Things to do
Where do you want to explore today?
Come and visit Ashtabula County’s premier fall destination just a short 6-minute drive from Nature’s Nest!
Visit the orchard from August through November to taste 27 varieties of apples, famous cider donuts, cider slushies, and all the rest of their specialty market goodies!
Come by and use the orchard walking trails, stroll around the pond, sit back by the playground or even come for a hayride. Check the calendar and see if you’ll be in town for any of their special occasions including opening day, fall festival, trail races, and a Halloween Party!
Take a ride across some of Ashtabula county’s historic bridges!Of the 19 bridges on the Ashtabula County Trail, 17 are open to traffic. The oldest bridges, Mechanicsville and Windsor Mills, date back to 1867! The Smolen-Gulf Bridge is the longest covered bridge in the country, measuring 613 feet long. The Harpersfield Bridge is the second longest in Ohio, measuring 228 feet and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places!If you want someone else to do the driving, you can also sign up for a covered bridge tour through The Lodge at Geneva on the Lake. Or come stay with us the second weekend of October and experience the Covered Bridge Festival.
Eat, meet, and shop along the waterfront at Ashtabula Harbor’s historic Bridge Street, just 15 minutes from Nature’s Nest!During the 19th century, Ashtabula Harbor was a major stop on the Underground Railroad, slaves once boarded ships here to sail across Lake Erie to freedom in Canada. In these early days, it was one of the busiest and most dangerous ports in the world. Now it continues to provide goods and economic opportunity along with recreation and entertainment as the home of a busy port on the cleanest river in Lake Erie and the largest private dock on the Great Lakes.Bridge Street is located in Northeast Ohio’s vibrant entertainment district, it’s known for its historic buildings, local retail shops, and unique restaurants. In the summer months, visitors can watch huge freighters arriving at the docks and observe the Bascule Lift Bridge that rises every half hour to let marine traffic pass.Check the calendar to see if you’re in town for any of Bridge Street’s community events including the Wine and Walleye Festival, Arts on Bridge Street Festival, Beach Festival, and more!
Whether you’re an adrenaline-seeking jet ski fan or just like to sit and listen to the waves, Geneva-on-the-Lake is the ideal location for any water-lover.
Lake Erie offers peaceful shores to lie back and relax and also offers opportunities to explore the water by speed boat, sailboat, kayaking, or a rejuvenating swim. Outdoorsmen and women can book a charter fishing boat and nature enthusiasts can take hikes along the water or even hunt for sea glass at Geneva State Park’s Breakwater Beach.
Plus get out of the heat and stop into the local fun with arcades, games, karaoke, and great food all along the lake. All just a half hour away!
Some of the greatest views are at the palm of your hand, literally. Just 14 minutes away you can grab a paddle and get out on the water!
Whether you’re looking for a work out or just some relaxation come on down to Harbor Yak and take your pick of kayaks, canoes, boats, paddle boards and hydrobikes! When you launch from Harbor Yak you’ll head out into a section of the Ashtabula River with barely any current. You can easily paddle up river our out into the Ashtabula Harbor.
Head into the harbor to see the lighthouse, multiple sandbars, and a look into the shipping industry. Head up river and you could catch a glimpse of bald eagles, osprey, and maybe even a mink swimming by! Or you can checkout the calendar and head out for a sunset tour.
If you want to learn more about the area, or even if you just love a good ghost story, come check out the Eerie Harbor Ghost Walk just 14 minutes away, reservations only (440) 228-8458.
Located in Ashtabula Harbor, the Eerie Harbor Ghost Walk takes you on a tour of the historic streets of Ashtabula along with its tradition and history. Whether it is the tale of the departed spirit of a sailor, or a mysterious resident of one of the old fine homes or businesses, you will hear the stories behind these mysteries and maybe even experience them as well.
Hear the tales of early settlers of the world’s largest iron ore handling port in the late 1800’s. Learn about life with the many various cultures, the battles they faced, the brothels, and the 52 saloons along the harbor streets. All of their stories are based on a mix of documentation, firsthand experiences, and history.
If you’re a horse lover then take a trip to Ashley Moores Stables, just 16 minutes from Nature’s Nest.
Established in 1977, their goal at Ashley Moores Stables is to is to serve the public and help them enjoy the beautiful outdoors and beautiful horses. They offer trail rides, riding lessons, summer camps, reunions, and even pony parties!
If you’d rather not ride, the stables are right beside the Lampson Reservoir Metroparks, the perfect place for a hike. They’re open year round by appointment only (440) 576-8949.
The Indian Trail Park offers 405 acres of land and 4 miles of hiking trail along the scenic Ashtabula River and 3,000 feet of paved trail where rare plant species. There is also a vast amount of wildlife and various spots for great steelhead fishing!
You can also find the Educational and Informational pavilion at the Smolen-Gulf covered bridge. The pavilion includes information about Ashtabula Scenic River, The Ashtabula Township Parks, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, The Lake Erie Scenic By-way, covered bridges around the country, as well as other historical facts
The nearest park entrance is located just 8 minutes away at the Indian Trails Education Pavilion.
Lake shore park consists of 54 acres of land right on Lake Erie, just 14 minutes from Nature’s Nest.
Additional amenities include a large beach, fenced playground, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, bocce courts, a disc golf course, a live bait shop, 5 pavilions, and a waterfowl pond featuring swans, ducks, and even a pair of peacocks.
They hold a multitude of events including an Easter egg hunt, annual rib cooking competition, and a classic car show every Sunday throughout the summer.
The Friends of Conneaut Creek Park is located just 17 minutes from Nature’s Nest and has a host of enticing features.
The highlights of this park include an overlook of 3,500 feet of Conneaut Creek, paved paths, boardwalks, a designated Ohio Wild and Scenic River, fishing access, 34 acres of forested high quality riparian wetland, 20 acres of upland mixed woodland, 16 acres of cultivated/successional to partially restored meadow and forest, the remnants of a pre 1800 homestead, and a butterfly/pollinator garden.
If you’re looking for a more ‘out of this world’ park experience then Observatory Park is definitely the one for you! Observatory Park is Ohio’s one of only 111 Dark Sky Parks in the world, just 42 minutes from Nature’s Nest.
This 1,100 acre park encourages visitors to explore nature from the ground to the galaxies. In addition to 6 trails totaling 4 miles, the park also has numerous features including interactive learning pods about the solar system and meteorology, life-sized cornerstones of the Great Pyramid of Giza, henge stones, and access to the Nassau Astronomical Station via a woodland trail.
They also hold events including planetariums, talks, and movie nights under the stars!
Looking for a more adrenaline packed park experience? Look no further than Black Rock Adventure Park just 14 minutes from Nature’s Nest.
Black Rock is a premier adventure park with camping, ATV parks, and a concert venue! The 220+ acre park features a man made swimming lake with beach, and fishing. Also on site you can rent ATVs and get some off roading in, visit the ATV trails and obstacle courses and participate in their off-roading events!
The name Ashtabula comes from the Lenape language and means ‘always enough fish to go around’ so the Ashtabula River is known as the river of many fish! It’s also referred to as Steelhead Alley because of its tributary which has 4 miles of public access throughout Indian Trails Park.
With 48 continuous river miles on 3 separate streams there are plenty of places to fish and plenty of fish to catch! Common species include brown, rainbow, and brook trout, walleye, catfish, bass, and of course steelhead.
The river is also a host to numerous wildlife species including black bear, bald eagle, Indiana bats, Northern harrier, osprey, spotted turtle, queen snake, Northern brook lamprey and least brook lamprey.
Bait shops in the area include Lake Shore Bait & Tackle, Conrad’s Bait and Tackle, and River Marine Supply Co.