Hinckley, Ohio

It is a great week to be in Hinckley. The lake is officially back open after that big renovation, and the Metroparks are buzzing with end-of-summer programming. This Saturday, August 29, you can join a Learn-It: Kayaking session from 9:30 AM to noon at the Hinckley Lake Boathouse Store — perfect for getting out on the water before summer winds down. And if you prefer to stay upright, the Try-It: Stand Up Paddleboarding sessions run through early September. Also this Saturday evening, Stewart's Caring Place is hosting their 23rd Annual Butterfly Gala at a private residence in Hinckley — it is their biggest fundraiser of the year, with dinner, cocktails, live entertainment, and auctions. It is a meaningful event that supports a wonderful local mission. Whether you are paddling on the lake or dressing up for a good cause, there is something for everyone right here in town this week.

Featured Local Business: Z's Cream & Bean
You know those places that just feel good to walk into? That is Z's Cream & Bean on Boston Road. They serve homemade, hand-churned ice cream alongside freshly roasted espresso, and the whole place has this cozy warmth to it — cherry woodwork, granite counters, a stone fireplace. But here is what I love most: Z's is owned and operated by Medina Creative Housing, a non-profit that creates jobs for adults with disabilities. So every scoop you eat and every latte you sip supports real, meaningful employment right here in our community. On a warm late-August evening, there is nothing better than grabbing a cone and heading over to Hinckley Lake to watch the sunset. Try the salted caramel — it is my go-to, and it never disappoints.

I have got you.

We are in Labor Day week now, and that makes this the last big chance to soak up summer before the school-year rhythm takes over. This year the holiday weekend feels a little different, because Hinckley Lake is fully back. After the big dam rehabilitation project, the lake reopened for its first full summer, with swimming, fishing, and the Boathouse running daily rentals of kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal boats through September. There is something special about being out on the water on the final long weekend of the season, and this is the year to do it. Swim hours can shift a bit around the holiday, so I always tell folks to glance at clevelandmetroparks.com/swimming before they head over. Whether you are paddling the cove or just spreading a blanket on the beach with the kids, it is a good week to slow down and enjoy what is right in our own backyard.

Featured Local Business: Foster's Tavern of Hinckley
On Ridge Road in the heart of town, Foster's Tavern is the kind of neighborhood spot that feels like it has always been here, because it basically has. The building is wonderfully old, and the family that runs it now has made it the warm, welcoming bar-and-grill Hinckley has leaned on for years. It is the place where you walk in and somebody at the next table nods hello like they have known you forever. The kitchen does honest comfort food right: the Foster's Famous half-pound burger piled with the works, the bacon jam burger, homemade French onion dip with crusty bread, pierogies, and stuffed Hungarian hot peppers that taste like the old neighborhood. When the weather turns, a bowl of the seasonal soup and a seat by the lower-level fireplace is about as cozy as Hinckley gets. I love pointing new buyers here when they ask what makes this community special, because a place like this is the answer. Go for the burger, stay for the small-town hospitality.

I've got you.

September is settling in, and Hinckley has a good one on the calendar this week. This Saturday, September 12, the Hinckley Fire Department hosts its annual Touch-a-Truck from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at the station on Ridge Road. Kids get to climb up on fire trucks and big rigs, honk the horns, and meet the crews who keep our town safe, and it is one of those free, family-friendly events where the whole community shows up. The lake is still in full swing too: the Boathouse is renting kayaks and paddleboats daily while the warm weather holds, and the beach remains open for swimming. If you would rather keep your feet on solid ground, the trails around Whipp's Ledges are beautiful right now, and the Metroparks' Hiking for the Young at Heart series is still running through the middle of the month. There is no better way to shake off the back-to-school rush than an afternoon at the reservation.

Featured Local Business: Buzzard Cove Pizzeria
Sitting on Bellus Road at the edge of Hinckley Lake, Buzzard Cove is the kind of place that sums up what I love about this town. It is a scratch-made pizzeria that also has two 18-hole mini golf courses, a driving range, and ice cream, all in one spot, so there is genuinely something for every age in the family. I send new neighbors here all the time, because this is where families gather: a pizza in the dining room, a round of putt putt while the kids burn off energy, then soft serve to finish it off. What to try: a scratch-made pie with the crew and a few putts on the greens, and if you time it for early evening, the sunset over the lake is a pretty wonderful bonus. It is simple, unhurried, and unpretentious, and that is exactly what makes Hinckley feel like home.

I've got you.

It is one of those golden late-September weeks in Hinckley, and the lake is giving us one last gift before the season turns. The season's final Nightlife at Dusk kayak tour paddles out Thursday evening, September 17, from the Hinckley Lake Boathouse. It is an easygoing evening paddle where you drift across the water as the sun drops and see what comes out at dusk, and it has been one of the best-loved programs on the lake all summer. Pre-registration is through Cleveland Metroparks, so if you have been meaning to try it, this is your last chance this year. And if a sunset paddle is not your speed, the Boathouse still has kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats out daily from 10 AM to 7 PM through September, weather permitting. Those cool mornings and golden evenings are exactly why this is my favorite stretch of the year.

Featured Local Business: The Greensmith Garden Center & Gift Shop
If you have not been to The Greensmith on Ridge Road yet, you are missing one of the happiest spots in town. What started as a landscaping company has grown into a full garden center with a two-level gift shop that regulars swear is the cutest around, and honestly, they are not wrong. They bring in new gifts and home décor every single day: Mud Pie kitchen and entertaining finds, Swan Creek candles, Blue Q socks with the clever sayings, greeting cards, and local makers' chocolates, honey, maple syrup, and elderberry syrup. There is a whole baby and children's corner too, which makes it a dangerous stop for grandparents. The staff genuinely knows their stuff and the prices are fair, which is rare in a shop this charming. I send new buyers here all the time when they are settling into a house, because you always walk out with something you did not know you needed and a smile you did not plan on. Stop in, browse the gift shop, and grab a jar of local honey while you are there.

I've got you.