleveland, Ohio, that will welcome you with open arms!
Moreland Hills is a historic village home to around 3,000 residents. This village, which was once part of Orange Township, was once well-known for its cheese factories. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints may know this site as the location of the Orange Conference, at which their leading figures were in attendance. This site is also home to the country's second settlement house, a place where well-educated middle-class locals volunteered to live to share knowledge and culture with the poorer surrounding community. Hiram House moved from the original site in the 1940s, but the Moreland Hill attraction remains a historical landmark.
This lovely Lake County village was named for local hero Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who claimed victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie in the early nineteenth century. Today, the town of Perry is home to roughly 1600 residents. The first president of Fenn College, Cecil V. Thomas, is among the notable locals to hail from this community. Its history is maintained and celebrated throughout the entire village, though there is no place quite like the Perry Historical Society of Lake County.
Bay Village is a small city with a tiny-town attitude. This quaint community was founded in 1810 as part of Dover Township, from which it split in 1903. There is much to do in this scenic community, from excellent dining to exploring the enchanting campus of Huntington Reservation. This area has produced some notable people over the years, including Bates Motel writer Bill Balas, The Price is Right Announcer Rich Fields, actress Patricia Heaton, and investigator Eliot Ness.
Hinckley, a dreamy community that dates back to 1825, is home to the southernmost Cleveland Metropark. The township is only home to about 7500 hundred people, but it has found its permanent place in Northeast Ohioan lore thanks to its Buzzard Day celebration every March 15. The community has a rich history, much of which can be observed in the carvings in the sandstone ledges of Hinckley Reservation.
While this small village in Ohio is home to under a thousand residents, thousands of locals pass through the area as they explore South Chagrin Reservation. Since 1831, this dreamy community has featured a landscape that leaves locals in awe. Some of the area's most beautiful buildings are produced using stones that were quarried in this area.
6. Oakwood, Cuyahoga County
Oakville Road, Oakville Rd, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124, USA
This community boasts around 4,000 residents, but actress Halle Berry is perhaps one of its most famous transplants. The community was only recently incorporated in 1951, but Oakwood still maintains a sense of old-school elegance. Featuring plenty of public green spaces and scenic streets, this community is the perfect place to spend a lifetime or an afternoon.
This coastal community is actually an 11 square miles city, but it flawlessly captures the feel of a small town. Much of its landscape—an incredible 220 acres—features lush and verdant parks and green spaces. The shoreline of Avon Lake, as you may imagine, is breathtaking in all seasons.
About 9,000 residents call this dreamy coastal wonderland home. Though Sheffield Lake is not one of the area's smallest communities, it is regarded as one of the friendliest for home buyers. This delightful city features restaurants, a bed and breakfast, and seemingly endless shopping opportunities.
This township is one of five small towns in Ohio that proudly displays "Chester Township" as its name. It was once home to Geauga Seminary, a Free Will Baptist school whose most famous graduate, James Abram Garfield, went on to become the 20th President of the United States. While it is no longer the dreamy rural community that President Garfield must have once cherished, this countryside community is overflowing with history and natural splendor.
This adorable village is four miles long and just one mile wide, a dreamy drive located near Chagrin Falls. It is home to about 4,000 residents who adore their rural landscape and the exciting events it hosts. While farmland and greenery are abundant in this community, it still features plenty of residential sections to provide it a homey feel.
11. Mentor-on-the-Lake, Lake County
Mentor-on-the-Lake, Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH 44060, USA
About 7,500 reside in Mentor-on-the-Lake, but the area's beauty makes many more consider it to be a home away from home. Locals love this dreamy coastal community for its enchanting lakefront scenery and its incredible selection of eateries.
12. Medina, Medina County
Nikki Rhoades
Medina, OH 44256, USA
Nikki Rhoades
Medina is one of the region's hidden wonders. This city is home to nearly 27,000 people, and yet it has maintained a charming Victorian Downtown-style district that provides shopping opportunities to a once-rural community. Its historic district features stunning architecture, shopping, and mouthwatering restaurants.
The scenery of Northeast Ohio is truly splendid, but it’s the people that make these charming communities so enchanting. What are your favorite small towns near Cleveland, Ohio? Let us know in the comments!
Address: Oakville Road, Oakville Rd, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124, USA
Address: Chester Township, OH 44026, USA
Address: South Russell, OH, USA
Address: Perry, OH 44081, USA
Address: Mentor-on-the-Lake, Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH 44060, USA
Address: Avon Lake, OH 44012, USA
Address: Sheffield Lake, OH 44054, USA
Address: Medina, OH 44256, USA
Address: Hinckley Township, OH 44233, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Small towns near Cleveland Ohio
September 12, 2022
Sarah M.
What are the most peaceful lakeside towns near Cleveland, Ohio?
It doesn’t get better than #lakelife in Cleveland, Ohio, and if you’re craving a slice of the Third Coast *and* small-town charm, there are some amazing options in this region of the Buckeye State. One of our favorite waterfront towns near Cleveland is Huron. This town markets itself as “A Great Lake Place,” and it is plain to see why. History, culture, and public beaches make this coastal city particularly memorable. Whether you are unwinding on Nickel Plate Beach or grabbing some grub in town, you are guaranteed to fall in love with this lovely place. Another amazing lakeside gem is Fairport Harbor, which you’ll find located about 30 miles east of Cleveland. This is a village with scenic views that will knock your socks off from the moment you arrive. This petite village is home to about 3,000 residents, but it also houses two stunning lighthouses. Whether you’re exploring the local culture or soaking up some sun on the gorgeous coast, Fairport Harbor is always a lovely getaway.
Address: Bay Village, OH 44140, USA
Address: Moreland Hills, OH 44022, USA
Address: Bentleyville, OH, USA
Address: Oakville Road, Oakville Rd, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124, USA
Address: Chester Township, OH 44026, USA
Address: South Russell, OH, USA
Address: Perry, OH 44081, USA
Address: Mentor-on-the-Lake, Mentor-On-The-Lake, OH 44060, USA
Address: Avon Lake, OH 44012, USA
Address: Sheffield Lake, OH 44054, USA
Address: Medina, OH 44256, USA
Address: Hinckley Township, OH 44233, USA
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Nikki is a lifelong Ohioan with a love for literature. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Akron and has enjoyed publishing her written work since 2007. She has a love of travel and does so frequently, though she believes that home is where the heart is - she continues to work in and around Cleveland as a digital content specialist to this day, working on everything from commercial scripts and social media posts to grassroots marketing initiatives.
