The Last Summer Hurrah!
While we enjoy the heat, blossoms, and treats that summer brings, we also enjoy welcoming Fall just as much. However, we still have about two months left of summer. You are just in time for the last hurrah! There are plenty of things to see and do to close out the summer. With vacation seasoning ending and back-to-school time just around the corner, it’s time to indulge in every bit of summertime left. How can you enjoy the last bit of summer you ask? Well let us tell you – take an impromptu road trip, visit an amusement park for all the adrenaline rush thrills, visit a museum and learn a little history, or take the kids to a cool Dairy Farm. Grab that last minute summer bucket list and start crossing off those activities waiting to be explored. Now is the time to take a Rock & Ride Road Trip, a Family Fun Road Trip, or a mixture of both. We have partnered with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you our top last minute summer activities for your August adventure.
Cedar Point
Have you been to an amusement park this year? If not, you must visit Ohio’s Cedar Point. Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, OH, right outside of Cleveland. If an adrenaline rush and need for speed is your thing, you will certainly find it here. They are known as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, with jaw dropping drops on certain rides. Talk about a fun time and an amazing experience. They have your traditional rides like the Ferris Wheel, Loopty Loop Rides, Water Rides, and Kid’s Rides. Then there are the rides that they are most known for like Top Thrill Dragster, GateKeeper, Millennium Force, and more. This park is full of rides with adventure, twist, and turns. My husband and I went for a weekend on a couple’s date, and it was fun. Of course after riding all those rides and walking the park, you will certainly work up an appetite. After our adventurous day, we walked right outside the park to one of the restaurants and had a delicious dinner. Whether you like rides full of speed, twist and turns or you like simpler laid-back rides, Cedar Point has something for all ages and thrill levels.
TIP: Cedar Point is located on Lake Erie and offers a waterpark called Cedar Point Shores. If you are not a thrill seeker and amusements parks are not your thing, there are other activities to do in the area. You could enjoy the waterpark, or you could plan a weekend getaway, rent a hotel, and enjoy the beach. Also, water activities like kayaking are offered around the beach shore.
National Veterans Memorial and Museum
First and foremost, we would like to thank the men and women of the Armed Forces for their services! Did you, someone in your family, or someone you know serve in the Armed Forces? Are you just curious to know what soldiers go through from the time they enlist to the time they get out or retire? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum is the place for you. Located in Columbus, OH, this museum is sure to give you another level of respect for the men and women that serve(d) our country. It is well put together, organized, and teaches you a lot about what a veteran may experience during his or her time in the military. It is so unique! Tiff Squared enjoyed our time learning about the process a veteran takes from enlisting to retirement or sadly even a lot of times death, listening to stories given by veterans, and learning history through a cool timeline wall. Tiff D. even lifted some tactical gear and my was it heavy. To think some of them must go to war with all of this equipment on is mind blowing. However, they go through rigorous training that “tries” to prepare them for the toughest moments they will experience ever in life. I use the word “tries” because no matter how much training you have, some moments can never be prepared for. It also allows them to form a comradery with their peers that is never lost. The military certainly makes tough people! It was also interesting to learn about the color flags some soldiers wear on their uniforms as to what war they served in. We both learned so much and found ourselves invested to want to keep reading and learning more. This museum is truly a wonderful experience as well as an awesome way to pay homage to the men and women that took an oath to protect and serve the United States of America.
Young’s Jersey Dairy
I get it, school is out, the kiddos are running around the house like crazy, and you just need to find something to wear them out! We have something fun for them and you. Take a visit to Young’s Jersey Dairy located in Yellow Springs, OH. It is also about 10 minutes away from the main strip in Yellow Springs filled with shopping, outdoor activities (bike riding, hiking, and more), and restaurants. Yellow Springs makes for the perfect weekend getaway. I know taking the kids to a dairy may sound strange, but I am here to tell you there is a lot more fun than the name suggest. Young’s Farm first started as a farm that grew grain, raised hogs, milked cows, and eventually sold their milk. Today they grew the farm into what we like to call family friendly fun at Young’s. I took my 5-year-old daughter for a mommy and me day. We both had a lot of fun! The farm offers their Dairy Store, Two Miniature Golf Courses, Batting Cages, Covered and natural grass driving range, Moovers & Shakers (a fun barrel ride around the farm), Cowvin’s Fast Slide, Cowvins Kiddie Corral, Young’s Annual Cheese Anniversary, The Wool Gathering, Pick Your Own Pumpkins & Cowvin’s Corny Maze + Playground, Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival, and Vintage Truck Show. WHEW, that was a mouth full! Haha! My daughter had fun doing the Moovers & Shakers, Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral and the Batting Cage. She enjoyed the kiddie slides and the tricycles that the Kiddie Corral offered. They also have goats that you can feed. Additionally, aside from their milk and cheese, Young’s Dairy is known for their fresh ice cream made on their site. They have a drive-through or a dairy store that you can purchase ice cream. There was a line for the dairy store, but we wanted the experience, so we stood and waited. My daughter loves ice cream, so this was her favorite part. She ordered her favorite, Chocolate Ice Cream. I decided to go out of my norm and try their Banana Split. Both ice cream treats were delicious, refreshing, and the perfect way to beat the summer heat, so grab the family and set out for a fun day trip to Young’s Jersey Dairy.
Loveland Castle Museum
Where are the history lovers at? If this is you, plan a visit to Loveland Castle Museum located in Loveland, OH. The castle is filled with history about Sir Harry and the KOGT (Knights of the Golden Trail). I found it very interesting to learn we had a castle right here in the Cincinnati, OH area. When I hear the word castle, I offer times think of large castles such as Buckingham Palace. I do not think of smaller castles with a great foundation behind them. I was so happy to hear of a castle here in Ohio and it made me rethink of my appreciation of what is in my own back yard. I had to go check it out. At the Loveland Castle there are so many things do to and explore when you visit. You can have a family picnic by the river or enjoy a walk down the pathways of the gardens to see various plants and flowers. During my tour at the castle I learned about Harry, Picnicking, Games and Puzzles, Ghosts, Architecture, Swords and Weapons. There is never a dull moment when you visit the castle, there is something to learn around every corner.
Duke Energy Children’s Museum
Cincinnati is home and you know I could not give a list of last-minute summer bucket list activities and not feature a location right here in the Queen City. What I found unique about the atmosphere and look of the museum, was that is resembles the New York Train Station. With school getting ready to start back, what better way to get the kiddos back into the swing of things than exploring history and science at the Children’s Museum. This is a great way for kids and families to get out and explore together. The vision of the Cincinnati Museum Center is to bring understanding of their past, present, and future by providing world-class learning experiences enjoyable for children and adults, and they do just that! My family and I visited the Children’s Museum and had a blast. You will learn about dinosaurs, the evolution of technology, Cincinnati’s history, and so much more. My children’s favorite parts were the dinosaur exhibit as well as the hands-on activity exhibit. The museum offered different hands-on activities for the kids to learn different objectives. After we played and visited the exhibits, we watched a 45-minute movie in the Robert D. Linder Family OMNIMAX Theater. This was a fun, full screen experience. The theater is in the shape of a dome and the screen takes up the entire front side and moves up. Its pretty neat! If you are feeling inspired to learn more about the world through science and regional history in a fun, educational, and engaging way, the Duke Energy Children’s Museum is the place for you. It will open your eyes to a world of meaningful experiences.
While summer is coming to an end, that does not mean it is over just yet. There is still plenty of time to get out and explore and make those summer bucket list items a reality. Whatever you have been meaning to do this Summer, now is the time! Grab those friends or family members and seize the day! Visit a place you have never been before, try something outside of your comfort zone, or find something that is familiar to your interest. No matter what you decide to do, you will enjoy every minute of soaking up the end-of-summer sun!
