My adventure-seeking daughter recently told me that she, her husband and my granddaughter had a nice day at Chippewa Lake. They had a good hike, enjoyed walking about the village, and ate a delicious lunch at the Oaks Lakeside Restaurant. I’d been thinking about revisiting the site of the old amusement park south of Medina for a while, especially after I discovered that Chippewa Lake is Ohio’s largest natural inland lake.
Chippewa Lake Park amusement park opened in 1878 as Andrew’s Pleasure Grounds and became a major lakeside amusement destination. Many people in northeast Ohio remember the roller coasters, carousel and ballroom, as well as some partying, at Chippewa Lake. But when the amusement park closed in 1978, people barely noticed (Geauga Lake and Cedar Point were bigger attractions). It was demolished in 2010, but some people thought it should be enshrined. That’s probably part of the reason why Medina County acquired the land in 2020 with the goal of transforming it into “a regional destination that will, once again, bring people together and create memories.”
We enjoyed driving down Medina County’s winding roads on a Tuesday morning and landed at Chippewa Lake Village beach. An old guy by the open gate provided vague information about parking and county parks, and while he was talking, a young girl interrupted to give us an outdated maps. The little village’s narrow roads were lined with around 400 typical lake cottages with small yards. On the water, pontoons were moored at the docks, kayaks floated on mirror-like water, and a powerboat flew by with skiers in their wake. Only residents with parking permits are allowed to park in the village, so we did not linger and drove the perimeter of the lake on country roads.
The hilly drive around the lake is not long. Unfortunately, the Oaks Lakeside Restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. What we saw was a beautiful lakeshore 19th century mansion named after the five oak trees that were on the property previously owned by the Townsend family. Now owned by the Don Casper family, the restaurant has an enticing menu and al fresco dining in season. The brunch menu looked promising—salmon and grits, steak and eggs, cinnamon rolls and eggs benedict all sound good.
On down the road from the Oaks, we turned into a parking lot that looked promising. Chippewa Lake Park sported a new parking lot, restrooms, picnic shelter and a trail, as well as a historical home owned by Chippewa Lake Historical Society. An internet search revealed that the Medina County Park District acquired the land in 2020 and opened the park in May 2026. We walked the tidy Tumble Bug Trailhead through a variety of new trees, including oak, tulip, sugarberry, maple and ash varieties, in grassy undergrowth, a half-mile walk.
The historical society museum was closed (hours are 10am-noon on Saturdays Memorial Day to Labor Day), but it was fun to see antique and well-worn tumble bug cars and other relics on the lawn. We discovered that the trail will be extended to connect with the site of the former Tumble Bug ride and eventually a path will lead to the old Ferris wheel. Visitors will be able to get a better feel for the park once those trails are completed.
The 3.5-mile Chippewa Lake Birding & Bridle Trail in Westfield Township also has several short loop trails. The 123-acre parcel acquired by the park district in 2001 provides opportunities for bird watching and horseback riding. The trailhead features a gravel parking lot with a wide entrance to accommodate horse trailers, and a horse mounting station makes it easy to climb onto a horse. The trail is open to the public from May 1 through October 31 and is not far from Krabill Lodge, which is reservable for special events.
The museum deserves a visit. The memorabilia and photographs will take us back in time. And who doesn’t need that once in a while?
