Weekend vacations within driving distance of Ohio?
My hubby and I are looking to take a small vacation this year. We live near Cleveland Ohio and would only want to be gone from Friday night to Sunday. I’m pregnant and don’t want to fly (I know I can, but I don’t want to) plus we don’t want to go broke paying for airfare.
Any ideas of weekend trips? (personal recommendations are great)
Have you been to Niagara Falls? Toronto is a little farther, but sightseeing and theater (or theatre) offers a lot of choices. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario is a nice laid-back place, with the Shaw Festival for entertainment.
Here are some ideas. I’ve left out physically challenging (e.g., Hocking Hills) or thrill-based amusement parks.
1) Malabar Farm near Mansfield, a mid-20th century Hollywood getaway caught in time:
http://www.bookthink.com/0078/78brom1.htm
http://www.malabarfarm.org/activities_content.cfm?coverpageid=2&storynbr=2
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/malabar/tabid/762/Default.aspx
Take some Bogart/Bacall DVDs with you. It could be very fun!
You could stay at the Mohican State Park Resort:
http://www.mohicanresort.com/
http://www.mohicanresort.com/activities-979.html
Here are some other things to consider doing in the Mansfield area:
http://www.richlandcarrousel.com/
http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/things_to_do/kingwood-center
http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/things_to_do.php
Here are some other things that sound interesting, but I don’t know anything about:
http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/things_to_do/carousel-magic
http://www.mansfieldtourism.com/things_to_do/hidden-hilltop-alpaca-ranch
2) The Wilds, one of Ohio’s best kept secrets. There’s some easy stair climbing involved at some of the stops, but mostly it’s riding around in an open-air bus. I believe there is an enclosed air-conditioned bus, but it would detract greatly from the experience. It’s hot in July and August, and I might pass on it depending upon the status of your pregnancy. I would try to get the last tour because the animals are more active after the heat of the afternoon, but best of all would be to book a sunset safari tour, but they probably are already booked:
http://www.thewilds.org/
Near the Wilds is the Big Muskie Bucket. It would provide a great photo op to show your child what you did in the summer before his or her birth!
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2184
Nearby Zanesville has an excellent community museum, featuring pottery, of which Zanesville used to be a manufacturing center:
http://www.zanesvilleartcenter.org/
Here are other attractions in the Zanesville area, including the Longaberger Factory Tour and Zane Grey Museum:
http://www.visitzanesville.com/
If you do visit Zanesville, be certain to stop at Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl. It’s a renown ice cream parlor that hasn’t changed much since the 1950s. It even has a Campbell Soup machine (I can’t explain it; you have to see it).
http://www.visitzanesville.com/businesses/toms_ice_cream_bowl
http://www.tomsicecreambowl.com/
3) If you’re a Jimmy Buffett fan, you might want to consider Put-in-Bay, although it might be too tempting to have a drink.
If you do decide to visit Put-in-Bay, plan to go there before August in order to see the Perry Victory and International Peace Memorial before it is closed for major repairs, apparently for two years.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090425/NEWS16/904250391
The 35-story monument is the largest Doric column in the world and the fourth tallest monument in the U.S. with impressive views of the western Lake Erie basin.
You can catch a ferry boat or plane from Sandusky. Call before you go to make certain the memorial is open:
http://www.nps.gov/pevi/index.htm
While at Put-in-Bay, you can bicycle, kayak or parasail and partake of the island’s charming ambiance.
http://visitputinbay.com/visitus/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=19&Itemid=89
4) Many persons from the Cleveland area enjoy escaping to the Chautauqua area:
http://www.tourchautauqua.com/
5) Niagara Falls
I always love Niagara Falls, but it might be too tempting to do some of the more fun things there such as the Cave of the Winds tour, jet boats, etc. There always is water around there, it’s a slippery place and I would hate to see you take a tumble.
BOL on a fun time!
You could check out the national aviary in Pittsburgh. I’ve never been, but I’ve heard it’s neat. There’s a spot to go where the birds eat out of your hand.
Some of my favorite small vacations are the following:
1) Niagara Falls, Ontario- the view of the Falls on the Canadian side is beautiful, but you do need to have a passport now.
2) Amish Country (Holmes County….Berlin, OH)- there are many things to do including shopping, sightseeing, tours, etc.. My favorite place to visit is Heini’s Cheese Chalet (you can sample around a hundred different flavors of cheese) and my favorite place to shop is Sol’s (a large flea market-type group of stores that have craft items that locals sell). The views of the area are beautiful (especially if you are looking down from atop a hill).
3) Mohican State Park- the scenic views from Mohican are beautiful and it’s a great place to relax.
4) The Lake Erie Islands (Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island)- there are several things to do (especially on Put-in-Bay) for you to do that don’t involve much walking or anything too exhilerating. They rent out gulf carts so you can drive around the island. A lot of people drink on the islands (your hubby may enjoy), but I’m sure they can fit your needs as well.
5) Kalahari Resort (Sandusky, OH)- this is a great place to relax and swim. There is a spa, so maybe you can get a relaxing spa treatment before your little bundle of joy comes.