Great Ohio Road Trips

Medina County is lauded for its charming communities and recreational opportunities. Enjoy fun with the family by making a fall visit to walk among the foliage, pick out local produce and explore a book shop that captures the imagination. 

Book Haven 

With over 7,000 titles on its shelves, Black Cat Books and Oddities in Medina has become a local favorite for picking out a new read. Recently expanding into two separate buildings, the shop initially opened on Court Street in summer 2023 and expanded to include a second building around the corner on Lafayette Street in June 2024. 

In the original house, shoppers are greeted with a selection of vinyl records for sale and a collection of new book titles, before they head into the next room where mysteries and thrillers abound. Upstairs, kids will love exploring The Secret Garden, a children’s book room decorated with artificial flowers and mushroom-shaped tents to sit in. Edgar Allen Poe is celebrated in a room of his own, and there is a selection of banned books to choose from tucked away in a corner closet. 

In the new addition, the entryway opens into a space walled with roses in various shades of pink and a blush-colored sofa that creates a perfect environment for diving into a romantic read. Around the corner, thriller and sci-fi fans  will find their next favorite among the shelves decorated with bubbling test tubes. 420 S. Court St., Medina 44256, 440/263-0650, blackcatmedina.com

Autumn Escape

Unplug and unwind in nature at the Medina County Parks District’s 22 locations this fall. The properties cover a total of 8,500 acres and include traditional parks as well as nature preserves and animal sanctuaries. Each park offers different amenities for visitors to enjoy depending on the location.

With more than 50 miles of trails, there are plenty of places to enjoy a fall hike, but Allardale Park in Medina and Hubbard Valley Park in Seville are great for seeing the changing leaves. Trails at Allardale range from easy to difficult, while Hubbard Valley offers easy and moderate trails. Most of the trails in the park system are no more than one mile, but for the hiker looking for something a little longer, Buckeye Woods Park connects to the Chippewa Inlet Trail, which is nearly 3 miles of both paved and rocky terrain. 

Carolyn Ludwig Mugrage Park in Medina is a great place to take the little ones in your life. Go on a storybook walk to read a seasonally rotating tale along the path that is chosen and provided by the Medina County District Library or spend time at the inclusive playground that kids of all abilities can enjoy. For more information, visit medinacountyparks.com. 

Coffee Break 

Shake up your average at-home cup of coffee with the help of The Coffee Colony in Medina. Since 1985, mother-daughter duo Sharon Lipton and Kim Hansen have been selling flavored coffee and decaf blends for people to make their own cafe-worthy creations at home. 
Their shop is housed in an 1846 home, one of the oldest buildings in the city, and stock an array of coffee and tea blends. Flavored coffees are a huge draw, with over 70 varieties of grounds and beans available to take home. The selection includes flavors like peppermint mocha, chocolate peanut butter and oatmeal cookie. One of the most popular flavors is Jamaican Me Crazy, a warm, sweet blend with notes of rum, vanilla and caramel.

Shoppers can purchase bags of coffee in a variety of sizes, and one of The Coffee Colony’s most popular selections is its trial-size bag, which lets customers try a new blend without the commitment. These small bags of coffee grounds are $2 and enough for about five cups of coffee. Those who are not into coffee can check out the shop’s variety of bagged and loose-leaf teas. 113 N. Huntington St., Medina 44256, 330/722-6797, thecoffeecolony.com

Farm Fun

Find fall fun as well as fresh, local goods at Richardson Farms in Medina. In its sixth generation of family ownership, the farm has been a Medina County favorite for decades, welcoming visitors to stop in for fresh flowers, meat, produce and local goods. 
The greenhouse sells bountiful blooms of flowers in hanging baskets during the growing season, while the market is open year-round. Here, shoppers will find in-season fruits and vegetables, as well as farm fresh beef and pork. The farm market also stocks a variety of other goods made by Richardson Farms, including jams, pickles and salsas, as well as eggs produced by the chickens who call the farm home. 

Goods from local purveyors fill the shelves as well, spanning biscuits, baked goods, milk, coffee, pierogies, syrups and more. Fall is a perfect time to visit as apples and peaches are ripe for the picking. Walk through the orchard and fill a bag with fruits to take home or make plans to visit the pumpkin patch, where the family can pick out a bright orange pumpkin to make the perfect jack-o-lantern. When you go, be sure to pay a visit to the farm’s chickens, cows and pigs. 6984 Lafayette Rd., Medina 44256, 330/722-4029, richardsonfarms.com

For more information about these and other Medina County destinations, go to visitmedinacounty.com.