Christmas Light Extravaganza

Christmas light displays can be so much fun for the whole family to enjoy. What a wonderful time for the family to appreciate Christmas together and make memories for years to come.There are several around the southwestern Ohio area that are great for adults and kids alike.While I have focused on several of these events, you can use the Christmas light finder website to find local displays in your area.  http://www.christmaslightfinder.com/

I really enjoy Woodland Lights. The lighted path, rides, reindeer,carriage rides and visits with Santa add to the Christmas spirit, plus it is reasonably priced.
www.woodlandlights.org

Clifton Mills is another beautiful light display and while a little more expensive, it truly is unique with a dancing light show synchronized to music. They also have a miniature village and Santa museum.
http://www.cliftonmill.com/

Whispering Christmas in Eaton, Ohio is yet another option for Christmas lights and the good news is that it is free. Go to the link below and it should be mentioned as you scroll down to the December events.
http://www.destinationpreble.com/

Of course, there is always the Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights. It is a very beautiful display; however, it can also be very crowded, particularly on the weekends. If you can arrive earlier in the afternoon and enjoy the animals while already being in the zoo before it gets dark, your chances of encountering less crowd and stress will be greatly reduced!
www.cincinnatizoo.org





The Christmas Ranch near Cincinnati was featured on Good Morning America and HGTV. Visit the website for more details on all they have to offer.
http://www.thechristmasranch.com/



In Sharonville (near Cincinnati), you can enjoy a drive-thru display at The Holiday In Lights at Sharon Woods. There is also a Santaland where you can venture out of your car and enjoy some Christmas festivities.
http://www.holidayinlights.com/santaland.html

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park also hosts a beautiful lights display. You will be amazed at the 2 million lights used to make hundreds of light displays.
http://pyramidhill.org/news.php#21

5 Things: Must-See Attractions at Disney's Animal Kingdom

If you are visiting Disney World, each park has some must-see attractions that should not be missed. My kids love the Animal Kingdom at Disney World and I have listed our top 5 rides/shows that you will not want to miss. Some people do not have an entire day to devote to each park, and if you only have a small amount of time or are there on a extremely crowded day, hitting a few of the highlights will make your time seem very well-spent.

1) Kilimanjaroo Safari Expeditions-
Ride jeeps into the African savanna for some real-life encounters with animals such as lions, giraffes, rhinos, zebras and the list goes on. It is a wonderful attraction with such attention to every detail and probably the closest that most of us will ever be to a real African safari.
There are fast passes for this ride and I recommend getting one upon arrival if the lines are already getting long.

2) Festival of the Lion King-
A 30-minute Broadway-style musical show based on the music and characters from The Lion King. Even though it is 30 minutes in length, the action and colors will definitely keep the attention of younger children. My kids really enjoyed this show and asked to go back and see it again. 

3) Expedition Everest-
Cleverly themed Mt. Everest-inspired high-speed roller coaster with a fun twist: an encounter with a very realistic Yeti. This ride is not for young children or those who do not enjoy high-intensity rides; however, for thrill seekers, this is a must.
Fast passes are available and I highly encourage getting one early in the day. 

4) Finding Nemo-The Musical-
This musical experience is definitely one of my favorites at any of the parks. The show is 30 minutes in length and fashioned on the Pixar film, Finding Nemo. I loved the positive energy and colorful artistry of the show and my kids enjoyed seeing their favorite characters come to life. 

5) Tree of Life-It's Tough To Be A Bug-
The Tree of Life is the centerpiece to the whole park and is so unique with the numerous animals carved into it. There are trails encircling the tree so that you can walk at your own pace to look at the carvings and take pictures. The show, It's Tough To Be A Bug is a 3-D movie based on the film, A Bug's Life. I really like the special effects involved with the movie, although I will say that my toddler was a bit afraid as were a few others in our showing.There are also fast passes available for the 3-D movie.

Trying to catch all of these attractions in one day does not have to be difficult as long as you take advantage of the fast passes and keep an eye on show times. I will have a list of slower-paced and less crowded attractions around the park in a later post.
If you are planning a trip to Disney, don't overlook this awesome park. It is a great park for younger kids and they will love the myriad of animals that can be viewed up close and personal.

Visit the Home of Dum Dum Pops

If you are traveling through northwest Ohio, make a stop at Spangler Candy Co., home of the Dum Dum pop. They also make candy canes, circus peanuts and Saf -T pops. There is a great tour of the facilities aboard the Dum Dum trolley. The kids as well as adults will enjoy learning about the process of making the candies as you ride around the factory. A small museum houses some unique candy memorabilia. We were able to taste test the new flavors of Dum Dum pops that they were working on and the kids scored lots and lots of free pops. Perhaps a few too many! It was a quaint stop and so interesting to see the home of Dum Dums!  Check times as they vary depending on the time of year.
http://www.spanglercandy.com/about-us/tour-store-museum

Can Kayak Help My Travel Planning?

  

What is Kayak and can it help me in planning my next trip? Kayak is a website that will provide a rundown of the flights, hotels, vacation deals and car rentals in a format that will allow you to compare prices across several sites for purchasing travel. I usually will check Kayak to get a broad picture of the price range of whatever travel item I am looking to buy. It is a simple way to get travel quotes from the major travel suppliers such as Orbitz, Travelocity , Expedia, etc. in just a few easy clicks rather than going to each individual site and typing in the same travel request multiple times. As a busy mom, any tools to help narrow down the time involved in booking travel is much appreciated.
www.kayak.com

Entertrainment Junction: Calling All Train Fans

If you have a train lover in your family, Entertrainment Junction is a must-see attraction to visit in the Cincinnati area. This museum/train extravaganza houses the world's largest indoor train display. Walk through a historical tour represented by lots and lots of miniature trains running along tracks beside, above and all around. Steam locomotives, trolley cars, today's diesel locomotives and subway trains run through the mini towns, cities and countryside of our nation's history. The American Railroad Museum is also housed within the building and explores our country's railroading history with interesting and interactive exhibits. Imagination Junction is a railroad-themed playland for the younger set. My kids could literally spend an hour or two just playing within this area.

During the warmer months, there are some small-scale trains to ride outside and special seasonal activities for Halloween and Christmas are also part of the fun. Whether you live in the area, are coming for a vacation or just passing through, this is a unique, fun and educational place to visit.

http://www.entertrainmentjunction.com/

Featured Post at Our Everyday Harvest

Thanks to Kelly at Our Everyday Harvest for featuring my blog on the weekend blog hop. Check our her site for the latest coupons, deals, freebies and giveaways.
http://www.oureverydayharvest.com/

Check Out A Zoo Overnight

How many people are aware that their closest zoo might actually offer zoo overnights for families? Well, I was not until last year. We had been members of our local zoo for many years and I had never noticed the zoo overnight advertised in the newsletter we receive quarterly.

I am so glad that I finally read and researched about our zoo overnight offerings. It was an awesome experience for my daughter and one that we will definitely repeat. From San Diego to Houston and Atlanta, most zoos now have some type of family overnight. We picked the manatee experience- what a way to wake up in the morning with a manatee pressing its nose up to the glass watching you sleep. It was extremely economical for what we received. A special night tour of the zoo, animal shows, breakfast in the morning and behind the scenes tours of some of the animal buildings.  This may not be the case at all zoos, but we were able to just sign up as a family and did not have to attend with a larger group in order to participate.

Check it out, what a wonderful memory for your kids and something they will always remember!! We are already planning our next overnight trip and looking forward to it!