Bristolville, Ohio
The Paradise Lakes Family Campground in Bristolville, Ohio, is a 100-acre resort with lakes and many family-friendly activities. This campground is an hour’s drive through beautiful Ohio farm country to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. A great area to enjoy hiking, biking, roadside farmstands and the scenic rolling hills and valleys of northeastern Ohio.
Key Campground Takeaways:
- Family friendly, RV park in northeastern Ohio
- Transient sites are level with full hookups
- Dog-friendly with easy access to green space
- Features include a stocked fishing lake, swimming pond, miniature golf
- Easy access to the 44-mile Western Reserve Greenway Bike Trail
Our Stay:
The Paradise Lakes Family Campground in Bristolville, Ohio, is a 100-acre resort with many family-friendly activities. The campground encompasses several lakes featuring a 26-acre stocked fishing lake. Nice park, nice people. We chose this northeastern Ohio park for a stopover on our way to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park about an hour’s drive west. This camp is well maintained with many long-term residents who come back year after year. Our site was level with full hookups and a really nice BBQ ring with attached grill, perfect for grilling fresh corn on the cob from local farm stands. With lakes, swimming pond, mini golf and clubhouse, there is plenty to keep the family busy at this campground.
What to do:
Take the backroads to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and enjoy the gentle rolling hills and manicured farms. It’s evident that folks in these parts are proud of their properties and proud of their country. At the park, stop at the Boston Mill Visitor Center for maps and recommendations on family-friendly or dog-friendly trails. We were happy to learn that all the trails in the park are dog friendly — rare for a National Park. Park Rangers recommended the Brandywine Gorge Loop Trail to the stunning Brandywine Falls. We opted for the Ledges Trails, a two-mile trail with unique rock formations and plenty of shade for the dogs. Take the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad that runs through the Cuyahoga valley along the Cuyahoga River for a unique way to experience the park.
Drive the Riverview Road through the National Park and stop at Szalay’s Sweet Corn Farm and Market. Shop for fresh fruit, vegetables and local goodies. Enjoy the food stands — best hot dog I’ve ever had — and live music. Don’t forget to pick up some awesome corn! Take a short detour off River Road in Peninsula to visit the Everett Covered Bridge.
For bikers, enjoy the Western Reserve Greenway Trail – Ashtabula County Metroparks (ashtabulametroparks.com), which was near the Paradise Lakes Family Campground or ride the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, which can be assessed from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Chili & Cedars’ Review: 4.7 PAWS (out of 5 PAWS)
We had a short stay at the Paradise Lakes Family Campground but found lots of other dogs to meet and sniff. Mom could pop us out behind our campsite for a short walk to grassy areas. No complaints about this park. We really liked the Ledges Trail at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. As always, Cedar enjoyed her ride through the countryside with head hanging out the window, ears flapping and fresh country air.
