Amusement Park

Summer Vacation 2023: South Haven, Michigan and Merry-Go-Round Museum

Summer Vacation 2023: South Haven, Michigan and Merry-Go-Round Museum

We wanted to share our summer vacation with you, so we created this blog post to capture our experiences in and around South Haven, Michigan, and at the Merry-Go-Round Museum in Sandusky, Ohio. Originally, we had planned a trip to Alaska for August 2023 that we decided to cancel due to the uncertainty about Stuart's recovery following his surgery. We thought it was best to make our 2023 vacation within a day's drive from our home. South Haven is just over four and a half hours from Cleveland.

We organized this blog post around Stuart's photos and videos about different parts of our vacation:

Monday, July 31, 2023 - Monday, August 7, 2023, Michigan Vacation

Monday/Tuesday, August 7 - 8, 2023 - Exploring Sandusky & Huron, Ohio

We hope you enjoy learning about our vacation!

We were very grateful to be able to go on this wonderful vacation after the events that occurred earlier this year.

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3 of 3: Fun Father's Day Weekend: Sunday -- Amusement Preservation Museum & Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous

3 of 3: Fun Father's Day Weekend: Sunday -- Amusement Preservation Museum & Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous

3 of 3: Fun Father's Day Weekend: Sunday -- Amusement Preservation Museum & Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous

Read tweets below in this blog post to learn about:
  • The fun places my family took me for Father's Day 2022
  • Amusement Preservation Museum -- See photos from this incredible collection and watch the videos of the “Swingin’ Gyms."
  • 32nd Old Northwest Territory Primitive Rendezvous at Medina County Parks's Hidden Hollow Camp. I invite you to look at the photos closely to see the old-time skills that the participants demonstrated
  • Princess Ledges Nature Preserve, Medina County Parks
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Before Backpacking Adventure: Hershey’s Chocolate World & Knoebels Amusement Resort

Friday, April 30, 2021 - Hershey’s Chocolate World! Saturday, May 1, 2021 - Julie rides the Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort

Friday, April 30, 2021 - Hershey’s Chocolate World!

This was our first big outing since receiving our COVID-19 vaccinations. The three attractions that we went to were adapted to encourage social distancing, but this was still the first time being around so many people in an inside venue. It actually felt kind of strange. Everyone was required to wear masks in all areas of the Hershey’s Chocolate World building.

It was very appropriate that we started our journey toward Stuart's starting point on the Appalachian Trail at this "sweet" place, since he has often visited Hershey’s Chocolate World as part of his many previous backpacking trips on the A.T. in Pennsylvania. A chocolate treat goes perfectly with backpacking.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 - Knoebels Amusement Resort

Since Julie and our son, Kevin F. Smith, are on the Board of Euclid Beach Park Now, we knew we had to visit Knoebels Amusement Resort. Similar to Cleveland's Euclid Beach Park, which closed in 1969, Knoebels is a free-admission amusement park. While it is free to enter the park, visitors can purchase individual ride tickets or an all-day wristband. Also, since Julie volunteers as a ride attendant at the restored Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel at the Cleveland History Center, it was a special treat to see the Knoebels Carousel Museum.

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Celebrating 50 Years of Fond Memories of Euclid Beach Park

Remembering the Sights & Sounds of Euclid Beach Park 2019

On Sunday, September 29, 2019, our family participated for the fifth consecutive year in Euclid Beach Park Now's 15th Annual Remembering the Sights & Sounds of Euclid Beach Park event. This was a special year for us and for this Cleveland tradition for three reasons:

We write our blog posts as our way to thank the great organizations in Cleveland and Akron that bring joy to our lives. If you read our posts, you will see that we are very fortunate!

Celebrating 50 Years of Fond Memories of Euclid Beach Park

Euclid Beach (September 2019 draft) Plan Update

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