Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top parks in Cleveland. Here's a rundown of top such spots the city, with ratings, photos and more.

Cedar Point's Top Thrill 2 will remain closed for the rest of 2024, with plans to reopen in 2025, as manufacturer Zamperla cannot complete modifications due to issues after the ride's debut.

The Cleveland Metroparks announced the return of the Touch-a-Truck and FallFest events, featuring family activities like vehicle exploration, crafts, and hayrides.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo announces the return of its Trick-Or-Treat Fest every weekend from October 4 to 27, with candy stations, a dance party, and characters.

A community sailing center dedicated to Patrick S. Parker is set to open on Lake Erie in 2026, offering sailing, STEM learning, and public lakefront access.

Akron announces the grand reopening of Lock 3 Park on November 29, following a $17 million renovation funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, featuring new amenities and year-round attractions.

Two Northeast Ohio ski resorts, Boston Mills and Alpine Valley, open for the season with celebrations and activities as Alpine Valley marks its 60th anniversary and Boston Mills operates seven days a week.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo extended its Wild Winter Lights event until Jan 5. Visitors can now experience the light display through walk-through and drive-through experiences.

The ODNR and its division received multiple awards at the OPRA Conference, with Director Mary Mertz inducted into the Hall of Fame and Heather Bokman earning the Jack Hanna Award.

The Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Marina Causeway are closing temporarily starting February 24, 2025, for maintenance, affecting access for visitors and boaters.

The Akron Zoo celebrates National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month with Inclusion Days, offering free entry to visitors wearing orange and inclusive activities.

Mentor, Ohio's Civic Center Park, is set to undergo a series of upgrades, including new basketball and pickleball courts, a 152-space parking lot, and a 42-foot-tall waterslide. Some existing structures will be demolished.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has opened a naming contest for a baby sloth bear born on December 22, 2024, encouraging public donations to vote and support sloth bear conservation.

Mentor residents will vote on a proposed 92-foot observation tower in the Lagoons Nature Preserve this May. Discussions will focus on its benefits versus potential environmental impact.

Cleveland Heights is revitalizing Denison Park by demolishing the old Pool House to make way for new facilities, and repainting tennis courts to accommodate pickleball, utilizing ARPA funds.

Northeast Ohio lakes are tagged as top fishing spots for various fish, with affordable licenses and free days for new anglers. ODNR promotes its mobile app for fishing tips and rules, and offers Fish Ohio pins for noteworthy catches.

Cleveland's Parks and Recreation Division offers a free pool schedule for summer 2025 starting June 7, featuring both outdoor and indoor pools with activities for all ages. Pools are open with safety measures and require online registration.

The Akron Zoo's white-cheeked gibbon family welcomed baby Leuco, named by the gibbon parents in a public contest, boosting conservation awareness for the endangered species.

North Ridgeville's Root Road Park will receive upgrades, including an expanded parking lot and new stormwater system, funded by a $500,000 state grant.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo celebrated the birth of a rare Eastern black rhino calf ahead of World Rhino Day, reflecting a hopeful sign for the species' conservation.

ODNR opened a new visitor center at Portage Lakes State Park, enhancing the visitor experience with a 6,000-square-foot facility, interactive exhibits, and ADA-compliant access to Turkeyfoot Lake.

Ohio's Harrison Lake State Park campground received upgrades, including an ADA-compliant shower house and full utility sites, enhancing the camping experience.

Ohio's Independence Dam State Park introduces a Storybook Trail offering educational fun with a Dolly Parton Imagination Library book and outdoor activities.

The City Commission approved a project to modernize Farwell Park with new play equipment, including a Cedar Point-themed playground and a zip line, by spring 2026.

The City of Mentor reminds residents that winter activities can impact the watershed, advising cautious use of salt and proper disposal of pollutants to protect the environment.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed a newborn saki monkey on January 19, the fifth child of the primate pair Lopez and Luis.

Summit Metro Parks debunked the myth that great blue herons only nest in sycamore trees, revealing that they are adaptable and nest in various locations, including ground and artificial platforms.

Aurora has kicked off Phase 1 at the former Geauga Lake site — crews will begin utility work, docks will be repaired and kayak rentals are targeted for late summer. Officials say the work is funded with a $12M bond and won’t raise resident taxes.

North Ridgeville Government is expanding the city's tree canopy, aiming to increase environmental benefits such as carbon storage and stormwater management. They encourage smart native tree planting to avoid conflicts with infrastructure.

Lorain has cleared the way for a roughly $3.5 million stabilization of the historic finger piers at Sunset Pier Park, using federal funds to shore up the lakefront. The repairs aim to protect the 1940s-era piers and open them to future recreation.

Fairlawn won a $1.2M federal award to help convert the former Rosemont Country Club into a 66‑acre preserve with wetlands, trails and a visitor center. Officials say the work will also reduce downstream flooding.

At its Tuesday meeting, council declared Cumberland Pool has reached the end of its useful life and directed staff to pursue grants and partnerships for a replacement. Other park and roadway projects also moved forward on the agenda.

Medina officials are weighing professional sharpshooters after two permit-only archery seasons removed just 18 deer while roadkill pickups climbed. Council wants faster, safer options.

EPA restarted dredging behind the Gorge Dam to remove decades of contaminated sediment. Material will be piped to a closed placement site in Cascade Valley and capped.

Sandusky has broken ground on The Landing, a 27‑acre waterfront park with trails, boardwalks, kayak launches and a Sandusky Bay Pathway connection.

Federal data show Ohio's outdoor‑recreation sector topped $20 billion in 2024, supporting roughly 153,000 jobs and prompting new parks and trail investments.

Alexandria Nichols previews early‑June pool openings, metal detectors and contracted security at rec centers, plus phased repairs tied to the city’s parks plan.

Neighbors are urging a pause to NEORSD's Doan Brook restoration at Horseshoe Park, citing tree loss, historic concerns and outstanding legal questions as recent federal permitting moves forward.

Wadsworth has banned fishing at the Brickyard while crews remove asbestos, arsenic and other contaminants as part of a multi‑phase remediation and park build. City documents and testing show targeted excavation and topsoil replacement will be used to make the site safe.

Holden Arboretum scientists are racing to breed hemlocks that can survive the woolly adelgid as the pest shows up in more Northeast Ohio parks.

Lorain County Metro Parks added 207 acres to Sandy Ridge Reservation, creating Sandy Ridge West and a new Case Road trailhead. Photos posted April 22 show the new access point.

Brooklyn has begun demolition on a $14M renovation of the John M. Coyne Recreation Center pool. The indoor pool will be closed for roughly a year while officials modernize the natatorium.

ODNR opened a timber visitor center and 10 Frank Lloyd Wright‑inspired cabins at Jesse Owens State Park, with a bison herd grazing on nearby pastures. The work is part of a multi‑million dollar upgrade to the Appalachian Hills area.

Surveillance footage shows multiple black bears moving through a backyard in Ashtabula County on April 26, underscoring rising sightings across northeast Ohio.

Cleveland Metroparks will add roughly 28 acres at Euclid Beach and a county‑backed waterfront trail is slated to move into construction after a May 4 ceremonial groundbreaking.

Magee Marsh and Maumee Bay will host the Biggest Week in American Birding next week, with guided trips, dozens of warbler species and registration details.

Westlake opened a nearly $8 million recreation overhaul Saturday, adding cooled FieldTurf surfaces, LED lighting and an inclusive playground at the Recreation Center.

Summit Metro Parks warns a coyote family has a den near Firestone Metro Park's Tuscarawas Meadows and asks visitors to avoid Harrington Road while pups are young.

Phase 1 work at Gordon Park South has begun, closing the south half while crews install a great lawn, play space and new restrooms ahead of a summer 2027 reopening.

A tropical Lesser Frigatebird was spotted at Sippo Lake near Canton, drawing birders and likely marking Ohio’s first reported sighting. Photos and checklists helped confirm the report.

A black bear was seen in northeast Aurora near Crackle and Eggleston. Police and ODNR advise securing trash and reporting sightings.

Mentor’s council narrowly approved a $1.2M design contract to study shoreline protections at Mentor Lagoons. Officials say the design work will shape any future $40M construction ask to voters.

Cronus, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s titan arum, is swelling and could bloom any day. The brief, famously foul display usually lasts 24–48 hours and draws big crowds.

A 576-pound black bear was fitted with a tracking collar in Ashtabula County, joining an expanded research effort as sightings climb across Ohio.

Elyria won $650,000 from Ohio’s capital budget to fully rebuild East Park Pool. Planning has begun; construction is expected in 2027 with a 2028 reopening planned.

A stretch of West 29th in Cleveland's Hingetown has been converted into a pedestrian plaza. The city says seating, planters and a green area will arrive in the coming weeks.

Westlake council approved a design contract to reimagine Clague Park, adding an amphitheater, upgraded ballfields and expanded trails. Construction could begin in 2027.