September in Ohio has a strange habit of feeling like a second summer, with warm afternoons showing up long after the pool towels have been folded away. That is exactly when a certain kind of parent starts hunting for somewhere the kids can burn off energy without anyone reaching for a wallet.
Scattered across the state, from downtown riverfronts to small-town parks, sit water play areas that keep spraying well past Labor Day and charge nothing at all. Here are seven of them worth putting on your fall calendar.
1. Galion Splash Park, Galion, OH
Small-town Ohio does water play better than you might expect, and Galion proves it with a splash park built for full afternoons rather than quick stops. Water features come in a large variety here, spread across a clean, well-kept space on East Walnut Street.
What sets it apart from most free setups is staffing. A lifeguard is on duty, which changes the whole feel of an outing when you have several kids of different ages darting in different directions…