Lakewood is typically known for its higher-end amenities. These include Lakewood Park, with its stunning views of Lake Erie and the skyline of Cleveland, the welcoming small shops and cafes along Detroit Avenue, and most importantly, the sense of community uniting it all together. These are the hallmark traits that provide the city with its positive energy and small-town charm.

But cross the city’s widely touted borders just a short way, and you’ll find yourself immersed in miles of unspoiled landscape, serene walking paths, and secluded panoramic views that afford a quieter, more reflective experience. From the turning park paths of the Metro Parks to the soft wind and fresh aroma at the Wade Oval Park in Cleveland, the areas surrounding Lakewood offer countless opportunities to reconnect with nature. From a weekend adventurer to one just looking for a whiff of fresh air, magic awaits just beyond the city limits.

Wade Oval Park is where nature and urban appeal officially intersect. Nestled in the heart of University Circle, it’s a serene getaway in the middle of cultural sights and natural delights.

The park comes alive in early spring, as blooming cherry blossom trees cover the landscape with a soft-colored paradise of pastels. Their lacy petals dance through the air, filling the atmosphere with a fresh, floral scent of renewal.

Wildlife is omnipresent all around the park—birds chirp from the top canopy of the trees, ducks glide idly across the pond, and squirrels playfully dart through the grass. The still and tranquil pond is a focal point, inviting visitors to its waterside to sit, take a breather, or merely watch.

The park brings a flash of magical scenery in each season. In the cold of winter, Wade Oval is refashioned as a holiday spot with ice skating under starry lights and a giant Christmas tree looming above all. Summer and autumn, however, fill the park with new life as it is the site of bright, lively festivals, outdoor concerts, and community gatherings that attract individuals together.

“I started coming here to connect with nature and the greenery of Cleveland last year,” Preston Walker, a frequent visitor to Wade Oval, said. “I find that when you start going out and engaging in the world around you, it has the effect of breaking up so much mental tension and strain. Especially in the springtime, when the air is crisp and the birds are singing.”

But it’s on just those quiet, early spring mornings—when the cherry blossoms are sprouting and the world feels new—that Wade Oval is at its best. It’s more than just a park; it’s an idyllic retreat, an ode to the seasons, and an incredibly stunning reminder of Cleveland at its best.

Although Wade Oval Park is also lively and full of character, various other areas near our hometown are no less important—for example, the much-loved and respected spots, known as the Metro Parks.

The Cleveland Metroparks, sometimes referred to as the “Emerald Necklace,” are a system of 18 reservations that encircle Greater Cleveland. While many residents are familiar with the parks as being beyond beautiful and convenient, many are unaware of many unknown facts.

The system of the parks was founded in 1917, covering over 24,000 acres across Ohio (nearly double the size of Manhattan). There are many different places where the parks are situated, giving endless hikers, nature lovers, and hundreds of pedestrians and cyclists the chance to appreciate and experience the very beauty of the greenery surrounding us.

“Everywhere you look at the parks, you find something new, maybe it’s a new trail or a little pond with wildlife all around,” Miley Hogue, a hiker and pedestrian at the Metro Parks, said. “Everything carries its own beauty, it is an amazing experience.”

The Metro Parks’ natural beauty has enriched many people in Ohio, specifically Clevelanders. While the city is undoubtedly full of its own set of problems, like economic struggles or areas that aren’t quite as safe, the Metro Parks are just the ticket the city needs.

They provide a peaceful, well-kept space where people can relax, reacquaint themselves with nature, and escape briefly from the stress or strain of city life. In many respects, the parks help to balance out the less desirable aspects of the city, reminding one of the beauty and calm still available close to home.

Situated on the shores of Lake Erie is Bradstreet’s Landing Park—known more casually as the Rocky River Pier, one of Lake County’s best secrets awaiting nature lovers and residents to discover. Whether you stop by to fish, walk along the pier, or sit and watch the waves roll in, the natural beauty of this pier is something you simply can’t avoid. With the land and open water on one side and wooded groves spread all about the pier, it’s an area where people can take an extra deep breath and unwind.

Like many of Cleveland’s outdoor locations, the Rocky River Pier was reborn with the seasons. It is alive in summer—fishermen along the edge of the pier, strolling families along the walkway, and gatherings of friends sitting out to watch the sunset on the water. The sun blazes on the crowds of people, but never steals the peace of the openness of the sky and the sparkling lake. It is the ideal place where nature and community meet.

However, winters are a different world. The crowds turn into solo individuals, the lake sometimes freezes over, and the whole area descends into what feels like a ghost town that the summer population is trying to escape. But beneath the cold, there is still something to the stillness of the pier. Icy-crusted rocks, snow-covered benches, and the woosh of the wind provide the setting for an atmosphere of stark serenity, almost as though nature has suspended animation.

This is the same rhythmic feel you’d find at Cleveland’s Wade Oval Park, where the landscape has a new attitude every season. But unlike city parks, the Rocky River Pier brings the sweeping views, the ruggedness of the lakeshore, and the closeness of contact with the land. The location is vibrant, even in repose.

“Something is refreshing about this place,” a frequent visitor, Andrew Loris, said. “No matter the season, the pier has this calming vibe that makes you want to slow down and just take it all in.”

From the vibrant energy of Wade Oval Park to the Metro Parks rustling leaves or the quiet and tranquility of Rocky River Pier, the parkland and open space surrounding Lakewood are an escape from the cacophony of the city.

Every park in season invites solitude and communion with nature. They remind us that no matter the trials of city life, there is always a natural sanctuary just around the corner to revive us.