Kids Cleveland… so many activities
A few weeks before school started our family decided to take a day trips outside of Pittsburgh. We thought it would be a fun way to end the summer and I was excited to go somewhere new. We had heard amazing things about Cleveland, Ohio. After looking up a few places to take the kids, we packed the bags and the car, and were on the road early one Saturday morning.
As a family who frequently drives on the Pennsylvania turnpike and stops at their service plazas, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the Ohio turnpike service plazas. They were fairly new, clean, spacious, and had a Panera. I am always up for Panera Hazelnut coffee and a scone! In addition, there was plenty of space for the kids to run around to get their legs moving.
We decided that our first stop in Cleveland would be the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we wanted to take advantage of the weather. As we are members of the Pittsburgh Zoo, we always ask a zoo if they reciprocate their membership. Unfortunately, they said they recently stopped reciprocating with the Pittsburgh Zoo. Noteworthy, as a result of being a member of the Pittsburgh Zoo, some zoos do reciprocate giving you free or up to 50% off admission . The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has various activities you can pay extra to do. We really just wanted to see the zoo and not do all the other things, so we paid for the basic entrance fee. This gets you into the zoo and the rainforest dome.
We expected to be at the zoo for 2 to 3 hours, because it typically takes us that long to go through a zoo. We were there for 5 hours! The zoo is spread out over several acres of land, and some areas you will have a nice walk to get to them. Our family’s personal favorite section was the tree house with the snake slide. Be careful though, you do come down quite fast and wearing shorts can give you a nice brush burn. Also, there is a really cool surprise at the bottom of the slide!
One thing that was really a nice touch was the design of the facilities. A lot was taken into consideration to make you feel like you were in that part of the world. Each enclosure was conducive to the natural habitat of that respective animal. The rainforest is at the entrance of the zoo, so we decided to do this after the zoo. We really enjoyed the rainforest and the animals inside. However due to a long day in the sun, the hot environment was too much for our family. Most note worthy about this zoo, there is a lot of walking involved so if you have little ones I highly recommend bringing a stroller.
Our day trip was spent mostly at the zoo, as a result we didn’t get to do other activities. Our hopes of getting to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium which was built in a historic powerhouse on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River, did happen. Next day trip to Cleveland! Other activities that you can do with the kids in Cleveland include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum of Cleveland, and The Christmas Story House and Museum.
We had an amazing day trip even though we left early in the morning to get there at a reasonable time. We could have done more museums, but we really did enjoy the zoo. I can’t wait to go back, and this time we may even stay for an entire weekend. Remember, Life is Better Traveling.
Tell us what your favorite Cleveland Kid’s Activities are, or where in Cleveland you like to take your family…
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and they can bag their own items. 
what surrounded it, it was about what it stood for: Freedom. In the front of the monument is a large stone dedicated to the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of their people and their national independence for over a thousand years! That is right, a monument dedicated to those who fought in wars and battles a thousand years ago. A country that didn’t forget anyone and built a monument to remember everyone. It really is something amazing to be standing in this semi-circle of statutes and monuments that was built over a 100 years ago.
two parts, one side of the river is the Buda side and the other side is the Pest side. Matthias Church on the Buda side in the Buda Castle District. When you come upon the church you are expected to be in awe by it’s massive steeple and architecture, but what catches my eye every time is the multi-colored roof. This orange and yellow roofing stand out on top of the light gray, almost white façade. This church was where coronations of Kings, and burials of royalty took place, and when you walk into the church you can see why it was the chosen venue. Ceilings so high you think they touch the sky, and ornate stained glass windows, and a large amount of seating. 
you can get amazing pictures of the Hungarian Parliament building. Since you will be doing a lot of climbing stairs and walking, just down the way is a mascarpone shop that showcases amazing edible art and demonstrations on how to make some of their pieces. 
favorite bridges are the Chain Bridge and the Liberty Bridge. The Chain Bridge is very close to the parliament building and gives easy access into the main cultural center of Budapest. This stone bridge was built in the early 1800’s and was the second bridge to be built over the Danube river. Stone lions guard over the passengers who come and go, and at night they light the bridge up beautifully so that you can get really good pictures of the bridge in the foreground and Castle Hill in the background. The Liberty Bridge acted as a toll bridge for some time and this can be seen by the houses that were built at both ends of the bridge. There are four Turuls statutes, one on each pillar of the bridge. If you don’t know what a Turul is that is ok, neither did I, they are falcon-like birds, prominent in ancient Hungarian mythology.
grand staircase fit for a king into an area where all the walls are gold! That is right, gold! It is absolutely breath-taking and unfortunately, my pictures won’t do it justice. Guided tours are the best way to get around this building as there are so many rooms, and some of them are very long with nothing in them. They are called waiting rooms, but I could fit two of my house into this long, wide room. I must say I was a bit surprised when we came upon the Holy Crown of Hungary. A beautiful crown with a slightly crooked cross on top. We had asked our guide if that was symbolic for something, and he told us no that someone has either dropped it or knocked slightly resulting in the cross tilting to one side. It surprised me that no one wanted to fix it but after 300 years of it being this way, I guess it is now a tradition. 
walk along the castle wall. My favorite part of the town is the oldest street in all England called Shambles. This street was even said to be mentioned in the 1086 book DomesDay, but to me it felt like I was walking down Diagon Alley, for all you Harry Potter fans. Crooked buildings, tight streets, crowds of people, and tiny stores make up this street and it is really something to see.
region of Scotland that contains a lot of hills, lochs, and mountains. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Great Britain, and on a clear day you can really enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area. We were there in October, typically the rainy season, but each day we had beautiful weather and clear skies, which gave us the most amazing pictures. Seeing Loch Ness was really something that I always wanted to do so standing next the Loch getting our picture taken seemed so surreal and exciting. Unfortunately Nessie 
decided not come out that day. Taking a boat ride on Loch Lomond was another highlight as the surrounding area is so lush and beautiful. When in Scotland, make sure not to miss out on seeing a Scottish Cow, pronounced Coo by the Scottish. Also keep an eye out for jewelry made out of 
Kensington Palace to see the Princess Diana collection. So many beautiful dresses to see but the building itself was a bit outdated and plain inside. While in London, you must take a walk in one of their many parks. You never know what type of art or activity you may come across, but on a beautiful, warm day there are plenty of activities to do. Grabbing a pint at a local pub is a must, and this was where I was introduced to Strongbow a “dry” cider produced in Great Britain. Having this on draft was a smooth as a lager and not sweet like a hard cider you would get in the states. Since we have been to London, you can now purchase Strongbow here in the states and it is now produced in several flavors. I have not had it since London, as I am afraid the formulation has changed to suit the American taste buds. 
lined up in a half circle, the beautiful country side, and of course, the Roman Baths. Seeing pictures of people in the early 1900’s in their bathing suits soaking in the baths hoping for some healing or enjoying the warmth of the water, is something that had me curious. The Roman bath building is quite large containing the main bath area, but there are also several springs that are equally fascinating. The water is so clear that it is hard to believe that it is unfiltered. I will warn you that there is a sulfur concentration in the water so there can be an unpleasant smell while 
you are there, especially in warmer weather. You can also taste the water from a special fountain found in the restaurant on site. I did not as I was told it tasted really bad, and was a darker color than they had expected. There are several archaeologists that have been digging and uncovering artifacts from hundreds of years ago. You can also view and even touch some of these pieces. 
Edinburgh but make sure to bring good walking shoes, as the Royal Mile is something to really see but hard on the feet. I really enjoyed walking through “Closes” which are alleyways that sometimes underground. Many people hang their clothes out to dry in these areas, and this is also where the saying “Heads Up” originated as they would throw their bed pan material out the window to the street below. My favorite tour was of Mary King’s Close which is an underground city that has been untouched since medieval times. Seeing how people lived at that time is sad but a good reminder of how much we have progressed in the world. Edinburgh Castle is a 
must and if you are there when the Military Tattoo is being held, I highly recommend seeing this show. Once you are done at the castle a stroll down the Royal Mile to get in some shopping and/or whiskey tasting is must. Once at the end, make sure to visit Holyrood Palace, home of the Queen of Scots! 