It had been a long day of travel across Ohio – I was chasing waterfalls across the state! After visiting five in a single day, I had just one waterfall left to visit. I knew from the photos I had already seen online that this final waterfall was in the midst of an urban area, but I had no idea it would be so gorgeous. Making the last turn into Chagrin Falls, it was love at first sight.
The small town is a distant suburb of the greater Cleveland area, so it keeps pretty busy. It was a Tuesday afternoon but the streets were full of traffic and sidewalks of pedestrians. Small town charm, big city visitors.
It was very late in the afternoon, the sun was just an hour from setting, and it was starting to rain. Not the best circumstances to visit a town for the first time. I decided to spend an extra day in the area just so I could visit this town on a pretty day. I returned a few days later and captured the photos below.
Take a look at my 10 favorite travel photos I captured in Chagrin Falls, Ohio – and let me know in the comments below if this convinces you to visit the small town!
I have always thought any town with free parking and pedestrian crosswalks is the kind of town I want to visit. Welcome to Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
The town was full of charming retail shops for clothing, artwork, and books. I hopped in and out of a few the first day – it’s the perfect rainy day activity!
At the Popcorn Shop, I bought some candy to take on the road and the donuts were fabulous. Fireside Book Shop was a cozy retail shop with a mixture of new and used books – of course, I walked out with an arm full of used travel books!
The town of Chagrin Falls was built directly over the stunning waterfall. But there is still a way to enjoy the churning water. A long staircase descended from the street level to the very bottom of the waterfall where I walked around the giant, smooth boulders.
Just up stream from the waterfall, this weir dam provided a beautiful vista from the bridge. Wide sidewalks along the bridge made it easy to stop and enjoy the view. I wonder if the town keeps those flower pots filled all year?
I stayed in town long enough to get dinner. A couple of restaurants had outdoor seating like this at 17 River Grille. But I chose to get a delicious burger at Flipside Burger, a local favorite. Those onion rings were crunchy and amazing!
