Exploring the “City of Invention” Akron, OH (Part 1)

Entering the United States is always a bit of a stressful encounter because you never know who the custom’s officer will be and what odd questions you’ll be asked. Thankfully, it was a breeze coming into the USA, as we had our passports ready to show as we approached the booth and the officer asked the usual questions: what’s your citizenship, where are you going, how long will you be away, and are you bringing in food, alcohol or tobacco.

After paying the toll, it was exciting to know that in only a few short hours, we’d be visiting our first stop; Akron, Ohio. Home to “Akronites, ” it is the 5th largest city in Ohio with a population similar to that of Windsor and has a vast amount of arts, culture, architecture, cuisine and much more.

I read the itinerary that my dad compiled and honestly didn’t find it too exciting. However, after spending a full-day on the go, I was really impressed with all the things to do here and how everyone works together to have a vibrant downtown core. Windsor can surely take some advice from the leaders in this place.

So after a couple of rest stops, we arrived at our hotel; Hilton Akron/Fairlawn.

Overall, a comfy stop for our first night away from home. I really loved the lobby area, since they had a purple couch (my favourite colour) and elegant paintings and modern decor.

Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel
 All photos by: Melissa Arditti

So when you arrive, it is quite a welcoming atmosphere. You can also take advantage of quite a few amenities, like the fitness room, complimentary wifi, and indoor/outdoor pools.

Here are a few photos of the room. Nice sized beds, a lovely marble washroom with complimentary toiletries, along with a shower area, lcd tv, and a small business area to do work, if desired.

Before heading on our first tour of the day, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat at Hilton’s restaurant called Beau’s Grille. It was quite a charming little restaurant with delicious food and friendly service.

It also happened to be the spot for bridesmaids/best men to have a drink or two at the bar area, as we encountered several groups popping in during our lunch.  Liquid courage perhaps??!!

One thing to note is that the United States ‘portion sizes’ are probably two or three times bigger, maybe even more at some restaurants. They are really generous with the amount of food served, so it is something to be mindful of, if you’re watching your waistline. However, vacations are also meant to be enjoyed so a little splurging is advised! Plus for the amount of walking that we did, we certainly burned a ton of calories daily.

Here was our table. Note that my mom really loved the brown place mats and so we ended up buying a similar one later on our trip.

This “pizza” that my dad ate (he only had about half since it was so big) was scrumptious. The crust was soft and loaded with all the toppings that you see here.

My mom and I both had this California Turkey Wrap Club, which was really tasty with the whole wheat tortilla and consisted of lean turkey, bacon, tomato, purple onion, cucumber and avocado. On the side, a fresh array of fruit.

No dessert though, as we were pretty stuffed and on a time schedule to meet our tour guide at the Akron Art Museum (which I will talk about in the next blog!)

If you’re looking for a bit more luxurious of a stay, as you’re travelling to Akron, I would highly suggest booking a room. You can find more information about the hotel and all of its services online.