Hinckley, Ohio

It is a great week to be in Hinckley. The lake is officially back open after that big renovation, and the Metroparks are buzzing with end-of-summer programming. This Saturday, August 29, you can join a Learn-It: Kayaking session from 9:30 AM to noon at the Hinckley Lake Boathouse Store — perfect for getting out on the water before summer winds down. And if you prefer to stay upright, the Try-It: Stand Up Paddleboarding sessions run through early September. Also this Saturday evening, Stewart's Caring Place is hosting their 23rd Annual Butterfly Gala at a private residence in Hinckley — it is their biggest fundraiser of the year, with dinner, cocktails, live entertainment, and auctions. It is a meaningful event that supports a wonderful local mission. Whether you are paddling on the lake or dressing up for a good cause, there is something for everyone right here in town this week.

Featured Local Business: Z's Cream & Bean
You know those places that just feel good to walk into? That is Z's Cream & Bean on Boston Road. They serve homemade, hand-churned ice cream alongside freshly roasted espresso, and the whole place has this cozy warmth to it — cherry woodwork, granite counters, a stone fireplace. But here is what I love most: Z's is owned and operated by Medina Creative Housing, a non-profit that creates jobs for adults with disabilities. So every scoop you eat and every latte you sip supports real, meaningful employment right here in our community. On a warm late-August evening, there is nothing better than grabbing a cone and heading over to Hinckley Lake to watch the sunset. Try the salted caramel — it is my go-to, and it never disappoints.

We are in Labor Day week now, and that makes this the last big chance to soak up summer before the school-year rhythm takes over. This year the holiday weekend feels a little different, because Hinckley Lake is fully back. After the big dam rehabilitation project, the lake reopened for its first full summer, with swimming, fishing, and the Boathouse running daily rentals of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal boats through September. There is something special about being out on the water on the final long weekend of the season, and this is the year to do it. Swim hours can shift a bit around the holiday, so I always tell folks to glance at clevelandmetroparks.com/swimming before they head over. Whether you are paddling the cove or just spreading a blanket on the beach with the kids, it is a good week to slow down and enjoy what is right in our own backyard.

Featured Local Business: Foster's Tavern of Hinckley
On Ridge Road in the heart of town, Foster's Tavern is the kind of neighborhood spot that feels like it has always been here, because it basically has. The building is wonderfully old, and the family that runs it now has made it the warm, welcoming bar-and-grill Hinckley has leaned on for years. It is the place where you walk in and somebody at the next table nods hello like they have known you forever. The kitchen does honest comfort food right: the Foster's Famous half-pound burger piled with the works, the bacon jam burger, homemade French onion dip with crusty bread, pierogies, and stuffed Hungarian hot peppers that taste like the old neighborhood. When the weather turns, a bowl of the seasonal soup and a seat by the lower-level fireplace is about as cozy as Hinckley gets. I love pointing new buyers here when they ask what makes this community special, because a place like this is the answer. Go for the burger, stay for the small-town hospitality.

September is settling in, and Hinckley has a good one on the calendar this week. This Saturday, September 12, the Hinckley Fire Department hosts its annual Touch-a-Truck from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at the station on Ridge Road. Kids get to climb up on fire trucks and big rigs, honk the horns, and meet the crews who keep our town safe, and it is one of those free, family-friendly events where the whole community shows up. The lake is still in full swing too: the Boathouse is renting kayaks and paddleboats daily while the warm weather holds, and the beach remains open for swimming. If you would rather keep your feet on solid ground, the trails around Whipp's Ledges are beautiful right now, and the Metroparks' Hiking for the Young at Heart series is still running through the middle of the month. There is no better way to shake off the back-to-school rush than an afternoon at the reservation.

Featured Local Business: Buzzard Cove Pizzeria
Sitting on Bellus Road at the edge of Hinckley Lake, Buzzard Cove is the kind of place that sums up what I love about this town. It is a scratch-made pizzeria that also has two 18-hole mini golf courses, a driving range, and ice cream, all in one spot, so there is genuinely something for every age in the family. I send new neighbors here all the time, because this is where families gather: a pizza in the dining room, a round of putt putt while the kids burn off energy, then soft serve to finish it off. What to try: a scratch-made pie with the crew and a few putts on the greens, and if you time it for early evening, the sunset over the lake is a pretty wonderful bonus. It is simple, unhurried, and unpretentious, and that is exactly what makes Hinckley feel like home.

It is one of those golden late-September weeks in Hinckley, and the lake is giving us one last gift before the season turns. The season's final Nightlife at Dusk kayak tour paddles out Thursday evening, September 17, from the Hinckley Lake Boathouse. It is an easygoing evening paddle where you drift across the water as the sun drops and see what comes out at dusk, and it has been one of the best-loved programs on the lake all summer. Pre-registration is through Cleveland Metroparks, so if you have been meaning to try it, this is your last chance this year. And if a sunset paddle is not your speed, the Boathouse still has kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats out daily from 10 AM to 7 PM through September, weather permitting. Those cool mornings and golden evenings are exactly why this is my favorite stretch of the year.

Featured Local Business: The Greensmith Garden Center & Gift Shop
If you have not been to The Greensmith on Ridge Road yet, you are missing one of the happiest spots in town. What started as a landscaping company has grown into a full garden center with a two-level gift shop that regulars swear is the cutest around, and honestly, they are not wrong. They bring in new gifts and home décor every single day: Mud Pie kitchen and entertaining finds, Swan Creek candles, Blue Q socks with the clever sayings, greeting cards, and local makers' chocolates, honey, maple syrup, and elderberry syrup. There is a whole baby and children's corner too, which makes it a dangerous stop for grandparents. The staff genuinely knows their stuff and the prices are fair, which is rare in a shop this charming. I send new buyers here all the time when they are settling into a house, because you always walk out with something you did not know you needed and a smile you did not plan on. Stop in, browse the gift shop, and grab a jar of local honey while you are there.

Fall officially arrived in Hinckley this week, and it could not have picked a better time to show up. The equinox rolled through on Tuesday, and with it came those cool, golden mornings that make you want to grab a jacket and head for the reservation. The trails around Hinckley Lake and up at Whipp's Ledges are just starting to show their first color, and it is only going to get prettier from here. If you want something a little different on Sunday, September 27, Valleaire Golf Club on Boston Road is hosting Conversations with the Other Side, a gallery reading with psychic mediums that starts at 7:00 PM. Spooky season is officially creeping in, and if that is your kind of fun, this is the event for it. Then Saturday morning, the Medina Fall Festival takes over Public Square from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, with the farmers market running right alongside it. It is about a 15-minute drive from Hinckley, and between the hay maze, pumpkin painting, petting zoo, and live music, it is one of the best family outings of the season.

Featured Local Business: Hinckley Donut Shop
This week's pick is a sunrise favorite. Hinckley Donut Shop on Ridge Road is exactly what you hope a small-town donut shop is: old school, friendly, and reliably good. It has been a staple in Hinckley for years, and when you walk in, you understand why. The staff greets you like a regular even on your first visit, and the case is full of fresh donuts that went out early that morning. My advice is to get there before the rush, because this is one of those places where half the town shows up on a Saturday morning. The raspberry-filled donut with white frosting is a fan favorite, and the maple long johns and frosted blueberry are the kind of thing you think about all week. They also do coffee, hot chocolate, and breakfast sandwiches, with a few tables inside if you want to sit and catch up with a neighbor. I send buyers here when they are house hunting in Hinckley, because a dozen donuts and a cup of coffee is the easiest way to start feeling like you belong. Closed Mondays, open Tuesday through Saturday from 6:00 AM to noon, and Sunday from 7:00 AM. Go early, grab the raspberry-filled, and thank me later.

It is the last day of September and the first days of October, and Hinckley is easing into its best season. The first leaves are starting to turn at Hinckley Reservation, and the Metroparks have two great ways to enjoy it this week. Thursday evening, October 1, there is Rock Climbing at Night up at Whipp's Ledges, an after-dark program where you climb the natural sandstone guided by headlamps. It is beginner-friendly, registration is required ahead of time through Cleveland Metroparks, and honestly, climbing the ledges under the stars sounds like the coolest way to kick off October. Then Sunday morning, October 4, naturalist Pam Taylor leads Extreme Hiking, a full loop around the reservation starting at the Hinckley Lake Boathouse Store. It covers a variety of trails, through the ledges and down to the lake, so bring good shoes and a water bottle. It is a wonderful way to see every corner of this place we are so lucky to call home.

Featured Local Business: Backyard Apothecary
This week's pick is a little shop on Stony Hill Road that I am a little bit obsessed with. Backyard Apothecary is a vintage gift shop that also happens to sell some of the best local honey around, and I mean that literally: their honey is produced right here in Hinckley, all natural and about as local as local gets. The shelves are full of vintage finds and apothecary-style gifts, the kind of place where you walk in for one thing and leave with three because everything is so charming. It is open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and it has earned a spot on the best honey lists around Cleveland, which tells you the locals know what they are doing. I love sending new neighbors here when they are settling in, because a jar of honey made in your own town is one of the easiest ways to feel connected to the place you now call home. Grab a jar for the kitchen and poke around the vintage shelves while you are there. They also host fun community events at the shop through the fall, so it is worth keeping an eye on. It is a happy little stop, and exactly the kind of small business that makes Hinckley special.

I've got you.

It is officially peak fall color season in Hinckley, and the reservation is putting on a show. Cleveland Metroparks has a couple of great ways to get out and enjoy it this week. Wednesday afternoon, October 7, the Outdoor Adventures for Homeschoolers program leads a fall-color hike from the Top O' Ledges picnic area, exploring Whipp's Ledges and Worden's Ledges and the trails in between. Then Saturday, October 10, the Learn-It: Rock Climbing program heads up to Whipp's Ledges so you can learn knots, belaying, and climbing technique on the natural sandstone, and the Hiking for the Young at Heart series is still rolling through October 13. If spooky season is more your speed, Backyard Apothecary on Stony Hill Road is hosting its Practical Magic Energy Fair Saturday morning at 10:00, a free community event that is always a fun, cozy way to ease into October.

Featured Local Business: Weymouth Farms & Orchard, Winery
This week's pick is a Hinckley classic that is absolutely at its best right now. Weymouth Farms on Weymouth Road is a small, family-run farm started back in 2006 by Paul and Brenda O'Neill on the historic Conant Homestead, a property that has been here since before 1825. They grow what they sell: apples, Asian pears, and seedless table grapes, plus award-winning estate wines made from fruit grown right on the farm. In October the fruit is at its peak, and the tasting room is open Friday and Saturday afternoons from 2 to 6. I love sending people here in the fall, because you can grab a bag of crisp apples, pick up a jar of something homemade, and taste a wine made from grapes grown a few hundred feet from where you are standing. It is the kind of place that reminds you why this town feels so special, and the family behind it could not be friendlier. Go for the apples and the Asian pears, and leave a little room to sample the wine. You will be glad you did.

I've got you.

We are in the heart of fall color season now, and Hinckley is putting on a show. The reservation has hit peak color, so a walk around Hinckley Lake or up to Whipp's Ledges this week is about as pretty as it gets all year. The Metroparks' Hiking for the Young at Heart series wrapped up for the season on Tuesday, but the trails are wide open for you to make your own loop. If you would rather have a guide, head about 15 minutes south on Saturday, October 17, for the Spring Grove Arboretum Walk in Medina, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. It is a group tour of the tree collection led by a master arborist, with self-guided tours and a family scavenger hunt too, and it is a lovely way to spend a golden October afternoon. Then Sunday, October 18, Medina Cars & Coffee rolls onto Public Square in the morning, the relaxed monthly gathering where neighbors show up with everything from vintage cruisers to modern muscle cars, coffee in hand. Peak color in our own backyard, plus two good excuses for a drive: not a bad mid-October week.

Featured Local Business: Hillside Orchard & Farm Market
This week's pick is a Hinckley fall institution. Hillside Orchard & Farm Market on Center Road has been in the Bowman family since 1948, and today it is a fourth-generation, USDA-certified family farm where the produce comes straight from their own fields and nearby Ohio farms. The market is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, closed Mondays, all the way through December 23, so there is a whole season of good eating still ahead. What to try: the fresh doughnuts and fruit pies out of their bakery sell fast, so go early, and the local jams and specialty foods make perfect gifts. Pick-your-own apples and pumpkins are going strong this month, and there is a little play area for the kids, which makes it a painless stop with the whole family. I send buyers here all fall long, because this is the Hinckley I love: a family farm that has fed this town for generations and still greets you like a neighbor. Grab a bag of apples and a warm doughnut, then take the long way home through the reservation.

I've got you.

It is officially Halloween week in Hinckley, and the town has a good one lined up. Saturday, October 24, the Hinckley Chamber of Commerce hosts Hinckley Halloween from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, with trick-or-treating at local businesses along the Downtown Hinckley sidewalks and family fun at Hinckley Preparatory Academy. Earlier that morning, Cleveland Metroparks is offering Try-It: Pumpkin Paddle, a guided canoe session at the Hinckley Lake Boathouse where you learn the basics on the water with pumpkins added for fun; registration is required ahead of time through the Metroparks. The fall color is still holding at the reservation, so if you would rather stay on dry land, the loop around Hinckley Lake and the trails at Whipp's Ledges are about as pretty as they get. And if you want to stretch the holiday a little further, Medina lights up Public Square with the Great America 250 Pumpkin Salute this weekend, and the Mill Street Makers' Market runs Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is a full, cozy week, the kind that makes October the best month in this town.

Featured Local Business: Boswell's Beanery & Blends
This week's pick is one of those longtime Hinckley gems that quietly makes this town special. Boswell's Beanery & Blends has been family-run on Center Road since 1989, and it is the kind of shop that rewards a slow browse. They handcraft pantry favorites with quality ingredients: artisan BBQ and steak sauces, salad dressings, seasoning rubs, jams and fruit butters, cheese dips, soups, and even instant cheesecakes, all made in small batches. They also roast and sell their own rich, aromatic coffee, so you can take care of breakfast and dinner from the same counter. What to try: the apple-cinnamon BBQ sauce and the sweet mesquite molasses are the ones I keep in my own pantry, and they have a loyal following for a reason. The shop averages about 4.8 out of 5 stars from more than 240 customer reviews, which tells you the regulars agree. With the holidays sneaking up, a basket of their sauces and a bag of their coffee is the kind of gift that actually gets used. Hours vary a bit by season, so give them a ring before you head over, but it is well worth the trip.

I've got you.