Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - old cement patio help needed

I have a small backyard and a 20X10 cement slab acts as my lower patio. It is old and has some cracks. I am aware that I can patch it, but am concerned that the patching will be very obvious. I would like to stain it, but don't want the patched areas to stand out. It also gets up to 30 below here in the winter and I don't want to do it annually. I am wondering if I were to patch and stain it, is there a way to possibly paint/draw other cracks in the intact portion to make it blend in? Also, anyone with a link to pictures of a repaired patio would be very helpful. The snow is almost gone and I'm eager to dress up my yard a bit!

Or would a darker concrete stain cover the patch work? Something like a deep red?

If they are hairline cracks, not large deep cracks, and you want to do a concrete stain, I wouldn't patch the cracks because when staining it might appear blotchy and not very uniform. A co-worker tried to patch areas of her home prior to having concrete staining done and she wasn't pleased with the results because the patched areas came out darker than the rest of the floor (I think she went with a solid color rather than trying to do a variegated/faux look or tiled look).

If the cracks are larger than hairline, you might try using Quikrete resurfacer over the whole surface first. But you may still get hairline cracks later.

You also asked "is there a way to possibly paint/draw other cracks in the intact portion to make it blend in?"

Yes, when staining you can create just about any pattern or style of floor you want. Want a tiled effect? Marble effect? Tiled effect? Do a google search for concrete staining or decorative concrete and also check out www.kemiko.com. Their photo gallery has a variety of styles and some of them don't even look like concrete floors!

I'm no expert, but hope this helps.