Chagrin Falls - The Places We Go: On an Adventure

Note: This Saturday “Live Life, Write” will be a full year old!  (Yay!  That feels like it went fast.)

Also note: I was having trouble adding this post to the “Places We Go” series, because typical entries in that series are beloved locations that we frequent often, and this is a place that we’ve visited only a couple of times, so I didn’t know if that “counted.”  Then I wondered “Who is counting anyway?  Aren’t I the one in charge here!?!” and yes!  Yes, I am in charge here!  So even though it isn’t a place we go OFTEN, this is a place we have gone before and have loved, and it’s going in the “Places We Go” series and that’s that…  so deal with it.  

That’s all for the notes, onto the meat of the matter now:

Are there any Calvin and Hobbes fans out there?  I grew up alongside the fictional troublesome duo, and though I failed to properly and fully appreciate the Bill Watterson comics as a kid my love of them grew as I did, and I’m a big fan as an adult.  I even purchased a few of the books.  So you can imagine my surprise when, on a backroads trip home from a visit to Cleveland that (intentionally) took us through Chagrin Falls, my husband informed me that the author of such comic genius spent much of his life in that charming little town, and even depicted it on the back cover of one of his books, “The Essential Calvin and Hobbes.”  In that illustration, one can clearly make out the iconic, triangular city “square” of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, with its lovely gazebo at the center, and anchored by a building that sports a tall clock tower.  Mr. Watterson drew the town under attack by a monstrously huge Calvin, who had scooped up “The Popcorn Shop” and was about to take a big bite out of it.  On our way through we stopped to stretch our legs and see the falls, and popped into said Popcorn Shop for a sweet treat before finishing up the remaining hours of the drive.  That was back in June of 2006.

“The Essential Calvin and Hobbes” by Bill Watterson - back cover.

Fast forward nearly 15 years to March of 2021.  We were a full-sized family of six

(all fans of the Bill Watterson classics) who had been cooped up in the house more than usual because of COVID and chilly winter weather.  We were itching to get out and do something - ANYTHING - even remotely adventurous.  And that’s when I got the idea to surprise my girls with a visit to Chagrin Falls.  We looked at the un-naturally blank calendar and chose an open Saturday, which would typically be extremely difficult to find but was no trouble at all in the tail end of the pandemic months.  We filled the gas tank and loaded the van up with lunch, snacks, jackets, and four kids who had absolutely no idea where we were going.  

This was risky because the excitement of the adventure could’ve led my children to overestimate the location or the fun they would be experiencing there and leave them with rather high expectations that would set them up for a big disappointment.  It was a risk we took, though, to make the most of our mini, day-trip adventure.

A little over two hours later we rolled into the tiny town.  Mind you, I had mentioned to them once or twice in the past that we had visited such a place and explained its relevance.  But they were teen and pre-teen girls who likely wouldn’t remember it without being prompted.  So we decided to just tour the town and see who caught on first, with slight clues along the way.  

By slight clues I mean we found a parking spot and walked right to the corner of the city triangle in front of the popcorn shop and asked them if they recognized what they were seeing.  It took a minute, but I think my oldest and youngest tied in the realization race.  

What I had desperately hoped would be a nice, cabin-fever-curing family outing - and worried would be a let-down - turned into one of the most fun and (slightly) spontaneous family adventures that we’ve been on.  The girls loved every moment of exploring Chagrin Falls.

We started off with a visit to the Popcorn shop.  

Next, we went to see the falls themselves (for which the town was named).  They are pretty easily accessible by stairs right next to the Popcorn Shop.

Then we took a walk around the city triangle and sat in the gazebo.  

Eventually, we made our way to the Fireside Book Shop, the bookstore that - according to Wikipedia - Bill Watterson himself would visit to leave autographed copies of his books on the shelves for unsuspecting customers many years before. 

From the moment I walked in the door, Fireside Book Shop became my favorite bookstore that I have ever visited (yet) in my life.  

It is the picture of charm and boasts every possible feature of excellence that a proper bookstore can have: soft and pleasant lighting, creaky wooden floors, the comfortable smell of millions of printed pages, and shelves upon shelves of books so thickly stocked that to navigate the store one must wind through the maze of them - upstairs and down. 

After the bookstore, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Flip Side Burger and dessert at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams before heading home.  

To say that the adventure was a success would be an understatement.  

If you are a fan of Bill Watterson’s writings I would recommend a visit…

If you like one-of-a-kind treats I would recommend a visit…

If you are looking for a fun bookstore I would recommend a visit…

If you enjoy charming little towns I would recommend a visit… 

If you just want to get off the beaten path in Ohio and see someplace new I would recommend a visit…

To Chagrin Falls, Ohio,

The place we go went on a day-trip adventure, and love enough to share with you.