Midway Twin Drive-In — 2736 state Route 59 – 1/ 2 mile east of Kent (between Kent and Ravenna) 330-296-9829
Midway Twin Drive-In is one of a little more than a dozen drive-in theaters in Ohio. Originally designed by famed architect Jack Vogel and built in 1955, the Midway had featured the last standing sleek blue screen tower designed by Vogel; that screen tower was destroyed by a storm in December 2000.
The theater features two screens with digital projection and FM stereo sound and broadcasts over FM radio, so a car or portable radio is a must. Outside food can be brought in, but patrons must purchase a food permit (one per vehicle) to do so. Features play rain or shine. Dogs are allowed, but if they make a mess or disturb others by barking or becoming aggressive, that patron will be asked to leave without a refund. Grills are prohibited, as well as fireworks, sparklers, etc. In keeping with a family atmosphere, no alcoholic beverages or drugs are allowed. The drive-in features live entertainment most weekends before the showings start at dark; you can check out the movie and entertainment schedules on the Midway Twin Drive-In Facebook page or visit the website, http:// funflick.com.
Information from http:// funflick.com
Aurora Farms — 549 South Chillicothe Road, Aurora. 330-562-2000
Aurora Farms Premium Outlets® is conveniently located off state Route 43, minutes from Cleveland and Akron. Visitors can shop at more than 70 designer and name brand outlet stores including Coach, Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and the North Face. Enjoy brands at savings of 25 percent to 65 percent for outdoor shopping that’s always worth the trip.
The shopping center features accessible parking, marked parking for military and veterans, wheelchairs (complimentary), an ATM, a lost and found, mobile device charging stations and a food court that includes Subway, Pizza Shop and Hershey’s Ice Cream.
To make it a family visit, the center has baby changing stations, a lounge for nursing mothers, marked parking for expectant moms or families with young children, strollers, family restrooms and a children’s play area.
All Simon Malls, Mills and Premium Outlets in the U.S. have achieved the national ‘StormReady’ designation by the National Weather Service. This designation recognizes Simon centers’ preparedness to handle all types of severe and potentially life-threatening weather situations.
Special events are scheduled throughout the year, including a visit by the Easter Bunny. Visit www.premiumoutlets.com/ outlet/ aurora-farms or its page on Facebook.
Information from www.premiumoutlets.com/ outlet/ aurora-farms.
Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve — Located 1.5 miles northwest of the intersection of state Route 44 and I-76 on the south side of Sandy Lake Road.
Triangle Lake Bog comprises 61 acres in Portage County and is reported to be one of the best examples of a kettle lake bog in Ohio containing carnivorous plants, tamarack and a floating sphagnum mat.
The vegetational zone surrounding this glacial kettle lake follows the classic pattern of boreal bogs.
A floating sphagnum mat with swamp loosestrife, leatherleaf and tamaracks surrounds the dark acidic waters of the bog lake.
Significant species found here include northern pitcher-plant, round-leaved sundew, leatherleaf, highbush blueberry, large cranberry, poison sumac and catberry.
Special features include the spaghnum kettle-hole bog, a large stand of tamarack trees and other rare plants.
Prepare for harsh conditions when visiting a preserve. Trails are often unimproved, narrow paths that can become muddy and slippery during harsh weather. Poison ivy, ticks, mosquitoes and deer flies can be problematic during the appropriate seasons. Please plan ahead and dress accordingly to enjoy the natural beauty Ohio’s State Nature Preserves offer.
Facilities include a parking lot, bulletin board and interpretive signs.
Since 1970, pets have been prohibited in Ohio’s state nature preserves. Because of the rarity and delicate balance of these special ecosystems, visitors who bring pets into a state nature preserve are subject to citations and fines. Registered service animals are permitted in the preserves.
For more information, visit http:// naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/.
Information from http:// naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/.
May 4 Museum — 101 Taylor Hall at Kent State University, 300 Midway Drive, Kent. 330-672-4660
The May 4 Visitors Center, which opened in 2012, marks the deadly events that led to the death of four people on the Kent State University Campus on May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd during demonstrations against the Vietnam War.
The center comprises three main galleries. The first, with signs and sounds of the late 1960s, provides context to the events leading up to May 4. The second gallery features a video recapping the events of May 4, 1970. The third gallery has symbols and imagery surrounding American public opinions of the Vietnam War, the shooting of college students and President Richard Nixon’s reactions.
A “wall of words” features newspaper headlines from across the nation, printed in the wake of the events.
Visitors can also visit the Victory Bell and a sculpture that still contains a bullet hole as well as markers and memorials for the four slain men and women.
The May 4 Memorial is built on a two-and-one-half acre site. A granite plaza, measuring 70 feet wide, rests on the crest of the wooded hillside adjacent to Taylor Hall overlooking the Commons. Bound by a granite sidewalk and bench to the east; to the north, a series of four black granite disks lead from the plaza into the wooded area where four free-standing pylons are aligned on the hill.
Recently added was “Sandy’s Scrapbook” Exhibition. Sandy Scheuer, a junior honors student, a speech therapy major and a proud member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority, was on her way to class on May 4, 1970, when she was shot and killed. The exhibition is based on the actual scrapbook that Ms. Scheuer kept while at Kent State and will feature items and memories provided by her family and her sister, Audrey.
“Sandy’s Scrapbook” is the first in what the May 4 Visitors Center hopes will be a series of four exhibitions in tribute to the four lives lost on May 4, 1970 – Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder. The purpose behind these exhibits is to focus not just on the deaths of these students, but on the lives that they lived and the people that they were.
For more information about the May 4 Visitors Center at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/ may4.
From staff reports and www.kent.edu/ may4.
Wingfoot Lake State Park — 993 Goodyear Park Blvd., Suffield. 330-628-4720. http:// parks.ohiodnr.gov/ wingfootlake
This beautiful park in southwestern Portage County is a popular spot for picnics and social gatherings and is host to the annual Suffield Music Festival in August.
The park offers a variety of activities for all ages including an archery range, boating and boat rentals, an 18-hole disc golf course, a dog park, fishing, playgrounds, ballfields, mini-golf, a driving range and walking paths.
Fishing for bluegill and bass can be enjoyed from the shoreline. Additional fishing opportunities are available at the adjacent Wingfoot Lake Wildlife Area, which offers a launch ramp.
An accessible fishing pier is near the canteen. A valid Ohio fishing license is required.
Paddlecraft and boats with motors up to 10 horsepower are permitted on the 444-acre lake. Boat rentals (pontoon and paddlecraft) are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. A launch ramp is located in the Wingfoot Lake Wildlife Area adjacent to the park.
The park was created in the 1960s by the Goodyear Co. for employee outings and corporate retreats. The company closed the park in 2006. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources purchased the property and added it to the state park system.
Having been maintained as a park setting for generations, the grounds of Wingfoot Lake are graced by groves of majestic mature trees with large crowns and abundant foliage. The habitat is ideal for small mammals, such as rabbits, skunks and opossum, as well as raptors including bald eagles, owls and hawks. The lake attracts herons and migratory waterfowl.
Information from parks.ohiodnr.gov/ wingfootlake.
Where to go in Portage County
