HalloWeekends at Cedar Point

Photos by OHventures

Amusement park enthusiasts from around the world flock every year to Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. We are lucky to have one of the best amusement parks on the planet right on the Lake Erie coastline. With more rides than any other park on earth (71), and the second most roller coasters (16), Cedar Point has been breaking records and drawing in millions for decades.

 

For the past 20 years, Cedar Point has been hosting HalloWeekends, on the weekends that fall between Labor Day and Halloween. The entire 365-acre park transforms into a spookier, scarier, and more thrilling experience for guests, with pumpkins and cobwebs decorating the queue lines, and ghosts, goblins, and ghouls roaming the midway.

This past weekend, I experienced HalloWeekends for the very first time. I had been to Cedar Point many times since my youth, but never during HalloWeekends. During this time, the park is only open Friday through Saturday, and with limited hours. After spending a Sunday in the park in late September, I have to say it was one of the best visits I have ever had to Cedar Point!

This is mainly because the crowds are significantly smaller than during the summer months. I do, however, hear that Saturdays during HalloWeekends can bring in very large numbers of park goers (especially in late October). So, if you plan to go, make it on a Sunday! We arrived just before noon (the park opened at 11AM) and left around 7 PM (the park closed at 8 PM).

Dead Ride Cemetery

The park was truly transformed, with special Halloween touches everywhere you looked. I loved the attention to detail: skulls, bats, and skeletons strategically placed throughout the park. I particularly enjoyed the specially created displays, such as the "Dead Ride Cemetery," featuring "tombstones" of former coasters and attractions that are now defunct and have since been torn down. Pictured above, you can see part of the cemetery (which is found in the Midway near the Raptor roller coaster), including the grave site of the Mean Streak, the giant wooden coaster that is being torn down this year.

Further down the Midway is a giant jack-lantern to walk through (perfect for a photo op), a giant mechanical ogre, and the "Cemetery of Dead Rockers." This area is found near the Corkscrew roller coaster (pictured below), and features headstones of rock-and-roll legends who are no longer with us: Rick James, John Lennon, Elvis, and even Amy Winehouse.

Even further down the Midway is the Great Pumpkin Spectacular, where you can find 10,000 hand-carved jack-o-lanterns lining the walkways. They are true works of art, and look even cooler at nighttime, all lit up. This is a new addition to HalloWeekends this year, and can be found near the Top Thrill Dragster and the Power Tower. 

This entire stretch of the Midway is where you can witness the Great Pumpkin Parade at 4 PM each day. And if you have kids, there are a ton of places nearby that can offer age-appropriate Halloween fun (like trick-or-treat zones and Peanuts characters dressed in a not-so-spooky manner). 

We, of course were not there with children in tow. This meant that not only could we hit up all of the haunted houses we wanted, but we could also indulge in some adult beverages. Do yourself a favor and try the craft beers especially made for Cedar Point. This includes the RougaBrew and the Valravn Red Stout, both named after newer rides at the park, and both available for a very limited time. You can try them at the Trail Tavern near Millennium Force roller coaster (yes, the one that is over 300 feet tall). 

Enjoying a RougaBrew at Trail Tavern

Another great spot for some cold ones is Chickie's & Pete's, found near the entrance and right next to the Blue Streak roller coaster. A word of caution, however: plan to ride the more intense rides before you eat heavy foods and guzzle on some beer. We did things a bit backwards, eating some famous crab fries (seasoned to perfection) at Chickie's & Pete's, then riding the aforementioned Blue Streak - the oldest (1964) and most rickety roller coaster in the park (hey - it had no line, so we had to try it).

Now it was time for the scary stuff. There are so many haunted houses in the park, but we could only make it to a couple (no thanks to the long line we waited in to ride the Maverick roller coaster). The two we were able to experience were: the Eden Musee (a wax museum themed haunted house full of surprises), and Hexed (a witch themed haunted house with a ton of great scares).

 

While we really did want to try some of the other featured haunted houses (like the Zombie High School and the haunted hospital aptly called Eternity Infirmary), the real scary thing would be if we didn't get to ride some of the newest roller coasters at the park. This includes Rougarou (a floorless coaster, formerly known as Mantis when it was a stand-up roller coaster...it's complicated). Being that this is named after a werewolf creature from French folklore, we felt it was appropriate to ride on HalloWeekends.

It would also be a sin if we skipped GateKeeper, a wing roller coaster with the largest inversion on earth (built in 2013) and frightening keyhole elements. And, most of all we HAD to ride Valravn, the longest, fastest, and tallest dive roller coaster in the world, which was just installed at the beginning of the 2016 season. Aside from Maverick, this was the longest line we stood in (and even so, it was only a half an hour), but it was definitely worth the wait.

Overall, the trip to Cedar Point for HalloWeekends was nothing short of perfect. The crisp fall weather was gorgeous - not too hot, and not too cold. And, the lines for most rides were 15 minutes or less (even the GateKeeper was only about 10 minutes). You still have time to check out HalloWeekends in 2016!

Pedal & Party With BrewBoat Cleveland

Photos by OHventures

Part bike, part boat, and part bar, the BrewBoat in Cleveland is a one-of-a-kind experience that will guarantee to be a hit for you and your adventure-and-beer-loving friends.When trying to find a perfect birthday gift for some family members who "have it all," I decided to get creative and book a reservation aboard the BrewBoat!

This is Ohio's first and only pedal-powered paddle-wheel party boat, which launched Memorial Day weekend of this year. The boat is 31-feet long with 10 seats for pedalers and four additional seats for passengers who opt to not pedal (we took turns, so no one felt left out). Yes, the boat is human-powered, which means you get a bit of a workout mixed in while you drink. It's like the Pedal Wagons of Columbus and Cincinnati, but on water instead of on the streets!

I reserved 10 seats for our 2-hour cruise this August (the other 4 were already booked, so we would be on board with a few new friends). Each ticket was $35 plus tax, and the trip required you to BYOB. When you arrive at the launch site, located on Whiskey Island in the heart of Cleveland, you are able to purchase cold brews at the convenience store found at the dock.

Most of us brought our own favorite beers from home (each person is permitted to bring no more than 36 oz. or beer, or 18 oz. of wine for themselves). There are convenience coolers of ice located right in the middle of the bar, so you can keep your drinks chilled and readily available during your excursion (no need to bring your own coolers).

Our group consisted of myself, my brother and his wife, my parents, my aunt, and my friends Zac, Kyla, Ben, and Emily. As mentioned, we were joined by 4 other folks who booked at the same time as us. Also on board was the Captain (Katie), and a driver, both of whom were extremely fun and personable. 

We disembarked from the marina at 5 PM and pedaled down the Cuyagoga River. As we pedaled, we were able to gawk at the gorgeous Cleveland skyline against the bright blue skies, and take in the sights of the revitalized riverfronts of the Cleveland Flats. We floated by notable hot spots, such as the Nautica Pavilion, the Music Box Supper Club, Alley Cat Oyster Bar, and more. We shared the waterway with kayakers, jet skiiers, paddle boarders,, and other seafaring folks out enjoying the fantastic weather and exciting scenery. There was so much to see and to soak in on our cruise!

At one point, the driver challenged us to try and work together to pedal as fast as we could in order to beat the record speed. After pedaling and pedaling, we ultimately did not come close to setting a new record, but we had a blast trying! It was also a blast plugging our iPods in and choosing the music we listened to along the way. It was a nice added feature. One downside, however, is that there is no bathroom on board the boat (which doesn't take long to figure out). So, it is a good thing that the ride is not much longer than 2 hours, and that we had a cap on how many drinks we could bring with us. 

Food is also allowed on board (anything from snacks to pizzas to cold cuts!), however, we were planning to eat dinner at one of the restaurants in the Flats after the ride, so we did not have any food on board with us.

All in all, our experience on the BrewBoat CLE was extremely positive. We are glad to have had the chance to book a ride, since slots fill up fast! The season ends on October 1, but they are already taking reservations for 2017. Captain Katie told me that while they currently have just one boat, it is their hope to soon have more boats in order to meet the demands of the public. Until then, make sure to make a reservation far in advance to ensure you get the time you want. The BrewBoat is perfect for bachelor or bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations (like ours), or just an excuse to get together and enjoy the beauty of the Cuyahoga River and downtown Cleveland in a fresh, new way!

Canopy Walk & Emergent Tower at Holden Arboretum

Photos by OHventures

Holden Arboretum
9500 Sperry Road
Kirtland, OH 44094
(440) 946-4400

As a kid, my friends and I would spend hours in the woods, climbing trees, trying to get as high as we could, so we could see as far out as possible. Of course, we could never get too high, because we were so little, and because there was no safe or easy path to the top. Now, even as adults, the idea of being in the treetops is something we all still yearn for.

Thankfully, breathtaking treetop views are waiting for you at the Holden Arboretum, located in Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio.

The Holden Arboretum is a gorgeous park, and is considered to be one of the largest botanical gardens in the nation. There are more than 3,600 acres of gardens and wooded area to be explored, holding over 9,400 different kinds of plants.

Some highlights of the display gardens include the rhododendron garden, the hedge collection, and the magnolia collections. It's remarkable to walk through and see the beautifully colored array of flowers and plants, from lilies to witch hazels to lilacs, depending on the season.

But what we came for was the trees. You can walk along trails lined with conifers like pines, spruces and firs, and deciduous trees like maple, oak, and beech.

Now, thanks to two new features at the Holden Arboretum, you can also walk on top of and above the trees! The Murch Canopy Walk and the Kalberger Emergent Tower are open April 1 through November 1, and can be accessed by just a small fee at the ticket gate.

The Canopy Walk is 500 feet in length, and is built 65 feet above the forest floor. The walkway goes from tree to tree, and gives you an exciting and unique experience and perspective of the woods. Take your time to look up, down, and around when you are walking along these suspended pathways!

The Kalberger Emergent Tower is an impressive wooden structure that soars 120 feet into the sky. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to get a workout in as you climb a great deal of steps to reach the observation deck at the top! When you do finally get to the peak, you can get an unbeatable 360 degree view of the entire park, and the surrounding areas. You can even see Lake Erie to the north!

Be sure to bring a camera and take tons of pictures, and a water bottle! Make sure you prepare for a visit that lasts at least 2 hours, to account for the time it takes to wait in line for the tower, and the time it takes to soak in the views! After all, it's a view you've probably been hoping to see since you were a kid!

Escape To Kelley's Island

Photos by OHventures

Kelley's Island is located in Erie County in the western basin of Lake Erie about 4 miles north of the Marblehead peninsula and 10 miles from Sandusky Measuring more than 4 square miles, Kelley's Island is the largest American island located in Lake Erie. Being that it is in the middle of the lake, you have to get either either by ferry (try the Miller Boat Line), private boat, or by airplane (via the Kelley's Island Land Field Airport).

I first visited Kelley's Island in the year 2000, when I was just a freshman in high school. I came to the island for a week-long stay at Camp Patmos, a summer Christian church camp. Back then, it felt like I was in an exotic location far away from home. We sailed, kayaked, swam, and rode bicycles built for two. 

15 years have passed since that visit, and Kelley's Island still has just as much charm and excitement as I remember! I recently took a flight to the island with my buddy Alex on Labor Day Weekend. We decided to spend just a couple of hours at Kelley's Island, having some lunch and doing a bit of exploration! 

Most of this tourist island is comprised of beaches, parks, and campgrounds, which are mostly toured by bike (available for rent at Kelley's Landing), golf cart (also available at Kelley's Landing - hourly, daily, or weekly), island taxi, or on foot.

After you have your mode of transportation down (which can be a fun activity in and of itself), it's time to explore the island! There is a lot to see - from restaurants, to bars, to natural wonders and landmarks!

The Casino Restaurant, Bar & Dockage

f the weather is nice and you're looking for some lakeside outdoor seating, your best bets are Dockers Waterfront Restaurant, and The Casino Restaurant, Bar & Dockage (pictured above). On our visit, Alex and I ate some great burgers and fries at The Casino, where we were able to soak up the sun and relax under some faux palm trees!

Other popular food and drink selections are The Village Pump (they are famous for their perch and their Brandy Alexander drinks) and the Kelley's Island Wine Company (established in 1872 - try their Inscription White, named after the island's Inscription Rock).

Being that I'm an OSU alum, the Buckeye Bar was a MUST on our short visit to Kelley's Island. You can get some good greasy bar food and choose from a vast selection of Ohio-made beers. In addition, the Buckeye Bar also has the Caddy Shack, where you can rent golf carts (on Labor Day weekend, it was so crowded on the island, that they were fresh out. A fun miniature golf course can also be found right next to Caddy Shack & The Buckeye Bar.

A large anchor found near Inscription Rock

On the Northern third portion of Kelley's Island is Kelley's Island State Park, a 676 acre park which includes hiking trail, campgrounds, a sand beach, and ruins of former a limestone quarry mining site (on the West Side). One of the most well known points of interest on Kelley's Island is the Glacial Grooves State Memorial, a rare set of glacial grooves which are the largest in the world (measuring 400 feet by 35 feet). These prehistoric glacial grooves are gashes embedded limestone bedrock, and are a remarkable sight to see, not far from the beaches of the state park.

There is an incredible amount to explore on this exciting Ohio island - so plan a trip soon!

AirVentures

Photos by OHventures

I have been in an airplane many times in my life, but only on countless commercial flights (and of course that time I went skydiving).

This past Labor Day weekend was the first time I had the opportunity to ride in a non-commercial plane - all thanks to a great friend of mine, Alex (who joined us previously for the Bike Columbus Festival), who recently earned his pilot license! On a limb, I told Alex that I wanted to ride in his plane sometime soon, and without hesitation, he obliged!

Alex told me that I would be his first official passenger. This was both an honor and a true sign of bravery! Truth be told, there was nothing to be scared of, because Alex is a total pro and it was 100% safe.

Our flight plan consisted of Alex flying from OSU airport in Columbus to pick me up in Akron/Canton. From there, we would fly over my house and circle around over downtown Canton before heading west and north to our final destination of Kelley's Island!

The plane we were riding in was a Diamond DA20 Eclipse. I am not even sure what all that means, other than it was a very small 2-seat aircraft! I was surprised when I first saw the plane to see just how small it was. Sitting together inside, our knees touched and there was not much room to move about! This meant it would be a cozy flight!

After a short safety briefing, Alex and I departed from Akron/Canton for our cross-state trek! It was an extremely smooth take-off and flight altogether, putting me at ease and allowing me to soak in the sights. We were flying at heights of approximately 3000-5000 feet, which is not very high in comparison to most commercial flights, which are found at an altitude of 30,000 feet!

View of Downtown Canton

Being at this "low" altitude (seemed high to me as we were up there) made it easy to make out key landmarks (such as the McKinley Monument in Canton), and other points of interest (such as a cement plant in Huron - pictured below).

View of Huron, OH (the white smoke is from the cement plant)

Perhaps the coolest sight to see was the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky! It was really awesome to soar over this small peninsula and to make out all of the rides and attractions. The massive  (such as Top Thrill Dragster and Millennium Force) all looked minuscule from our vantage point flying over! As funny as it sounds, it was also remarkable to see just how massive the parking lot of Cedar Point is (pictured below).

Cedar Point in Sandusky

Our headsets gave us the ability to speak to one another and hear one another clearly. Alex affixed two GoPro cameras to the inside of the plane so that we could re-watch our aerial adventure at a later time (link coming soon!). 

Kelley's Island

The trip flew by (no pun intended) and took us just 45 minutes to reach Kelley's Island - much better than the 2.5 hours by car and the ferry ride on top of that! After a smooth landing, Alex and I explored the island and ate some lunch (a post on that coming soon).

Put-In-Bay

Before heading back, we were sure to circle over the neighboring Lake Erie island of South Bass, so we could catch a good glimpse of the vacation town of Put-In-Bay (where Alex and I partied with friends in summer of 2014). It was awesome to see Perry's Monument (pictured above), and the rest of the resort town from the sky.

Overall, my "AirVentures" trip was incredibly exciting and just what I needed to cap off my summer. Seeing the great state of Ohio from up above is something that everyone should try at some point in his or her life. Since you likely don't have a close friend who has a pilot license, try some of these options: Wright B Flyer in Dayton, Cincinnati Airplane Tours in Cincinnati, Flight 54 Travel & Tours in Cleveland, Capital City Jet Center in Columbus, and Pickaway County Airport in Circleville for starters.

Old Mill Winery

Photos by OHventures

Old Mill Winery

403 S. Broadway St.

Geneva, OH 44041

(440) 466-5560

The Old Mill Winery, as you might have guessed, is a winery that was built in what was once a working mill. It joins the ranks of other old-things-turned-into-wineries, such as the nearby Old Firehouse Winery (an old firehouse turned into a winery, located down the street in Geneva-On-The-Lake), South River Vineyard (an old church turned into a winery, located about 10 minutes away in Harpersfield), and the School House Winery (you guessed it - an old school house turned into a winery, located in Dover).

Located in the City of Geneva (just a few minutes south of the Lake Erie coast), Old Mill Winery is spacious on the inside, and has a large, outdoor deck perfect for summertime drinking (I particularly enjoy the directional signs right outside the patio, which point to various nearby local wineries - pictured below). The interior is dark, with an old fashioned feel to it. Old street signs and other antiques cover the walls, and large exposed wooden planks run across the low ceiling (like an old mill, naturally).

The bartenders explained that they are known for their sangria, as well as their Grindstone White and Grindstone Red wines. I decided to do a tasting of a variety of wines, including both of these. The Grindstone Red tasted much like grape juice and was very sweet and jammy. I decided to take home a bottle, however, to offset some of the usual dry reds that I have on the wine rack, so I have a variety for my guests. They also have a Grindstone Pink (a blush wine that is typically used in their sangria coolers), and a surprisingly oaky and peppery Cabernet.

There are some food options that pair perfectly with their wine, and is reason alone to visit the establishment. For an appetizer, I tried the Old Mill Dip (a roasted red pepper, cheese,  and sausage dip), which was out of this world. Other house favorites include the St. Louis Style Ribs, the Original and Loaded Wine Burger, and the Niagara Pasta Alfredo with your choice of meat.

Visiting Old Mill Winery for some wine or food is, to me, is one of the must-do things when visiting Geneva. It brings out the charm and character of the lakeside city and will be a regular stop for me whenever I am in town.

Wineries at Put-In-Bay

Photos by OHventures

Put-In-Bay Winery

392 Bayview Drive

Put-In-Bay, OH 43456

(419) 285-3343

Heineman's Winery & Crystal Cave

978 Catawba St.

P.O. Box 300

Put-In-Bay, OH 43456

(419) 285-2811

Put-In-Bay is an ideal location for wine production, as it is situated in the middle of Lake Erie on South Bass Island. The humid lake air creates rich island soil that helps it grow some of the highest quality grapes in the state. Admittedly, most of the grapes in PIB (and Ohio as a whole) tend to be on the sweeter end of the spectrum, which is not always the preference of every palate. But, there is no denying the extreme popularity of wines that originate from this tiny section of the Buckeye state!

As mentioned previously on OHventures, Put-In-Bay is home to one of our favorite and most unique wineries in Ohio: Heineman's Winery & Crystal Cave. It's not by any means fancy like those I've been to in Napa Valley, California or other parts of Ohio. It reminds me of a tiny home in the suburbs with a backyard full of picnic tables. It's very quaint, very cheap and very "Ohio." But that is all part of its charm. 

When my friends and I made a recent visit to Heineman's, we had just finished kayaking for over an hour. We were sweaty and smelled like lake water. Most of us were still in our bathing suits, or in my case, wearing a tank top and camo shorts. None of this mattered when visiting Heineman's backyard winery. It has extremely laid back atmosphere and lacks a formal dress code, as it recognizes that many people are in similar situations, having come from exploring the island!

Without hesitation, I created a miniature tasting platter, as I always do when visiting wineries (pictured below). Heineman's has been producing wine since 1888, so they know what they're doing! There are more than 20 different wines of a wide variety. From this large selection, I chose Pink Catawba (the most popular wine, and the one that looks most like candy! It is a gold winning wine that is sweet and strong), Cabernet Sauvignon (always my go-to wine, since I prefer dry reds), Island Chablis (a blend of white island-area grapes), and Niagara (had to get it based off of its name that is reminiscent of Niagara Falls - another white with a medium sweetness).

We all had our fair share of wine in the backyard, but also made note of another great feature of Heinemans: "Crystal Cave" which is attached to the building! As its name suggests, it is a cave full of "crystals" (a blueish mineral called celestite) and is the largest geode (a rock cavity with crystals inside) in the WORLD. Most geodes you can not even put your hand inside, yet this one you can WALK inside. You can get tours of this while also touring the winery. This, along with the island grapes, makes Heineman's Winery & Crystal Cave one of the most unique wineries in the whole state!

But after all of this, our group was not quite done with Put-In-Bay wine! Luckily, a new winery was established here in 2009, fittingly called Put-In-Bay Winery. Half of us decided that we HAD to pay the extra cash to be led on a guided tour of the Doller House Estate (pictured below), which is an Italianate residence preserved over many decades from its original owner, Valentine Doller, who was one of the wealthiest residence in PIB history.

The tour takes you initially through the Doller Estate, where you learn more and more about the very eclectic family that used to live there, all while tasting a different sample of wine in each room. The tour guide was awesome - she did a great job keeping everyone's attention with the captivating tales of runaway daughters, giant fires, and mysterious family dynamics. It was like hearing about a Put-In-Bay soap opera!

The tour moved from the house to the grounds of the estate, where we saw the rest of our group hanging out and sipping on wine in a gorgeous gazebo. We were then led into the last remaining icehouse on the island, and the Island Life Museum where we learned about the 100 year evolution of winter travel across the frozen Lake Erie ice! Again, throughout the icehouse and the museum, we got the chance to taste more wine! (and that's what we came here to do, after all)!

After all of these tastings, I managed to find a favorite - American Merlot - of which I bought a bottle of to take home with me! The Put-In-Bay Winery was an idyllic locale to sip island wines and varietals grown around the regionn while relaxing in the wine garden or on the front porch of the Doller House Estate with its wonderful view of the Put-In-Bay harbor.