The last full day we were in Cleveland, Adam, the girls and I spent all on our own. We headed to the North Chagrin Reserve of the Metroparks system to see Squire's Castle which was built in 1890. The castle was meant to just be the gatekeeper's lodging with the giant actual castle being built further into the woods, but it never came to fruition.
Inside there is a layout indicating what purpose the rooms served, or were believed to serve. I fell in love with it and would have loved to just pluck it up out of Cleveland and moved it home to live in. This was thought to be the main hall for gathering.
The girls are standing in the kitchen.
A side bedroom.
The back view of the castle. After exploring, we decided to hike in the woods behind the castle.
After the Metropark we drove about 15 minutes to Holden's Arboretum. I had never been to a tree museum and it was quite beautiful.
It reminded me a bit of Bok Tower gardens.
We paid the extra fee to walk in the canopy on swinging bridges and to climb a 120 foot tower to see Lake Erie. Adam and Savanna are not for heights so Scarlette and I climbed the tower on our own. It was about as high as a tall lighthouse. My thighs were shaking by the time we got up there.
This is the whole crew gathering for breakfast at grandma and grandpa's. It was a nice visit for sure. Tomorrow I will post about my visit to Indigo Perfumery and then that will be the finale of the Cleveland shenanigans. Have you been to an arboretum? Do you take vacations to visit family? I think Adam is ready to head back to North Carolina next year. He really has the mountains in his blood now. I personally would love to take the girls to Yellowstone or to see redwoods or something. We shall see! Where would you like to vacation?
Oh lordee, how I love those castle pictures!! If I would have known that place was there I would have tried harder to visit my sister in Ohio. They're moving to Wyoming now, only a few hours from Yellowstone!
ReplyDeleteWe only ever took a couple vacations as a family, the biggest being three weeks to Germany many years ago. If I could go anywhere, it would be back to southern Germany, for sure! I'm all about old days, kings, and castles at the moment.
~Deb
Thank you! I was definitely geeking out over it. Yellowstone would be cool. I dream of taking my girls there one day. Talk about going photo crazy. I would have my camera pressed to my eye the whole time I bet.
DeleteThree weeks in Germsny sounds like heaven. You should start planning another trip! I know my London trip is still a few years away but I am always tinkering with the agenda and planning things for it. I am dying to see more castles now too.
Your photos are absolutely stunning!! Love them all!! I''ve never been to Ohio, so I've never heard of the castle - but now I want to go! I've always wanted to see a castle in person!
ReplyDeleteI loved our trip to D.C. this year, but I also loved our detour home through the mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway! I love the mountains in VA, NC, & TN!!! Some days I really think I could live there!!
Thank you Tricia! I enjoyed taking photos of all the flowers at the arboretum. Once I saw the castle in a Pinterest search for Cleveland I knew we needed to go.
DeleteYour DC trip looked fabulous! But I totally agree, the mountains are in our veins now. I do want to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway one day. I think we are planning to go back to NC next year. I know we could live there. In fact, I would love to. Maybe that will happen one day.
I've been to an arboretum before, once upon a time when I was a little girl :P
ReplyDeleteBecause we're in Korea we actually missed this year's family reunion. My Dad/Grandma are from the Philippines and every couple of years various members of the family host a family reunion. This year it was in Angel Fire, NM. My parents and siblings got to go, though, so I lived vicariously through them. It's been almost a decade since I went to a family reunion, so many of the faces and names are blurry memories.
Right now I'm itching for a beach vacation. Michael and I are making tentative plans for September, once the tourist crowds have dispersed and his schedule frees up more. It's been years since I've been to a beach, and I miss it dearly.
That is cool you guys do family reunions! Hopefully you will get to attend one soon. My mom's side of the family meets every year for lunch on Thanksgiving at a park. About 100-200 people attend depending on who is in town or who drives down from Georgia.
DeleteYes! I hope you get to visit the beach. September will be nice. I am jonesing for the shore as well too. Do you like to swim or shell or anything in particular when you go?