Ohio - Pitstops for Kids

Four family-friendly Ohio road trip destinations

April 6, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

If you are planning a road trip for your family, chances are you will not be alone on the highway. One survey released by a major travel company revealed that 35 percent of families take at least one vacation together annually, with some taking two or three trips per year. When it comes to popular destinations in America, Ohio often tops the list because of its family-friendly offerings, and there are several that stand out if you are ready to explore this fun and fascinating state.

1. The Wilds: Cumberland

The animal lovers in your family will thrill to The Wilds, a sanctuary that stretches over 9,000 acres of land and where over two dozen different species of mammals, insects, and reptiles roam free. Take safari-style bus tours during the day and then retire to The Lodge for comfort and convenience during an overnight stay. The Wilds also offers family-friendly activities as well, including horseback riding and zip line adventures.

2. Lake Erie Shore

Lake Erie is the fourth smallest of the Great Lakes, but when it comes to adventure, it’s one of the largest in the state. Enjoy wildlife parks and the beauty of Maumee Bay State Park, where you can relax on two sandy beaches, enjoy a two-mile boardwalk stroll, or simply enjoy the view of the lakeshore. If you have any thrill seekers in the family, then you can head to Cedar Point Amusement Park, which features a breathless collection of roller coasters and other thrill rides, all with panoramic lake views.

3. The Valley Gem Sternwheeler

If you and your family are looking for a nautical adventure after your road trip to Ohio, then you might be able to find it on the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers when you board the Valley Gem. This pleasure cruiser, which can accommodate over 900 passengers, offers river tours between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati from early spring through late November. The boat features its own restaurant, a shaded upper deck, and a temperature-controlled lower deck for comfort. All ages are welcome on a 90-minute cruise that is sure to please.

If you plan to drive to Pittsburgh and take both river tours, you may want to ask your auto insurance company if you are covered in both states. Because coverage may vary depending on location, it is wise to meet with your agent before your trip to ensure you are covered if you plan to venture into nearby Pennsylvania.

4. The Christmas Story House

For those who love Christmas all year round, a road trip to Ohio would not be complete without a visit to the house from the iconic holiday movie, “A Christmas Story.” The house where the movie was filmed has been lovingly preserved, and after you walk through, you can cross the street and visit the movie museum, where some of the props are on display. If you are a die-hard fan, you and the family can stay overnight in the home, which would make a visit to this Ohio landmark complete.

Taking a road trip to Ohio with your family can make for a wonderful vacation, whether you travel overnight or choose to explore the entire state during an extended holiday. No matter where you roam, spending time with family can be the greatest adventure of all.

Four pit stop-worthy children museum holiday exhibits

December 17, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

‘Tis the season to travel, and while braving those interstates, you and your family will need places to stop along the way. What better opportunity to visit one of these four children museum holiday events at children’s museums across the country! Each are sure to get your family in a festive mood during the holiday travel season!

If traveling on I-75:

Stop at the Cincinnati Museum Center (the history museum location off Public Landing) and see the Duke Energy holiday trains! A beloved holiday tradition in Cincinnati, the exhibit is open to the public with ticket purchase. There’s also a 1/3 scale locomotive rumored to have been built by Santa himself.

Admission: Museum costs are $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for children; on the site linked above, get free vouchers for the trains.

Open: Nov. 7th-Jan 4th, 10 am to 5 pm Mon-Fri, 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays, 11 am to 6 pm on Sundays.

Directions: Located at 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati OH. From I-75 south, head toward downtown Cincinnati. Take the right side exit, Exit 2A, Western Avenue. Merge onto Western going south (do not turn); Museum Center entrance is on the right at the third traffic light.

If traveling on I-95:

Take a break at the Connecticut River Museum to check out their holiday train display. This museum recently withstood a fire, and needs all the support they can get from the local community and those passing through! While you’re there, learn more about the Connecticut River and its history.

Admission: $8.00 for adults, $5.00 for children

Hours: 10 am to 5 pm (Tues-Sun)

Directions: Located at 67 Main Street, Essex, CT. From Interstate 95, take Exit 69 (CT Route 9 North). Take CT Route 9 North to Exit 3 (Essex) and follow signs to Connecticut River Museum and Essex Historic Waterfront. Steamboat Dock is located at the foot of Main Street on the Connecticut River.

If traveling on I-10:

Learn about holidays from around the world at the Children’s Museum of Houston. The Seasons of Sharing exhibit tours kids around the world with holiday traditions, meals, celebrations, and gifts. Tour a block-long neighborhood of holiday houses, each with a different celebration inside. And if you’re traveling on a Thursday, you’re in luck: Thursday nights are free!

Admission: $9.00 adults and children over one year

Hours: 10 am to 6 pm (Tues-Sat) Noon to 6 pm (Sun)

Directions: Located at 1500 Binz, Houston, TX. From I-10, take 610 South, then 288 North. Exit on Binz (take a left). Museum is seven blocks on the left.

If traveling on I-65:

Have breakfast with Santa at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, a holiday event that opens November 30th and goes through December 14th. Eat with Santa, then create your own slide bag to ride down the museum’s ‘yule slide’. Combine breakfast with a day at the museum!

Note: Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has a Kidscore of 100. Learn more about Kidscore.

Admission: $19.50 for adults, $14.50 for children

Hours: 10 am to 5 pm (Tues-Sun)

Directions: Located at 3000 N. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN. From I-65 South, head into Indianapolis.
Exit at the 21st Street exit. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left on 21st Street. Follow 21st Street east to Illinois Street. Turn left on Illinois and continue north to 30th and Illinois Streets.

Photo credit

Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark

May 18, 2012 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following pit stop is submitted by guest reviewer Jessie Voigts of WanderingEducators.

The Children’s Discovery Garden at Wegerzyn Gardens, in Dayton, Ohio is a treat! It’s a free metro park, dedicated to teaching kids about the different natural habitats of the Miami Valley, and encouraging discovery and play. The Children’s Discovery Gardens was founded in 2006, and is staffed by volunteers.

The Discovery Garden is split into different habitats, including woods, prairie, wetlands, a limestone cave featuring local fossils, a sensory garden, a wildlife garden, a skeeter’s garden, a musical garden, a sandbox, waterfalls and ponds, and for the next few years, an outdoor sculpture woven from willow branches, called A Wiggle in Its Walk.

There are a few small picnic benches for families, a large (and clean) family bathroom, and plenty of places to sit along the meandering path.

Date last visited:

April 2012

Distance from the interstate:

Just off I-75.

Hours of operation:

Spring and Fall (April/May and Sept/Oct): 10:00am-6:00pm
Summer (June/July/August): 10:00am – 8:00pm, water play area open (View Summer Activity Schedule.)
Winter (March/Nov/Dec):10:00am-4:00pm (Closed Jan and Feb.)
Closed for pathway maintenance Sep 4-7, 2012

Admission cost:

Free!

Dining options:

None on site; picnic areas available.

Directions:

Wegerzyn Gardens is located at 1301 E. Siebenthaler Avenue , Dayton, Ohio.

Richland Carrousel Park

November 25, 2011 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following review is submitted by Kristen Levithan of the blog Motherese.

Richland Carrousel Park in Mansfield, Ohio gives families the chance to step back in time and enjoy the fun of a carrousel ride, a great treat for all kids and kids-at-heart. Although the carrousel looks like a perfectly preserved antique, it is actually only twenty years old. Its 52 hand-carved animals were built and decorated in Mansfield in the style of old-fashioned merry-go-rounds and the scenery panels on the carrousel provide a glimpse into local history.

For their first few rides, my sons (ages four and two) loved choosing from among the many different animals the carrousel has to offer. They eventually settled on their favorites: a horse for my knight-happy preschooler and a giraffe for his younger brother. While my husband stood with the riders, I sat on one of the carrousel’s several stationary benches with my infant daughter who delighted in the colorful lights and moving animals. Although my children are quite young, kids of all ages seemed to appreciate the carrousel. One of the highlights of our visit was seeing several multi-generational families – toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents – enjoying a ride together.

In addition to the carrousel itself, Richland Carrousel Park offers picnic tables, wooden rocking chairs, a nicely appointed gift shop, a small snack bar, and clean public bathrooms. Immediately outside the carrousel pavilion, there are two small grassy areas that gave my kids a great place to run around and blow off some road trip steam. The staff was very friendly and genuinely seemed to enjoy welcoming visitors to this unique attraction.

The only drawback of our visit is one you might expect: although undeniably charming, the traditional organ music that plays non-stop is very loud. My kids didn’t seem to mind the noise at all so I was more than happy to listen to an hour of carrousel polka.

If you ever find yourself in mid-Ohio, do make a pit stop at the Richland Carrousel Park. Your family will enjoy its trip back in time.

Tip: Be sure to pair this pit stop with the nearby Little Buckeye Children’s Museum!

Closest interstate: I-71

Cost of admission: Admission to the facility is free; tickets for the carrousel are $0.75 for one, $2.00 for three, $5.00 for eight, or $25.00 for fifty.

Hours of operation: The park is open every day except for Easter Sunday, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Hours are seasonal. (The pavilion is heated during the colder months.)

Dining options: The Carrousel Park includes a small snack bar that offers hot dogs, nachos, cotton candy, nuts, and popcorn. There are also a number of fast food and casual dining restaurants located near the highway exit and in downtown Mansfield near the park.

Directions: Richland Carrousel Park is located at 75 N. Main Street in Mansfield, Ohio. Take Exit 169 of I-71. Head north on OH-13 for 4.8 miles. Turn right on E. 1st St. Turn left onto S. Diamond St. Turn left onto 4th St. The carrousel is at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. Ample parking is available on the street and in a free public lot.

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum

November 16, 2011 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The brand new Little Buckeye Children’s Museum in Mansfield, Ohio, offers young kids a terrific space for creative play. Set up in a number of open-ended exhibits, the museum is designed for children up to age 12, but I suspect it will be most popular among the preschool set. My boys (ages two and four) moved from exhibit to exhibit, delighting in pretend play in the miniature versions of a bank, a doctor’s office, a grocery store, and a veterinarian’s hospital. My older son eventually hunkered down in the “Super Scientists Laboratory,” proudly donning a lab coat and protective goggles and experimenting with combining different colored liquids. My two-year-old headed straight for the agriculture center where he planted flowers, picked wooden apples from a Velcro tree, and carted his harvest around in a pint-sized wheelbarrow. My baby daughter, meanwhile, was content to play with age-appropriate blocks and books in the “Little People Lounge.”

The environment at the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum was friendly, cooperative, and surprisingly calm. Kids were not only encouraged to explore and play, but also to take responsibility for the materials they were using. The staff was warm, welcoming, and easy-going; they were available when we had questions and encouraged the children without directing their play.

We had a great visit to the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, a terrific place to recharge your batteries while your kids play and learn. The second floor of the museum is still under construction; my kids can’t wait to return someday to see what else is in store!

Tip: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located a block away from another great pit ptop: Richland Carrousel Park.

Closest interstate: I-71 (The museum is located 10 minutes from the highway.)

Cost of admission: $6 for ages 2 and up

Hours of operation: Thursdays, 10-5; Fridays and Saturdays, 10-8; Sundays, 1-5

Dining options: There are a number of fast food and casual dining restaurants located near the highway exit and in downtown Mansfield near the museum.

Directions: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located at 44 West 4th Street, Mansfield, Ohio. Take Exit 169 of I-71. Head north on OH-13 for 4.8 miles. Turn right on E. 1st St. Turn left onto S. Diamond St. Turn left onto 4th St. Ample parking is available on the street and in a nearby free public lot.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Dayton Ohio

September 3, 2011 By Amy Hagstrom

The following pit stop is submitted by reader Erica Smith.

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, located outside of Dayton, Ohio, includes exhibits on anthropology, astronomy, geology, robotics, and even a zoo! Erica and her family stopped on a recent road trip, and recommends it because it had spaces designed for multiple age groups (she has a one-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son), and exhibits that engage kids physically and intellectually. An added bonus is that the museum is located in a lovely park and wooded area, perfect for a picnic after the museum visit!

Tip: If time permits, consider a visit to Boonshoft’s sister site, SunWatch Indian Village, also located in Dayton. A national historic landmark, kids can learn about Ohio’s first residents at SunWatch, tour an American Indian village, and even observe archeological digs.

Date last visited: Summer 2011

Distance from the interstate: Just off I-75

Hours of operation: Monday–Saturday 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Sunday noon-5:00 pm.

Admission cost: Adults $8.50; children 2–12 and seniors $7.50; children under 2 are free.

Dining options: None on site; picnic areas available.

Directions: The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is located just north of downtown Dayton at 2600 DeWeese Parkway. From north of Dayton, take 75 South and take the Wagner Ford exit (exit 57 B). Make a right (north) on N. Dixie, turn left onto Siebenthaler. Then take a left on Ridge Ave., and a right on DeWeese Pkwy. The SunWatch Indian Village is located at 2301 West River Road, Dayton. Take I-75 to exit 51. Go west onto Edwin C. Moses Blvd., which then turns into Nicholas Rd. Cross Dryden Rd./South Broadway St., then turn left onto West River Rd. for 1 mile, dead-ends at SunWatch.