Sports in northeastern Ohio are enjoyed at all levels, from professional to amateur. Jacobs Field is the site for sell-out after sell-out as Cleveland Indians fans watch the finest in major league baseball. Next door, the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association perform magic at Gund Arena. And the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League take to the gridiron at their new stadium at North Coast Harbor.
Other professional teams include the Cleveland Force of the Indoor Soccer League, the Barons of the International Hockey League, and the Akron Aeros, a minor league team of the Cleveland Indians, who play home games at the new Canal Park in Akron. Another minor league team of the Cleveland Indians, the Lake County Captains, plays in their new park in Eastlake. As an annual summer event in Canton ... where pro football began ... new inductees are honored into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Museum and an NFL exhibition game is played.
Fans can enjoy other sporting events as well. The World Series of Golf at Akron’s Firestone Country Club is a major stop on the PGA tour, while the NIKE Cleveland Open is played at Quail Hollow in Concord, east of Cleveland.
For years, the PBA regularly stopped in Akron, while the Cleveland Grand Prix features CART Indy-car style racing every summer. Enjoy horse racing at two area tracks and don’t forget about the Hunter Jumper Classic Horse Show! The Cleveland National Air Show is a Burke-Lakefront Airport tradition!
If you’re a weekend warrior, there’s no need to sit on the sidelines. Every spring, the CVS Marathon and 10K Race attracts thousands of professional and amateur runners, who race through the streets of Greater Cleveland. World-renowned skaters have called northeastern Ohio home, due in part to the many ice skating facilities that are available.
Golfers tee-up on over 300 public and private golf courses throughout the area. Or if you prefer, tennis courts, ball fields, hockey rinks and gyms are also found throughout the region.
Boaters and fishermen have reason to shout for joy, as well. Lake Erie is one of the great recreational areas of the nation. The lake is said to be the most productive of the Great Lakes for fishing. In addition, bustling water recreation activity is ongoing from spring through fall along The Islands in the western part of the lake, where there are night spots, restaurants, summer homes and vacation accommodations for boaters and non-boaters alike.
The sandy beaches along Lake Erie are great! State Parks such as Edgewater and Mentor Headlands are perfect for sunbathing and swimming on warm summer days. There are also numerous smaller, recreational lakes throughout the region, offering more enjoyment.
Recreation takes many forms. Cedar Point, just a short drive from Lorain County, is well known for roller coasters that thrill and chill. Other facilities include Geauga Lake in Aurora. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is famous for its presentation of wildlife, and its Rainforest Exhibit of flora and fauna of South America. The Metropolitan Park System and Cuyahoga Valley National Park offer tens-of thousands of acres of woods, trails, streams, rivers, picnic grounds and golf courses. Like wine tasting and fine dining? Vineyards in Lake, Lorain and Ashtabula County will tantalize your taste buds. Enjoy wonderful dishes prepared by some of the finest restaurateurs in the country.
