STOW: If you travel through Summit County regularly, then you’ve no doubt driven through Stow. Three popular Ohio state routes — the limited-access highway of 8 and the busy thoroughfares of 59 (Kent Road) and 91 (Darrow Road) — bring thousands of cars through here daily.
But if you’ve never been tempted to leave the road to see what this city has to offer, you’re missing some one-of-a-kind attractions.
To help our readers take better advantage of the amenities throughout our region, the Beacon Journal is running a series of stories each spotlighting a different community. We’ve made some obvious picks, but also enlisted local officials, residents, Facebook fans and some of our own expert staff writers to round out our list.
This week: 10 things to do in Stow.
• Cafe O’Play is an indoor playground where parents can sip coffee from a couch on the other side of a divider, in full view of their youngsters as they run through obstacles, climb ladders and play games. The private business, at 911 Graham Road, also rents rooms for parties and schedules special activities. Admission is $8.50 for a full weekday’s access, $10.50 on the weekend. Visit http://cafeoplay.com.
• Mayor’s Choice, by Sara Kline: Silver Springs Park. “With 216 acres of parkland and activities right in the heart of Stow, there is something for everyone. Come join the fun.” The park’s address is 5070 Stow Road, but there are also entrances from Young Road. The park features a playground, Silver Springs Lodge and Heritage Barn, Heritage Lake, baseball fields, soccer fields, basketball and pickleball courts, and is home to events such as the annual children’s fishing derby in the spring and the Summer Sunset Blast in the fall. It also boasts two other attractions deserving of their own spot on this list…
• Silver Springs Campground is one of only a handful of campgrounds in Ohio located inside a bustling municipality. Some city dwellers love the location because they can commute to work from their tents and trailers. The rolling 49-acre landscape opened in 1976 and has been serving outdoor lovers ever since. It costs $10 a night for residents and $12 a night for nonresidents for up to six people, has electricity, water spigots and portable toilets, though you won’t find a swimming pool, showers or game room.
• Bow Wow Beach, also within the borders of Silver Springs, landed on a national list of 50 pup-approved parks and landmarks promoted by Milk-Bone, maker of doggie treats. The 8-acre fenced-in dog park with a 3-acre lake is at 5027 Stow Road. Visit http://stowohio.org/funinstow/bow-wow-beach-dog-park.
• Date Night, by residents Robin and John Kory: This Stow couple likes to spend their alone time in the company of roaring sports fans. They recommend supporting the Stow-Munroe Falls High School teams. Visit http://stowathletics.digitalsports.com and click on the “teams” link to find an all-seasons schedule. The Korys are regulars at the football games, where they say the bonus is “getting to watch the best band around. Halftime is always amazing.” Whatever sport you follow, they suggest finishing the experience with dinner and drinks at the sports pub Beef ’O’ Brady’s at 3732 Darrow Road.
• Shop Hop, by our home writer Mary Beth Breckenridge: Consigners Collection is “a consignment shop that appeals to both my cheap streak and my interest in home decorating. In addition to selling an eclectic mix of used furniture and accessories, it offers Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for sprucing up secondhand finds, plus pieces that have already been artistically re-purposed.” Located at 1640 Norton Road, it’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Sundays. http://consignerscollection.com.
• Adell Durbin Arboretum features 2.5 miles of trails in its 34-acre border. Some will recognize it for its hand-carved Indian totem. Located in the middle of Stow on state Route 91 (3300 Darrow Road), it also has picnic facilities, a playground, lit tennis courts, rest rooms and the Harold Welch Nature Center.
• Food Fix, by our food columnist Katie Byard: StowNut Donut & Diner “is one of those local gems that deserves its solid reputation for good eats and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s a diner/doughnut shop with a 1950s feel (retro red and white vinyl chairs and a counter with red stools) that will whisk you to another era.” But make it a breakfast or lunch destination. It’s open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. StowNut is at 3055 Graham Road. Check out the menu at http://www.stownutdonut.com.
• The 33.5-mile Metro Parks Bike and Hike Trail runs through Stow, with trailheads at 968 Springdale Road (there is parking) and 5027 Stow Road (park at the Bow Wow Beach dog park and look for the bridge leading to the trail.) The Springdale segment follows city streets while the Stow Road segment travels the edge of Silver Springs Park, where there are restrooms and picnic facilities.
• Social Media Shout-out, by Beacon Facebook fans: Stow Cone. Most communities have a landmark ice cream stand, and Stow is no different. This purveyor of sweet treats has been around for more than half a century. No wonder that on weekends, warm summer days and after school sporting events, the stand doubles as a social gathering spot. Find it at 3288 Kent Road.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.