Summa's high standards of care reflect a community with equally high standards of life. As Ohio's fifth largest city, Akron was twice elected the All-America City by the National Civic League. It's located in Northeast Ohio between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Housing prices are extremely reasonable, from the metro area to the surrounding 16 suburban cities and 35 villages. A total of 42 major cities, including Toronto, Chicago, Washington and New York are within a day's drive.
Just 40 minutes from Cleveland and Ohio's North Coast, Akron offers a lifestyle few places can equal for its rich diversity. From intimate, family-oriented towns full of Midwestern charm to sophisticated city neighborhoods, Akron offers a wealth of places to enjoy. The city also offers a wide range of activities and attractions suitable for all lifestyles.
Greater Akron boasts many outstanding cultural events. Blossom Music Center, one of the world's finest outdoor amphitheaters, is the summer home of the world famous Cleveland Orchestra and features both classical concerts and rock performances, as well as family band concerts and fireworks. Lock 3 rocks downtown with crowd-pleasing acts. At the E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, home of the Akron Symphony Orchestra, you can enjoy first class, year-round entertainment in music, art, theater and dance. The Akron Art Museum is one of the few in the country specializing in American art of the 19th and 20th centuries, and also features shows by national artists.
In Cleveland, University Circle is home to the largest concentration of museums, cultural activities and churches in the country. It includes a three-theater premier repertory company, the Cleveland Playhouse, Severance Hall (the winter home of the Cleveland Orchestra) and the world-recognized Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as the Cleveland Health Education Museum, the Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History and the Western Reserve Historical Society. A thriving arts community provides an area of shops, galleries and restaurants.
One of the greatest concentrations of professional sports from the NBA to the PGA is available to Akron area residents. Each year, thousands of spectators gather at the Firestone Country Club for the NEC Invitational.
The Akron Aeros, our own AA baseball team, packs Aeros stadium in the heart of downtown. Akron is also host to the All-American Soap Box Derby. Less than an hour away, the Indians, Browns and Cavaliers, Cleveland's professional baseball, football and basketball teams, thrill fans in three terrific new facilities: Jacobs Field, Cleveland Browns Stadium and The "Q" Arena. And don't miss the annual Cleveland Grand Prix along Lake Erie.
Boating, hiking, skiing, biking...the Akron area offers something for everyone. Choose from two ski resorts, zoos, Cedar Point Amusement Park, Six Flags Ohio, Kelly's Island, Lake Erie, the Portage Lakes and much more. An extensive metropolitan park system provides plenty of places to picnic, hike, swim, bike, sled and skate. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, running between Cleveland and Akron, offers 30,000 acres of unspoiled wilderness to explore and enjoy. Discover Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, the Boston Mills Arts Festival and the Cleveland National Air Show. For night life, check out Akron's hot new restaurants and clubs, or visit the Warehouse District in Cleveland. And only here will you find three exciting Halls of Fame just around the corner: the Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, and the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
Known as the "Polymer Center of the Americas," Akron is the headquarters for two Fortune 500 companies: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and First Energy. More than 1,000 companies manufacture a wide range of products here, including toys, automotives, industrial machinery, dies, molds, chemicals, wood products, plastics, aero-space products and nuclear power equipment.
In education, excellence abounds. Public school systems rank with the nation's best, and many fine private schools are also available. In addition, 13 colleges and universities are within easy commuting distance, while 32 such institutions are within a 50-mile radius.
