A Few Days in Western Ohio

A Few Days in Western Ohio
Toledo, Dayton & Cincinnati, Ohio
September 4-8, 2013

It never fails that if I have some big event going on over the weekend I will surely have a major project to complete for work that week.  And so it was the week before my sister Megan and I were to travel to Dayton and Cincinnati for a Girl’s Weekend.  Luckily, the shift I had for a three-day afterhours project enabled me to enjoy a little of Toledo, Ohio during the day.  I decided to visit a few of Toledo’s free attractions: the Toledo Botanical Garden and the Toledo Museum of Art.  I had a wonderful time at each.  My favorite section of the Botanical Garden was the herb garden with its savory and sweet-smelling plants, interesting water feature and intimate touches like a sundial and ivy-covered arch but each section was gorgeous.  I found couples picnicking, families wandering around the pond, single souls lounging in the shade garden.  I quite enjoyed my afternoon stroll around the property.

The Toledo Museum of Art boasts that it is one of the top museums in the country and I believe it.  As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I was impressed with the solar panels that provide shade covering for cars, and as it turns out, combined with more solar panels on the roof of the museum, provides enough energy for the museum to be entirely off the power grid!  They allow non-flash photography of their diverse collection and feature a sculpture garden outside and a separate glass museum across the street. This museum is world class, in my opinion.

I arrived home from my business trip to immediately pack up for weekend.  Megan and I were heading to the Dayton area to participate in the Tour de Donut in Arcanum, Ohio.  I’d biked the full 32-mile Tour de Donut with Joanna last year; this year Megan and I completed the 16-mile course.  But, we did not just finish it.  Even though we got there late and started several minutes after everyone else, we rode like the wind and placed very well for a couple of recreational riders with comfort bikes- 13th and 14th out of 120 women in the race, 41st and 42nd overall!  What an exhilarating feeling! 

After the race, Megan and I headed out to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, a free attraction with a whole lot of wow-factor.  I expected to see some planes and hoped to see some helicopters.  I did not think we’d see huge hangers full of thousands of airplanes and other flying devices from time periods ranging from World War I through the Cold War and Space Program.  I could spend days trying to take it all in! 

On Sunday Megan and I headed south to Cincinnati for another much-anticipated event- trapeze class at the Cincinnati Circus Company ($45/person)!  We had a little time to kill before the class so we did a walking tour of Eden Park, striking grounds overlooking the Ohio River.  Then it was time to fly.  Our class ranged from girls about the age of 5 all the way up through a dad who was probably in his early 40s.  We didn’t spend more than a few minutes for quick briefing on safety and some procedures before were lined up to climb the ladder and try our first flight!  Really, climbing the ladder is the scariest part of the whole thing.  Everyone from the main instructor on the ground, to the people up on the platform were encouraging and supportive.  After a simple initial first flight, we were able to try different tricks as we felt comfortable.  Neither Megan nor I got our backflip dismounts but I’m sure we’ll be great at it the next time!  Two of the 9-year-olds were able to achieve transfer catches!  I had a fun time just falling to the net, then forward flipping out of it and onto the ground.  Taking the trapeze class with the Cincinnati Circus Company was the highlight of the entire weekend! 

What a crazy week!  Everything from strolling through tranquil gardens and taking in fine art to competing in a cycling race/donut-eating contest and dangling from trapeze while floating through the air- a crazy week full of amazing experiences!

Update:  In 2014, I spent several months on another project in Toledo and was able to spend even more time exploring the Art Museum, Botanical Garden and many of the area Metroparks. One of my favorite attractions was the Toledo Zoo which had the Penguin Beach Exhibit. Everyone knows I LOVE penguins!

Great Ohio Cities- The Big Three Cs

Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati are the three largest cities in Ohio. They each have their own culture and a lot to offer the budget road-tripper. Cleveland is in the north of the state on the shores of Lake Erie, Columbus is in central-Ohio and Cincinnati is in the southwest tip on the Ohio River. They are connected by Interstate 71. One thing these three cities have in common- they LOVE their sports!

Cleveland~

The first trips I remember were to Sea World and Geauga Lake in Aurora, near Cleveland, Ohio with my family (probably my first time in a hotel) and the Cleveland Zoo with my cousins when my sister was still in a stroller. Childhood trips also included the Natural History Museum and the Cleveland Art Museum, which are nearly next to each other. The art museum is free! We've made the 1.5 hour drive to Cleveland many times. More recent Cleveland visits included the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Edgewater Park, Browns, Cavaliers and Indians games, lots of Playhouse Square shows and countless concerts!

Our most recent family trip to Cleveland was a visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. My father wanted to go. My friend Katie gave me 6 FREE TICKETS (thanks, chica)! My siblings and I were able to enjoy a great afternoon with our father who had a great time talking about his own Rock & Roll memories. The exhibits were very interesting. The films were great. The Rock Hall is definitely one of the best attractions Cleveland has to offer.

Iron Chef Michael Symon has two restaurants in near downtown Cleveland- Lola and Lolita. My family’s choice is an Italian place a little out of downtown but worth the drive- Stancato’s in Parma. The buffet on Sunday is the best!

Columbus~

We’ve taken many family trips to Columbus. One of the last trips we took before my mom passed away in 1992 was to Columbus. We went to COSI (a science museum), the German Village and the State Fair. A decade later, my sisters and I planned a weekend get-away to Columbus to visit the Zoo and just have some fun. We ended up planning it on exact weekend that we spent our last family trip together ten years earlier! My sisters and I had a blast on that trip. I unknowingly turned the wrong way down a one-way street and did a quick, tire-squealing U-turn to the glee of my passengers. We rode go-carts. We saw manatees, which are actually way bigger than what they seem on TV. We even ordered room-service. Good fun!

Recent trips to Columbus included visits to the Columbus Museum of Modern Art and the Franklin Park Conservatory. Both the museum and Conservatory are always changing exhibits and are different every time you return. The natural beauty of Conservatory is absolutely stunning.

I can’t think of any one place I enjoy eating in Columbus. I love to indulge in a cream puff from the German Village.

Cincinnati~

Cincinnati is a great place to visit. There is so much to do! I had a friend that attended University there and I visited quite often. We’ve enjoyed King’s Island Amusement Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Krohn Conservatory and Eden Park. We crossed the Ohio River to enjoy the Newport Aquarium which is in neighboring Kentucky. Riverboat gambling is in nearby Indiana. There are always concerts and other cultural events going on in Cincinnati. It is a vibrant city.

You can’t visit Cincinnati without trying some of the famous Skyline Cincinnati Chili. Don’t worry- they have great Greek salads and other sides of chili isn’t your thing, but you should try it once because it is unlike chili from anywhere else! Montgomery Inn is a fantastic ribs place with a great atmosphere. There are a few locations and while the original location is very nice, the Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse has a perfect view of the Ohio River. It is a favorite spot!

August 24, 2009

On a recent business trip to Cincinnati, I was looking for things to do in the evening. The Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center is open late on Mondays and is free after 5:pm. I drove into downtown, parked at a deck and first walked to Fountain Square. It is a nice place to sit, people watch or relax. From Fountain Square, I walked to the CAC.

It is seven floors- the top floor was the children's museum and photography was allowed in that area. I enjoyed the exhibits and video installations in other galleries very much. The CAC is located in a bustling part of Cincinnati with a lot of restaurants nearby. It is a great Cincinnati attraction!