We will be driving from NYC to Columbus OH in August to take our son to college. We are interested in a "road trip" on the way home (Columbus --> NYC) stopping in some areas, staying overnight, etc. Our 14 year old daughter will be with us. We're looking for suggestions on where to go, what to see, where to stay, etc. We are interested in some outdoors (ie hiking, parks, etc,) and while we like the outdoors, we don't consider ourselves campers. Also anything cultural or water park could be nice. We're not in a rush to get home so a small "tour/road trip" on the way home and stopping in a few cities/areas would be great. I don't have any ideas for this one, so any comments, suggestions, etc are very welcome! Thank you.

It's an 8 hour drive. Not much of a "road trip".

Do you want stops along the way or willing to detour a bit?

My two stops would be to see Fallingwater and to spend time in Amish country.

http://www.fallingwater.org/

http://www.discoverlancaster.com/index.asp

Have you been to Gettysburg?
http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm

Definitely open to detour.

A first stop could be in west Virginia( suggest Tygart lake sp orblackwaterfalls ) and visit Tygart lake/blackwater falls/coopers rock. Refer to wvparks.com for info and bookings.

Second the idea about fallingwater area or another stop.

Another one could be near Harrisburg - for Hershey park, Lancaster, Strasburg etc).

If you are using I-80 instead of the PA Turnpike, you could stop at Knobel's Grove amusement park near Elysburg PA (south of Danville). The Phoenix is a great wooden roller coaster There is a log flume ride if you want to get wet.
The merry go round with carved horses and a great organ is world class IMO.

Take the northern route to include Citaqua, Niagara Falls, New York wine country, Saratoga, and the Finger Lakes. Great stops. Superior to the PA turnpike options.

Driven that route many times, both northern via I80 and southern vis PA turnpike. Its much more than 8 hours, more like 11 or 12, especially with traffic, construction or weather. We go to Long Island and thats even further.

That said, you could stop at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, WV, a very nice resort with lots of activities. Its about 125 miles east of Columbus on I70. If you do the southern route, you have Fallingwater and Seven Stars resort in the PA Laurel Highlands, about 4 hours east of Columbus. There is also Hershey PA, both the chocolate factory and amusement park. There is Kennywood, just outside Pittsburgh. The Pocono Mountains are near Stroudsburg, PA off I80. Hope that helps.

From Columbus you could head north to Cedar Point or the Lake Erie Islands, Put-In-Bay or Kelly's: http://jet-express.com/
OR:
Fallingwater in PA is great but you would need to pull it up on the Net and get reservations. Gettysburg, Appomattox for Civil War sites. Yorktown, Jamestown, Valley Forge for Revolutionary War. Lancaster, Intercourse, Strasburg for Amish Country

Also, south of Columbus is Hocking Hills: http://www.thehockinghills.org/

Thanks for all of these ideas.Will look into them.

I drive often between Columbus and Washington DC, and the area I really like is going across West Virginia, then I go north at MOrgantown up to Wheeling and to Columbus on 70. When I take the PA turnpike, I vow never to do it again.

So while it's a little out of the way, if you have several days maybe not. YOu could go to Wheeling, then down to Morgantown and head east on 68 (very nice highway). Then, Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry are just a bit down of that highway for a minor detour. Shepherdstown is just a cute little town with some lodgings, and Harpers Ferry is historic. Then you could easily go back up 340 and 15 through Gettysburg, or backtrack a back and shoot up I81 and then east on I78 past Harrisonburg, PA to NY.