Exploring Ohio – Page 3

Exploring Ohio, Museums & Tours, School, Sightseeing, YouTube Video Link

National Museum Of The United States Air Force

Written by tepetravels March 18, 2022March 20, 2022

The Air Force Museum is located in Dayton, Ohio. It is also attached to an active military/Air Force base, The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Entrance to the museum is free, as is the parking. There are also free docent-led tours at set times during the day. There are options to buy extras like the simulation ride and VR experience. The museum is huge. It is spread out through 4 large hangers (all connected) and covers 19 acres (per their website). You will get your steps in for sure. We were there for 3 hours and rushed through it.

The buildings begin at the museum entrance and start with the history of flight and early planes. You walk through a hallway dedicated to the Holocaust to the World War II exhibits. The second building contains Korean War and Southeast Asia. Building 3 is dedicated to the Cold War. Walking past a group of large missiles, you will enter building 4 where Research and Development and the Presidential planes are located. We were able to walk through several previous presidents’ planes, including JFK’s Air Force One.

The way there were able to fit all these planes in the building is pretty darn amazing. Some of these planes are incredibly large and it must have been like trying to put together a 3D puzzle.

It is a lot of reading, with a few kid stations throughout. Some of the more interactive exhibits were closed (COVID, I believe). I would definitely say this is a museum for older kids or at least ones who really enjoy looking at planes. There is not a lot for the younger kids to do, so they may get bored quickly. The museum is spread across 4 buildings/hangers, so it is a lot of walking. There are seats scattered throughout the buildings so that you can rest. Each building also has its own bathroom.

The cafe is located on the second floor, but it was closed when we were there. The gift shop has a wide range of items. We found small postcards for $0.10 and large ones for $0.25.

DETAILS:

WHERE: 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433
HOURS: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, M-U
COSTS: Free (simulation and VR cost extra)
PARKING: Yes
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 3+ hours
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks required (as of March 2022)
Details correct at time of posting, please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Museums & Tours, School, Sightseeing, YouTube Video Link

da Vinci Hands-On Exhibit: Machines In Motion

Written by tepetravels March 11, 2022March 4, 2022 2 Comments

The boys and I went to the Air Force Museum (aka National Museum of the US Air Force) when they were off of school. The museum was getting a new exhibit ready to open; the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. The best part was that it was going to be interactive and hands-on! (Click here for details.) The museum and this special exhibit are both free. The da Vinic exhibit runs through 5/8/22. Next week’s post will be about the rest of the Air Force Museum!

We went back to the museum with Ben to see the da Vinci exhibit. It was newly opened, so we got there right when the museum opened and went straight back to the exhibit (in Building 4). There were a lot of different exhibits, almost all of them were ones we could interact with. A couple of the inventions were locked, but you could ask one of the museum staff/volunteers to demonstrate them for you.

I think the designers and builders of these inventions did a great job. There were placards describing each item and what it was meant for. I think even younger kids would enjoy this exhibit, although they would need help with the pieces and supervision so they didn’t get any fingers pinched in the gears.

I think one of the coolest pieces was the tank, although it must have been extremely heavy.

VIDEO: da Vinci Machines In Motion

DETAILS:

WHERE: 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 (Dayton, OH area)
HOURS: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, daily
COSTS: Free
PARKING: Yes (free)
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1+ hour
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks required (as of 3/2/22)
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Hiking, Sightseeing

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

Written by tepetravels March 4, 2022March 4, 2022

The boys and I went to Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, Ohio a couple of years ago over summer break. Ben had never been, so he and I went last month to explore. Now, it is winter in Ohio and it was a windy cold day. We didn’t get to explore quite as much as we wanted due to icey spots and the cold wind. I would definitely recommend going in the Spring/Summer/Fall for the most enjoyment. They do have several really neat pieces! There are a few walking trails in the park as well, although we have not explored them yet.

After entering the park, follow the drive to the visitor center building where you can pay for your admission and rent a golf cart (they call them art carts) if desired. You can walk or drive around the park. There are parking spaces close to many of the sculptures.

DETAILS:

WHERE: 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road Hamilton, OH 45013
HOURS: Park hours Sunday to Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm. Museum Monday to Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
COSTS: $8/adults, $3/children (6-12). Optional golf cart rental $20/first hour (then $15/hour).
PARKING: Yes
BATHROOM: Yes (portalets are the only available ones in winter)
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1-3 hours
COVID RESTRICTIONS: n/a
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Food

Swensons Drive-In

Written by tepetravels February 25, 2022February 11, 2022 1 Comment

My cousin Claire asked us to stop by this restaurant in Anderson and give them a try. Swensons is an old-fashioned drive in (kind of like Sonic or A&W). There is not an eat-in area. You find your perfect parking spot, making sure the front of your car is facing the building. This is important, because you turn on your headlights to signal to a carhop that you are ready to order. After ordering, turn your lights off. You can turn them back on to signal them to come get your tray.

We tried a few different things from the menu: coleslaw, double cheeseburger, hamburger (for the kid who won’t eat cheese), fried Bologna sandwich, fried zucchini, potato tweezers. For drinks we tried a chocolate phosphate (old fashioned soda fountain drink), a mint whip, and a chocolate peanut butter milkshake. The food was delivered in a wax paper type of individual bags.

I swore after grade school that I would not eat bologna again. However, this sandwich was surprisingly tasty, especially with the grille onions. It seemed to be the crowd favorite. The mint whip was light and refreshing. The shake was good, but you couldn’t really taste the peanut butter. The fried zucchini was interesting to try, but it is a lightly flavored vegetable to start with, so when it was fried you lost a lot of the zucchini flavor. I would personally rather have fried pickles (although both will burn your mouth like molten lava if you don’t let them cool down first before eating). The burger was good, but you had to pay for extra toppings (including lettuce, tomato, cheese).

The xango is a piece of cheesecake fried in a tortilla. It was different. I think I prefer my cheesecake cold, not hot.

Carhop running between cars

Exploring Ohio, Museums & Tours, Sightseeing, YouTube Video Link

The Lucky Cat Museum

Written by tepetravels February 18, 2022February 11, 2022 1 Comment

On our quest to find new and interesting things in our area to see, we found the Lucky Cat Museum, in the Clifton area. It is one woman’s personal collection of lucky cats. She has been an avid collector for years and has a large variety of Japanese Lucky Cats. The museum is free, although donations are welcome. There is also a gift shop where you can buy your own lucky cat themed items, ranging from postcards to lucky cats.

One of my favorite pieces was a disco ball cat. The poor cat has been broken 3 times! The cat had been loaned out and broken. Micha glued it back together, painted it, and then covered it in the disco ball mirrors. The medallion and coins were left bare. The second time the cat broke, the medallion and coins were repaired and covered in mirrors and crystals. The last time it broke, the cat was glued together, filled with expanding foam, and the mirrors replaced.

There were a few interactive pieces as well, including the slot machines (tokens provided).

VIDEO: Walking Through The Lucky Cat Museum

DETAILS:

WHERE: Essex Studios (2511 Essex Place #150, Cincinnati, OH 45206)
HOURS: By appointment only
COSTS: Free, donations accepted
PARKING: Yes
BATHROOM: Yes, in the building but not in the museum
TIME RECOMMENDED: 45 minutes (time allowed per appointment)
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks, only 6 people per visit
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Food, Sightseeing, YouTube Video Link

Golden Lamb and Black Horse Tavern

Written by tepetravels February 11, 2022February 11, 2022

After visiting the Harmon Museum, we walked across the street to the Golden Lamb to have lunch. Ben and I had both been there pre-kids. It is a really neat old hotel. The attached restaurant had undergone a renovation since we had last been there, so we decided to try the Black Horse Tavern. The restaurant had a nice fireplace, although we didn’t get to sit near it.

They had the Christmas decorations up still (1/8/22), and it was fun seeing all the little sheep and lamb ornaments on the trees. We decided to try a few different items and share amongst ourselves. We ordered the Sauerkraut Balls, Bacon Jelly and Biscuits, Golden Lamb Farms Platter, Cheese Curds, and a bowl of the Shaker Chicken & Spaetzle soup.

It’s hard to go wrong with cheese curds and there are very few soups that Will doesn’t like. We liked the pickles from the platter and the sauerkraut balls were surprisingly delicious.

VIDEO: Quick Walk Through of the Black Horse Tavern/Golden Lamb

Exploring Ohio, Museums & Tours, School, Sightseeing

Harmon Museum & Art Gallery: Exploring Ohio

Written by tepetravels February 4, 2022January 22, 2022 4 Comments

In our ongoing pursuit to seek out new and exciting frontiers and go where we have not gone before…. or just explore great attractions closer to home, we “discovered” the Harmon Museum located in Lebanon, Ohio.

We were pleasantly surprised! The museum is a lot bigger than we were expecting. It showcases the local history, fossils, and Shaker artifacts. The museum also contains art pieces, many of which are from local artists. There were several interactive pieces to the museum as well, which is a big hit with the kids.

A museum employee allowed Nick to honk the horn on a 1908 Buick. (I am not sure if everyone is allowed, or if we were just lucky!) The fossil room had informational sheets for kids that included Fossil Vocabulary Words and a Geology Word Glossary.

One of my favorite parts was watching the kids trying to figure out how to use a typewriter and the rotary phone located in the town area. I’m going to date myself a bit and say that, although it was brief, I had experience with both items before we were saved by The Oregon Trail.

This museum was great for seeing some local history. If you like learning about local history, stop in!

DETAILS:

WHERE: 105 S. Broadway, Lebanon, OH 45036
HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
COSTS: $10/person, Family (2 adults, 2 kids) $20
PARKING: Yes (on street and parking lot)
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 2-3 hours
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks required (as of January 2022)
Details correct at time of posting, please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Museums & Tours, Sightseeing, YouTube Video Link

American Whistle Corporation

Written by tepetravels January 28, 2022January 28, 2022

There is a really neat factory tour near Columbus, Ohio at a company called the American Whistle Corporation. I have had this on my list of things to do with the kids for years, but never got around to it. We finally found a day where everyone was off of school and made our appointment.

I would pay attention to your GPS, because although there is a small sign, it is easy to miss. There is parking around the back of the building. There is a small entryway with a display case and framed articles about the company. The next room is the main manufacturing area (which also includes the bathroom).

The manufacturing area was smaller than I thought it would be, but it looks like they had it well laid out and made good use of the space. There was enough room for our group, plus 2 other small families, to walk around and listen to the tour.

Our tour guide was great. He kept it interesting, as well as informative, and was enthusiastic about his place of work. The tour was a mix of walking and seeing the equipment, a demonstration of the equipment, watching people work, and watching a video. The tour ended at the plastic whistle area near the gift shop. The gift shop had several different items available for sale. At the end of the tour, each person also gets a metal whistle.

For an extra fee ($2.15) you can make/buy a plastic whistle. We made one whistle that I now have on my keys. To make your own whistle, you get to pick a color for either side, as well as the ball. We went with a glow in the dark, a blue, and then a green ball. You put together your whistle pieces (placing the ball in the interior circle area and line up the sides). Once you place your whistle in the machine, you pressed a button on either side and the machine sonic welds the pieces together.

I would definitely recommend taking this tour if you are close to Columbus!

VIDEO: American Whistle Corporation Tour

DETAILS:

WHERE: 6540 Huntley Rd, Columbus, OH 43229
HOURS: Tours are available Monday to Friday. (Currently, tours should be pre-scheduled. M/W/F tours are at 10:00am, T/R tours are at 1:00pm). Gift Shop is open M-F 9:00am-4:00pm.
COSTS: $6/person for the tour (includes a whistle)
PARKING: Yes (Parking available behind building.)
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1 hour
COVID RESTRICTIONS: n/a
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, School, Sightseeing

Mercantile Library

Written by tepetravels January 21, 2022January 18, 2022

When I was searching for unique things to do, this came up on my list. I used to work in downtown Cincinnati for years and did not know the Mercantile Library was there!

This Library is in an older building from the 1800s and is located on the 11th floor. (Don’t worry, there is an elevator going up to the Library.). There is paid parking available on the street or in nearby parking garages.

This not a public library. That’s right, I said NOT a public library. It is a membership/subscription library. Annual dues are $65 (For an individual. There are several different membership options available.) This library began in 1835, created by a group of local merchants. They shared their books and funded the library with their own money. They eventually rented space in the Cincinnati College building. After a fire in 1845, the group pulled together to raise $10,000 to help rebuild the building, and in return the Library was given a 10,000 year lease.

I love older buildings; there is almost always something interesting about them. The library had a tiled floor entry, neat architectural details, and a spiral staircase. (I am a sucker for spiral staircases.) The second story on the right hand side had glass walkways! The building still had the old style US Mail Chute in the walls.

The Library doors open to a nice area with seating and select books displayed. To the right is the service desk, a bathroom, the spiral staircase leading to a meeting room, and a flight of stairs leading to a second story of books. To the left is additional seating, books behind glass door cases, and another flight of stairs leading to a second story of books. Some of these books were old, some were new. There were books I never heard of. There were also books I don’t think the public library would have (i.e. a section on the occult).

It was so quiet! There were only a few other people there, but they all were quiet while they read or worked on their laptops. I would not say that it is a younger child friendly library. There were no children’s books that we could see. However, on the plus side, it is a place where you could go to relax and read or get some work done. There were windows everywhere letting in light and views of downtown.

If you are in the downtown Cincinnati, Ohio area, check out this library treasure. It was a neat space and is a great piece of history. I never really thought about the history of libraries before. They were all funded by local taxes to become public libraries.

DETAILS:

WHERE: 414 Walnut St., Cincinnati Ohio 45202
COSTS: Free to Visit. Memberships begin at $30 for students. Individual memberships are $65, Household Membership $110. There are other membership packages as well.
HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00AM to 5:30PM, SATURDAY 10:00AM to 3:00PM
PARKING: On street (paid) or parking garage (paid)
BATHROOM: Yes (1)
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1+hours
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks required as of January 2022
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

Exploring Ohio, Holidays, Museums & Tours, School, Sightseeing

Visiting the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Written by tepetravels January 17, 2022January 18, 2022 2 Comments

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center yesterday.

They have free admission on 1/17/22 for MLK Day, but we were worried it would be too crowded, so we went the Sunday before.

“Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”, Winston Churchill wrote. Everyone has a bias, even the history books and museums; we wanted to expand the kids’ views and to expose them to all different views of history so that they could learn, research, think for themselves, and listen to all points of view. Each museum has been a different experience, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect of the Freedom Center.

I will say we were pleasantly surprised. I thought the spacing throughout the Center was very nice and that there was nice mix of props (statues, cotton bales, buildings, maps, a few artifacts). There was a lot of factual information, along with some personal anecdotes.

The third floor is where most of the exhibits are and where they recommend you start your visit. The Center did a pretty good job with decorations around the exhibits and movie screens to set the scene. There is an outdoor terrace that has a great view of the Ohio River and Suspension Bridge. It also has Freedom’s Eternal Flame (a gas fueled flame). The Terrace was closed while we were there; of course, it was about 28 degrees outside.

The 3rd floor also had an modern day slavery exhibit that went over Forced Labor, Child Labor, Sex Trafficking, Bonded Labor, and Domestic Servitude. The crazy statistic that I saw was that 59% of online recruitment for sex trafficking victims was on Facebook.

The second floor had a Pavilion, which is currently closed. There was a Slave Pen (an original structure brought into the Center) that you could walk into. The inside was very empty, other than a wooden box that had some shackles in it. There were several films available on the 2nd floor. You first walk into a waiting room and listen to a short film with Oprah Winfrey. The doors automatically open to go to the next theater. I thought the movies were well done. One of the theater rooms was even decorated with trees to help set the mood for the film.

There were only a few interactive exhibits. I think there is a lot of opportunity to do several more interactive exhibits. (For example: an example of hidden stairs and rooms that you could walk through, touching cotton plants.) There were some visual aids, but it was mostly reading. It was definitely an older child/adult type of museum in terms of attention level and retention. It would have been nice to see a map of known Underground Railroad stops in Cincinnati. Ben and I both knew of two, but I’m sure there plenty more.

There is small store on the main floor. (The postcards were $3 each, which I think is the most expensive postcard we have bought!)

DETAILS:

WHERE: 50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
HOURS: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
COSTS: $15/adult, $10.50/children ages 3-12, under 3 free. (Family Season Pass is $65)
PARKING: Yes (Paid parking available on-street or nearby parking garages.)
BATHROOM: Yes (On our visit, only the 3rd floor bathrooms were open.)
TIME RECOMMENDED: 2-3 hours
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks are required (as of January 2022).
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.

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