Akron
Around Akron
Photo: Dillguy9 · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Ohio · 702k people
Akron
“Rubber City”, “City of Invention”
Big heart, hard work, and a sweet tooth for Buckeyes.
University of Akron BlueUniversity of Akron Gold
Welcome to Akron, the Rubber City! Whether you're here for the trails, the food, or the friendly folks, you'll find a down-to-earth community with a lot of heart. Come say hi and share what you love about this place.
Clubs for Akron
No clubs for Akron yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Akron. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Akron. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park Waterfalls, trails, and scenic railroad
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Tudor Revival mansion with 70 acres of gardens
- Akron Art Museum Modern and contemporary art in a striking building
- Lock 3 Park Downtown park hosting concerts and events
- Canal Park Home of the Akron Rubber Ducks
- InfoCision Stadium University of Akron Zips home field
- Outdoors Hike to Brandywine Falls
- Outdoors Bike the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath
- With kids Akron Zoo
- With kids Children's Museum of Akron
- Evenings Catch a concert at Musica
- Evenings Watch a comedy show at the Funny Stop
- Locals love Drive-in restaurants
- Locals love Metro parks
Through the year
- All-American Soap Box Derby July Kids race homemade gravity cars down Derby Downs
- Akron Marathon September Full and half marathon through the city and metro parks
- National Hamburger Festival August Burger tastings and competitions in downtown Akron
- Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival August Live jazz and blues performances in the city
- Akron Artwalk Monthly Monthly gallery openings and street art events
Akron has four distinct seasons with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to be out is spring and fall when temperatures are mild. Best: Spring and fall
Talk like a local
- “Rubber City”
- Nickname for Akron
- “The Falls”
- Cuyahoga Falls
- “The Gorge”
- Gorge Metro Park
- “Towpath”
- Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail
Getaways
- Canton – Pro Football Hall of Fame See NFL history and memorabilia
- Cleveland – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Iconic music museum on the lakefront
- Wooster – College town and shopping Charming downtown with boutiques and cafes
- New Philadelphia – Tuscarawas River and parks Outdoor recreation along the river
Local flavour
Teams
- Akron Zips NCAA Division I
- Akron Rubber Ducks Eastern League (Double-A)
- Kent State Golden Flashes NCAA Division I
Also rooting for Cleveland Browns (NFL), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), Cleveland Guardians (MLB), Cleveland Monsters (AHL)
Eat and drink
- Galley Boy burger Signature burger from Swensons, a beloved local drive-in chain.
- Buckeyes Peanut butter and chocolate candy, a Ohio favorite, often homemade in Akron.
- Swensons drive-in Local chain known for its drive-in service and Galley Boy, a Akron staple.
Where people go
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park A national park nearby with waterfalls, trails, and scenic railroad.
- Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Historic canal towpath turned recreational trail, a local landmark.
- Drive-in restaurants A tradition of car-hop service, led by Swensons.
- Rubber factory sites Historic industrial areas that defined the city's identity.
Heritage and traditions
Akron is proud of its rubber industry legacy, its transformation into a polymer and arts hub, and its strong community spirit, from the Soap Box Derby to the Cuyahoga Valley.
This time of year in Akron
- Fall Hiking Spree October October hiking challenge.
- Cuyahoga Valley Fall Hiking Spree October Hike multiple trails to earn a patch.
Say it like a local: “The Cuyahoga” — The Cuyahoga River, often called 'the Cuyahoga'
Festivals
- National Hamburger Festival August Celebrates the hamburger's alleged invention in Akron.
- Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival August Showcases local and national jazz and blues acts.
- All-American Soap Box Derby July Kids race gravity cars down Derby Downs.
- Akron Artwalk First Friday Monthly gallery hop in the downtown arts district.
- Akron International Festival September Celebrates the city's diverse immigrant communities.
- Cuyahoga Valley Fall Hiking Spree October Hike multiple trails to earn a patch.
Landmarks with a story
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Tudor Revival mansion of Goodyear co-founder F.A. Seiberling.
- Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Follows the historic canal that fueled early growth.
- Akron Art Museum Modern art in a striking glass-and-steel building.
- Hower House Victorian mansion on the University of Akron campus.
- John Brown House Abolitionist's home, now a museum.
- Perkins Stone Mansion Early 19th-century home of a prominent family.
Food traditions
- Barberton chicken Serbian-style fried chicken with hot sauce and rice.
- Galley Boy burger A double-decker with special sauce, from Swensons.
- Buckeyes Peanut butter and chocolate treats named for the state tree.
- Pierogi Eastern European dumplings from immigrant heritage.
- Kielbasa Smoked sausage popular in local delis.
Music and arts
- Rubber City Jazz Historic jazz scene with a modern festival.
- Akron Artwalk Monthly gallery openings in downtown.
- Kent State's music scene Indie rock and folk roots in Kent.
- The Black Keys Blues-rock duo from Akron, global fame.
A little history
- Early 20th century Rubber industry boom
- 1827 Ohio & Erie Canal opened
- 1898 Goodyear founded
- 1934 All-American Soap Box Derby began
- 1910s-1970s Akron's 'Rubber Capital of the World' era
Rivalries
- Akron Zips vs Kent State Golden Flashes College football rivalry between local universities
- Game day Akron Zips football
- Game day Akron Rubber Ducks baseball
- Outdoors Hike to Brandywine Falls
- Outdoors Bike the Towpath Trail
- With kids Soap Box Derby Downs
- With kids Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Local speech has a Midland accent, with some Northern Cities vowel shifts. Terms like 'the Valley' and 'the Towpath' are common. German and Eastern European surnames reflect immigrant heritage.
Only here
- The Soap Box Derby Downs is the world's only gravity-racing track of its kind.
- Akron is the birthplace of the modern hamburger, allegedly.
- The Goodyear Airdock is one of the largest freestanding structures without internal supports.
- The Cuyahoga River once caught fire, leading to environmental reforms.
New here? A few tips
- Pronounce 'Cuyahoga' as 'ky-uh-HOH-guh'.
- Expect snowy winters; invest in good boots and a scraper.
- Try a Galley Boy at Swensons, but note they're cash-only.
- Explore the Towpath Trail; it's free and scenic.
- Learn about the rubber history at the Akron Art Museum.
Make this page better
Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.
Sign in and join a club here to suggest.
Part of Cleveland area
Nearby
Every areaCantonOhioLocal rooms for Stark County.WoosterOhioWhere rolling farmland meets a spirited college town.ClevelandOhioWhere the lake breeze meets the city's grit.SalemOhioWhere the Ohio River meets the hillsNew PhiladelphiaOhioLocal rooms for Twin Cities.Holmes CountyOhioWhere the buggies roll and the heart slows.AshlandOhioLocal rooms for Ashland area.YoungstownOhioSteel‑strong spirit, valley‑wide heart.
Akron, OH. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.