More than 3,000 trees and 165 specimens of native Midwestern woody plants create a colorful canvas on the cemetery’s 200 acres.

A variety of themed walking tours are held each month, focusing on subjects like famous women, sports legends and trees.

The tower at Lookout Point provides a spectacular view of the city skyline.

Address: 118 Woodland Ave., Dayton

Germantown MetroPark

Fall leaves and colors engulf a road inside the Germantown MetroPark Nature Center. Credit: Staff photo by Ron Alvey Credit: Staff photo by Ron Alvey

The largest areas of old-growth forest in Montgomery County can be found in Germantown MetroPark.

The park is part of the Twin Valley Conservation Corridor and is filled with large trees “hinting at what Ohio’s forests were like before European settlement,” according to the Five Rivers MetroPark’s website.

Valley Overlook, which offers “year-round scenic views” is a great spot to take in the fall leaves.

While in the area, make a visit to Germantown’s covered bridge, built in 1870, and believed to be the only bridge of its kind designed with an inverted bowstring truss.

Address: Germantown MetroPark, 7101 Conservancy Rd., Germantown. Covered bridge: East Center Street, Germantown

Dayton VA Medial Center grotto

The year was 1868 shortly after the Civil War, when Frank Mundt became the florist and gardener of the Dayton Soldiers Home, writes Robert Kincses, trustee of the American Veterans Heritage Center, in his 2013 report tracing the history of the gardens and the current project.  A veteran who was originally from Germany, he along with the Home architect Mr. Davis and Mrs. Elizabeth Rohrer of Germantown, began the development of the Grotto and gardens in what was then the limestone quarry area. LISA POWELL / STAFF Credit: Lisa Powell Credit: Lisa Powell

A grotto garden, built by Civil War veterans living at the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, now the campus of the Dayton VA Medical Center, is a beautiful and serene spot for a stroll.

A crew of 75 Civil War veterans first molded the topography of the gardens in a limestone quarry and built caverns within the space. Plants were specially cultivated for the site, and vines were planted in the rock crevices in 1868.

The grounds lay dormant for decades until the Dayton VA partnered in 2012 with the American Veterans Heritage Center and the Ohio State University Extension, Montgomery County Master Gardener volunteers to resurrect the grotto and gardens.

Today the historic landscape is open to the public and a perfect spot to wander through.

Address: 4100 W. Third St. Dayton

Carillon Historical Park

Carillon Historical Park in Dayton is the perfect spot for a picnic. 2008 FILE PHOTO Credit: Lisa Powell Credit: Lisa Powell

If you want to immerse yourself in the city’s history and enjoy some fresh air, a trip to Carillon Historical Park is a must.

The 65-acre park, set under a canopy of towering trees, showcases Dayton’s history.

A sampling includes more Wright brothers artifacts on display than any other place in the world, the original Deeds Barn where the automobile self-starter was invented and a transportation center that houses a 1834 Conestoga wagon, a train passenger car built by Barney & Smith Co. and the oldest existing American-built locomotive.

The Carillon Brewing Co., which opened in 2014, is the only production brewery in a museum and the only brewery in the country that replicates historic brewing processes.

During fall, the park holds a variety of tavern dinners for the public, and all meals are made on authentic hearths, in Newcom Tavern, the city’s oldest existing building.

Address: 1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton

Hartman Rock Garden

The Hartman Rock Garden is a must-see site in Springfield.

The Hartman Rock Garden in Springfield was created during the Great Depression by Harry George “Ben” Hartman.

What first began as a cement fishing pond in his backyard in 1932 developed into more than 50 structures made of hundreds of thousands of stones, according to the Hartman Rock Garden website.

Hartman worked on his garden until his death in 1944. His wife, Mary, maintained the “garden of love” for the next 53 years.

The folk art garden was restored in 2008 by the Kohler Foundation and is maintained by a local organization, the Friends of the Hartman Rock Garden.

Address: 1905 Russell Ave. Springfield