Schaun Acres Campground

Campsites at the Schaun Acres Campground are a good base for visiting the Edison Woods Reserve, which encompasses 1,300 acres of sandstone cliffs, woodlands, and meadows. You can explore along its six miles of wooded and prairie trails, with a boardwalk trail also accessing the wetlands. Rare plant species and seasonal wildflowers are a highlight of Edison Woods, as is its outstanding birdwatching, with the reserve identified as part of the Lake Erie Birding Trail. Horseback riding is also permitted in the reserve on designated trails.

Around an hour’s drive east of the Schaun Acres Campground is Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which encompasses more than 32,500 acres between Cleveland and Akron. It centers around the Cuyahoga River, with small towns and several attractions dotting the protected area. You can hike along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail that follows a restored section of the canal’s original towpath or trek to the picturesque Brandywine Falls. If you’re interested in the region’s history, head to the Canal Exploration Center to learn about the 19th-century canal that traversed the land or explore along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

Closer to the Schaun Acres Campground is the Hinckley Lake Boathouse, where you can rent canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and stand-up paddleboards to explore the lake itself. This picturesque body of water lies within the Hinckley Reservation, which is also home to the popular rock climbing area of Whipp’s Ledges. These exposed sandstone ledges form part of the Sharon Conglomerate, with unique habitats that can also be explored along a series of hiking trails.

Oberlin campers are just seven minutes’ drive from Wakeman, where you’ll find a supermarket for stocking up on grocery supplies. There’s also a gas station here if you need to fill up your RV rental and a handful of fast-food restaurants and eateries if you don’t feel like cooking. Alternatively, you can drive northeast to Oberlin, where you’ll find a wider choice of services, supermarkets, and dining establishments.

While you’re in Oberlin, don’t miss a visit to the Allen Memorial Art Museum, which was founded in 1917. Run by Oberlin College, it’s housed within an elegant Italian Renaissance-style building that was designed by prominent American architect Cass Gilbert. Browse some of the more than 15,000 works of art that comprise the Allen Memorial Art Museum’s collection, including significant collections of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings, as well as 19th-century European and American contemporary works.

Also not to miss is the Oberlin Heritage Center, which celebrates the people and events that have shaped the region. It offers guided tours of several historic properties throughout the city, including the 1866 Monroe House, the 1884 Jewett House, and the Little Red Schoolhouse that dates to the 1830s. Learn about Oberlin’s role on the Underground Railroad, assisting former slaves to escape to free states, as well as several scientific discoveries and reform movements.

The Schaun Acres Campground makes a good base for visiting Cleveland, which serves as the seat of Cuyahoga County. Highlights include the Cleveland Museum of Art, whose collection spans 6,000 years of history and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where some of the musical genre’s most famous artists are celebrated. If you’re traveling with kids, head to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, where exotic species from across the globe are exhibited. Get up close to kangaroos and wallabies in the Australian Adventure exhibit and see lions, black rhinos, and colobus monkeys in the African Savanna. Bird enthusiasts shouldn’t miss a visit to Waterfowl Lake, where Chilean flamingos, trumpeter swans, and Andean condors can be seen.

Whether you want to get active in the nature reserves of northern Ohio or explore the cultural sites of Oberlin and Cleveland, book a camper rental in Lorain County and start planning your next vacation.