Vacation Ideas

[Quail_Antwerp]

Discover Ohio will send you emails about what is going on in the different regions of the state.

http://consumer.discoverohio.com/

What we love about the Cleveland Zoo is you don't have to try to do the entire zoo plus the rainforest in one day. I think you have 6 months to use the second half of the ticket. We found that this is really helpful when you have small children.


WHAT?! You have never heard of Chagrin Falls? Haven't you ever read my journal? See page 34, post 337 for some pics

TR and I have many years of memories at Chagrin Falls. It is a great place to visit. And on Sunday, you could go to Parkside Church.

http://www.chagrin-falls.org/
http://www.parksidechurch.com/



ETA: Of course, you'd probably have to get some help with animal care, but Buccaneer Campgrounds is down the street from us... or we have 85 acres, most of it not being used. Pymatuning Lake or Lake Erie are not far for fishing, swimming.

http://www.buccaneercampsites.com/

Yes, I've read your journal LOL I just forgot about that entry.

E wants to know if you and TR are going to go fishing/swimming with us if we come up there?

Course, we have to wait until school is out next week, and I have a few of the critters up for sale (not Jett) to help cut back on amount of animal chores/and mouths to feed PLUS hoping to put some of the $ from the sale of them towards whatever we decide to do.

 

[savingdogs]

When we considered the options, our family has almost always chosen camping vacations, we were just able to do more for less money that way. Isn't there somewhere to camp near you where everyone would have something fun to do? It isn't fair to go fishing if everyone enjoys that except you. Camping can be a lot of work for "the mom" so I would make sure there is some relaxation time for you built into whatever camping trip you plan.

We never ever found that camping expenses were ever near as low as just the cost of the site and gas to get there. Somehow our gear we found necessary to take always added up to a tidy sum, the batteries and bug repellent and assorted camping stuff. But compared to the price of other vacations, you still get more bang for your buck.

The one thing you described, taking several short trips, I we did that quite a bit for a few years and I never found it that relaxing. I think once you have all your junk set up at a campsite, mom should be able to sit down and rest and relax for a spell and not have to start packing back up a day later. I would find someone to watch your critters for a night or two at least.

Or, I'd just plan day trips that start early and end late going to those local places, so you don't have to do without conveniences of hot running water for showers and dishes, etc., and hire someone to care for your animals. I hope you have a great vacation!

 

[FarmerChick]

if you put $25 aside per week until end of July....you would have close to $200. you could do alot of vacation with that money...I know, cause I camp and I could do a week at the beach for that cost.

we are spending one week at Hunting Island. direct on the beach water state park. $25 per night. food is hot dogs/hamburgers and food I prepare, freeze and bring with me.

save up for a good vacation everyone will enjoy. doesn't have to be extravagent at all...just long enough for everyone to relax, unwind, do a few good activities and, did I say, relax!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

if you put $25 aside per week until end of July....you would have close to $200. you could do alot of vacation with that money...I know, cause I camp and I could do a week at the beach for that cost.

we are spending one week at Hunting Island. direct on the beach water state park. $25 per night. food is hot dogs/hamburgers and food I prepare, freeze and bring with me.

save up for a good vacation everyone will enjoy. doesn't have to be extravagent at all...just long enough for everyone to relax, unwind, do a few good activities and, did I say, relax!

Good suggestions, FC! Thank you very much!

I've been reading everyone's replies to E, too, so I'm not the only one getting the suggestions

savingsdog, for our camping trips we think tent and flash lights, blankets and pillows, and food that we can bring in a cooler ourselves. and the fishing poles, of course (wouldn't want to forget THOSE ).

I don't mind a day trip - i just want to go OFF FARM for any amount of time and do something, get cute pics of the kids - just forget for a few hours that I'm a farmer....lol

 

[FarmerChick]

OMG that was me for 15 years LOL
farms are nooses around the old neck
we love them, but every now and then you must have a change of scenery...that is what I wanted more and more, change of scenery, and it had to be for a few days in a row...to break the routine of farming.

I so hear you on that one lol

 

[moolie]

Definitely check out your local tourist bureau, they often have great ideas for how to "be a tourist in your own town" or town nearby.

We make ourselves a few "long weekends" every summer for tent camping and head somewhere within a 3-4 hour drive that has swimming (lake or pool, the kids don't care which). We have a few favourite campsites, most run about $25-$30 per night.

We prep food in advance so meals are easy. We have a Coleman campstove oven that goes on top of our campstove that (we bought at a garage sale for a son)) in which we bake muffins in orange rinds for breakfast to eat along with bacon and eggs, and we usually have cold lunches (sandwiches, veggies, potato salad etc.) and for dinners we prep one-pot meals and freeze them, or put together foil packet meals to cook in the coals (seasoned meat and potatoes or hamburger patties to go into home baked buns).

We just hang out, try to avoid the mosquitoes and horseflies, swim, do a bit of fishing if we bring the rods, go for hikes/walks, and check out any local sites that interest us. If we are camped near a town we may spend an afternoon exploring and window shopping. The kids bring books and explore on their own around the campsite, when they were little they would build forts or small boats or do other crafts and collect rocks or whatever and they've always had a wonderful time. We keep our binoculars in the car so they can look at birds etc. and they still love walking along the shore and throwing rocks into the water.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Yeah, Sea World leaving Aurora was a hard one - we had season passes when prices where still reasonable. We were relatively close and it was great packing a picnic "dinner" and going after work with the young family and staying until the fireworks show. The place would start to empty out and was easy to navigate.

Another thing to look into is discounts like through AAA (if you have a family member who is a member).

SS forum day at the Cleveland Zoo?

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

SS forum day at the Cleveland Zoo?

Oh that would be awesome!! and I think if we have a big enough group, there's group discounts, right????


*runs off to look up the website again*

eta: here's their group rate info!!!

Any group of 25 or more paying people receives $1.00 off the regular admission with advance reservations:


Apr 1 -
Oct 31, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 -
Mar 31, 2012


Adults, 12 & older: $10.00 $6.00

Children, 2-11: $7.00 $4.00

Children under 2: FREE FREE



In order to receive a discount, changes and full payment are due one week prior to your visit (Master Card, VISA, Discover, check or money order). We do NOT accept purchase orders. Tickets are not refundable. Group leader may purchase 10% over pre paid group size at discounted rate when tickets are picked up.

 

[Henrietta23]

We're in a similar situation here. Haven't been anywhere except the Hovercraft national rally in Chilicothe three years ago. And that wasn't really a family vacation since DH had students he was responsible for. I'm still considering two or three nights up in Glouster Mass tent camping. Other than that we're headed to local attractions and letterboxing. If you like treasure hunting check it out! You get clues to find a letterbox, find it (hopefully), stamp in your personal stamp and stamp the box's stamp into your logbook. You can go on major hikes or look for "drive-bys" with almost no hiking. Let me know if you want more info! I went to www.atlasquest.com, one of two big sites for clues, and put the zip code for Chagrin Falls in. There are lots of boxes in the area.

 

[FarmerJamie]

SS forum day at the Cleveland Zoo?

Oh that would be awesome!! and I think if we have a big enough group, there's group discounts, right????


*runs off to look up the website again*

eta: here's their group rate info!!!

Any group of 25 or more paying people receives $1.00 off the regular admission with advance reservations:


Apr 1 -
Oct 31, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 -
Mar 31, 2012


Adults, 12 & older: $10.00 $6.00

Children, 2-11: $7.00 $4.00

Children under 2: FREE FREE



In order to receive a discount, changes and full payment are due one week prior to your visit (Master Card, VISA, Discover, check or money order). We do NOT accept purchase orders. Tickets are not refundable. Group leader may purchase 10% over pre paid group size at discounted rate when tickets are picked up.

meh. AAA rates are $10/adult ticket. No big savings, no matter how you slice it.