Aside from affecting many local families pocketbooks with job furloughs for many federal employees, the government shutdown in Washington, DC has also affected some of our local park systems. I’ve heard lots of confusion around town regarding which parks have stayed open, and which parks are closed.
Only the federal parks are closed. For us in Akron and Cleveland, that means all of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system is closed for business and trail usage. It is so disappointing that these wonderful parks cannot be used during the gorgeous fall months! But have no fear, our city, county, and state park systems are still open and beaconing locals to experience their beauty and extensive programming!
Seiberling Nature Realm – Our Family’s Favorite Field Trip
The Seiberling Nature Realm, located on Smith Road in Akron, is one of our favorite family field trips any time of the year. The 104-acre Nature Realm includes a 10,000-square-feet visitors center with a gift shop, several gardens, observation decks, two ponds, hiking trails and a tall-grass prairie. And while all of this is loads of fun, our favorite part of this park is feeding the wild Chickadee birds that that make the Nature Realm their home. These adorable little birds will actually eat sunflower seeds out of your hands if you are patient and quiet enough. I can tell you that the experience of having their little feet land softly on your hand NEVER gets old!
Last time we went with friends, the kids were holding a competition to see who got the most chickadees to eat out of their hand. The kids were up in the double digits by the time we finished our hike. 🙂
Local Park Systems That Are Open Despite the Federal Government Shutdown
