Cleveland Crossroads 2026

Family and Travel

Giles Kennedy

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By Giles Kennedy

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Family and Travel Columnist

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What was a planned visit to the Historic B&O Roundhouse for an event for the American Steam Railroad turned into an unexpected day of exploration.

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As every day trip should.

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I had visited the B&O Roundhouse as well as the Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue (nearly an hour plus west of Cleveland).

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From our partners at Ohio Valley Rails

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https://ohiovalleyrails.godaddysites.com/f/the-nickel-plate-and-steelyards-ohio

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I actually started in the nearby neighborhood of Tremont; just southeast of Downtown and near the Steelyards region of Cleveland.

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My friend Rick Salisbury, his young daughter Cecila (CeCe) and myself had brunch at an unexpected restaurant.

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Known for resourcing locally grown items in Northeast Ohio; Lucky’s Cafe is well worth the stop.

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https://www.luckyscafe.com/

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Get there, prepare for a wait; but once seated, the friendly staff take great care of you.

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Afterwards; I went to my scheduled stop with the Cleveland Railroad Festival.

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It was part of a citywide celebration of Cleveland History Days.

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https://www.canalwaypartners.com/events/2026/06/18/cleveland-history-days

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The Canalway Advocacy works with like minded organizations to preserve the history of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area.

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When the B&O Roundhouse is not hosting the Cleveland Railroad Festival; it hosts tours and special events throughout the year.

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https://www.americansteamrailroad.org/events

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https://midwestrailway.org/

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Not far from Tremont and the Roundhouse; the start of the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail starts near Downtown Cleveland at Canal Basin Park; just west of Tower City Center.

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https://www.canalwaypartners.com/discover/the-towpath-trail-connectors

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https://www.canalwaypartners.com/canal-basin-park

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When my time was done there; I had not gone to Olmsted Falls and the Rocky River area in several years.

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Olmsted Falls features Grand Pacific Junction, a quaint shopping area west of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

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The small town feel and historical vibe features a couple casual dining opinions , a coffee shop, an ice cream shop and small plaza to relax.

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It has been a staple of Northeast Ohio visitors for many years.

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https://www.grandpacificjunction.com/

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Nearby is one of two Cleveland Metropark Reservations along the Rocky River. Yes, Metroparks up here call them Reservations. You will see why in this entry.

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With over 3,500 acres of Park land; Mill Stream Run is probably the most popular Reservation outside of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

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https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/visit/parks/mill-stream-run-reservation

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I visited the Wallace Lake portion; which featured a public beach, causal walk up grill, and many trails to explore.

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https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/visit/parks/mill-stream-run-reservation/wallace-lake

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There are many places to explore..

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Here’s some of our previous adventures in “Ohio’s North Coast”.