From first ladies and football legends to the Buckeye State’s only national park, this pair of Northeast Ohio cities is rife with unexpected thrills. A 30-minute drive may separate Akron and Canton, but booming arts scenes and affordable family fun unite this reviving Rust Belt duo. Before you pack your bags, tell us more about you.

The best way to paint a picture of Akron and Canton? A visit to each city’s arts district offers an eclectic mix of locally owned shops, music clubs, art galleries, and independent restaurants. Bounce over to Rubber City Clothing in Akron’s Historic Arts District and grab an AK-themed tee before enjoying dinner or live tunes at BLU Jazz+. In the Canton Arts District, eye dozens of public sculptures and murals en route to the Joseph Saxton Gallery of Photography, home to some of the world’s most iconic images, like Steve McCurry’s “Afghan Girl.”

Akron Arts Museum:

To discover modern works by Ohio artists, take a docent-led In Our Own Backyard tour at this architecturally striking gallery.

Don Drumm Studio:

Take home one-of-a-kind pieces, including Drumm’s own cast-aluminum sculptures, on display at this craft retailer. 

Lock 3:

This outdoor amphitheater in downtown hosts summer concerts and festivals, like the four-day Rib, White & Blue (July 1–4).

Canton Palace Theatre: 

This 1920s-era movie palace now hosts more than 300 events annually, including a kids’ film series all summer. 

Canton Players Guild: 

Don’t blink or you may miss the mind-bending illusion show called Theatre of Magic on June 26 and 27. 

Akron Civic Theatre: 

This 5,000-seat theater in downtown was built to resemble the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar.

At 33,000 acres, one of the country’s newest national parks is also one of the smallest. But with a patchwork of natural and manmade attractions—100-plus miles of secluded trails, stunning waterfalls, the 1830s-era Boston Store Visitor Center—Cuyahoga Valley National Park packs plenty to do and see. Don’t miss the 300-million-year-old sandstone cliffs known as the Ritchie Ledges, best glimpsed on a ranger-led hike along the Ledges Trail. If you’re traveling during winter, Boston Mills Ski Resort in the village of Peninsula offers downhill skiing in the park, a rarity in northern Ohio. 

Akron Zoo:

Encounter more than 700 animals from around the world, including Galapagos tortoises, Humboldt penguins, and a rare red panda.

Crooked River Adventures:

This canoe and kayak livery run by Kent State offers three easily navigated, picturesque routes.

Cuyahoga Railroad:

The two-hour “Grape Escape” introduces passengers to five different wines, paired with tasty hors d’oeuvres. 

Huston-Brumbaugh Nature Center:

Traverse the woods at the University of Mount Union’s 141-acre preserve.

Cycling:

Rent a bike at the Peninsula store and ride along the historic Ohio and Erie Canal bed on the 85-mile Towpath Trail. 

Boating:

Get even closer to the water on the St. Helena III, a horse-drawn replica of a freighter canal boat. It departs from the Canal Fulton Canalway Center. 

Hiking: 

Ten miles of trails through old-growth forest, meadows, and wetlands await at the Wilderness Center in Wilmot.

Grab a seat on the balcony of the new Crush House café at Gervasi Vineyard in Canton for panoramic views of the south grape field, where new varietals like Aromella (an aromatic white) and Petite Pearl (a late-harvest red) are being nurtured to maturity. Every Saturday, the 50-minute, in-depth pairings tour of the winery offers 1-ounce tastings and chef-prepared small bites. Or enjoy a glass with dinner six nights a week at the rustic Italian Bistro. Can’t get enough of this breathtaking 55-acre estate? Reserve a suite at the luxurious boutique villas.

Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor:

Slide into a high-backed booth and order the Bittner, a milkshake-like concoction invented in 1931.

Canton Food Tours:

Stroll through art galleries and taste your way through the Hall of Fame City on a walking or van tour. 

10th Annual National Hamburger Festival:

Compete in the amateur eating contest, bob for toy burgers, and sample more than 50 styles of hamburgers at Lock 3 Park, August 8–9.

Bender’s Tavern: 

Canton’s oldest restaurant has served tasty libations to weary travelers since 1902. 

Canton Brewing Company: 

The speakeasy taproom that opened in February pays homage to the city’s original brewery, which closed prior to Prohibition. 

Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.: 

This Akron beermaker was named USA Brewery of the Year at 2014’s New York International Beer Competition.

From the sport’s “birth certificate”—the 1892 accounting ledger for the first pro game—to the ball thrown by Peyton Manning for his record 509th career TD pass, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is the holy grail of the gridiron. Visit during the Balloon Classic Invitational/Jackson-Belden Music Fest, held on Kent State Stark’s campus (July 31–August 2), which leads up to Enshrinement Weekend (August 6–9), when the hall’s newest inductees take their spots.

Basketball:

Visit the Canton Memorial Civic Center in November when the Canton Charge, affiliates of the Cavs, tip off their season.

Running:

The inaugural Goodyear Half Marathon & 10K (August 15) starts and finishes at the rubber and tire company’s historic world headquarters.

Racing:

Youngsters convene to race their handmade vehicles at the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby, July 19–25. 

Golf:

Firestone Country Club hosts 75 of the game’s best duffers during the World Golf Championships–Bridgestone Invitational, August 6–9.

Clearview Golf Club:

Constructed in 1946, this storied course is recognized as the first to be designed, built, owned, and operated by an African-American. 

Tam O’Shanter Golf Course:

Take a swing at the Hills Course, where golf legends Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen were the first to tee off when it opened in 1931. 

The Quarry Golf Club: 

Five sets of tees let golfers of all abilities take in the scenic views of this target-style course, built on an old quarry.

The crest above the 65,000-square-foot manor’s entryway at Stan Hywet Hall proclaims Non Nobis Solum: “Not for us alone.” Fitting, since Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. co-founder Frank A. Seiberling and his family always welcomed guests into their massive home—the state’s largest. The Tudor Revival estate celebrates 100 years this summer by inviting more guests to the property. Centennial events include Bloom!, an exhibit of 32 glass sculptures by Craig Mitchell Smith on display in the property’s lush gardens through September 20. 

Maps Air Museum:

Eye military and civilian aircraft, and a touching gallery of heroes on display in a hangar near Akron-Canton Airport.

National First Ladies’ Library:

Thumb through biographies and photos of former first ladies, and grab a spot in the 91-seat theater for an author lecture or documentary.

McKinley Presidential Library & Museum:

More than a political exhibit, this interactive space boasts a science center and a 65-seat planetarium.

Inn at Brandywine Falls: 

Overlooking a 65-foot waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, this 1848 home has six elegant guest rooms.

Bertram Inn at Glenmoor: 

Visitors of this inn, modeled after a Scottish castle, can tee off on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. 

Fieldcrest Estate: 

Stay in the eight-room inn, three-room lodge, or three-bedroom tea house at this 1920s-era farmstead. 

It’s worth a detour to the 3,000-person town of Hartville, where a family of have-to-see-to-believe businesses is preserving the charm and craftsmanship of this outpost’s Mennonite and Amish roots. Sandwiched halfway between Akron and Canton, Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market houses more than 100 indoor shops and 1,000-plus outdoor vendors selling handmade jewelry, boutique apparel, toys, antiques, and—of course—good food. Satisfy the kiddos’ sweet teeth with a creamy block of fudge from the candy shop at Hartville Kitchen, and then walk through the 1,850-square-foot “idea house” at Hartville Hardware, constructed almost entirely of U.S.-made products found daily in the store.

Canton Classic Car Museum:

View 40-plus vintage vehicles, including the Canton-made Holmes, considered America’s least attractive car in its time. Decide for yourself!

American Toy Marble Museum:

Learn how to hold and shoot a marble on your way to becoming a “mibster” (one skilled at playing with the spherical toys). 

Massillon Museum:

Check out this art and history museum’s intricate Immel Circus, which contains 2,620 pieces, many hand-carved using dental instruments.

Fannie May/Harry London Chocolate Tours: 

In the span of 45 minutes, discover how cocoa beans are roasted, ground, and churned into chocolatey decadence. 

The Troll Hole: 

Explore ancient troll mythology as you stroll amid a Guinness Record collection of 10,000 figurines.

Canal Fulton Glassworks:

Housed in a 200-year-old building, this gallery offers jewelry-making classes and glass-blowing demonstrations.