Cleveland Botanical Gardens
DESCRIPTION: 10 acres of absolutely breathtaking gardens; staff give advice on conservation, horticulture, landscape and floral design; the 18,000 square-foot Glasshouse features two of the world's most fragile ecosystems: the desert of Madagascar and the cloud forest of Costa Rica; exhibits cover 500 species of plants and 50 species of butterflies, insects, birds and other animals

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Sat 9a-5p, Sun noon-5p

ADDRESS: 11030 East Boulevard  MAP

PHONE: 216-721-1600

WEBSITE: http://www.cbgarden.org

Edgewater State Park
DESCRIPTION: This park is divided into upper and lower areas connected by a paved bicycle path and fitness course; other features include fishing piers, sand volleyball courts, hiking path, public beach, children’s playground, boat, jet-ski rentals and restroom facilities; swimming is permitted during daylight hours only, but you swim without lifeguards; a number of special events are hosted here during warm weather; Note: an Ohio fishing license is required to fish

ADDRESS: 8701 Lakeshore Blvd  MAP

PHONE: 216-664-2848

League Park
DESCRIPTION: Site of a baseball stadium opened in 1891, rebuilt in the early 1900’s and ceased to be used as a regular sports venue about 1950; during the Segregation Eras it was home to Cleveland Buckeyes of the Negro American League, making it a significant cultural venue for the African American community; in 1945, the Buckeyes won the Negro League World Series here; the park was also home to the Cleveland Spiders and the Cleveland Indians baseball teams and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns used it until the 1960’s as a practice field; unfortunately, the park never had lights for any night time events, which crippled its commercial potential

ADDRESS: Lexington at 66th Street  MAP

Rockefeller Park & Greenhouse
DESCRIPTION: Located on 200 acres donated by the world’s first billionaire John D. Rockefeller in 1897; Park extends from Gordon Park on the lakefront to Shaker Heights; used to be Rockefeller’s private playground; extending along Martin Luther King and East Boulevards in the University Circle area, the unique collection of themed gardens represents 23 of Cleveland’s diverse ethnic groups and each are generally maintained by those particular groups; the African American Garden includes representations of Bishop Richard Allen, James Owens, Jane Edna Hunter, James Langston Hughes, John Patterson Green and Garrett A. Morgan; other gardens represent Native Americans, Germans, Lithuanians, Romanians, Ukrainian, Chinese, Greek, British and Italians; Rockefeller Park Greenhouse, the oldest civic horticultural center in the country, features a wide variety of ferns, exotic plants, seasonals, and tropical palms and much more; a commemorative plaque and tree honors former Black Mayor Michael A. White

ADDRESS: 750 East 88th Street  MAP

PHONE: 216-664-3103

WEBSITE: http://www.rockefellergreenhouse.org

Holden Arboretum
DESCRIPTION: 3400 acres of horticultural collections, display gardens, hiking trails, educational classes and natural woodlands; Tue-Sun 10a-5p

ADDRESS: 9500 Sperry Road in Kirtland, OH  MAP

PHONE: 440-946-4400

WEBSITE: http://www.holdenarb.org