Things to Do in Tallmadge

Voted No. 3 on the 2011 Beacon’s Best for top movie theaters, Lake Cinemas 8 advertises a rotating octet of first-run films on a nostalgic marquee that heralds the refurbished theater's entryway. Viewers settle into comfy seats as they share puffed kernels of corn, sip sodas, and, as the lights dim, recall fond memories of tunneling into bank vaults. Visitors can choose from a selection of popular new releases or anxiously anticipate a bevy of coming attractions.

The Fast Lane Bowling and Party Center fosters wholesome family fun atop glossy lanes that unravel toward tenpin pyramids that beckon the embrace of hurled bowling bowls. Thunderous claps from strikes and subsequent high-fives reverberate through the facility five days a week during the summer, including until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, which outfit the facility with cosmic bouts. Boasting a lineup of happy hour specials, the newly renovated Garage Bar volunteers to whet whistles and topple appetites, and league and party options enable larger groups to plunder pins collectively or team up to take down rebellious bumpers in games of Red Rover.

MAPS Air Museum’s historical exhibits and collection of military aircraft educate visitors on military aviation history and Northwest Ohio’s role in it. Restored aircraft such as the F-86 SabreDog and B-26 Marauder (one of only seven on display in the world) give guests an up-close look at actual mechanical birds, rather than having to imagine real birds being piloted by humans. Permanent displays on Pearl Harbor, the Tuskegee Airmen, and Rosie the Riveter delve into iconic moments of World War II, and artifacts and memorabilia from veteran Reamer E. “Buzz” Sewell trace one soldier’s journey. For more information on tours or special events, visit the museum online.