Traveling the Midwest? Cleveland's Calling!

Living just 40 minutes outside of Chicago, one of the greatest cities in the world (FACT - Not opinion*), my family is blessed to be able to enjoy fantastic museums, zoos, parks and natural beauties... But everyone needs an occasional change of pace, regardless of how much they love where they live.

The Midwest is awesome in that there are several beautiful cities within reasonable driving distance from each other. This summer, my family took a weekend trip to Cleveland, OH and had a WHIRLWIND of awesome awesomeness.

LITERALLY.

Staying at a hotel is always a good time for our kids, but throw in a pool with a waterslide and it becomes an adventure! The Fairfield Inn and Suites was clean and courteous and had a full breakfast every day, which saved us time and money so that we could spend BOTH on other activities downtown.

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, to be honest, was my main reason for revisiting Cleveland. When you're married to a musician, the RRHOF is a MUST. Hours were spent guffawing over the handwritten lyrics by Jim Morrison...

and outfits worn by Jimi Hendrix...

 RRHOF one of his favorite places I've ever taken him. (He took about 200 pictures. I am not exaggerating.) After 3 hours in the museum, the kids were getting hungry, so he turned to me while standing beside "The Wall" and said, "I'm good. I am happy and content and we can go now." I think he was drooling a little bit...

Play Me; I'm yours...

Listening to the history of early jazz and R&B

Hello? Is there anybody IN there? Just nod if you can hear me...

 I think seeing the vast collection of the Doors and Pink Floyd sealed the deal for Patrick, making the RRHOF one of his favorite places that I've ever taken him to.

Husband satisfied, we grabbed a snack and then strolled next door to the Great Lakes Science Center, admiring the views of downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.

 I am always happy to incorporate education into our trips. My 7 year old whined as we walked into the museum ("Why do we always have to do LEARNING THINGS?!?") but quickly changed her tune once she beheld the huge assortment of hands-on activities. BEST PART?!? There was hardly anyone at the museum on a SATURDAY! Each of us was able to try all of the experiments and my 14 year old even VOLUNTARILY did Algebra. On vacation. Did I mention it was VOLUNTARY?

Flying a space module... Major Tom to Ground Control?

ALGEBRA. On vacation. 

An entire music section upstairs! Sounds and rhythms are found in science all around us...

Always fun.

The unique exterior of the RRHOF, located next door to the Science Center, right on the shores of Lake Erie.
SO CONVENIENT!

 We took a break from museums and what-not for some absolutely delicious pizza at the 4th Street Bar & Grill found in downtown Cleveland, just a few blocks away from the RRHOF and Science Center. 4th Street has an entire collection of cool bars and restaurants, if you're looking for some good grub in a beautiful and safe location.

So cute. Him, not me. Though I won't say "no" to a compliment...

4th Street at night on a weekend is WHERE IT'S AT. During the day on a Saturday, it's still pretty awesome.

Totally full, we packed up the troops and headed towards the flats for our next bit of the adventure.

(Side note: Ever try to take pics without a flash in a dark aquarium?)

The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is a lovely facility with great exhibits. We spent about an hour and a half here and left feeling thrilled that we were able to see and explore so many beautiful aquatic animals. Again, it's a smaller building than what I'm used to in Chicago, but the size isn't what matters; it's the quality of the animal care, which seemed phenomenal. My kids wanted to rush back to see the shark tank, which is an obvious must-see but be sure to take your time - don't miss the opportunities to touch a tortoise or stroke a stingray!

We had just studied the tortoises of the Galapagos Islands, so it was a real thrill to touch a live one...

The stingray exhibit allows you to pet the animals as they swim and also had hermit crabs and other small critters available for an up-close investigation.

Anybody else getting a little creeped out?

And definitely be sure to admire how an abandoned Powerhouse was rescued and then transformed into a  truly unique and beautiful aquarium. It was FASCINATING!

Fun with photo editing!

Moments after Evan regaled the on-site marine scientist with his insane knowledge of sharks, including the prehistoric Megalodon.

We headed back to the hotel for several hours of swimming and family bonding by the pool and waterslide before we were finally able to drag the kids back to bed. They were so exhausted, they passed out almost before we did (Almost).

(Totally not tired. Mom is cray cray.)

The 1st time I visited Cleveland, we visited the MetroParks Zoo. Back then, the elephant enclosure was under construction and I was able to walk where several African elephants are now happily living. It was pretty cool to see how much work they accomplished with such a fabulous outcome. (Here is where a picture of the exhibit would be helpful... I sure do wish I had taken a picture of it. Use your imagination!)

We strolled the zoo at our own pace and just enjoyed the exhibits. It's a large space, and laid out with long and winding trails, so if you are visiting on a hot day, be prepared with plenty of water and a well-charged camera, because there are photo ops around every corner!

 Dinosaurs may be extinct, but they still exist at the special exhibit at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo (until September 15 for an extra charge).

 Being paleontologists...

 A fact you may not know about my kids: they love ants. Ants are awesome and have been involved in many discussions in our everyday lives. We watched these leaf cutter ants carrying "enormous" shreds of leaves through long and winding tunnels so that they could provide food and shelter for the babies at the nest. My kids were FASCINATED.

 A KOALA! I wish I could have gotten a better picture, but there was a KOALA at the zoo! And he was awake! And he looked at me and we BONDED and I wanted to take him home, but there are rules against stealing animals from zoos, so I refrained... BARELY.

 Yay for turtles! Don't they rock? So prepared, all the time. Like little Boy Scouts only without the badges or annoying popcorn sales...

When you look through binoculars at a zoo, you're going to make some pretty interesting discoveries...

The Rainforest is ABSOLUTELY worth the trip and is actually a separate fee; if you are visiting with only an hour or two to spend, you can purchase tickets to just this exhibit and leave having seen some of the most beautiful animals of the entire zoo.

One of my favorite critters of all time...

Overall, Cleveland a CITY, which means activities and festivals; museums and zoos. It may not be on your list of vacation spots... but maybe it should be!

Check out these fantastic events coming to Cleveland this fall! There's something for everyone, including YOU!

August 30-September 2 – Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest: Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds

Enjoy exciting German traditions at the Cleveland Labor Day Oktoberfest. With all things German and much more, there is something for everyone. Guests can spend their time enjoying sidewalk chalk art, wiener dog races and a car show. For those looking for more of a traditional German experience, there will be polka bands, wiener schnitzel, and an abundance of delicious bier.

www.clevelandoktoberfest.com

September 20-22 – IngenuityFest

Held on Cleveland's lakeside docks, Cleveland’s IngenuityFest brings together artists, engineers, programmers and creators who showcase art based on yearly themes. The festival brings art and science together while highlighting the creativity and innovation taking place at the edge of both worlds.

www.ingenuitycleveland.com

  

September 21-22 – Cleveland Museum of Art Chalk Festival

The Cleveland Museum of Art presents its annual Chalk Festival, an art that is a 16^th century Italian tradition.  Great for kids and adults, the festival allows visitors to adorn a patch of the sidewalk with their own Monet or Renoir-like art, ultimately creating a beautiful landscape of chalk masterpieces.

www.clevelandart.org

September 7-8 – Fourth Annual Cleveland Garlic Festival: Shaker Square

Ground zero for “all things garlic” in the Midwest, the Fourth Annual Cleveland Garlic Festival in Shaker Square is located just east of downtown Cleveland. Attendees enjoy garlic-themed food prepared by local chefs including everything from ice cream to oysters, an onsite celebrity chef Grill-Off, live music, cooking demonstration, wine tasting, taste and grow tents for children and much more.

www.clevelandgarlicfestival.org

September 14-15 – Village Peddler Festival: Kirtland

More than 175 craftsmen gather in Kirtland each year for the Village Peddler Festival. Guests can experience an outdoor marketplace with folk art, herbs and flowers, pottery and much more. There are also various delicious food selections to choose from as well as folk musicians and wagon rides.

www.villagepeddlerfestival.com

September 21-22 – Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival: Tremont

Celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of Tremont by attending the west side Arts & Cultural Festival featuring vendors showcasing fine art, jewelry, sculptures, children's activities, musicians, performers and food from local Tremont restaurants.

www.tremontwest.org

September 21 – Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival

Dozens of teams race in colorfully painted dragon boats along the Cuyahoga River during the Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival, a free annual event celebrating dragon boat history and promotes the people and unique cultures of Cleveland's Asian community.

www.clevelanddragonboatfestival.com

For more information visit www.positivelycleveland.com. 

~~~~~~~

 *as long as we aren't talking about crime rates and school quality

**disclaimer: though hotel stay and activity tickets for my family were comp'd by Positively Cleveland, all opinions remain my own. No compensation was received in exchange for this post.**

We've Fallen In Love with Ohio...

I feel as though this entire summer has been a series of road trips! We've covered Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. And now, my family can add Ohio to our list of places we've visited this year.

Patrick and I are huge roller coaster fans. So it's a BIG BIG deal to us that all 3 of our kids are also adrenaline junkies. We love Six Flags in Gurnee, Illinois, and go there every summer, but it was the only Amusement park (outside of Disney) that my children had ever attended. It was time to expand our horizons...

Thankfully, they can now add Cedar Point to their list!

Even better, they got to experience Cedar Point during their Halloweekends, where the park is all decorated for Fall. There are several haunted houses that open at nighttime and everywhere you turn you'll find a skeleton in a sad predicament, a troll with a weird tale to tell or a creepy band cranking out some Monster Mash. Don't worry about your little ones, though. The overall effect is still suitable for young children. No bloody gore was present in the park. (Though I can't speak for the Haunted Houses!) See? Spooky Snoopy. Cute!

Because she's always so generous to us and because she also LOVES roller coasters, we brought along my mother-in-law. This was helpful not only because she provided an extra person to help with the odd number in our family, but also because we would have probably eaten at McDonald's the entire trip, if not for her. Love you! Thank you!
My dear Mother-in-law being gently accosted by a ... werewolf? Not sure. But they were really well trained. No screaming kids in sight. My own kids think that the costumed people are funny, but I know a lot of children are freaked out by them.
Evan and Corinne had to make sure, one last time, which rides everyone could go on. There ARE a lot of rides for little kids, but I was SO HAPPY that all of my kids were over 48" tall. That seems to be the cut off for the majority of the coasters. Corinne was able to ride about 85% of the rides, Evan about 95% and Justin could ride all of them. We were PUMPED.


Waiting in line for the Iron Dragon, a slower coaster that is suitable for smaller children, but still has some speed and crazy twists to it. We rode it a LOT. Especially at night time, when the fog machine was pumping a mist over the lake. Corinne thought it was deliciously spooky.
Look at their faces! Aren't they adorable? The Wildcat looks like a tiny little coaster, but Oh My Gosh! It has some serious speed for a mini-ride! Hold on tight at the end, though. Those brakes'll shock you...
It's difficult to get a serious picture of Justin, so I took this one before he knew what hit him. See that in the background? That's the Top Thrill Dragster. It's one of the fastest coasters in the world and only lasts 16.8 seconds. (It's the ride you go on instead of having coffee.) We had early entry to the park because we were staying on the property, so we sped directly to this ride and only had a 10 minute wait. I HIGHLY recommend heading straight to The Dragster, first thing in the morning. It gets some serious lines as the day progresses and you do NOT want to miss it. Don't worry about how freaky it looks or how fast it goes or that you shoot straight up and then straight down. Don't let your nerves talk you out of this ride! It is WORTH IT. The adrenaline rush we had after riding the Dragster lasted for a good hour and we walked around with dopey grins on our faces.

Yeah, she's not really scared. I don't think anything scares this child. Not even the Millennium Force! Just look at this ride: It's enormous and she's only FIVE and yet Corinne and Evan climbed right on board with me and Pat and HELD THEIR HANDS IN THE AIR. I don't know if their fearlessness is a good thing or something to worry about, but since I can't change it, I'm gonna embrace it!

If you are thinking about going this year, there are still some really good deals for tickets available online. You can save tons buy purchasing online and I highly recommend staying on-site so that you can get that early entrance to the park. It's also fabulous to be able to just walk back to your room, without having to deal with buckling sleepy children into the car.

Check out the Cedar Point site for more information. I know that my own family is raring to go back again!


*Disclaimer: I received our tickets for the park entry and 1 night's hotel accommodations from the Cedar Point public relations in exchange for my opinions. But the opinions remain my own, as they always do, and no money was received.

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After spending a bit of time and money in A Christmas Story museum and gift shop (my kids loved their Little Orphan Annie Decoder rings!), the air was heating up and we were beginning to wilt. We enjoyed a light lunch at Grumpy's Cafe, and then headed to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Rain Forest. I was prepared for an ordinary zoo. I was surprised to find myself, well, Surprised!

Though we didn't get to check out the entire zoo, we did get to WALK through the new elephant habitat that is still under construction. (how cool is that? I was IN an exhibit. And I wasn't the main attraction or anything!) Once finished, the African Elephant Crossing will cover 5 acres of wooded land, hills to strengthen leg muscles, indoor/outdoor bed options, and an education center. Expected to be open around May of 2011, it is an exhibit that will be well worth the wait!

Another unique feature of the Metroparks Zoo was their giraffe exhibit and feeding experience. For $2 a person, you can feed the giraffes by hand! As you can see below, I had a moderately good time doing just that...

Ok, ok. It ROCKED. It was so incredibly cool to have these enormous and gentle creatures seeking me out and searching for food! And it was EXTREMELY difficult to resist the urge to pet their heads!
Sigh... Such a cool activity. Definitely worth the cost.

Sadly, we got rained out of the concert in the park so we raced ourselves into the Botanical Gardens for a dinner inside. I am SO glad it rained because I might have missed this stop on the tour had the concert continued...BEAUTIFUL. The Cleveland Botanical Garden is just lovely! I wish I had more pictures but my batteries weren't cooperating at this point. You'll just have to take my word for it that the layout and exhibits are really well done. This is a relaxing way to spend a few hours, checking out the butterflies and hiding behind the flora and fauna.
Anyone growing up in Chicago has been to the Art Institute of Chicago. It's beautiful, without a doubt. But I must confess that I had never been to an art museum in a different city! Ever. For someone who loves art, that strikes me as odd. Thankfully, I no longer fit into that because the tour included a choice of any of the beautiful museums in Cleveland's University Circle.

We chose the Cleveland Museum of Art, and I was blown away by the quality of the museum.
My boys would love to check out their Medieval section. Devoted to armory, weaponry, tapestry and all other types of craftsmanship from the Middle Ages; it was stunning!

(Admission to the museum's permanent collection is always free!)

It had been a long day... We headed back to our gorgeous rooms at the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre. Since our group was getting along so well, we decided to head out and walk to the local night life at the East Fourth Street Entertainment District. It was literally 3 blocks from the hotel! The cobbled street and criss-crossed lights lent an automatic party atmosphere. I was ready to kick back and have a blast.

And we DID! We hit a few of the smaller bars and tried some fancy drinks but myself and 2 others ended up at the perfect fit for us: Flannery's. Big but cozy and great service with drinks I can pronounce adds up to a happy Tracey...

Thursday morning had us boarding our bus to return to Chicago. One final stop found us being QUITE surprised by the gourmet meal provided...

Above you see Ja'Vonne of the Traveling Eye, Howard of VideoTwist Productions, Me!, Barb aka Weaselmama, journalists Chasse and Dominic enjoying the most delicious gourmet meal I've eaten in QUITE a long time at The Toledo Zoo. We stopped there on our way home and I must say that it was much bigger and more beautiful than I'd have imagined! Their children's zoo was a lovely addition and I adore the way that you can get twisted around in the pathways between old exhibits and new. Thank you for your hospitality, Toledo Zoo!


Stephanie and Jennifer of Second City Soiree, and Bonnie from the Traveling Eye
(I had to edit out our other travelers because of a minor that was traveling with her journalist father. Hello back there Jodi!)

To sum it up, Cleveland really surprised me. I am so excited to know that there is a "new" and fun travel destination so close to home. The people from Positively Cleveland who were our tour guides and all of those who worked together so that we could experience the best of the city and its surrounding area did a fabulous job! Thank you again, and I can't wait to go back!!


If you liked any of the activities that we did on our trip, then stay tuned for an exciting giveaway that I am putting together.... I can't divulge any details just yet, but it's gonna be a good one!