Recreation

My wife and I spent Labor Day weekend at Deer Creek State Park with friends. The weather was cool, stars were out at night and people of all ages were enjoying the outdoors. Now that fall is upon us, camping is even more enjoyable – fewer crowds and the temperature is right. You’re also surrounded by lush, colorful canopies and beautiful views.

Just because summer is coming to a close doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of Ohio’s well-attended sports: horse racing.

Pretty soon, late summer will morph into a kaleidoscope of fall colors around our state, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources wants you to enjoy all the colors. You can go online and see a Fall Foliage Report for different parts of Ohio.

You don’t have to venture to Texas to watch pro bull riding. Just visit the Buckin’ Ohio ranch off Interstate 71 south of Medina, and you can see the sport firsthand while enjoying western music and other activities.

Like to bike? Then check out the Tour de Gem in Dayton. The event starts and finishes in downtown Dayton at RiverScape on Sunday, Sept. 1. Riders will bike through many local communities and see a variety of local area gems, including Carillon Historical Park, National Museum of the United States Air Force and Wright State University. Ohio bike cyclists of all ages and abilities are invited.

If your kids need to burn off energy before school starts, there’s no better place to go in late August than North Ridgeville’s Victory Park. That’s where the Big Bounce America tour takes place, and even adults can jump in.

A Kings Island roller coaster has been named Ohio’s best in a new list from Popular Mechanics. The article names the best coaster in each state, and the classic wooden coaster named The Beast was picked for our state.

Beat the heat by hitting the waves of the unique and thrilling water parks in Ohio. That’s how The Crazy Tourist, a travel website, ranked 15 family-friendly water parks around our state.

Recreational trails are extremely popular in Ohio. Communities across the state are planning and building trails to provide residents with more chances to live healthy, active lifestyles. Officials at the state level are helping out with the new Ohio Trails Vision program.

My brother and I grew up in Akron, so our dad always took us to the All-American Soap Box Derby. During its heyday, as many as 70,000 people gathered to cheer on young racers, who came from across the country and the world.