Ohio is overflowing with breathtaking places to explore, but there's nowhere quite like a Cleveland-area park. The loveliest ones are located along Northeast Ohio's waterways, and locals especially adore those on Lake Erie's shore. Each lakefront park is beautiful in its own way, but the beauty of one, in particular, is criminally overlooked.
Welcome to Wendy Park!
Wendy Park, which is located on the Whiskey Island Peninsula at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, can be found at 2800 Whiskey Island Drive in Cleveland.
This 22-acre park on the edge of Downtown Cleveland is truly an urban gem.
This park opened in 2005, and it contributes splendidly to the Emerald Necklace that is the Cleveland Metroparks. They actually purchased Whiskey Island in 2014, meaning that this site will delight Clevelanders for years to come.
Its shores attract visitors as well as local wildlife and migratory birds.
More than 260 species of birds can be found here, making this site a goldmine for birdwatchers. In the fall, monarch butterflies are also found in great quantity in this lush little oasis.
Wendy Park contributes to the acreage of the spectacular Lakefront Reservation, which leaves locals enthralled in every season.
A marina and kayak launch have water-loving locals flocking to the site in the warmer months...
...But there is so much more to do.
Aside from wildlife watching here, Clevelanders also enjoy participating in fishing and volleyball games.
And, of course, it's an absolutely dreamy place for a refreshing spring picnic and hike.
From the park, you can see the former Coast Guard station, which closed in 1976.
It's plain to see why locals have been attracted to this lovely site since Cleveland's founding.
Early settler Lorenzo Carter established a family farm here in the earliest years of Cleveland's history. The site hosted a distillery in the 1830s, which is how the peninsula came to be known as Whiskey Island.
Are you ready to explore one of the dreamiest hidden gems in Cleveland?
As warmth and springtime descends over the region, Wendy Park will only grow lovelier.
There is so much to love in Northeast Ohio, but this one petite peninsula truly is a hidden wonder. Do you have a favorite park in the Cleveland Metroparks? Tell us in the comments and share your favorite photos!
For more local splendor, check out this nearby park that is straight out of a fairy tale.
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