Lake County’s Grand River Valley Fall Foliage Self-Driving Tour
🍂 Lake County’s Grand River Valley Fall Foliage Self-Driving Tour
Scenic roads + colorful forests + hiking + wineries + local food = the perfect fall day in Lake County.
When autumn arrives in Northeast Ohio, the Grand River Valley comes alive with brilliant reds, oranges and yellows. 🍁
Take a scenic drive through the countryside, stop for a hike, grab lunch, sip your way through the Grand River Valley, or turn your foliage adventure into a weekend getaway.
The best part? You can build your own fall day.
🥾 Hike it.
🍷 Sip it.
🍴 Taste it.
🚗 Drive it.
🏡 Stay awhile.
🍁 When Should You Go?
Fall color changes throughout the season, so timing your visit can make all the difference.
Check Holden Arboretum’s Fall Color Watch for updates and help plan your visit around peak foliage.
View 17 Northeast Ohio wineries and vineyards while on your Fall Foliage Tour of the Grand River Valley Winery Region.
🍂Follow Holden Arboretum’s Fall Color Watch updates to plan the best dates to take the drive!
🚗 How the Fall Foliage Tour Works
The Grand River Valley Fall Foliage Tour is a self-guided scenic driving route, so you can start from either side of the valley and customize the experience to fit your day.
Coming from the west? Start near the I-90/Vrooman Road exit.
Coming from the east? Start near the I-90/OH-534 exit.
From there, follow the scenic roads through the Grand River Valley and choose your own stops along the way.
Want the exact turn-by-turn route? Keep scrolling for the detailed directions.
🍷 STOP FOR A SIP
With 17 wineries and vineyards throughout the Grand River Valley, you have plenty of options for adding a wine stop—or several—to your fall drive.
🍷 Grand River Cellars
Make this your cozy lunch stop.
Warm up with lunch, a glass of wine or a seasonal mocktail, then stay awhile for patio seating, live music and select events like trivia and paint & sips.
🍷 Debonné Vineyards
Come for the vineyard views. Stay for lunch and wine.
Stop for light bites, appetizers, salads, sandwiches and award-winning wines, often accompanied by live music and beautiful vineyard views.
🍷 M Cellars
A relaxed stop for wine and small bites.
This estate winery offers award-winning wines, shareable appetizers, desserts, weekend live music and patio views.
🍷 Rosabella Winery
Add a quick winery stop to your OH-307 drive.
Rosabella Winery is an easy detour to add while you're exploring the eastern portion of the route.
🍷 Cask 307
Wine + charcuterie + vineyard views.
Settle in with a premium charcuterie board, flatbread or other light fare, along with wine, beer or a seasonal mocktail.
🍇 Want to Visit More?
The Grand River Valley is home to 17 wineries and vineyards, giving you plenty of opportunities to create your own tasting itinerary.
Just remember: If you're sampling, drink responsibly and have a designated driver.
🥾 STOP FOR A HIKE
One of the best ways to experience fall color is to get out of the car and onto the trail.
🍂 Fall Foliage Parks
🍴 STOP FOR LUNCH
A fall road trip is better with a good meal along the way. Here are a few easy stops to work into your itinerary:
🍷 Grand River Cellars
Cozy lunch, wine, seasonal mocktails and patio seating.
🍷 Debonné Vineyards
Light bites, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, wine and vineyard views.
🍷 M Cellars
Shareable appetizers, desserts, wine and weekend live music.
🍷 Cask 307
Charcuterie boards, flatbreads, light fare, wine and vineyard views.
⛳ ADD A LITTLE EXTRA
Hemlock Springs Golf Course
Want to add something different to your fall day?
Work in 9 or 18 holes at Hemlock Springs Golf Course while you're exploring the Grand River Valley.
A little fall foliage + a round of golf = not a bad way to spend a Saturday. 🍂⛳
🗺️ DETAILED DRIVING DIRECTIONS
-
Exit I-90 at Vrooman Rd and head north to OH-84 E
Take the first right onto Adams Rd and then left onto River Rd
Continue on River Road with scenic views for approx. 6-7 mi
🥾Local’s Tips: Visit a Lake Metropark along the way. Staff Picks: Paine Falls Park, Baker Road Park, Blair Ridge Park & Indian Point Park.
At the intersection of OH-528 turn right to head South into the Grand River Valley Wine Region
Travel OH-528 for approx. 3 miles of fall colors and views before turning left onto Moseley Rd.
Local’s Tips: 🥾Visit Riverview Park Lake Metropark 🍴Hungry? Stop in Grand River Cellars for a warm cozy lunch and maybe a small splash of wine or seasonal mocktail. Live music, patio-seating, and select nights for trivia and paint & sips. (Open at Noon, 7 days a week, full menu Wed-Sun and Apps & Sandwiches Mondays and Tuesdays.)
Follow Moseley Rd. for 0.7 miles and then turn left onto Ledge Rd./Under Rd. to head North to Ross Rd.
Turn right onto Ross Rd and continue approx. 1.6 miles to Cork Cold Springs Rd.
Turn left onto Atkins Rd and continue to S. River Rd.
CHOOSE YOUR NEXT PATH…
🅰️Head west towards home….
Turn left for more crisp fall leaf views along S. River Rd and onto Doty Rd., continuing back towards OH Rte. 528 and I-90 East & West.
Local’s Tips:🍴Hungry? Take a quick detour to Debonne Vineyards, Ohio’s largest estate winery, to enjoy light bites, apps, salads, sandwiches, award-winning wines, live music and vineyard views. (Open year-round, 7 days a week starting at noon)
Or pop into one of the Grand River Valley’s newest wineries, Emerita Winery.
OR
🅱️Continue east for more scenic fall views….
Turn right onto S. River Rd. for more leaves a plenty and continue towards State Route 534 N
Local’s Tip: 🍴Hungry? Take time to visit M Cellars, an estate winery featuring small shareable apps and desserts plus the award-winning wines, weekend live-music and patio views. (Open year-round, 7 days a week, starting at noon)
Turn right and head south onto State Rte. 534
Turn left onto Cork Cold Springs Rd. and continue to Mechanicsville Rd
Local’s Tip: Along the tour, you can even get in a quick 9 or 18 at Hemlock Springs Golf Course!
Turn left onto Mechanicsville Rd/Sexton Rd and continue to OH 307
Local’s Tip: Turn right to pop into Rosabella Winery nearby.
Head west on OH-307 W toward Lafevre Rd and enjoy almost 9 miles of scenic countryside, pops of fall color, and various Grand River Valley wineries nestled along 307.
Local’s Tip:🍴Hungry? Pop into Cask 307 for premium charcuterie boards, light fares and flatbreads, plus, seasonal mocktails, beers, award-winning wines, and patio vineyard views. (Open year-round, Sun.-Tues. & Thurs.-Sat., closed Wednesdays, open at 11AM, hours may vary by season.) Local’s Tips: 🥾Visit Hogback Ridge Park North Trailhead Lake Metropark
Turn left onto Bates Rd and head south to enjoy scenic fall foliage and views of two additional wineries. Bates road will turn slightly right and become River Rd. and you can conclude your driving tour at the intersection of River Rd. and OH 528. (I-90 is located two minutes North)
Local’s Tips: 🥾Visit Hidden Valley Park Lake Metropark
As always - drink responsibly and have a designated driver if you choose to sample or partake in any alcohol during a winery visit while exploring the Fall Foliage Tour.
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Start your driving tour at I-90 OH-534 Exit
Travel South on OH-534
Turn left at the roundabout OH-307 and travel East towards Mechanicsville Rd/Sexton Rd
Turn right Cork Cold Springs Rd. and continue to OH 534
⛳Local’s Tip: Along the tour, you can even get in a quick 9 or 18 at Hemlock Springs Golf Course!
Turn right onto OH 534 and head north toward South River Rd.
Turn left onto South River Rd. and continue West to Atkins Rd.
Local’s Tip: 🍴Hungry? Take time to visitM Cellars, an estate winery featuring small shareable apps and desserts plus the award-winning wines, weekend live-music and patio views.(Open year-round, 7 days a week, starting at noon)
Turn left at Atkins Rd. to head South to Cork Cold Springs & Ross Rds.
🍴Local’s Tip: Continue straight on South River Road as it becomes Doty Rd. and take a quick detour toDebonne Vineyards, Ohio’s largest estate winery, to enjoy light bites, apps, salads, sandwiches, award-winning wines, live music and vineyard views.(Open year-round, 7 days a week starting at noon)
Turn left to head back East on Cork Cold Spring Rd.
Turn left onto OH-534 and continue North to I-90 completing your tour.
OR
Start your driving tour at I-90 OH-528 Exit and travel South towards Ross Rd.
Local’s Tips: 🥾VisitRiverview ParkLake Metropark 🍴Hungry? Stop inGrand River Cellars for a warm cozy lunch and maybe a small splash of wine or seasonal mocktail. Live music, patio-seating, and select nights for trivia and paint & sips.(Open at Noon, 7 days a week, full menu Wed-Sun and Apps & Sandwiches Mondays and Tuesdays.)
Turn left and travel west on Ross Rd., continuing on Cork Cold Springs to Atkins Rd.
Local’s Tip:🌻Plan a getaway that isn’t far away and relax amongst nature with a weekend stay atStanding Rock Farms. This secluded 450-acre estate farms boasts 11 luxury cabins, glamping tents, and chalets. Located on Ross Rd. in Madison, OH you’ll have an opportunity to visit their curious Highland cows, canoe the private lakes, escape into an outdoor barrel sauna, hike and more.
Turn left on Atkins Rd. and travel North to Doty Rd.
Turn right on Doty Rd and travel towards OH-534
Option to turn left on Doty Rd. and travel back towards OH-528, turn right to head North to the I-90 OH-528 Exit
Local’s Tip🍴: Take a quick detour toDebonne Vineyards, Ohio’s largest estate winery, to enjoy light bites, apps, salads, sandwiches, award-winning wines, live music and vineyard views.(Open year-round, 7 days a week starting at noon)
As always - drink responsibly and have a designated driver if you choose to sample or partake in any alcohol during a winery visit while exploring the Fall Foliage Tour.
Sign up and download the Grand River Valley Self-Driving Fall Foliage Tour Pass
Easier mobile access for the full tour
Our top picks for parks to hike or walk in the Grand River Valley
Directions to featured lunch and dinner stops along the way
Directions to featured Lake Metroparks along the way
Are you interested in joining our list Lake County, OH? Email elyse@tourlakecounty.com to learn more about how to partner with Tour Lake County!
