Ravenna (Ohio) - city in Portage County, Ohio, United States

Ravenna is a city of 11,000 people (2019) in and the seat of Portage County.

Get in

By car

Ravenna is connected by I76 and SR5.

By bike

• Portage Bike & Hike Trail, 535 Cleveland Rd (Ravenna Parking Lot), 41.1631°, -81.2502°. Paved bike path. Connects to Kent, and other locations within the Cleveland metro. The trail is a nice flat ride west 3 miles to Towner's Woods or 6 miles to Kent, or about a 2 mile ride to the trail's eastern terminus at Peck Rd. Free 2019-01-09

By plane

• Portage County Regional Airport (IATA: POV), 41.210278°, -81.251667°. A General aviation airport. 2020-05-14

Get around

Ravenna is a walkable and very bikeable town. In spring, summer, and fall nearly anywhere in town can be reached easily by bike.

The PARTA bus service runs back and forth from Ravenna to Kent every 45 minutes or so all day from 6AM to about 10PM, Monday through Saturday.

See

• Portage County Courthouse, 41.15756°, -81.24337°. The flagple in front is an iconic 150 foot tall structure built in 1893. The steel criss-cross design looks more like a radio tower or oil derrick than a modern flagpole. It is seen as a symbol of the city of Ravenna, and efforts in the early 2010s to have the Flagpole torn down and replaced were met with huge opposition by residents. 2019-08-07
• Riddle Blocks, 41.15742°, -81.24295°. are unique, historic brick buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, commissioned by H.W. Riddle, owner of Riddle Hearse Co. The original Riddle Block is on the southeast corner of the intersection of Main and Chestnut, and once held and opera house. The other Riddle blocks are numbered and scattered throughout downtown. The words "Coach Hearse" are faintly visible on one of the Riddle blocks that can be seen when entering downtown from the south on Prospect. 2019-08-07
• A total solar eclipse on Monday 8 April 2024 starts at 3:14PM local time and lasts 2 min 30 sec. The chances of a clear sky are 35%. The track of totality is northeast from Mexico and Texas to Illinois, then across Indiana to Ohio and the Canada–New England border.

Do

• West Branch State Park, 5708 Esworthy Road. 29 full service camping sites, 155 camping sites with 50-amp electric hook-ups, 14 non-electric sites, heated showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, 700-foot sand beach, showerhouse, change booth, snack bar, year-round fishing, hunting, 2,650 acres lake, 12 miles of hiking trails, 20 miles of bridle trails, horse camp, playground and volleyball court.

Events

• The Balloon-a-Fair, 41.15767°, -81.24316°. Mid-September. Ot starts downtown with a long parade and a day of fair food such as corn dogs, funnel cakes, and ribs. There are live bands all day. In late afternoon the official part of the festival packs up and moves east of town to Sunbeau Farm. The downtown part of the festival is free, but the Sunbeau part of the festival requires a $5 admission fee. At Sunbeau, you can watch hot air balloons take off and a fireworks display at dusk. At night, generally, Sunbeau is the 'family friendly' part of the festival, with many people instead staying downtown after a day of filling up on greasy fair food to have drinks at the downtown bars, which are always packed on this day. 2019-08-07

Attractions

• West Branch State Park, 41.1431°, -81.1082°. A park centered around a large reservoir. Allows for fishing and boating. Includes a campground. 2019-01-09
• Midway Twin Drive In, 41.1570°, -81.2950°, +1 330 296-9829. A classic drive-in movie theater. 2019-01-09
• Shaw Woods, 41.1813°, -81.2009°. 2019-08-07

Buy

• I76 Antique Mall, 4284 Lynn Rd. 2019-01-11

Eat

• Guido's, 214 W Main St, +1-330-296-9009. 2019-08-07

Drink

• Mimi's Italian Grill & Bar, 786 E Main St, +1 330 297-1119. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. 2019-01-09

Sleep

• Rocking Horse Inn, 248 W Riddle Ave, 41.15530°, -81.24568°, +1-330-297-5720. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: noon. Bed and Breakfast $80-100

Connect

• Reed Memorial Library, 167 E Main St, 41.15798°, -81.23994°, +1-330-296-2827. 2019-08-07
• Ravenna Post Office, 150 N Chestnut St, 41.15929°, -81.24266°, +1-330-297-7626. 2019-10-09

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