Just minutes from the city center, the lush and leafy countryside of northeastern Ohio beckons with quaint villages, nature preserves, family-owned wineries, and other countrified delights that can easily be part of meetings based in downtown Cleveland.
East of Cleveland, Lake County is working hard to position itself as a destination for spouse programs and meeting breaks. The Lake County Visits Bureau (LCVB) recently partnered with its big-city neighbor to showcase its wealth of off-site venues during the Cleveland CVB’s annual summer FAM trip for meeting planners.
“It’s a challenge because people coming to Cleveland don’t always know we’re here, even though we’re just a half-hour away,” says LCVB Director Bob Ulas. “These days it’s more important than ever to get people out of the meeting room for some relaxation—and we can do that.”
For those who want to get back to the land, Lake County offers the 235-acre Lake Metroparks Farmpark (www.lakemetroparks.com), a demonstration farm where city slickers can milk a cow by hand or machine, watch a Border Collie herd a flock of sheep, learn about solar and wind power, explore a hydroponics lab for growing tomatoes, and even participate in seasonal planting and harvesting activities. Located in Kirtland, Farmpark offers on-site catering and spacious areas for barbecues and other group events.
Also in Kirtland, the magnificent Holden Arboretum (www.holdenarb.org), the largest botanical garden east of the Mississippi, offers group tours and catered events in a 3,500-acre setting of rare trees, lily ponds and spectacular theme gardens.
Lake County is also home to several award-winning wineries, including the Ferrante Winery & Ristorante (www.ferrantewinery.com), which offers several elegant dining areas overlooking acres of vineyards. At the more down-home Chalet Debonne Vineyards (www.debonne.com) groups can take a tractor-pulled hayride through the vineyards and then enjoy dinner and wine tasting in a private pavilion.
Just south of Cleveland, Independence is the starting point for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (www.cvsr.com), a train with vintage 1950s railcars that meanders through the deep forests of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, with waterfalls and nesting grounds for great blue herons along the way.
Groups of up to 300 can charter the entire train, while those of 24 or less can rent St. Lucie Sound, a luxury car outfitted with plush couches and chairs, a wet bar and entertainment center. The railway offers a variety of scheduled half-day or full-day excursions for groups, including an hour ride to the historic village of Peninsula for browsing among the galleries and shops.
