Cleveland Museum of Natural History

One of our first trips to Cleveland included a visit to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Our family was considering a relocation to the area and each weekend while visiting, we wanted to experience family friendly destinations. Since then, we have purchased a family membership and visit several times a year.

Most kids are instantly drawn to the huge dinosaurs that can be found in the dinosaur and fossil area of the museum. Ours are never bored when imagining these huge creatures walking on earth and what it would have been like to run into them.

A hidden gem of the museum is the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden. A walking path takes visitors to various animals such as a bald eagle, owls, raccoons and otters (our favorites) to name a few. This is equally as popular with our gang in the summer time and also in colder weather.

The Smead Discovery Center offers opportunities for hands on learning for children of all ages. It can be found in the lower level of the museum.We have enjoyed digging for fossils, playing the bird song piano, finding treasures on the touch wall and playing various games. It also offers a nice resting spot for parents while waiting for a planetarium show to begin.


Speaking of the planetarium, the Shafran planetarium is another spot we try to visit each and every time. Ask for a schedule when you come and pick a show that suits your group the best. We recommend the baby show when traveling with little ones, it is just the right length before they get restless. Our older kids have enjoyed the children's show as well as the grown up version. We especially like the part where they explain what the Cleveland night sky has currently or what exciting what might be coming up.

Our rating of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is as follows:

OVERALL: 9/10
PARENTS: 9/10
KIDS: 9/10
FUN: 8/10
EDUCATIONAL: 10/10
COMMENTS: Bring your own lunch, the cafeteria food is expensive. Plan 4-5 hours to sample most areas and see a planetarium show. Check website for special events, especially on weekends. In the past, the CMNH has offered free days during the week.

Websites and resources that help you save on family travel

Each summer, I ask my children if they have some favorite places they would like to visit locally. Their answers vary from destinations we visited the year before, Cedar Point (a summer tradition for us), local pools and of course they try to throw in Florida every time. I don't consider Disney World a local destination for us, but hey, can't blame them for trying, right? This year, we are spending summer in Northeast Ohio, since we are in the unpredictable process of adoption and we may need to travel to Ghana for our children. So in the spring, I started to compile a list of websites that I could check for travel discounts.

1. GROUPON
Groupon is a website that I keep a close eye on all year long. They feature a daily deal that might be for a restaurant, an attraction, movie rentals, sporting events, concerts etc. and it is arranged by city. There is an option for Cleveland or Akron/Canton and I also look at cities where we might be going for work or leisure in the future. With groupon you purchase a gift certificate (or a ticket) at a discount and there may be limitations on use, so always read the fine print!!!

2.LIVING SOCIAL
This website claims up to 90% savings on restaurants, spas, theaters and other local events. I have used them mostly for local restaurants (I love going out to eat, but hardly ever pay full price) and the deals are pretty good. I get their daily deal via e-mail every day, so I can keep an eye out for good deals year round.

3. Radio Station Websites
Cleveland and Akron area radio stations run some great deals on local events and attractions. Some of my favorite sites for this include The Fish Half Price Deals and Salem Supersavers

4. Membership Reciprocity Agreements
We love our local zoo,  Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, especially now that the new elephant exhibition has finally opened! We have found that the family membership pays for itself quickly and we go to the zoo year round. In the winter time we focus more on the rainforest building, since it is indoors. Because of the membership, we can make quick trips to the zoo and never feel like we have to "do it all" in a day. Couple of hours in one area is a perfect summer afternoon for us.

As a zoo member, we also have free or discounted admission to other area zoos. We like to visit the zoos in Akron, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Columbus and  any other city we may pass through while visiting family and friends. Here is a complete list of participating zoos.

Reciprocity agreements are also used with your other memberships such as Natural History Museum and the science centers.

5. Free Admission Days

When planning you summer day trips, see if your destination offers free admission days. These may be limited to resident of certain counties or have other limitations, but it's a nice savings for families. Just be prepared though to experience larger crowds and long lines.

6. Employer Discounts

Another hidden gem when planning family travel is found right at work. Many employers participate in benefit programs that offer discounts each year to amusement parks, plays, concerts, restaurants and even car repair. A family member is able to get us tickets to Cedar Point for $24 through their employer, but the tickets are good only during a specific week. Since we planned this ahead of time, the trip will be much more affordable than originally thought:)

I will continue to add to this list, as I find other websites or resources. What are the ways that you save on family travel?

~Jenni~

Welcome

Our family lives in the Northeast Ohio. We love to travel locally as well as internationally with our two children ages 12 and 6. We are in the process of adopting two children ages 5 and 3 from Ghana and we hope to continue to travel as a family of 6.

I decided to start this blog to share our travel adventures with others. In the summer time, we like to find destinations close to home for day trips. I like free or low cost options, so we can make our travel budget stretch further. I like to use coupons, half off deals and free admission days to cut down on cost.

Once or twice a year, we take a long car trip or fly to a warm destination. We also have family all over the US as well as overseas, so we have experienced long flights and layovers with our kids.

I am glad you found my blog and I hope you enjoy our adventures!

~Jenni~