Travel Journal: Early 2010 Edition

We've been doing a lot of traveling around Ohio lately, but I've been too busy enjoying it to blog about it, and then it feels like a stale topic by the time we are back home and settled in.

But no more!


AKRON

We went to Akron, and we stayed at the Akron/Fairlawn Hilton. The hotel was older, but I think our room was great. We had a handicap accessible suite (because that is all that was available), and other than being on the first floor (which Kevin views as a security issue), it was great. We had a room for us, where I put Lex in his Pack 'n Play, and a living room with a pull out sofa for Connor. There were two huge flat panel TVs, and a third, smaller flat panel TV in the bathroom, which tickled me to no end. The pool was warm, and Connor liked it.

We ate breakfast at Egg Castle, and it was a wonderful local egg joint. I actually ate an omelet, with cheese and tomatoes, and it was great! The mall across the street, Summit Mall, was a typical Ohio mall. We visited Brookstone and Build-a-Bear, although we still have yet to build a bear.

The Akron Art Museum was a bit disappointing. They didn't have much in the way of what I consider to be "real" art, which is hard to describe, but the place was tiny and felt more like an art show at the Ohio State Fair than a museum. The place is free on the first Sunday of each month, so we lucked out and it was free. Which is good. Because normally admission is $14, and that is way overpriced for the quality of the museum.


CLEVELAND

During a recent trip to visit Cleveland, we took the boys to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaur fossils. Connor was a bit scared (read: terrified) of the bones (because he was sure that they were going to bite him), but he enjoyed the other interactive exhibits. We took him to his first planetarium show.

PF Chang's. Happy Hour 3-6 PM. I didn't realize that they had happy hour. Love that place!

We also went to the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center. Did you know that there is a full-size ferris wheel inside? It was awesome. The Cleveland Auto Show was so much bigger and better than the Columbus Auto Show. I've decided that I want a Toyota Sequoia Platinum. Well, besides the 14 mpg thing...


CINCINNATI

We've been to Cincinnati twice now, and we can make the trip from Columbus to Cincinnati without having to stop, which is great! Lex travels better than Connor did as a baby. Or, maybe I'm just better at planning a trip with a baby now that I've got more experience.

I've finally got a handle on the natural rhythm of our days. It's easy to get the boys ready and out of the house between 9:30 AM and 10:45 AM. After that, it's pretty much impossible to get going until 4:00 PM. I don't know why, but that's how it works.

Photos from various museums will be forthcoming. You know, when I stop being too lazy to grab the camera and upload them.