From downtown Cleveland, Ohio, hop in your car and drive west on Interstate 90 for about 30 minutes. Pull over when you get to Avon Ohio. This town with a population of about 23,000 is one of the fastest-growing cities in the northeastern part of the state—but according to local entrepreneur Katie Januzzi, owner of the Little Gym, you’d never know it. “It is still a town where everybody knows your name,” she says. “There are many great neighborhoods here and a sense of family and community that radiates throughout.”
Avon packs a small-town feel with big-city amenities, drawing many residents and making it a great place to visit. If you want to feel like a local, it’s easy, Januzzi says. Here are a few of her favorite ways to get involved in the community scene and find things to do in Avon.
Shop local
"We recently became small-business owners here in Avon and love being in a community with so many other small-business owners who are so supportive of each other," says Januzzi. From the farmers who stock stands bursting with fresh, vibrant produce during the summer months to the many antiques shops, Avon offers dozens of ways to support local entrepreneurs.
For example, browse the Tree House Gallery and Tea Room, located in Olde Avon Village. This 1850s-era landmark has been converted to an antique furniture store known for selling stylish farmhouse pieces. When you work up an appetite, stop by their cafe and grab a bowl of lobster bisque, the house specialty, or a turkey-cranberry salad. And don’t miss the annual Aunt Tique and Uncle Junque event, when Avon hosts a citywide garage sale for vendors and residents. You’ll find everything from vintage kitchenware to antique license plates.
Visit Maria’s field of hope
If you visit Avon in September, you’ll probably spot a seemingly endless field of sunflowers, which are planted to raise awareness of childhood cancer. Credit: Diane Lupo Rolfe
Planted in honor of Maria McNamara, this field of sunflowers is Avon’s way of honoring courageous children battling cancer. Every year, local residents band together to plant seeds, and thousands visit during mid-September, when the bright yellow flowers bloom along the southwest corner of Jaycox and Chester roads.
Take in a game
Avon residents love their local sports teams. “Each weekend, you’ll find hundreds of families gathered at Schwartz Park or Northgate for soccer games,” Januzzi says. “The high school football stadium is packed with proud Eagles fans every Friday night from August to November.”
If you’re traveling with kids who have the wiggles, check out Northgate Park. With playground equipment and a sidewalk that wraps around the entire park, your kids will have plenty of space to run and play.
Eat well
Cleveland-area favorite, Great Lakes Brewing Company, is utilized in special seasonal flavors at Mitchell’s Homemade. Credit: Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Ready for a nice night out? Januzzi recommends Strip, a local steakhouse in a beautifully restored rustic barn celebrated for its artistic presentation of classic, mouthwatering dishes. “The steaks are phenomenal, and they also make a fantastic dirty martini!” she says.
For pizza, the hands-down favorite is In Forno, which makes wood-fired pies in accordance with the rules of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (True Neapolitan Pizza Association). “You can taste the homemade sauce and the love in every bite,” says Januzzi. The dough is baked for just 90 seconds in a blazingly hot oven, so each pizza comes out perfectly melty, doughy and crispy every time.
At the end of a night out, Januzzi craves Mitchell’s Homemade. An area favorite, Mitchell’s packs every batch of ice cream with local ingredients—the company stands for commitment to sustainability in every area of their business model. As for flavors? In addition to staples like chocolate and cookies and cream, the creamery makes seasonal flavors. Januzzi looks forward to their winter specialty: porter ice cream, using local Great Lakes Brewing Company beer, which, she says, is perfect for cold nights by the fire.
Ready to travel? Find hotels in Avon.