A Weekend of Winter Fun!

As January comes to an end, many of us are starting to see the signs of “cabin fever” settling in. Shorter days don’t necessarily mean days without plenty to do! February kicks off with a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy. There is so much to see and do throughout North Central Ohio, you’ll wish that winter will never end! Well…at least see the bright side of winter!

News of snowstorms and winter weather wreaking havoc are all around! Take a moment to enjoy winter at any of the Lorain Metro Parks, check out their list of events at www.metroparks.cc. Explore the stunning beauty of the larger than life, natural frozen sculptures at Mill Hollow, Vermilion River Reservations’ Big Icicle Hike, February 3rd from 3-4pm.

Winter Hiking at Mill Hollow

No need to travel to another country to enjoy witnessing the spectacular ice creations often designed for the Winter Olympics! Just take a short trip to downtown Vermilion to enjoy their annual Ice-A-Fair to Remember, Saturday, February 5 from 10:30am-4:00pm. Vermilion's historic downtown Harbour Town will be transformed into an enchanted gallery of illuminated ice art. Dozens of elegant ice creations will sparkle at Victory Park and line Liberty and Main Streets in Vermilion. This wonderful event, sponsored by Main Street Vermilion, is free and open to the public.



Ice Carving Demonstration



Hoping to enjoy browsing through a quaint town and satisfy your sweet tooth? Then plan to attend Wellington’s Chocolate Walk and Wine Tasting, Saturday February 5th. Only 150 tickets will be sold for the Downtown Chocolate Walk, sponsored by Bread and Brew. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the unique stores and restaurants in the Wellington community, while sampling a delicious chocolate treat at each. The Winter Wine Tasting, hosted at Fort’s Old Town Tavern will coincide with the chocolate walk, offering the chance to sample a dozen wines from around the world. Tickets for each event are $10 and can be purchased at Main Street Wellington’s office at 118 Herrick Avenue West, Wellington’s Village Market at 816 North Main Street, and Wellington Implement at 625 South Main Street.

For those of you looking for a chance to get some exercise and embrace the outdoors, check out the 31st Annual Buckeye Trail Winter Hike at Findley State Park. The events start at 10:00am Saturday, February 5th. Enjoy the best hiking day and the best bean soup, with the hardiest hikers in Ohio. Hikes include a 10k, 5k and interpretive lead hikes. Meet at the nature center in the campground. Bean soup is provided by the non-profit Friends of Findley State Park and donations are appreciated. Go to www.findleystatepark.org for additional details.



Buckeye Trail Hike



Interested in an evening of murder, mayhem, and dinner? Make your reservations for the Dinner Murder Mystery at the Rose Café in Lakeview Park, Lorain. This lively and entertaining event will be hosted on Friday and Saturday, February 4-5th at 6pm. Buffet dinner included for only $35! Call 440.233.7272 for reservations.

As you can see, there is no shortage of fun and interesting ways to spend your winter days! If you’re looking to make this a full weekend visit, there are many local hotels and bed & breakfasts that offer special packages! Check out Oberlin Inn; 5 Corners Bed and Breakfast; Hallauer House; or Arbor Lights for lodging and package information. This is just a sampling of the many places to go and amazing events offered throughout Lorain County. For a complete list of daily activities and additional information, check out Visit Lorain County’s event calendar at www.visitloraincounty.com or give us a call at 1.800.334.1673.

As always, send us your photos from any events or spectacular landscapes in Lorain County. Forward them, along with a description, location and the name of the photographer to visitors@visitloraincounty.com. We look forward to seeing you out & about in North Central Ohio!