A Kingdom For Kids! It’s not just a slogan — it’s a commitment to young children and their families that beyond our castle walls is a place just for them called A Kingdom For Kids!, where family fun is proclaimed by royal decree. Since opening on May, 20, 1963, Dutch Wonderland has consistently been recognized as a premier family amusement park and has been voted one of the Top 5 Best Kid’s Park in the World by Amusement Today magazine. Having your birthday party, other celebrations, family outing, and Scouting events at Dutch Wonderland is easy with catered options, picnic lunch boxes, and cabana rentals. With attractions like ChooChoo Charlie, Frog Hopper, Dragon’s Lair, Duke’s Lagoon and so much more, Dutch Wonderland is a favorite amongst children [Read more…]
Fort Rapids- Save On Your Ohio #Vacation @DiscoverOhio
Fort Rapids is central Ohio’s largest indoor water park resort- and the perfect family fun travel destination. Where else can you get 60,000 square feet of wet and wild fun for the whole family, all in one convenient location? Come relax and unwind in one of the guest rooms or family style villa suites, then zip down 12 unique water rides, float in the lazy river, get drenched by the 1,000 gallon tipping bucket and win big at the 5,000 square foot Gold Rush Arcade. Then, stop by the Branding Iron Grille or Copper Star Saloon for lunch or dinner. The Conference Center at Fort Rapids Indoor Water Park Resort will cater to all business and [Read more…]
Kennywood Theme Park Savings
America’s Favorite Traditional Amusement Park since 1898, Kennywood continues to delight each and every guest with 31 major rides, including three wooden coasters, two steel coasters including
Phantom’s Revenge and Skyrocket, water rides, spinning rides, hi-speed rides for thrill seekers, Kid-sized rides for tiny daredevils, and relaxing rides for those who simply want to enjoy the splendor of a truly inviting venue. Combining the best of the old with the best of the new, guests will find the original, 110-year- old carousel pavilion, as well as state-of-the-art [Read more…]
Visit the Columbus Zoo- in the winter? You bet!
What kind of zoo visit can you have in a snow storm? A surprisingly fun one, actually. Especially at a zoo which is open year round as the Columbus Zoo and Aquariumis.
The morning we decided to check out the zoo, we pulled into the parking lot as some small flurries started to fall from the sky. As we found our parking spot, the snow storm picked up. We bundled up and began our trek. The zoo was very quiet in terms of visitors and also animals. We did a quick walk through a few exhibits, but unfortunately most of the animals were not out and about. We saw the gray wolves which were out and very active. Also, the interactive barn was open. The sheep and goats were very happy to see others walking about. Our main objective was to see the polar bears in their new enclosure.<br/>
Their [Read more…]
The Beach Waterpark- Your Next Day-Cation
OK, so it is not summer time in the slightest. But it will be here before you know it- so think warm thoughts!
If you start day dreaming of hot weather and water parks, it will come true, right? (Or, eventually, seasons will change, haha.)
Have you ever heard of The Beach Waterparkin Warren County, Ohio? The Beach Waterpark is a huge water park, and a great way to spend a hot summer’s day. From the Kahuna BeachWavepool to the massive amount of water slides ranging from tame to insanely twisty. For those more interested in the cooling properties of the water and not so much the the wild or thrilling, there are “lush palm trees” to lounge under and a huge lazy river to slowly float your day away.
For the bigger kids, Splash Mountain offers tons of attractions including otter slides and a pool with waterfalls and fountains. There is also the Toucan Lagoon which is a zero depth slide with a miniature body slide.
Have Sippy Disclosure- not my favorite place for little [Read more…]
Kings Island- Now With Dinosaurs Alive!
Where else can you go on one of ten roller coasters while your kids play on one of eighteen Peanuts themed attractions (ok, while mom takes the kids and dad rides the coasters, in our case)? King’s Island is one of those places that make you realize what an amusement park should be. It is clean, family friendly, the lines are manageable, and they have a waterpark that is included in the price of the theme park- what??? Yep- that is what makes Kings Island my favorite theme park of all time. Mark it down. I have been all over the world, to 29 countries, and all up and down the coast and to about half the 50 states- and if you have only 1 theme park to go to- I’d make it Kings Island, for sure. And it just got even better!
Right now there is also a really neat exhibit called Dinosaurs Alive!, only $5 with park admission, which is a recreation of a half dozen dinosaur scenes. These scenes vary from carnivores setting up a mud pit trap to long necked sauropods. These scenes are astoundingly accurate and kind of surreal when you get down to it. They are on motion sensors, so they move and roar as you walk by. Eerily, you can pass by a recreation flash flood scene from a dinosaur era. Then a second scene showing the deceased dinos and a third showing the fossilized remains of said dinos- sort of strange- not scary, though. Very interesting and mesmerizing. Not only for adults but also for kids. The dinosaurs are realistic but not overly scary for kids.
“Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island features more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs in a 12.5 acre Jurassic forest setting, including 56 animatronic models.
Highlights of Dinosaurs Alive! include the vicious-looking Irritator and its cousins the Baryonyx and the Spinosaurus, the lizard-like Stegosaurus, the meat-eating Tyrannosaurus Rex, the three-horned Triceratops and the flying Pteranodon.
Four [Read more…]
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party- a Special Event at Magic Kingdom
Nothing compares to Disney- one of the greatest of all American Icons, and one of the most recognizable faces in all the world. This year for Christmas, celebrate with Mickey and all his friends at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a special event at Magic Kindom Park at Disney World.
We had the pleasure of attending last week, and the kids had an amazing time- they had more fun at the Christmas Party then they did during the day if you can believe that!
The park closes early for this event, but don’t worry- if you have tickets, you can go right back in! As soon as you get there, Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade begins- complete with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself. While he comes up the rear- I can’t say that he was the main attraction for many- it was still Micky and Minnie!
It was magic! The dancers and Disney characters never fell out of step or character- they were the person who they were stepping into! Real magic for your child- and you too. So many adults just love Disney- there were as many adults as children online to see the Princesses and characters for photos!
There were so many grown-ups, Disney Magic is for everyone! Some of the other wonderful attractions for the Very Merry Christmas Party include-
- The enchanted Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle
- Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, complete with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself
- An exclusive holiday fireworks extravaganza — Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of [Read more…]
Top 10 Warren County Ohio Haunts you don’t want to miss! #tourism
Top 10 Warren County Haunts You Don’t Want to Miss
- Posted On: September 14, 2011 6:26 AM
- Posted By: David Ostendarp
As the home to Waynesville, “The Most Haunted Village in Ohio,” (according to Haunted Ohio,) and Kings Island’s famously-creepy Halloween HAUNT, Warren County’s mix of scary experiences range from historical-haunts to gruesome and gory.
1) Halloween HAUNT at Kings Island
According to park officials, Halloween HAUNT is the most immersive horror experience in the Midwest. The bloodcurdling horror, mind-bending terror and nightmarish madness of Halloween Haunt features more than 500 ghastly creatures lurking in the shadows searching for souls, 12 highly-intense and chilling haunted attractions and some of the most hair-raising rides on the planet including The Beast and Diamondback. Location: Kings Island, Kings Island Drive, Mason. Admission to Halloween Haunt is included free with park admission tickets and 2011 season passes. For more information click here.
2) Springboro Haunted Hayride and Black Bog
Evenings Fridays and Saturdays, September 23 – October 29
Providing more than 20 years of jaw-dropping scares, the Springboro Haunted Hayride and Black Bog are both award-winning attractions. The Haunted Hayride is more than one-mile of tractor-drawn, twisting terror and has been voted “Best Hayride” by Ohio Valley Haunts.
Location: 6070 Springboro Rd., Lebanon. Tickets are $12 for the Hayride, $10 for the Black Bog and $18 for a combo ticket. For more information click here.
3) HOWL-O-FEST at Kings Island
HOWL-O-FEST includes non-scary activities such as a Costume Contest, Twisted Tales Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Gigantic Hay Bale Maze, Dance Party, Foam Pit, Tractor Town, Mask Painting, Games, Food and much more.
Location: Kings Island, Kings Island Drive, Mason. This family-friendly event is included FREE with park admission tickets and 2011 season passes. For more information click here.
4) Morgan’s HAUNTED RIVER
7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays beginning October 7
Hike through the “Forest of Lost Souls” then embark on a guided raft trip down the “Haunted Little Miami River.” Recommended for children 10 and up (under 17 must be accompanied by an adult).
Location: Morgan’s Riverside Campground, 6262 Gilmour Road, Morrow. $15 for adults, $10 children 12 and under. Reservations highly recommended. Call 1-800-932-2663 or visit www.morganscanoe.com for more information.
5) Ghostly Walking Tours of Waynesville, “The Most Haunted Village in Ohio”
7:30 p.m. Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from October 12 – October 30
Experience Ohio’s most haunted village first-hand as you tour historic buildings along Main Street and throughout the Quaker Hill area of Waynesville while learning of ghostly encounters past and present. You begin at the Museum at the Friends Home, a restored boarding home which appears very much as it did when retired Quakers and single school teachers lived there around the turn of the 20th Century.
Location: Museum at the Friends Home, 115 South Fourth Street, Waynesville. Tickets [Read more…]