Here are some recs for things to do within a few hours of Cincinnati. There are lots of family friendly adventures waiting just for you - happy travels!
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Read about my new favorite family-friendly hotel, Country Inns & Suites on Associated Content.
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Columbus Area
Our state capital has a lot to offer. We've been to C-bus on many occasions - either to visit with close friends or just to see some of the sites. It's only a 90 minute drive so if your family is getting cabin fever and needs a quick change of scenery, then head North on I-71 for some fun things to do.
Franklin Park Conservatory - www.fpconservatory.org. 1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203, (614) 645-1800. This is a wonderful place to visit and it is filled with the most beautiful plants and flowers that it'll turn you into a wanna-be horticulturalist! There are special exhibits throughout the year but if you can get to their butterfly exhibit, it is absolutely enchanting (begins March 14, 2009). Check out their website for all the wonderful programs and exhibits they offer.
April 2010 Visit to Columbus Zoo
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium - www.colszoo.org. 4760 Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065, (614) 645-3550. They are open 365 days a year. In addition to the animals, they have some fun seasonal attractions that open in the spring such as a carousel, train rides, boat rides, and a small amusement park called Jungle Jack's Landing (my girls loved the rides, all just right for their age levels and it's an extra $8 to ride all day but we got lucky the day we visited since it was BOGO). I was very impressed with the Columbus Zoo - we had not visited since their renovations but I am so glad we took our "mini spring break" trip to C-bus this year. The zoo is outstanding. We didn't get to see alll the exhibits since it is so large but we did get to see the tigers, the huge manatee tank, and much more. I highly recommend the Columbus Zoo. If you visit in the summer, they also have an on site water park - the Columbus Zoo really has it all. The only thing I'd recommend doing is packing your lunch and drinks (it'll be cheaper and a lot healthier). Also, if you have a Cincinnati Zoo pass, you can get 1/2 price admission to the Columbus Zoo so don't forget your pass. April 2010 Visit to COSI
COSI - Center for Science & Industry - www.cosi.org. 333 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 228-2674. Cosi's motto is "explore science, discover fun". This place has it all and is an extraordinary place to visit. There is so much to see and do that you'll need to visit more than once. They have a great small child play area that will keep your little ones entertained and let their imaginations soar! We recently visited and purchased a family season pass for only $88 but this allows us to get into COSI anytime and the pass has reciprocity at many other museums (we can now visit Cincinnati's Museum of Natural History and Dayton's Boonshoft Museum of Discovery for free). COSI is huge so you won't be able to do everything in one day. They also will have special exhibits that may be an additional charge but for us, their permanent exhibits were plenty to see. My girls especially loved the water area where they could maneuver these large movable water spouts.
Slate Run State Park - Slate Run Living Historical Farm -www.metroparks.net/ParksSlateRun.aspx. 1375 State Route 674 N., Canal Winchester, OH 43110. My friend, Stacy, took us here a few summers ago and it was so much fun. My kids really enjoyed walking through the historical farm - they have real gardens that you can enter and actually see vegetables growing, there's barns filled with real farm animals and if you time it right you might get to see the running of the sheep when they bring them out to pasture. Pack a picnic lunch and head to one of the playgrounds in the park.
The Santa Maria Replica - www.santamaria.org. 1111 E Broad St., Columbus, OH 43205, (614) 645-8760. You can actually tour a replica of the ship that Christopher Columbus sailed to America on.
MasonMetu Tip: Where should you stay on your mini-vacation? You can't go wrong at an Embassy Suites: http://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/index.do.
I love these hotels since you get a separate bed room (with a door that shuts) so the kids can go to bed while you stay up to watch a movie. Also great is their FREE manager's reception every night which includes drinks and light snacks and then in the morning they have an awesome hot breakfast buffet. With an indoor swimming pool on-site, your kids can get some of their energy out.
Indianapolis Area
Indy, is also only around a 90 minute drive, so it is another easy place to have a family get-away.
- The Children's Museum of Indianapolis - http://www.childrensmuseum.org/ 3000 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208, (317) 334-4000. This has to be one of the largest children's museums ever - it is unbelievable with so many fun and entertaining exhibits. Your kids would be happy exploring this place for days. One of their really cool exhibits is Dinosphere so make sure you incorporate that into your visit. There is also a planetarium. They have a nice food court on site so you can stay and play the entire day! On the 1st Thursday of each month, the museum is free from 4pm-8pm (sponsored by Target) and parking is always free.
- Garfield Park Conservatory & Sunken Gardens - www.garfieldgardensconservatory.org. 2505 Conservatory Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46203, (317) 327-7184. We haven't made it here yet but it's on my list the next time we visit. It looks like a wonderful place to learn about and see beautiful plants and flowers. Probably a great place for pictures in the spring.
- Indianapolis Zoo - www.indyzoo.com. 1200 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46222, (317) 630-2001. In addition to their outstanding wild animal exhibits (check out the new elephant exhibit) they also have a petting zoo where kids can interact with some farm animals (make sure you use hand sanitizer after).
