Ohio, West Virginia with Children?
 

We will be driving through in August, and would like to break up the driving with a day or so in either of these states (through the northern part of WV and right through the center of OH). I've requested the official tourism information, but was hoping for some personal experiences?

In Columbus, Ohio COSI is a hands on science museum the kids will love. Check out their website for hours. http://cosi.org/index.html

Oglebay Park in Wheeling WVA deserves a stop. It's an oasis in the middle of a somewhat depressed area of the Ohio Valley area. It's laid out on the top of a couple of tall hills (they call 'em mountains, but they aren't like the Rocky Mountains). They have golf courses, a great, huge swimming pool, horseback riding, a lodge with rooms and cabins, an okay restaurant, a nature center, and several hiking trails. They have a website.

Depending on the ages of your children, a place that I went to as a kid and am taking my family there next week is in Dover, OH. It is called the Warther Museum and is a collection of carvings (the most intricate(sp?)pieces you've ever seen)of this Warther guy. He has done mini locomotives and all kinds of stuff. As a kid (about 10)it made such an impression, I can't wait to take my 14 year old. Would not appeal to small children though.

Let me put in a plug for Marietta, OH. It is in southeastern Ohio about 40 miles down I-77 from I-70. It is the oldest town in the Northwest Territory and has much to offer for a couple of days. It is located at the confluence of two rivers - you can take a sternwheel boat ride, there is a tourist trolley that lasts about an hour and provides historical information, two museums - a history museum and a museum about riverboats and a house called the Castle that is open for tours. It is a very pretty downtown, old well maintained homes and a small liberal arts college. There are four or five good (non chain, moderately priced) restaurants as well as an historic hotel located right along the rivers, and chain motels offering pools for your kids. Fenton Glass is right across the river in Williamstown WV and offers interesting tours of its glass factories. Come visit!

If you decide to stop in Columbus, Ohio there is also a version of the Santa Maria (built from old plans and supposedly historically accurate.) They have tours in the summer. I'm planning to visit this summer, but I haven't been there yet. It sounds like a great place to go with kids. You can find out more at http://www.santamaria.org/<BR><BR>Another little known spot (even by people who live in Columbus) is a topiary garden, also less than 5 minutes from downtown. It would be a nice place to picnic with the kids. You can check that out at http://www.topiarygarden.org/<BR><BR>A couple of other things of note in Columbus are: The Franklin Park Conservatory (http://www.fpconservatory.org) and The Columbus Zoo (http://www.Colszoo.org)<BR><BR>

Thanks, everyone, for the many suggestions. Being a Wolverine, I didn't know what the Buckeye State had to offer. Guess we'll see...

If you wanted to drive Ohio the northern route you have Sea World, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake, which has changed it's name to Six Flags I think.<BR><BR>In the southwest corner you have Kings Island.<BR><BR>The Amish area in my opinion is too commercialized and congested. I am in that area a lot and the traffic is terrible.<BR><BR>There is the Air Force Museum in the Dayton area...<BR><BR>