http://www.usresident.com/content/articles/us-travel-guides/ohio/ Sat, 19 May 2012 19:16:52 +0000 43200 http://www.usresident.com/content/articles/us-travel-guides/ohio/the-toledo-botanical-garden-an-outdoor-museum-and-respite-from-the-city-r88
I grew up in one of those neighborhoods, and have watched the Toledo Botanical Garden grow and evolve, from a neighborhood garden park to an elegant series of gardens, sculptures and ponds. The park also hosts twenty local botanical societies and artist guilds, most offer classes, open meetings or regular tours.

The Toledo Botanical Garden is a living museum of plants of all kinds. Instead of one giant 60-acre garden, the park is a series of smaller themed gardens and ponds broken up by grassy lawns. The five-acre shade garden is the oldest garden in the park, planted under an isolated remnant of the Oak Openings Region, the distinct and unique native ecosystem of the region.

My favorite garden is the herb garden, it’s fairly small and off in the northeast corner, but I love the sound of the water bubbling out of the granite fountain surrounded by a series of traditional herb gardens. There is something refreshing about a practical garden that is also beautiful. Other gardens include a rose garden, the pioneer garden, vegetable garden and the perennial garden, all them are beautiful and worth visiting several times.

The Toledo Botanical Garden hosts the annual Crosby Festival of the Arts, held the last weekend in June. A juried art show that attracts artists from around the country, if you love art of all kinds the Crosby Festival of the Arts is a can’t miss event. Native Advice for Out-of-Towners: It never fails to be hot and muggy at the end of June. It’s an out door event, wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes and bring water.

Other regular events include spring and fall plant sales, Jazz in the Garden concerts on Thursdays in the summer. The Toledo Botanical Gardens also has facility rental available for weddings, conferences and luncheons, see the Toledo Botanical Garden (www.toledogarden.org) website for details.]]> Sun, 28 Nov 2010 15:40:45 +0000 9dcb88e0137649590b755372b040afad http://www.usresident.com/content/articles/us-travel-guides/ohio/paramount%e2%80%99s-king%e2%80%99s-island-a-weekend-getaway-r87 The park is loosely based around a combination of an “Oktoberfest” theme, “Action Zone” theme, “Rivertown” theme, “International Street” theme (where most shops and restaurants are located) and the “Coney Mall” theme, all mixed in with various other themes from Paramount’s motion pictures. The park is filled with rides for young and old alike; my perennial favorite, however, is definitely the wooden roller coaster known as “The Beast”.

“The Beast” isn’t fancy; there are no flips or corkscrews. It isn’t particularly fast, either. What “The Beast” has that other roller coasters haven’t got is length. The ride lasts a good two minutes, if not more, and is just what every wooden roller coaster lover wants. It’s shaky, rough, moderately fast, and full of great dips and climbs. “The Racer” is another classic wooden roller coaster that no amusement park would be complete without. You choose your train – the red or the blue, one facing backwards and one facing forwards – and then both trains leave the station, simultaneously. It may not be the highest or the fastest, but “The Racer” has competition, and there’s nothing like the feeling of leaving the ride after your train won the race. Another, newer wooden ride in the park is “Son of Beast”, which broke all sorts of records when it was built in 2000, but I haven’t gotten the chance to ride it…yet.

Paramount’s King’s Island also has quite a few steel roller coasters, as well. I have enjoyed a smooth, fast ride on all the coasters in the park: “Flight of Fear”, “The Vortex”, “Face/Off”, “Top Gun” and “Tomb Raider: The Ride” are all exciting and exhilarating experiences. My favorite of the group, however, is “The Vortex”. With several inversions and one enormous drop, “The Vortex” never fails to give me a frightening but electrifying ride.

Children aren’t left out at Paramount’s Kings Island. When I was a child, I always looked forward to the rides in “Hanna Barbera Land”, where characters like Fred and Barney, Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear would provide entertainment. For a little kid, there were some pretty good rides available, too. I can only imagine that with the incorporation of characters and themed rides from Nickelodeon, the children’s area of King’s Island has become even more fascinating for the little ones.

Rides range from mild to wet to wild at King’s Island; there’s something for every member of the family. My own three-year-old son loves the Nickelodeon area. My parents (who are in their sixties) enjoy the shows and the traditional midway rides like “The Racer” and the swinging ship ride “Viking Fury”. I, in my late twenties still enjoy the thrill rides but I also love paying a visit to the centerpiece of the park, “The Eiffel Tower”, which is a one-third replica of the original in Paris, France. The tower is a great place to start your day at King’s Island; it gives a panoramic view of the park, and I have “planned my route” through the park many times from its heights.

This is only a fraction of what is offered at Paramount’s King’s Island. If you visit in the summertime, make sure you pack your bathing suit, because King’s Island also has a large water park complete with its own brand of thrill rides and more sedate attractions. There are shows to see, good food to eat, and plenty of souvenirs for sale. The only problem with King’s Island is the fact that it is extremely popular; the park is open daily throughout the summer months, and sporadically for special events throughout September, October and November. If you plan to visit during the summer, make sure you take plenty of sunscreen and shoes good for walking, as some of the lines can get very long and sometimes aren’t shaded.

All in all, Paramount’s King’s Island is a welcome retreat from the daily grind. With fun activities and rides for the entire family, King’s Island is the perfect weekend getaway for the entire family!]]> Sun, 28 Nov 2010 15:39:32 +0000 31fefc0e570cb3860f2a6d4b38c6490d http://www.usresident.com/content/articles/us-travel-guides/ohio/step-back-in-time-in-ohio%e2%80%99s-amish-country-r86 The towns of Sugarcreek, Berlin, Charm, New Philadelphia and Dover give you the opportunity to step back in time and experience the culture of the Amish and Mennonite peoples. Their faith and lifestyle has changed little since the order’s members settled the area nearly 200 years ago. Today, the Ohio Amish community is considered the largest in the world and plays host to millions of visitors every year.

When I am planning a trip to the Amish Country, the first thing that always comes to mind is food. In addition to the many wonderful restaurants to choose from in Amish Country, there are many cheese houses and dry goods stores ready to fill your bags so that you may fill your pantry when you return home. Fresh, home-cooked meals prepared in the Dutch style are waiting for you at any of the Amish restaurants that dot the landscape in towns like Berlin and Sugarcreek. If you tour the area with a group, you may get the experience of dining in an actual Amish home, where the lady of the house baked the bread and plucked the chicken in the morning for the meal you eat at supper-time. Make sure you take your cooler, as well; cheese houses with every imaginable variety of cheese along with fresh-churned butter, fudge, preserved meats, jellies, jams and baked goods await you.

The second priority on my list when visiting Amish Country is antiques. I have found everything from toys to farm equipment, furniture to books, garden decoration and artwork at the many antique malls and flea markets in Amish Country. While I may not always buy, what better way is there to spend a Saturday afternoon than wandering through aisles of antiques and collectibles?

Right alongside the many antique dealerships and flea markets you will find stores that offer Amish-made crafts including quilts, furniture, and home décor as well as shops selling Christmas decorations and confections. Not every shop is Amish-owned or Amish-ran, but the shopping opportunities seem endless. Charity auctions occur frequently, and usually feature Amish arts and crafts.

A trip to the Amish Country can be fun for the whole family. Adult activities such as antiquing are only the beginning; children will enjoy activities such as buggy rides and petting zoos. There are many historical Amish homes open to the general public for tours, some of which include demonstrations of farm life and Amish tradition in action. One important thing to remember, however; the Old Order Amish does not permit photography, and view photographs as “graven images”. Taking photographs of scenery, buildings and livestock is permitted, but ask permission before photographing any Amish person.

Accommodations in the Amish Country range from well-known chain hotels and motels to small country inns and bed and breakfasts. In the past I have stayed at two of the smaller area inns, and found that the prices were reasonable, the rooms were clean and comfortable, the service impeccable and the staff both polite and helpful. Most hotels and motels in the area offer tranquil, pastoral views of the surrounding countryside, and many have amenities such as microwave ovens, swimming pools, offer continental breakfast, and are convenient to shops and restaurants. No matter where you choose to say in Amish Country, you can be assured of one thing; you will be treated like family.

The next time you just want to “get away from it all”, consider a visit to the Amish Country of Ohio. Step back in time and enjoy all that the Amish Country have to offer by exploring their tradition and culture through their food, crafts, and the many exhibits that explain their faith and lifestyle.]]> Sun, 28 Nov 2010 15:37:15 +0000 9872ed9fc22fc182d371c3e9ed316094