Brandywine River Falls

Located in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the main attraction is the Brandywine River Falls.  This peaceful waterfall has a large, convenient parking lot located near it to allow for a very short walk to the falls.  We stopped here on the way from Cleveland to Canton, and found it to be a great morning stop to get a nice view of nature (and it was free!).

There are spots to take photos from the top of the falls, as well as near the bottom, so that you can get both aspects.  For anyone who lives in the area or is just passing through, this a definitely a place I'd recommend stopping for at least a little bit.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Are you a football fan?  Well, at some point, you need to make the pilgrimage to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.  While the building is undergoing some major renovations, the exhibits are still fully open.  In the first area, you'll learn about the history of football from it's inception and the original teams in small cities around the country all the way to what the NFL has evolved into.  Throughout this exhibit there is plenty of memorabilia that has been donated to the museum that will make football fans just say "wow", especially when it corresponds to your favorite team and players.

After your football history lesson, the next major area is the room containing all of the busts of the inductees to the hall.  For me, being a Dolphins fan, I made sure I found all of the team's members that are in the hall.  For everyone else, I'm sure you can find some of your favorite players from your lifetime (and before) that you'll want to grab a photo with.  You can also watch videos and learn about every single player in the hall with individual TV screens in the bust room.

After you walk out of this room, you're greeted by a ton more memorabilia focusing on important moments in football history.

This is definitely a must visit for football fans and after your visit, you'll find yourself wanting to grab some mementos from the gift shop.

Red Roof Inn Canton

The Red Roof Inn Canton was a hotel we chose mainly because it was reasonably priced and located very close (about 10 minutes) to the Akron-Canton airport.  The hotel is right by a ton of shopping and restaurants and is right off I-77.

When we first got to the hotel, we found our bed sheets weren't clean like they should be.  The front desk staff sent someone out immediately who took care of it and replaced all of the sheets and linens quickly.  We found this service to be excellent.  However, the cleanliness of the room wasn't really anything to be proud of.  There was general surface cleaning, but you could tell that the housekeeping staff didn't really work hard to keep the rooms clean...they did just enough so that most guests wouldn't notice any issues.

The price though is pretty cheap compared to some other area hotels, so you can't complain too much.  For a one night stay before a flight, it is a decent find.  I wouldn't recommend a lengthy stay though.

Hog Heaven

House Bottled Vanilla Cream Soda

Barbequed Hog

Pulled Pork and Gravy

Gravy on BBQ? Sure, at Hog Heaven in Canton, OH. This is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner while visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame (which is just a few blocks away).

We ordered the Barbequed Hog and the Pulled Pork and Gravy. The pulled pork was moist and delicious, and served in big heaping portions.

I want to swim in Hog Heaven’s barbeque sauce, it’s delicious and fantastic on both the pulled pork and fries, and the bread, and, well, everything. It’s just that freakin’ good.

The gravy on the Pulled Pork and Gravy was also very good. It didn’t overpower the pork while adding an additional layer of flavor. It was also served with the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten.

Hog Heaven also bottles their own sodas. We tried the vanilla cream soda, which was delicious. Very creamy and refreshing. They also make strawberry, orange, and black cherry. If you’re stopping here for a meal, opt for one of their sodas rather than the traditional.

The portions here are HUGE! But delicious and cooked perfectly. Definitely worth stopping here for a bite to eat.

Winking Lizard Tavern

Boneless Garlic Wings

Chipotle Chicken Minis

Turkey Melt

A Paddle

With 14 locations in Ohio, and our Facebook friends recommending their wings all the way from Philly, Winking Lizard Tavern is definitely worth dining at, for wings, BBQ, and beers.

The wings (we ordered the garlic boneless wings) were delicious. I almost wish we had ordered more than a “6-pack.” The garlic sauce had enough heat while still having a wonderful taste (I hate hot sauce that’s hot for the sake of hot).

We also ordered the chipotle chicken minis, which were delicious for sliders and the chipotle sauce was served on the side, so you can make them as spicy or as mild as you’d like them.

We also ordered the turkey melt, with applewood smoked bacon, and upgraded to Pfred’s Preferred Pfries, which are the Lizard’s steak fries, but topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and bacon. These were delicious and worth the upgrade!

We also did a Paddle of beer (don’t worry, its not as intimidating as it sounds). I couldn’t decide what beer I wanted to try, but when you order a Paddle, you can choose four different beers. For $6, it’s definitely worth it! Flip the placemat to the back see what’s on each handle and what the glass of the month is.

Sluggers and Putters

When visiting or living in Canton, OH, if you and your family are looking for something fun to do that the whole family will enjoy, head on over to Sluggers and Putters in Canal Fulton.

The center offers go-karts, bumper boats, a batting cage, a driving range, mini golf and more.

We thoroughly enjoyed the mini golf course – the first nine holes tells the story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. The second half of the course is nursery rhymes and have the added fun of “mischief wheels,” where each person in your party gives it a spin and plays with what they get.

The mini golf course is fun and well landscaped; although there aren’t a lot of obstacles and the holes themselves are short. But it is still a fun course for adults and families.