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Mentor is a city of about 47,000 people in Lake County, Ohio, on the shore of Lake Erie about 25 miles northeast of Cleveland. Settled in the late 1700s as part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, it was a farming and nursery community for generations before growing into one of the largest suburbs in northeast Ohio.
Mentor's most famous resident was President James A. Garfield, who ran his successful 1880 'front porch' campaign from his farmhouse here. The home, known as Lawnfield, is now the James A. Garfield National Historic Site and includes the first presidential library in the United States, created by his widow Lucretia.
The lakefront is the city's other big draw. Headlands Beach State Park has the longest natural sand beach in Ohio, with dunes protected in a nature preserve next door, and Mentor Marsh is one of the largest natural marshes on the Lake Erie shore. Mentor Lagoons, Wildwood Cultural Center and Great Lakes Mall round out a visit, and the Fairport Harbor lighthouse and Holden Arboretum are nearby.
Lawnfield, the farmhouse home of President James A. Garfield, where he ran his 1880 front porch campaign. Ranger-led tours show the restored rooms and the memorial library his widow created, the first presidential library in the country. The visitor center has exhibits and a film. Tours are timed, so arrive early.
A state park with about a mile of natural sand beach on Lake Erie, the longest in Ohio, plus picnic areas and a trail to the Fairport Harbor breakwater and its small lighthouse. Swimming is allowed in summer without lifeguards, so watch for rip currents. Parking is free but fills on hot weekends.
A small city park on a bluff above Lake Erie, with a playground, picnic tables and access to the shoreline below. It is a quiet place to watch the sunset over the lake. Swimming is not supervised, so check conditions, and bring a jacket on breezy evenings.
A small preserve beside Headlands Beach that protects one of the last natural beach and dune areas on Ohio's Lake Erie shore, with rare plants such as beach grasses and sea rocket. It is an important stop for migrating birds and butterflies. Stay on marked paths to protect the fragile dunes.
One of the largest natural marshes along Lake Erie, managed by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, with a boardwalk, an observation deck and trails through wetlands and woods. It is excellent for bird watching, especially in spring. Start at the Carol H. Sweet Nature Center for trail maps and exhibits.
A city park on Lake Erie with a boat marina, wooded bluff trails, a rocky lakeshore and views over the water. It is quieter than Headlands Beach and good for walking and spotting migrating birds. The marina has seasonal boat slips and a launch ramp, and sunsets over the lake are lovely.
A Tudor Revival manor house built in the 1920s in wooded Wildwood Park, now used by the city for art classes, concerts, exhibits and community events. The grounds have trails along a creek and gardens. Check the city events calendar for open houses, as the interior is not open every day.
An enclosed regional shopping mall on Mentor Avenue with department stores, national chains, a food court and a movie theater, surrounded by many more restaurants and shops along the Mentor Avenue corridor. It is a handy rainy-day stop. Parking is free, and weekday mornings are quietest.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jbarrow51, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Buckeyetrailofficial, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
