These are some of our family favorite one-tank trips from northeast Ohio for young kids (2-12 probably). If you are on Pinterest, click out my links on the bottom left side of my blog. If you have a zoo and/or science center membership (*), you can do these trips very reasonably. You don't have travel far and spend a lot of money to make memories with your families.
Here's a link to cheap/free activities in our area.
Toledo
Zoo* - Very nice zoo
Science Center* - Imagination Station - one of our favorite science centers
Sauder Village - kids are free on Sun
Erie - It's about 1/2 way between where I live & Niagara Falls. Twice we have stopped here & spent a night or 2 on the way home from the Falls.
Splash Lagoon - Friendly indoor water park for young kids, can ride double on some of the slides
Waldameer - Memorial Day-Labor Day - great amusement park for young kids (under 12 probably). Usually doesn't have long lines. It's free to get into the amusement park which is great if you don't want to ride the rides but the rest of the family does. All day wristbands not that expensive. Also has a fun big water park. We can easily spend a day at each park.
Zoo*
Presque Isle - nice beaches
Pittsburgh
Science Center - Carnegie* - very nice for variety of ages
Children's Museum* - nice for young kids
Zoo*
Aviary* - within walking distance of Children's Museum (save on parking)
Inclines
Kennywood - I have heard good things about this amusement park south of Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Natural History Museum* - park once & go to art museum & botanical garden
Art Museum - free
Botanical Garden
Great Lakes Science Center*
Zoo*
Aquarium
Columbus
COSI*
Zoo*
Dayton
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery* - on science center & zoo memberships
Air Force Museum - free
Young's Dairy
Cincinnati
Zoo* - one of our favorites
Aquarium
EnterTRAINment Center - for kids that like trains
Creation Museum & Ark
Trammel Fossil Park - dig for your own fossils in nature for free
I'd love to know some of your favorite destinations.
Here's a link to cheap/free activities in our area.
Toledo
Zoo* - Very nice zoo
Science Center* - Imagination Station - one of our favorite science centers
Sauder Village - kids are free on Sun
Erie - It's about 1/2 way between where I live & Niagara Falls. Twice we have stopped here & spent a night or 2 on the way home from the Falls.
Splash Lagoon - Friendly indoor water park for young kids, can ride double on some of the slides
Waldameer - Memorial Day-Labor Day - great amusement park for young kids (under 12 probably). Usually doesn't have long lines. It's free to get into the amusement park which is great if you don't want to ride the rides but the rest of the family does. All day wristbands not that expensive. Also has a fun big water park. We can easily spend a day at each park.
Zoo*
Presque Isle - nice beaches
Pittsburgh
Science Center - Carnegie* - very nice for variety of ages
Children's Museum* - nice for young kids
Zoo*
Aviary* - within walking distance of Children's Museum (save on parking)
Inclines
Kennywood - I have heard good things about this amusement park south of Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Natural History Museum* - park once & go to art museum & botanical garden
Art Museum - free
Botanical Garden
Great Lakes Science Center*
Zoo*
Aquarium
Columbus
COSI*
Zoo*
Dayton
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery* - on science center & zoo memberships
Air Force Museum - free
Young's Dairy
Cincinnati
Zoo* - one of our favorites
Aquarium
EnterTRAINment Center - for kids that like trains
Creation Museum & Ark
Trammel Fossil Park - dig for your own fossils in nature for free
I'd love to know some of your favorite destinations.