Wisconsin has some great stuff and some cool things to see and if you stop by Wilmot raceway on sat night for the local dirt track you can meet yours truly doing photography in victory lane. the dells are fun for a weekend for water parks, camping, the ducks ride on the river. there are the door county for cool things There is also some very cool car places to visit in hartford for one. there is kenosha to ride the trollys.
Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. It's a very cool experience. On TV it seems so "important" but it's really just 12 year olds playing baseball (at a high level). I think you said you had family in PA (big state). 1 day is enough, 2 max.
From TN Gettysburg is in route but an 8yo probably wouldn't get the significance. If you go, hire a guide at the visitors center.
Does he like caves and like to ride bikes? I want to take my almost 8 year old son here -
https://louisvillemegacavern.com/attractions/mega-underground-bike-park
he had a blast a few times at Rays MTB this winter.
Interesting.
I really should have followed up sooner but I have been really busy working on a plan. Here are the highlights:
- rafting
- Mid-Ohio for race and parade laps
- AF Museum
- Great Lake
- camping
- hiking
- fishing
- Junk food
Sounds like a great trip to 8 year old me, so we are gonna give it a go.
A buddy of mine is taking his son on a road trip...going up to St Louis and taking route 66, or what's left of it, to California. Left yesterday. Doing it in style...
^^^^ Nice!^^^^^^
We aren’t there yet. I have a feeling I’d be more worried about the 911 making it instead of focusing on the trip. My hope is to someday restore the 911 with him and then take it on a epic road trip, and like all good Hallmark commercials toss him the keys at the end.
That Rte 66 trip looks bucket list... reality is the car is black and it doesn't have air conditioning and they're trying to to travel cross the Midwest and Southwest in summer. LOL
please keep us in the loop on your trip as you take it.
In reply to Ovid_and_Flem :
My wife is doing this trip next week. Chicago to Irvine. Since I’ve done it I’m meeting them in Albuquerque to finish the last leg.
Honda Pilot though. It has air and cruise.
In reply to octavious :
I assume you're talking about the vintage race at Mid-Ohio since you mention the parade laps. We'll be there in the hearse, we generally setup camp in thunder valley by the foot bridge. Feel free to stop by and say hi if you see us, we'll have a grill and extra food/beer if it's early enough in the weekend!
octavious said:Interesting.
- Mid-Ohio for race and parade laps- AF Museum
It has been a couple of years since I have attended the Vintage Grand Prix, but I think you have to be registered in the car show to participate in the parade lap. It's not Pebble Beach so most anything will work just make sure you register for a wrist band. Also, I have found Saturday to be the best day for paddock viewing. A lot of participants have left by Sunday.
The AF Museum can be a full day 9-5 if you like reading the exhibits, especially if you go on base to the Air Force One/experimental hangar (not sure if you can still do that; register early to pick your time). An 8 yo may dictate just looking at the big stuff, plenty of that.
Is he going to be a 4th grader? Don't forget about the free national park pass available for all 4th grade students and their accompanying family; it's probably the coolest and the most underutilized government program out there.
Dead_Sled said:In reply to octavious :
I assume you're talking about the vintage race at Mid-Ohio since you mention the parade laps. We'll be there in the hearse, we generally setup camp in thunder valley by the foot bridge. Feel free to stop by and say hi if you see us, we'll have a grill and extra food/beer if it's early enough in the weekend!
Very cool. And thanks. We will be coming down from Kelley's Island for the vintage race.
Adrift said:octavious said:Interesting.
- Mid-Ohio for race and parade laps- AF Museum
It has been a couple of years since I have attended the Vintage Grand Prix, but I think you have to be registered in the car show to participate in the parade lap. It's not Pebble Beach so most anything will work just make sure you register for a wrist band. Also, I have found Saturday to be the best day for paddock viewing. A lot of participants have left by Sunday.
The AF Museum can be a full day 9-5 if you like reading the exhibits, especially if you go on base to the Air Force One/experimental hangar (not sure if you can still do that; register early to pick your time). An 8 yo may dictate just looking at the big stuff, plenty of that.
Thanks. Yes Saturday was the original plan for the race, but they moved the car show and parade laps to Sunday. He's 8 so I wanted to get he parade laps in. Someone else mentioned that the race might be smaller on Sun which sucks, but it is what it is.
We are hitting the AF museum on Friday, and we'll be there as long as he wants to be there. I was an AF brat growing up, and have a slight color deficiency in my vision which means you can't be a AF pilot, so surprisingly I have very little interest in planes. But... when I was 8 I loved them, and he's eyes are perfect. Here's hoping we can spark some interest for him.
In reply to oldopelguy :
3rd grader. Someone on here told us about the 4th grader program we are planning to do a big park trip that year. And another out west when my youngest hits 4th grade.
Also to those that suggested Mammoth Cave, we are going there in July. Not the best time for camping, but it fits within the confines of summer break.
Your trip should be a blast. I have a wedding to go to on Saturday so my brood will be at Mid Ohio on Sunday. We usually end up not far from Dead_Sled, good action down there and shade.
I should have jumped into this conversation earlier. Kelley's Island is a great place. The State Park has nice camping. It gets very busy there on the weekends. For your best time, try to be on the island for the weekdays. There is neat "hiking" around the old stone quarries on the island.
The State Park beach looks due North. From that beach, the first body of land you will see is Middle Island which is Canadian. So, said another way, when you look out from Kelley's Island Beach, all you can see is Canada. Further more, Middle Island is the absolute most southern point of all of Canada. Odd fact: Twenty-seven U.S. states lie all or partly north of this point
The Island (The Land) is the border so that means that the water in front of Middle Island is US but the land is Canada, ha.
From the south of Kelley's you will mostly see Cedar Point Amusement Park the greatest Roller-Coaster Amusement Park in the world. The same company also owns Kings Island in Cincinnati area. If you're into this kind of thing, these are some great places.
All of this is in my "neighborhood". When I drive to the end of my street, I can see the roller coasters of Cedar Point from across the bay. If you want to know more, let me know.
Discount tickets for Cedar Point are available from many places like AAA. Mc Donalds locations have a $20 off coupon as well as retail locations like Meijers and Discount Drug Mart. Even pre-buying on-line from Cedar Point's website is a good way to save. The worst thing to do is just show up at the gates...full price.
Be sure to check out the glacial grooves on the island.
Downriver canoe/camping trip. Do it with a group and don't go for high classed rapids.
Bring the right clothes, which means no cotton and decent hats.
Don't underestimate the possible temperature swings especially if you are in an area with mountains or high latitude.
If I drive to the other end of my road I can see the neon sign of Kalahari Water Park, the largest water park in Ohio (when built, the largest in the US). They sell day passes which will be much cheaper than spending the whole night at the hotel. Speaking of hotels, try to stay much closer to Mid-Ohio (1 hr away) and that will get you out of the "rape" prices they charge for hotels in the Sandusky area in the summer.
This waterpark may be more enjoyed by an 8 yrs old than a full amusement park where he might not be tall enough for the featured roller coasters.
When I was young, my father took me to the largest sewage treatment plant in NY. (He was in the industry, and later so was I, hence the screen name) I can still remember the smell! But I also remember seeing the city, having a hotel room on the 40th floor, eating at a steakhouse, seeing homeless people, the lights of Times Square, walking through Central Park and visiting FAO Schwartz. I also remember spending one-on-one time with my Father, and being treated a little like an adult, making my own decisions at restaurants and having a say in what we visited. The thing I remember most was that we went somewhere together, just the two of us. That is more important than where you go.
(damn it, now I'm all teary-eyed and planning a trip with my son!)
Thanks guys. So we leave in a couple weeks. But here is the rough outline:
- Wednesday drive to my in-laws in VA for the night after work. About 3 hours.
- Thursday 1.5 hours to white water rafting trip. 2.5 hour trip because I thought an all day trip might be too much.
- Thursday night camping Lake Vesuvious (sp) 1.5 hours from rafting
- Friday morning 2.5 hours to AF museum. Hotel points for hotel in Dayton, made sure the hotel had a pool.
- Saturday morning long drive, 3.5 from Dayton to Kelley's Island camping and exploring Kelley's Island. (John Welsh or anyone else if you want to camp on Kelley's Island Sunday night let me know. I had to reserve 2 nights and did it before I realized the race and laps would be on Sunday and not Sat)
- Sunday 2.20 hours from Kelley's Island to Mid-Ohio for the race and parade laps.
- Sunday night hotel in Columbus where we do big city thing. Hotel points again, and another pool.
- Monday longest drive of all to get back home 6.2hours, but we might do something in Cinci or Lexington on the way home.
So it will be a busy few days but I hope worth it and fun. He is up at 0600 everyday so I figure we can get up and get a good jump on the mornings, and then slow down towards the afternoon evening times. On days when we camp, like this weekend, he is up at daylight.
In reply to octavious :
Good planning on relatively short driving time. He'll have a ball. Both trips along the way so we can live vicariously!
octavious said:- Sunday night hotel in Columbus where we do big city thing. Hotel points again, and another pool.
If you want to keep the transportation theme, the AMA motorcycle museum is on the east side of Columbus (Pickerington). I haven't been myself (I need to rectify that) but the local morning show had a remote out there a month or so ago and it looked interesting and not a huge time commitment.
Columbus is proud of the zoo which is about 30 minutes north of downtown. It is a huge time commitment and not all the cheap anymore.
Huntington Park downtown is the home of the Columbus Clippers the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians is a nice place to see a game if you like baseball.
Sounds like you have it together.
If an alternative is sought, drive north, spend a few days in Shenandoah National Park (Camp in there and take your time up the length of Skyline drive, working hiking in. Perhaps a night at each campground). Hit the Uvdar-hazy near Dulles for awesome planes, then make your way for Pittsburgh, perhaps finding a camping place somewhere in central PA along the way (or western MD, or WV along 68). Time the trip to be in Pittsburgh July 6-15th for the Vintage Grand Prix http://www.pvgp.org/calendar/ While in Pittsburgh, hit up the Strip District, because its worth doing. then plan your way home.
Headed to the track. Look for a white Mustang GT with a tan top and TN plates in the parade lap. I’ll be wearing a blue shirt with a “F3” on the front.
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