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Other Attractions in Oberlin

Oberlin is a small town, and that's part of its charm! There's lots to see and do if you know where to look. Here are some suggestions:

• The Allen Memorial Art Museum, located at the intersection of North Main and East Lorain, is considered one of the finest college or university art museums in the country.
• The Firelands Association for the Visual Arts (FAVA), located in the historic building at 39 South Main Street, has rotating art exhibits throughout the year, including a Quilt Show every Spring, and a Christmas Exhibit of works by local artists every Winter.
• Take in a movie at the Apollo Theater! This historic movie theater, located on College Street in the heart of historic Oberlin, was the first movie theater in town to show movies with sound (in 1928). It has a single screen and changes its offering weekly, with occasional holdovers. There are two showings each day; tickets cost $3 ($2 on Tuesday and Thursday).
• Westwood Cemetery, located at the west end of Morgan Street, is a well-maintained park-like cemetery where many famous Oberlinians are buried. There is also a monument to a young runaway slave who died in Oberlin while traveling the Underground Railroad. The cemetery also functions as a sort of nature preserve, with a wide variety of plants and trees and a pond that tends to attract migratory birds--ducks and geese, mostly. (Check out our museum store for a book on Westwood.)
• Oberlin is home to a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Weltzheimer/Johnson House, located on Morgan Street, is open to visitors two days a month.
• There are concerts and performances at Oberlin College almost every day of the school year--check out the College Events Calendar to see what performances are coming up. And don't forget to check our calendar for upcoming lectures, presentations, and living history performances!
• Oberlin has a number of lovely parks and nature preserves--bring your frisbee or birdwatching gear with you!
  • Tappan Square: Located in the heart of downtown Oberlin, Tappan Square used to hold the majority of the College's buildings. Since 1927, however, it's been a sort of town green. In good weather, you'll almost always find folks walking their dogs, taking a jog, or just enjoying the sunshine out in the Square. Many community events also take place here: in the summer, there are outdoor concerts held in the bandstand, and community-wide celebrations like Juneteenth and the Big Parade are held here. Two monuments--a plaque to Charles Martin Hall and a large Memorial Arch to Oberlin missionaries killed in the Boxer Rebellion/Uprising of 1900--are also located here.
  • Martin Luther King, Jr., Park: Located at the intersection of East Vine and South Pleasant, this small park includes monuments to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Oberlin citizens who died at Harper's Ferry, and the Oberlin-Wellington Rescuers, who freed a re-captured runaway slave and were subsequently jailed for it. Our Rotary Club has "adopted" this park--you should come see all the day lilies they planted!
  • Wright Park: At the intersection of South Main and East Vine (and visible from MLK Park) is Wright Park, which holds the Soldiers' Monument honoring Oberlin citizens who gave their lives for their country. The original Soldiers' Monument dates to the Civil War; more plaques have been added after subsequent wars and conflicts. Plum Creek runs through the park--and you can follow the Plum Creek walkway along it to the intersection of Morgan and South Professor, where you can see a statue of Civil War officer Giles Shurtleff. (His third home is now a bed and breakfast.)
  • College Arboretum: The Arb, as it is locally known, is a sizeable nature preserve which includes two large ponds (former reservoirs) as well as a long section of Plum Creek. Paths criss-cross the wooded and grassy areas, and birds and deer (and other nature-loving humans!) are common sights. The Arb has three entrances: off South Professor just south of South Street, and off Morgan Street at the intersection with South Cedar (behind the old stone waterworks) and at the intersection with South Prospect (follow the gravel driveway between the golf course and the houses and enter through "Ladies' Gate," marked with stone pillars).
  • Bill Long Nature Preserve: This nature preserve is also built up around an old reservoir. It also includes trails through wooded areas and benches overlooking the reservoir--another good spot for birdwatching. The nature preserve is located just southwest of the intersection of Morgan Street and Pyle-South Amherst Street.
  • Public Park & Playground at the Oberlin Depot/Oberlin Community Services: This park fills about half of the block formed by the intersections of South Professor St., South St., and South Main St. (and is right across from the South Professor St. entrance to the Arb). This park is very kid-friendly, with an excellent playground that was designed to be completely accessible for differently-abled visitors.
• If you're interesting in bicycing or bike touring, Oberlin should be on your must-see list. Throw your bike in the car and visit us. Being a college town, the entire town is quite bike-friendly. Oberlin also has a lovely bike path, converted from the old railroad, which is part of a network of interlocking bike paths across Ohio (part of the "Rails to Trails" program). The path runs through south Oberlin; the best place to get on is right behind the old Depot (now a community center). You'll find the bike path crossing South Main and South Professor just beyond the intersection with South Street.
• In the "dog days" of summer, you'll appreciate a cool dip in the local pool! (And in the cooler months, you'll appreciate the indoor facilities--a warm place to get some exercise and have some active fun!) So, check out the Splash Zone, Oberlin's swimming pool and water park.

Oberlin also has a fabulous downtown shopping district--browse this list of stores to see what we've got. And don't forget to check out all the different places to eat and stay during your visit! Oberlin is a perfect weekend vacation spot--just pick out a place to stay, a few things you want to see or do, and come on out for a low-stress, high-entertainment weekend in a town the National Trust for Historic Preservation named one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations of 2004!

For more information on attractions and accomodations in the Oberlin area, visit the Lorain County Visitor's Bureau.