Zip Down This Hillside Slide To Enter The Most Enchanting Garden Near Cleveland
Living in Cleveland is truly a treat—there’s culture, family-friendly fun, and a million incredible places to eat. However, it’s easy to feel stuck in a rut when you call this pretty place home. Traffic, shopping, and even dining can feel mundane when you’ve been seeing the same landscape for days on end. It’s refreshing to switch things up with a day trip, and there’s one garden in Wooster that’s ideal for a quick visit. Are you ready to awaken your imagination? Adventure is just one slide away.
Wooster, though only a short drive from Cleveland, can feel worlds away.
Located 50 miles outside of Cleveland, Wooster can feel far removed from city life. And, indeed, it is; its 16-square-mile landscape boasts a mere 26,500 residents. However, this quaint community is full of culture and wonder, making it a worthy day trip for Clevelanders from all walks of life.
One of the many hidden gems in Wooster is the Secrest Arboretum gardens. They're some of the loveliest in this part of Ohio.
Located on the campus of the Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center, the Secrest Arboretum is a true delight. This 110-acre outdoor laboratory is full of adventure, and its flawlessly manicured landscape delights visitors of all ages.
It also hides one spectacular hillside slide that will awaken your inner child.
Imagine sliding into a wonderland with more than 2,500 varieties of plants in every color of the rainbow. You’ll feel one with Mother Earth as you zip down the slide and into a darling garden.
This creative feature is just one of many that add visual texture to a lush landscape.
You’ll find stonework, paved walkways, and even giant frogs and tortoises awaiting your visit. This quirky additions add interest to the garden and captivate the imaginations of children and adults alike.
This enchanting outdoor retreat is open daily from dawn to dusk, but its gardens are understandably the most vibrant during the summer months.
This site is truly enchanting in each season, but the outdoor laboratory is most striking in the spring and summer when the flowering plants are in bloom. However, its meadows and forests are downright breathtaking in the fall and winter, so there is certainly value in planning trips throughout each season.
Adults, kids, and dogs alike will enjoy this darling landscape, but it’s important to be respectful of the site.
This campus is lovingly maintained, so visitors are encouraged to take a leave-no-trace approach when you visit. Tobacco use is prohibited at the site, and dog droppings must be cleaned up.
If there is any one site near Cleveland that’s arguably a real-life fairy tale, it’s this dreamy garden.
Whether you’re zipping down the hillside slide or exploring the Fortress at the Hogs-back, you’ll find an abundance of adventure and beauty at this dreamy site.
Prepare to delight your inner child with a trip to a real-life fairy tale garden.
Greater Cleveland is full of wondrous adventure, but it’s worth exploring the communities just outside of its boundaries every once and a while. Have you ever visited this garden in Wooster? Share your experience with us in the comments below!
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.
