The 10 Best Small Towns in Ohio

Century Cycles in Peninsula is listed among the top businesses serving outdoor enthusiasts visiting Peninsula and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, as reported in the "10 Best Small Towns in Ohio" feature in the August 2006 issue of Glucose magazine.

This tiny village would be easy to miss if it weren't for the sudden change in speed limit from 55 MPH to 25 in less than 100 yards. And the cops are the real deal in Peninsula, so slow it down! And enjoy...

On most days in the summer months, Peninsula appears more like a town straight out of the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. It's got the artsy, environmental thing going on. It's mastered the first rule in real estate ("Location, location, location!"). And it's a genuinely cool place to hang out. In what other town of 600 can you find a bookstore, a bike shop, a bar, a restaurant, and...oh, yeah, a national park? And that's just on Main Street.

Peninsula is set deep in the heart of the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio's only national park. Here, nature thrives in all its glory. Beaver Marsh has the single greatest concentration of wildlife in the region. In spring, check out the heron rookery. You'll hear it before you see it. It's truly amazing.

The park's 125 miles of hiking, biking and running trails are anchored by one of the ares's biggest draws: the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Cycle past the historical remains of the waterway that originally brought Peninsula to life in the early 1800s. Hike the Ledges to Ice Box Cave for relief from the summer heat. Visit Brandywine Falls, Ohio's second largest waterfall. In winter, ski Brandywine or Boston Mills, then head over to the Winking Lizard for a burger and a beer. For a more refined excursion through the park, board one of the wine-tasting trains of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which operates through November 3.

Population: 600

Region of Ohio: Northeast

Town Highlights: Winking Lizard, Fisher's Pub, Blue Heron Books, antique shops, and more.

Outdoor Activities: Cuyahoga Valley National Park - hiking, trail running, cycling, birding, paddling, cross-country skiing, total outdoor enjoyment. Brandywine and Boston Mills Ski Resorts - downhill skiing. Kendall Cliffs - indoor climbing gym.

More Information:
Appalachian Outfitters, 330.655.5444, www.appalachianoutfitters.com
Century Cycles, 330.657.2209, www.centurycycles.com
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, www.nps.gov/cuva
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, 800.468.4070, www.cvsr.com
Kendall Cliffs, 330.655.5489, www.kendallcliffs.com
Vertical Runner, 330.656.1176, www.verticalrunner.com