Mentor

Like several other cities in the area (Solon, Euclid, Akron), Mentor was named after the Greek figure. Mentor is a suburb of Cleveland and sits 25 miles east-northeast up the coast of Lake Erie and is a 27-minute car ride outside the city. It lies in Lake County, Ohio, and is large in both size (27.99 square miles) and population (47,262). Mentor ranks 20th in population in the state of Ohio.

Mentor is a terrific place to raise a family due to its highly rated public schools, low crime rates (31% lower than the state average), and its abundance of different things to do. The most famous attraction is the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. Garfield purchased the home in 1876, ran a successful “front porch” political campaign in 1880, and was tragically assassinated four months into his first term in 1881. His home was preserved along with its vast presidential library and is currently operated by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

If the weather is warm, you and your family can visit Headlands Beach State Park, which is the longest natural beach in the state of Ohio and hosts two million visitors each year. Readers of CNN Travel placed Headlands Beach in the top 20 beaches in the entire country, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer named it Ohio’s best beach in 1995. Popular attractions at the beach are the break wall on the eastern end of the park, and the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light, a distinct white square lighthouse that has stood since 1925.