Came here for Mothers Day. Worth the visit to see the house and gardens…read more We were told when you come around Christmas there are not as many rooms open for the house tour. But on Mother's Day we got to see a lot of the rooms we never saw. And got to ask more questions and take our time a bit more. All around good experience. You want to see as many of the rooms as possible. Pro tip. If you are doing a house and garden tour leave the house thru the front door. This way you don't have to back track the gardens. Out the front door take a right to head along the back of the house and the gardens. Don't miss the greenhouse. The Japanese garden and the really all the gardens are beautiful. It's a nice walk. You can definitely get your steps in. It's a nice afternoon. We spent about 2.5 hours. Could have spent longer. But we were hungry. This was a good experience overall and fun afternoon.

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is such a beautiful place to visit all year round. I remember going…read morehere several times as a child for field trips and I have always been fascinated with this home. Several years ago I found out that they have special tours at Christmas time where you can tour the house and each room has a different theme and you can also tour the grounds where they have Christmas light displays. I believe the tickets this past Christmas or $28 each which goes towards keeping up the estate and grounds. I feel like that's a fair price. There is so much to see in the estate and out on the grounds and I suggest coming here during the year as well for a regular tour. The Christmas decor is so beautiful each room in the estate is typically sponsored by a local business. It's so interesting to see some of the old furniture, dishes, light fixtures, truly whatever you can think of it's all so beautiful. They even have a greenhouse on the property where you can go to purchase plants, especially poinsettias for the Christmas season. They have a little concession stand where they sell things like hot chocolate, coffee, wine and beer, cookies, chili, soft pretzels, etc. Santa even stops by during certain hours where you can visit him. Overall, this is one of my favorite places to visit during the Christmas season and as a child I loved coming here during the year.

Hower House is a historical home in downtown Akron that is stunning and unique both inside and out…read more It's quite surprising inside with spacious rooms on three levels and gorgeous woodwork and chandeliers. The rooms are lavishly furnished and decorated. The Christmas tour is especially good this year (2025). I highly recommend a visit if you haven't seen this lovely house. There is a small free parking lot in the back (enter from S. Forge St.) and then you walk around the house to enter at the front door. The gift shop on the lower level has some very nice merchandise and is fun to visit after touring the house.

This Second Empire style mansion is quite lovely. I had visited here once before during undergrad,…read morebut that has been well over 20 years ago. The volunteer docents are very friendly. The home has lots of beautiful decor and they had recently decorated for the holidays (a little early, but I wasn't disappointed to see how lovely of a job they had done). No photos are allowed inside. I found this to be disappointing. The gift shop was closed the day I visited because the employee didn't show up. The carriage house was also closed, because something was needing to be fixed. So I can't comment on either of those two things. Apparently most days they offer coffee and tea, but not the day I was there. The house had a delicious aroma of coffee brewing, though. The Hower family was very well-traveled. I enjoyed seeing items they had brought back from the many countries they had visited to adorn the beautiful home. I couldn't figure out if the tour was supposed to be guided or not. The docents kind of followed me around and told me facts about certain things, but I could have sworn they said it was self-guided when I walked in. It was fine, and certainly a nice gesture, but sometimes I like kind of wandering at my own pace. The docents are also reluctant to talk about the ghost stories. There have been a variety of things published about this house being haunted, and I remember a couple grad students lived at the house as care-takers when I was in school. They had heard and seen some interesting things at night. When I asked a couple of the volunteers about the things that go bump in the night I got a very quick "This house is not haunted" reply. Hmmm......

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and the tour was fun. I recommend getting the EMF detectors…read moreas hearing about ghosts while the detector's lights go from green to yellow to orange and red was amazing.

From the owner: Step into the shadows of Akron with the city’s #1 Ghost Tour, where spine-tingling tales and…read morethrilling history collide! This immersive walking tour invites you to explore the eerie streets and haunted hotspots of Akron, guided by local experts who are passionate about the city’s ghostly past. As you wander through the historic district, you’ll hear chilling stories of notorious spirits, tragic events, and the infamous witch trials that have left their mark on this haunted city. From the haunting echoes of the Akron Beacon Journal Publishing to the ghostly whispers at Perfect Pour and the eerie ambiance of the Evans Building, each stop reveals a piece of Akron’s dark history. Offered nightly year-round, this tour promises an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, chills, and a deeper understanding of the legends that linger in the air. Don’t miss your chance to uncover the secrets of Akron—book your spot today and prepare for a night of authentic thrills and hauntingly fun adventures!

Maybe you're not familiar with the story of Sojourner Truth, which would be a shame. Born in 1797…read moreas Isabella Baumfree, she was an abolitionist and activist for black civil rights, women's rights and alcohol temperance. Born a slave in New York, she escaped to freedom in 1826. She gave the speech "Ain't I A Woman?" in 1851 which became widely known during the Civil War. She went on to recruit black troops to fight for the Union Army and continued to fight for women's rights and civil rights until her death. That famous speech was given at the Ohio Women's Right's Convention here in Akron and to honor that, the United Way of Summit County and Akron has named this space for her in 2023, placed a statue and quotes. It's next to where the Convention was held. It's a pretty space, landscaped and completely handicapped accessible. Check it out. [Review 1353 of 2024 - 272 in Ohio - 22376 overall]

What a fun way to spend a Saturday night. It was great to learn about the haunted history of…read moreCanton, Ohio. The operator of the tour did a wonderful job of researching the buildings we went to on our walking tour. I've been to Akron haunted walking tour but this was my first time on her Canton one.

I have been on several guided tours, and this one, hands-down, is my favorite! The Downtown Akron…read morehaunted tour was informative, fun, and full of amazing history. Laurie is a professional, personable guide, and she does so much research in order to give the best tour possible, which I appreciated and admired. I highly recommend Black Cat Tales & Tours if you want to have a fun night out with an engaging and knowledgeable guide.

I can't believe I had never been here until this past weekend! They had a small outdoor festival…read morewith train rides, food trucks, history talks, and a give-away tote from the North Canton library. My four year old and I enjoyed the little train and touring the historic home. The docents were very friendly and knowledgeable. I had no idea Hoover had a plant in the UK- the volunteer told us that people in England still call their vacuums "Hoovers". Oddly enough, I was listening to an audiobook after we left, and the British author referenced the Hoover in the next chapter that very day. Weird, right? The grounds and gardens here are quite lovely. We walked back to the event space where a lecturer was speaking about the history of North Canton. It was quite warm inside that space, so we quickly left, but my son found the playground and all was good in the world.

I'm a vacuum cleaner collector and this was soo great! If you are in north canton please check this…read moreplace out! Our guide Kathy was so incredibly kind!

I have gone on many trips to casinos in Canada, Michigan and…read moreNew York with Lakefront. Never once have I been inconvenienced or felt unsafe. One time a driver got lost on a milk run to Seneca. He was funnier than dangerous.

WARNING: Worst Rental Experience Here is the order of events…read morethat occurred leading up to my charter and how your company failed to provide what was promised. 4/12/2018 - Client makes inquiry about bus charters and receives a quote from Angie Bishop for one 56 passenger bus to transport guests from the Ritz Carlton hotel (1515 W 3rd St, Cleveland, Ohio) to the private property at 3535 Revere Road, Richfield, Ohio and back, confirming the pickup and drop off locations for the first time. 5/4/2018 - Client receives booking confirmation from Lakefront Lines on the charter, confirming pickup and drop off locations for the second time. 6/14/2018 - Client inquires about a second 56 passenger bus and receives a quote, confirming pickup and drop off locations for the third time. 6/27/2018 - Client receives confirmation on the charter of the two buses, confirming pick up and drop off locations for the fourth time. 9/10/2018 (week of the wedding) - Client's wedding planner reaches out to Lakefront Lines to confirm booking and make sure that Lakefront Lines had performed a test run to ensure timing and accessibility for the guests. Lakefront Lines informed our wedding planner that there has not been a test run and then scheduled one on 9/12/2018 (3 days before the wedding). 9/12/2018 - Lakefront Lines comes to the private property at 3535 Revere Road, Richfield, Ohio and informs the wedding planner that the buses would not be able to drop off passengers at the contracted address, and would drop wedding guests on the street 300 yards away from the location. Lakefront Lines cited road width concerns. Wedding planner asks the coordinator to at least attempt a test run to the actual location, but Lakefront Lines refused. 9/13/2018 (2 days before the wedding) - Wedding planner and client reach out again to Lakefront Lines to try to figure out a solution to transport the guests from the street to the actual location of the property. Not only does Lakefront Lines not offer any solutions (smaller buses, shuttle vans, etc.), the representative, Angie Bishop, now changes the narrative and claims that the booking was for transporting between hotels rather than to a private property. This was a flat out lie and an impossibly bad one, as Lakefront Lines had at least 4 months and 4 different confirmations to check the location. 9/14/2018 (one day before the wedding) - Client books two shuttles from separate companies for an additional cost to move guests safely from the road to the actual location of the venue. As you can see from this timeline and details, Lakefront Lines had four and half months from the time of initial booking (and five months from the original inquiry) to the actual charter date to test run and inform the client that the buses would not be able to drop off guests at the actual location. Lakefront Lines never had the intent to do a test run until the wedding planner reached out. Lakefront Lines informs the client three days before the wedding that they would not be able to drop off at the actual location. When pressed about why the client was not informed of this during the previous four months, Angie Bishop then lied and claimed that the booking was for a hotel to hotel transfer, despite verifying the address four times. Not only did this experience create additional costs for the client (having to book shuttles at the last minute), it also caused delays in the wedding, discomfort from guests (some of whom had to walk), and heavy emotional stress for the client in the week of the wedding. Lakefront Lines made no attempt to remedy the situation and falsely tried to put the entire responsibility on the client.

I would highly recommend Black Cat Ghost Tours for anybody looking for a spooktacular history…read morelesson on beautiful Roscoe Village. Jess and Shawna took great care of us! You won't regret booking a tour with them!

I attended the opening night tour. It took a little over an hour and I learned new things about the…read morebuilding as early residents of Roscoe Village. It was fun walking through the village with lanterns to light our path.

I'm writing this review after hearing a deeply disturbing story from my younger sister, who was a…read morestudent in the Stow School District. Over the years, she visited this establishment multiple times through school-organized field trips. Her earlier experiences seemed educational and age-appropriate, but her final visit in 8th grade was traumatizing and completely unacceptable. On her first visit, she was a young child, excited to explore history. She remembers playing with wooden toys and engaging in fun, interactive activities. It was a harmless and enjoyable experience. On her second visit in 4th grade, the experience was still fairly lighthearted--she milked cows, churned butter, and watched glassblowers at work. It seemed like a continued effort to connect children with the past in a safe and engaging way. But her third visit in 8th grade took a shocking and horrifying turn. During this "A Fugitive's Path: Escape on the Underground Railroad" experience, my sister and her classmates were: Placed in shackles and treated like slaves Forced to simulate escaping through the Underground Railroad Exposed to the sound of blank bullets being shot into the air Surrounded by the cracking of whips Yelled at and intimidated by adults playing the roles of slave catchers or owners This wasn't education--it was trauma packaged as a learning experience. As her older sibling, hearing her describe the fear, humiliation, and confusion she felt during this simulation was gut-wrenching. I cannot understand how any school district, let alone an educational institution trusted with children's development, would approve of such a psychologically scarring experience. How could you slowly build a relationship with this place over several years, only to subject children--still minors--to a reenactment of slavery that includes the sounds of gunfire and whips? What kind of message does that send? What makes anyone believe that this is appropriate or effective? Let me be very clear: no child should ever have to go through this. Teaching about the horrors of slavery is important--but traumatizing children in the process is not education. It's irresponsible and deeply damaging. To the school district and the organizers of this program: What made you think this was okay? You crossed a line that should never be crossed. You failed these students. As a sibling, I'm heartbroken. And as a community member, I'm calling for serious accountability and immediate re-evaluation of what is considered "educational." This should never happen again--to any child, in any school, anywhere. This event took place in 2013-2014 school year however her trauma is still valid in 2025!!!!!!!!

My first time and what a great experience. The grounds were lovely although did need the grass cut…read more All of the employees were great with the exception of one who was not age appropriate and came off as mean.

Such a beautiful ride! I went one way in daylight and came back at night. All the houses have…read morelights reflecting on the lake absolutely beautiful. They provided some food and we brought some too. Just such a relaxing wonderful summertime thing to do. I highly recommend it. They have different size boats. You can just hop on the one going, or schedule one for yourself. They will provide the driver to navigate, and you just sit back and relax. They also have some cruises with live Musicians on board, which is really nice too.

From the owner: Dustys landing II presents the Portage Princess tour boat. We are located on beautiful Portage…read morelakes in the heart of Akron Ohio. The Tour boat travels around Turkeyfoot Lake, it has a 50 person maximum and a 20 person minimum capacity. We have the only boat that is capable of handeling groups of this size. The portage princess has been around for many years the previous owner John H Roessner has been running the boat since 1980, Dustys landing purchased the boat in 2013 and is still taking groups out for a tour of the lakes. For reservations please give us a call