When you’re just beginning your college career, campus and dorm life are a new and exciting experience. But after a while, whether that be within a few weeks or even a year, the traditional experience can begin to feel quite dull. With the same dining options, on-campus activities and scenery surrounding your every move, everyday life starts to feel monotonous. 

“Tour de Kent” was envisioned and created to help curb the feeling of repetition that can stem from everyday campus life. The goal of this blog is to provide you with both accessible and new ideas on where to eat, shop or explore in Kent and its surrounding areas. 

So fasten your seatbelts, put on that bike helmet or find an empty seat on the PARTA bus because we are going on the Tour de Kent.

Our first stop on this tour: downtown Cuyahoga Falls.

Just 20 minutes from Kent State, Cuyahoga Falls has a similar feel to what downtown Kent offers, but it contains new shops and areas to explore. With the same small-town atmosphere, it allows for a slow transition for those new to traveling away from Kent State’s campus. 

The entire area is full of places to explore, but a few of my notable favorites include the nature walk, ice skating rink and a few downtown shops.

Nature Walk and Ice Skating Rink

I decided to lump these two together due to both their proximity in location and their ability to be done together. The “nature walk” isn’t exactly a certified spot, but more of one I came across myself. Although both are fun to do during the day, I would recommend enjoying these specific activities at night. 

The skating rink is located in a quaint little area right in the middle of downtown. At night, it is surrounded by the glittering lights of the downtown area that make twirling around on the ice that much more special. 

Right near the skating rink is a little path that takes you under the bridge, right onto a walkway that overlooks the river. You would think a site like this would be better during the day, but not in this particular case. When the sun goes down, the pillars surrounding the walkway light up in a rainbow of colors that scatter over the water. It is a perfect area to bring some friends to explore.  

The Farmer’s Rail

Moving along, the food portion of our stop would be The Farmer’s Rail. There are so many great local restaurants in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. However, I specifically chose this one because it isn’t just a stop for a quick bite, but also a natural and local food store. Brimming with locally sourced butcher selections, honey, cheese, jam and bakery items, this place is great to look for local, artisanal goods. 

Not only do they have great products, but also an inspirational mission to bring transparently grown, local foods from farm to table.

Looking Glass Gifts and Gallery

For all the art lovers out there, look no further than the Looking Glass Gallery. Local artists are able to display and sell their art ranging from pottery to stained glass to handmade jewelry.

I loved this gallery specifically because of its range of bigger and smaller pieces of art. This characteristic allows locally made and designed works to be accessible and affordable for everyone — including college students. This is definitely one of the best places to find a unique piece and to offer your support to a local artist. 

REVERIE

So far, we’ve covered nature, food and art. Now, it’s time to stop by a locally founded clothing and all-things gift store. Founded by Kristin Hadari Worcester, Reverie was made for finding that special gift: something funny, inspirational or beautiful.  

The word reverie, as stated by the Oxford Dictionary, means a state of pleasantly being lost in one’s thoughts, a daydream. If you ask me, that is a perfect word to name this shop, as its items truly feel like thoughts and creations come to life. 

The shop itself feels inviting and comfortable with a wide variety of items like clothes, house decor, kitchenware and even locally made skin/body care products. They always have a strong variety of offerings while also constantly getting new, unique items in.

What I love the most about the Cuyahoga Falls downtown area is that you have the ability to either spend a full day there or just a few hours. All the shops I mentioned are located on the same main street, with even more shops and restaurants surrounding them. Although I gave a few suggestions, you have to walk around the area to find what places speak to you. 

More than anything, I love that this area isn’t chock full of national chains that we see everywhere. Instead, you find beautifully crafted local goods — things that are filled with personality, care and uniqueness. So grab your bag, keys, wallet, shoes or whatever you need to head to Cuyahoga Falls and start shopping locally!