I’m on a mission to make it to all 50 states, so when I realized that I had a few days to escape town, I looked for the closest state that I hadn’t been to yet. And Ohio made the cut!
The first day of the trip resulted in an unplanned detour. However, this was a good detour. As I was driving through Illinois I saw a sign for the “World’s Largest Pitchfork”. It wasn’t just the pitchfork though. There were 7 other “world’s largest” items on the same sign, and I think my tires might have squealed a little as I quickly turned off at the next exit. Casey, Illinois is known as “Big Things in a Small Town”, because of their record holding “World’s Largest Rocking Chair”, and other items. They also have additional large items scattered throughout the town, like a large pencil, minion, and birdcage just to name a few. It was like a scavenger hunt across their cute little town to find all the various items. I highly recommend making it a planned stop on your next road-trip through Illinois.
The next day I arrived in Sandusky, Ohio, home of the popular Cedar Point. Although I haven’t had much of a desire to go there as an adult (because of my inability to hold down my lunch after riding roller coasters), I still wanted to experience it and take my chances on a few rides. It is after all, the roller coaster capital of the world. And I finally know why it has that title, because I could see more roller coasters by standing in one spot, then most parks have in total.
After walking around the park all day, I was ready to relax on the beach. Which just happened to be right outside the park. I decided to splurge on the Hotel Breakers resort that night, and I’m glad I did. It was a quick walk from the park, and had a beautiful beach out the back door with several family-friendly beach games, such as giant Connect Four, giant Jenga, and cornhole. Unfortunately, the water was freezing, but I did at least dip my toes in Lake Erie.
Next up, was a tour of the house from The Christmas Story movie. And yes, the leg lamp is sitting in the window! It was fun to see the house from both the inside and outside, and be able to sit in the living room where some (not all) the shots were filmed.
Just a short drive from Cleveland was Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It was definitely not what I was expecting, because it was more like several small towns surrounded by a state park. The parks I’m used to are ones that you know you have entered once you are there because they are so big and nothing but trees and wildlife. But I still enjoyed the train ride through the park, the hiking trails, and a few waterfalls. I missed the boat the bike trails though, which seemed to be very popular!
I ended my Ohio trip with a quick stop in Cincinnati to walk along the Riverfront, and eat some “Cincinnati Chili”. Even though I had left Ohio after this, my road-trip still wasn’t over. I made a stop in Indianapolis to see a friend that I met on a trip to Italy 11 years ago. While I was sad that it was a short visit, I’m still glad that we were able to meet up. And I’m REALLY glad that I got to meet her at the Symphony on the Prairie, which is exactly what it sounds like. A symphony in the middle of field! And I loved it! Everyone had their lawn-chairs and blankets to sit on a mild slope, which looks down onto the orchestra. And behind the stage is a wide open field to make the view even more amazing. It was a great night with friends, and a good way to end the trip!
