Question: My husband and I were hoping to take our 3 kids (ages 7,9 and 12) on a driving vacation this August. We were hoping to combine Cedar Point, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cooperstown and Niagara Falls. Since we will be leaving from Chicago, can you suggest an order of attractions or are we planning to visit too many different spots in the course of 9 days? Also, which side of Niagara Falls would you recommend?

Answer: This sounds like an ideal vacation for your family and nine days may be... Read More

Although my wife and I can now claim to be experienced campers, this was not always the case. I recall many years ago when the two of us embarked on one of our early camping trips to Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio.

 The first mistake we made was in choosing to camp on Memorial Day weekend (don’t do it!); our second mistake was ... Read More

    

“No! No! I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two Hundred Shot Range Model Air Rifle,” said Ralphie.  “You’ll shoot your eye out kid,” was Santa’s response.   I had heard that exchange countless times, but somehow had not seen the movie A Christmas Story.   (If you haven’t seen it yet, check your local cable stations for the upcoming 24-hour A Christmas Story movie marathon.) 

I found out there was a Cleveland connection (parts of the movie were filmed in Cleveland) when I... Read More

 

     The biggest soft-serve ice cream cone I ever attempted to eat was at Brown’s Dairy Dock in Marblehead, Ohio. Not that I thought I could actually conquer this nearly foot-high swirling pillar of vanilla and chocolate delight, but I had to give it the old college try! Needless to say, the cone won—and I had plenty of melted ice cream all over my clothes to attest to the fact—but there are many more challenges to meet and sights to see in this area commonly referred to as “Ohio’s Vacationland”.Read More

Question:  Terry Houston asks: I'd like to take a car trip within a 150-mile radius of Cincinnati. Any suggestions?

Answer: Mary Ann Bayer, travel professional at the AAA office in Cincinnati suggests several trips.  If you are looking for someplace close to home, consider Indianapolis, which is approximately 100 miles from Cincinnati.  The Children’s Museum , for children of all ages, is a good place to start your adventure.  Meet a mummy, climb a limestone wall, ride the world famous carousel,... Read More

 
      Has the end of football season led to withdrawal symptoms? Looking for the perfect experience for that football fanatic in your life? Consider a road trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

      A seven-foot tall bronze statue of football legend Jim Thorpe greets visitors as they enter the Hall’s round entrance building. Thorpe was one of the game’s first... Read More

     Some of my fondest childhood memories involve recreational trips to Mason, Ohio though to this day, I couldn’t tell you a thing about the city itself. To me, that area, which is a short drive northeast of Cincinnati, is and always has been the home of Kings Island amusement park and while Kings Island continues to thrive today, it is no longer the only major attraction in Mason. The Great Wolf Lodge, which sits adjacent to Kings Island just off Kings Island Drive, opened its doors, and flood gates, for that matter, in... Read More