Huntington Beach

A short drive from Cleveland in the Bay Village area is a great little beach along lake Erie. I couldn't find the hours online--so I am not sure if there really are any. Parking is free--just be ready to take a little walk down to the shore.

How do I get there?

Is it safe to swim today?

(please be sure to check before you go! Because storms flush everything from animal waste to lawn fertilizer into the lake, they have set up a system where it is tested each day to let people know if there is threat of bacteria. Click on the link to see the most current report!)

OUR TAKE?

This was SUCH a fun place to go. The kids had a great time! We took a little picnic lunch to eat on the beach, and aside from the swarms of seagulls trying to steal it at times, we enjoyed our lunch! You can't bring extra floaties here though--Just keep that in mind. But there is plenty of room to run and play--bring your buckets and shovels and a lot of sunscreen!

Splash Harbor

Splash Harbor (at the Comfort Inn--Bellville, Oh)
The Comfort Inn® South is home to the newly opened Splash Harbor water park, featuring a 49-foot looping water slide, dumping buckets, shooting geysers, two hot tubs (one for adults and one for families), water basketball hoops, a floating raft and kids pool area.

HOURS:
Sun-Thurs 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

PRICE:
$12.95 per person 2 and up (Free parking)

How do I get there?

OUR TAKE?

There are a variety of indoor water parks in this area, and it was tough to choose! But we have small children and really wanted a place where we would not feel overwhelmed by the size of the waterpark and always feel paranoid about if we were missing a child. Plus, we weren't looking to stay the night at the time and the cost at many other places for just a day pass was SO expensive. Splash Harbor was our answer!

You can see the pics of the water area and info here. IT WAS SO FUN! There was only one other family there, so we had the whole place to roam free! I wasn't worried about where the kids were because it was JUST THE RIGHT SIZE for them. A FUN water slide, kiddie pool, a family hot tub and a separate adult hot tub, a splash/spray area, a pirate ship, basketball hoops, a floating log raft...all sorts of great things. And it was cheaper than the other places, so it made for a great outing! Best part--it was WARM! Like...middle of the SUMMER warm! We had a blast and felt like we were on a tropical little mini-vacation. I think we will be looking to stay there next winter overnight on a family getaway because we loved it so much!

The West Side Market

The West Side Market, located in the Ohio City neighbordhood of Cleveland, is TRULY a place you have to try!

HOURS:

mon : 7 - 4
wed : 7 - 4
fri : 7 - 6
sat : 7 - 6

How do I get there?

(note: there IS free parking--The main parking lot is located directly behind the Market and can be entered from Lorain Avenue. This lot is free, with a 2 hour enforced time limit. Additional parking is available by taking W. 25th to Bridge Avenue (near the tall apartment complex). This lot serves Market patrons and the other businesses along W.25th, and it is also free. Do not park at the shopping center on the south side of Lorain and W.25th. This rule is strictly enforced)


OUR TAKE?

I took my kids there on a rainy day since it is indoors and was a good way to get out of the house! A lot of the vendors have a sample of their fruits/veggies cut open so you can see before you buy, AND they let you taste things before purchasing--The kids had a great time tasting all sorts of yummies...mango, dried kiwi, cherries, raspberries, carrot chips...some of EVERYTHING.

We had a really fun time checking out all the food! A campling of what we have bought--
-bananas, cherries, raspberries, grapes, strawberries, fresh lettuce, watermelon, sweet tangerines, fresh corn on the cob, BIG IDAHO POTATOES (REAL Idaho potatoes...which I have missed dearly!), and some delicious dried strawberries, dried cantelope, bananas and dried kiwi--which are quickly going to take the place of any fruit snacks in our house. Sugar free and all natural--and they are SO yummy! Even Brandon agrees--and he is a fruit snack junkie!
BEST PART??? IT WAS SO CHEAP! Seroiusly WAY cheaper than our grocery store. I couldn't believe it!! All the vendors accept cash, obviously, but many also take the Ohio Direction card and other credit/debit cards.

The fruits, veggies, fresh flowers, and herbs were only the beginning. There was an entire other building that was full of fresh meats of every kind, bakery goods, eggs, cheese, spices, and all sorts of ethnic foods. WOW, WOW, WOW....I was in awe.

Since our first time, we have gone back about once a week to stock up! This is one of our favorite places to go!

Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Vistit them on the web: http://www.cbgarden.org/

From their site:

Our facilities include:
Ten acres of beautiful gardens, including the award-winning Hershey Children's Garden, the Elizabeth and Nona Evans Restorative Garden, the David and Paula Swetland Topiary Garden, the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Sears-Swetland Rose Garden, the Ohio Woodland, the C.K. "Pat" Patrick Perennial Border, and the public Campsey-Stauffer Gateway Garden.
The Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse, a soaring 18,000 sq. ft. conservatory housing authentic recreations of two of the earth's most fragile ecosystems - the spiny desert of Madagascar and the cloud forest of Costa Rica. Over 350 species of plants and 50 species of animals immerse visitors in a dazzling multi-sensory experience that raises awareness of environmental issues.

(SEE PICS HERE)

HOURS:
Summer Hours
April 1 - October 31
Open Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Open Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.
Open until 9:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening (Hershey Children's Garden closes at dusk)

Winter Hours
November 1 - March 31
Open Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Open Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.
Open until 9:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening
Closed Mondays
Hershey Children's Garden closes for the winter on November 1
All other gardens remain open throughout the winter

Admission
Member: Free
Adult: $7.50 ($5.00 after 5 p.m. on Wednesday)
Children (3-12): $3
Children under 3: Free
Groups: (15 or more): $5.50
Seniors: (60+): $5.50 (Tuesdays only)
We accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa
Above admission rates not applicable for special events


Onsite Parking
Onsite parking is available on a first-come basis in the Garden's attached parking garage. Rates are a $5.00 minimum, $1.00 each additional half hour after 2 1/2 hours, with a maximum daily rate of $10.00 and $3.00 flat rate after 5 p.m. VISITORS TO THE GARDEN ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A SPECIAL $5.00 DISCOUNTED ONSITE PARKING RATE.

How do I get there?

The fancy McDonalds

Where would you expect to see beauty like this??

Beautiful chandelier, staircase, fancy casings, etc....

Take a guess...

Theater? Expensive Restaurant? Hotel?

Nope--try, the GOLDEN ARCHES....yep! This is our fancy McDonalds located in Independence, Ohio. It is really beautiful...and no, the food is not more expensive! :)

You've gotta go at least once--just for the experience!

How do I get there?

Nope--try, the GOLDEN ARCHES....yep! This is our fancy McDonalds. It is really beautiful...and no, the food is not more expensive! :)

The Farm Park

The Farmpark--located in Kirtland, Ohio

From the site:

Farmpark is a family oriented science and cultural center devoted to agriculture, farming, and country life.
-Come and experience this award-winning park where you can
-milk a cow
-take a wagon ride
-discover over 50 breeds of farm animals up close.
-marvel at the Border collie at work.
-explore solar and wind power
-learn about plant life at The Great Tomato Works and themed gardens

Read more here!

Our take?

First off, just the DRIVE to get there was AMAZING! Totally worth the trip! The Farmpark itself had all kinds of farm animals and things to do. They teach how to make cheese and show cows being milked, as well as letting the kids hand milk a cow (we missed that by a few minutes). There are also pony rides, for a couple dollars. They show basically how a farm runs, but in ways that kids can really get a hands on understanding. It was really neat! There is a schedule of what to do, so be sure to grab that and plan your day!

Admission Rates
Farmpark admission applies to daily activities and Farmpark special events.

General admission: $6
Ages 60 and older: $5
Ages 2 - 11: $4
Children younger than 2: Free
Farmpark members: Free


HOURS: 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. daily (see website for more details)

How do I get there?

Preston's Hope Playground

The Preston's Hope Playground, located in Beachwood, Ohio, is the largest fully handicap accessible playground in NE Ohio. You can take a virtual tour by clicking here--and I HIGHLY recommend it! It is SO amazing-- The whole park is set up as a little "village" of houses, a bank, fire station, beauty salon, town hall, offices, etc. And there are interactive things throughout. From slides and swings to a dinosaur dig area, a castle wall, and a million more things...this place had it all!!! I still can't get over the fact that it's FREE. WOW....

The Preston's hope playground is truly one of the best places we have been to! While it was built as a handicap accessible playground, this playground has it ALL and is SO easy to get through as a mom with a stroller! :) It also has a few wonderful picnic shelters--and while you can't barbecue here, it is a PERFECT spot for a sack lunch and a full afternoon of play!

Read more about this great park!

How do I get there?

Hours

North Royalton Memorial Park

Now THIS is a park where children's dreams are made! WE LOVED playing here in this sprawling castle-like play place! There was definitely plenty to do--a sand area, lots of nooks and crannies to hide and play in, swings of all different sizes, a child's "basketball" area, etc. The park in general is beautiful, and has a nice path to walk, sports fields, and even a nice library sharing the property.

How do I get there?

Welcome to Ohio--

This blog is dedicated to all the fun things there are to do in the great state of Ohio (and surrounding areas) based 100% on pure experience...just a fun way to document the adventures we have and places we've explored while living here....