Fall in Ohio | Cleveland Top 10 Places

Before heading to Cleveland, Ohio this last week, I admittedly didn’t know much about it. I was excited to have the opportunity to explore a new city and I was not disappointed! I could go back to this city year after year. Fall in Ohio is truly incredible! Yellows, oranges and the most vibrant reds I have ever seen.

Even just driving around on the freeway was impressive and I would let out the occasional small or sometimes large gasp because I couldn’t believe my eyes. Cleveland is surrounded by acres of metro-parks all over the city and they are so much bigger and more incredible than I could have imagined. We explored forests, waterfalls, charming old towns, farms and more.

I have compiled a list of the top ten places to see the Fall Foliage in Cleveland, Ohio so you are prepared for your next trip there!

1- Fall in Ohio: Squires Castle

Squire’s Castle is located at the Chagrin Reservation and it shouldn’t be missed. This castle is surrounded by a beautiful forest of trees behind it which makes it a must-see in the Fall. There were tons of families here just enjoying their day- playing games and having picnics. I highly recommend bringing a blanket and your lunch to go if you come here and spending a little bit of time. The setting is exquisite and you’ll forget your in Cleveland and think you landed somewhere in the U.K!

2- Holden Arboretum

Holden Arboretum is located in Kirtland, Ohio and it is another do not miss location in fall or anytime. Squire’s Castle is not too far from here so we were able to see both locations on the same day. The Arboretum is huge and you could spend all day wandering around if you wanted to. When we first arrived, it was really cute to see scarecrows that the local community had put together to welcome you to the park.

The Arboretum is probably most famous for two things-the Murch Canopy Walk and Emergent Tower. The tower will take people up 120 feet and you get an incredible view of all of the Fall trees, and on a clear day, you can even see Lake Erie. This is not for the faint of heart- as it is up really high! The Canopy Walk was my personal favorite. On this walk, you are 65 feet above the forest, but the trees are literally all around you and it is just incredible!

3-Virginia Ledges

The Virginia Ledges are located in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and they are incredibly unique. The forest surrounding the ledges almost felt mystical and was so fun to explore. You can go on a 1.8 mile hike all around this valley and to see the ledges. We saw many families there so I felt like this spot was also very family friendly.

The ledges themselves are huge grey stones covered in an incredibly vibrant green moss. Mix this uniqueness with Fall colors and you have an incredible photo spot. The Ledges also had a hike to an overlook which we went on and the scenery was incredibly beautiful.

Fall in Ohio

4- Everett Covered Bridge

Everett Covered Bridge is also located at Cuyahoga National Park. This stop was actually not planned, but we kind of fell upon it and now I must recommend it to everyone. The area was beaming with bright yellow and orange trees everywhere and there were several trails and walks down by the river.

My absolute favorite photo spot was the red covered bridge though. It was so photogenic and very unique to this part of the U.S. It was built in the 19th century and now is the only remaining bridge in the Summit County. It was a great stop on our tour and it has a lot of history there as well!

Fall in Ohio!

5- Bridal Veil Falls, Bedford Reservation

I had read that the Bedford Reservation was a very good spot for photos in the Fall so I thought I would check it out. This spot did not disappoint. It is only a short walk along the creek and down the boardwalk and steps, leading to a stunning viewpoint of Bridal Veil Falls.

This area is surrounded by hardwoods and hemlocks and is also another popular photo spot. We didn’t spend too much time here, but it was still worth the short visit to see the beautiful creek surrounded by Fall colors.

6- Chagrin Reservation

After we visited Squire’s Castle, we decided to drive around Chagrin Reservation. We decided to pullover into a parking lot when we saw insanely colorful trees on the side of the road. We hiked around this area for awhile and couldn’t believe our eyes. We also went on a short 0.4 mile walk through brilliant yellow, orange and red beech-maple trees to a small overlook over the Chagrin River. This area had some of the most extravagant colors we saw on our trip to Cleveland.

7- Brandywine Falls

Brandywine Falls is a popular photo spot any time of the year in Ohio, but it is particularly beautiful in the Fall. It is a 65-foot waterfall that can be reached by a boardwalk that has several different viewpoints. The boardwalk area was surrounded with beautiful trees and Fall colors and I was amazed even before we saw the waterfall.

The boardwalk looked amazing too because so many leaves of every imaginable fall color had already fallen on it. There are a few other waterfalls nearby that I didn’t have a chance to see, but I have heard they are worth stopping for. They are called Blue Hen and Buttermilk Falls.

8- Cuyahoga Valley National Park neighborhoods

One of the best places to see fall leaves in Ohio was Cuyahoga Valley National Park it was one of the most underrated national parks I’ve ever been to. I could have spent days exploring just this park! Something I thought was cool as well was that there were little neighborhoods and houses actually within the national park. I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place to live.

While driving around the park, we saw so many beautiful houses and neighborhoods. The Fall colors seemed to be especially vibrant in these areas. There was one area in particular that I was jumping for joy at how beautiful it was. We decided we had to stop the car and snap a few photos. Make sure to always be respectful of people’s properties and if there is any one outside ask if it’s okay to take pictures there.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

9- Rocky River Reservation

We didn’t have the chance to visit Rocky River Reservation, but it will definitely be one of the first places I visit next time I am looking for Fall Foliage in Cleveland. This reservation is home to many beautiful sights (especially in the Fall) and wildlife.

You can head to Rocky River Nature Center, where you’ll be able to explore trails and gardens that venture out into the scenic landscape of the Rocky River. There are plenty of trails that will lead you to the river’s edge, a wetland forest, ponds, hilltops and more!

10- Brecksville Reservation

Brecksville Reservation is probably most notable for Chippewa Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook. The view looks down and over tops of trees with a stunning view of the hemlocks and the colorful reds and oranges of deciduous trees. It is just a short walk to this viewpoint too! We had a lot of fun just walking around the reservation and seeing all of the pretty trees and even playing in the leaves after a long day of exploring!