Some of us Ohioans saw our first snow this past weekend, but don’t let that dull your sense of adventure, especially if you’ve got kids. Even when the temperatures turn cold there is still plenty to do around Ohio. I teamed up with Stacie from Little Adventures Await to create a list of 10 fun day trips designed with kids in mind. While we focused on areas within about 90 minutes or so of Columbus, these are easy trips from just about anywhere in Ohio - and fun even if you don’t have kids. So pack some snacks and bundle everyone up for a drive. Most of these include indoor experiences, but some will require some snowsuits and boots and a sense of adventure! 1. Hocking Hills (Logan):
2. Loudonville: Both Mohican and Malabar have a lot to offer, and could easily be day trips on their own. That said, you can also shorten your stay at both and easily see each of these State Parks in one day trip.
3. Yellow Springs:
4. Dayton Air Force Museum Dayton holds enough activities for an entire post of its own, so we decided to stick with just one of its most famous and well-known indoor attractions. Dads and little airplane and space enthusiasts will have lots to explore, and best of all...it is FREE!
5. Mansfield: At about an hour north of Columbus off 71, Mansfield is reasonably close and convenient, and with lots to do there, a great place to check out this winter!
6. Canal Winchester/Lithopolis: Close enough to not be a hassle, but feels a million miles from the city (in a good way!) when you’re there.
7. Delaware: Delaware sits just far enough to our North that it could be considered a day trip, and an opportunity to discover a place you never knew was so close.
8. Springfield:
Springfield is located near Dayton, so you can easily add these stops to a Dayton trip, if you’re up for it! That said, Springfield has a lot to offer, so worth spending a day. Here are a few options of places to check out.
9. West Liberty:
10. Zanesville/Newark: Straight out 70, you’ll find some indoor fun at these two places and make it back home in time for dinner.
And a very special bonus this holiday season... 11. Sugar Creek:
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"Learned how maple syrup was made in the 1800s. What did you do last weekend?" Back in February, I unleashed my inner nerd and took her to Slate Run Historical Farm in Canal Winchester. At Slate Run, you can experience what life would have been like at an 1880s farm here in Ohio. There are gardens, barns full of animals, and an old farmhouse maintained by costumed staff and volunteers. And if you like giant hogs, you're in luck, there are plenty of those too. Like all of the Columbus Metro Parks, Slate Run offers different programming. We went to learn how maple syrup is made - and, if I'm honest, to sample that tasty treat. It was quite interesting. We were able to view the different equipment used, hike into the woods to see how the trees were tapped to extract the sap, and sample maple sugar and syrup in the farmhouse. While the demonstration was fun, probably more enjoyable was wandering around the farm after. That place is FULL of animals. Turkeys, hogs, sheep, sleeping horses. You can play with old farm equipment, watch the staff make brooms 1880s style, and just enjoy seeing what life was like during a simpler time. While at the farm, we also took a hike through Slate Run Park. They share a parking lot, so no excuse not to. There are over 12 miles of trails, from easy to difficult, paved to dirt. We took the Sugar Maple Trail and then connected to the Covered Bridge Trail. What was fun about our hike was that the trail was still snow covered, making it both beautiful and empty. Don't get me wrong, I love sharing the experience of a hike with strangers, but every now and then it's fun to have the place all to yourself. And we did. The trail had some steep inclines. On a normal day your basic sneaks would do, but with the compact and slippery snow, our hiking boots were a must. We hiked a total of about 5 miles, and all were gorgeous and will bring me back again. Now that the snow has long since melted and the trees have regained their leaves, I'm sure it would be an equally beautiful but different experience. I'm particularly interested in checking out the Kokomo Trail. Not just because Kokomo is one of my fav Beach Boys songs, but because I hear it's great for checking out all the wildlife at the park. You can learn more about the Farm and Park here: http://www.metroparks.net/parks-and-trails/. Adventure on, my friends! |
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