We were feeling a little peckish after a round of soccer games and decided to stop by Ali’s Bar & Grill in Madeira. Their menu looked amazing and we were excited to try it out.
We tried the deep-fried cereal funnel cake. It has fruity pebbles in the batter! It sounds crazy, but it was really good. It was sweet, but not too sweet, crunchy goodness. It had a nice flavor, and I’m not even a fruity pebbles fan.
I can’t wait to go back and try some of the other things on the menu! (We have our eye on the poutine—because you can never go wrong with poutine, a burger, the Nashville chicken sandwich…maybe a pizza…Yum!)
If you travel any amount of distance, you have probably stopped at a rest stop for a break. Whether it’s a bathroom break, a chance to stretch your legs, grab a snack, let the dog out, or stop for the night, a nice rest stop can make a big difference in your drive. We stopped at so many rest stops during our RV trip, and even stayed overnight at some when the drive was too long. I never paid too much attention before the trip, but there can be a huge difference in the quality of rest stops! We’ve gone to ones that are simply toilets, nothing else there, nothing special. Then of course, you can find really nice ones where everything is new, super clean and bright. Florida’s Welcome Center/rest stop gave out masks and orange juice. Wyoming’s (near Cheyenne) had so many people stopping there, that Uber Eats delivered! (It was a nice stop too, not just due to food delivery.) New York’s Western NY Visitor Center had a little shop and a playground on the campus. Virginia’s Eastern Shore had a wildlife refuge and great walking trails.
Ohio’s have been a mix. On our way back home from Michigan, we stopped at one that was nice enough, but small and older. There were plenty of parking spots though. Between Wilmington and Lebanon, Ohio, on highway I-71, there are a pair of newer rest stops/welcome centers. They are located around mile marker 33.5 and are on either side of the highway, so there is both a northbound and south rest stop. There are bathrooms, vending machines, local tourist information. The southbound rest stop/welcome center has a fun Ohio sculpture that makes for a great photo op. It also has shaded picnic tables along the right side of the building. Along the backside there is a walking path; it isn’t very long, but it gives you a nice spot to stretch your legs and has a few benches along the path. There a is a dog poopbag station as well.
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The southbound rest stop has 20 RV/truck spots. The lanes seemed large enough for easy maneuverability. There were only a few lights in the parking lot, so it may be pretty dark at night if you are here for an overnight stop.
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Normally we only use rest stops when we travel; however, we have occasionally grabbed things for a picnic lunch and headed to a nearby rest stop. They can be great places to have a change in scenery, especially if it has a large open space to throw a ball, picnic tables, and even the hard-to-find playground.
INFORMATIONAL LINKS:
Ohio.gov has a list of Ohio rest stops (including the type of rest stop, amount of parking spaces)
It has been years since we have been to the zoo. Ben and I decided to have a date day at the zoo. It was a nice sunny day, so although it was a little crowded, we enjoyed walking around. If you have never been to the Cincinnati Zoo before, you should know that it is hilly, so I always feel I get a nice walk/workout in while there.
Cincinnati Zoo Date Day, Zoo Map (click to enlarge)
The main thing we wanted to see was Roo Valley, which was a new exhibit since we had last been there. There was a little bit of a line, but it moved relatively quickly. When you get up to the exhibit, you are placed into a holding pen (we jokingly called it the Human Exhibit for the kangaroos). The zookeeper gives a few safety items and then you can walk into the kangaroo exhibit! There is no touching allowed, but you are walking through their exhibit. There are nine kangaroos at the zoo, although we only saw about five.
Roo Valley (click to enlarge)
There is a blue penguin exhibit also attached to Roo Valley, although it was closed while we were there.
The zoo also has wallabies, but they were not easily seen while we were there. You can book a private experience with the wallabies where you may be able to touch them and give them a snack. How cool would that be?!
We saw the tortoises (also a new to us exhibit), giraffes and the rest of the Africa exhibit, and of course Fiona and the other hippos.
Zoo Animals (click to enlarge)
I want to go back with the kids over the summer. It’s been just as long for them seeing the zoo and I think they will get a kick out of seeing the new exhibits. Nick will love the tortoises and Roo Valley has a climbing course, the Kanga Klimb, opening up that I think both of them will love.
We, especially Ben, used to pass by Terry’s Grocery & Pizza many times over the summer on the way to Rocky Fork Lake. They are known for their pizza. However, several years ago, they added an ice cream shop at the back of the store.
Terry's Grocery & Pizza (click to enlarge)
The Dairy Bar is located at the back of the store. There is some indoor seating, but there is also a nice covered patio in the back with tables to enjoy your treats or food at. You can order inside the store or at the patio window.
Terry's Inside (Dairy Bar) (click to enlarge)
It was a cooler, rainy day when we went. It worked in our favor because there was no line! During the summer, the lines for the crazy shakes can get long. There are so many eye-catching shakes available! They cost $10, but we shared two shakes between the four of us (so unless you are a teenaged boy, you can probably share one–especially the ones with cake or donuts on top).
Outdoor patio (click to enlarge)
We ended up getting the Dirt Road and the Over The Rainbow shakes. Both were delicious, although the Over The Rainbow was much sweeter with the strawberry shake and cake. The Dirt Road was the right level of sweetness for us adults (cookies and cream, I think), although both were delicious. Some of the shakes have non-edible decorations; the Dirt Road shake came with a toy excavator, which is now on the car’s dashboard. (The car wanted a souvenir too. 😉 )
Ben and I had both seen the movie Shawshank Redemption many years ago. (Who hasn’t at this point?) With our post-trip adventure spirit of wanting to see new things, we decided to finally see the Ohio State Reformatory (aka the OSR). What do the two have in common? Parts of Shawshank were filmed at the OSR. The Ohio State Reformatory closed in 1990, after a lawsuit filed by prisoners citing conditions and overcrowding.
The prison does not have all of the outbuildings anymore, but the main building is still standing. The architecture is amazing and gives an imposing castle-like appearance.
(Ohio State Reformatory (OSR) Exterior Images: click to enlarge)
(OSR Interior Images, Tour Details, Handcuff queue barrier: click to enlarge)
(OSR Interior Images: click to enlarge)
There are two wings to the prison: East Block and West Block. The East Block was the second cell block built and holds the record for being the “largest free-standing steel cell block“. The West Block was built first and is made with concrete. This part of the prison was supposedly better for temperature control (concrete as an insulator, versus metal heats up in the summer).
EAST BLOCK IMAGES:
(East Cell Block Images, East Cell Block Showers, Mail Station: click to enlarge)
(East Block Cells, Library, Spiral Staircase: click to enlarge)
(East Block Cells: click to enlarge)
WEST BLOCK IMAGES:
(Room Between East and West Blocks, West Block Images, Solitary Confinement Rooms: click to enlarge)
(West Block Cells: click to enlarge)
(West Block Showers, Walkway, 1896 Prisoner List: click to enlarge)
You begin the tour on the upper floors of the East Block Cells. If you get vertigo, do not look down over the railings!
During our walk through the East Block, we went through a corridor. The building was built so symmetrically that when there is sunlight coming through the windows and the room doors are open, an X forms on the floor. We were there on a cloudy, rainy day, but were lucky enough that the sun peaked through enough that we could see the X.
(Symmetric Building, X in Sunlight: click to enlarge)
(Chapel, Elevator: click to enlarge)
You will eventually make it to the Guard Room on the upper floors. It sits between the East and West blocks. I almost wish we were able to start the tour here. It gives you a good overview of both sides of the prison. This room has been restored with large glass windows for viewing both cell blocks and is available for event rental.
(Guard Room Images: click to enlarge)
One of the main differences between the movie and the prison was the cell layout. The movie had the cells looking at each other, but the prison actually had the cells facing the outer walls/windows. The shower rooms were horrible. Although the movie shows them all standing next to each other in the shower room, our audio tour stated that in the East Block shower room, the prisoners would hang up their towels and would then have one minute to walk down the line of showerheads, washing as they went, single file. They got showers once a week! (FUN NOTE: During the shower scene in the movie, there was no hot water. They used dry ice to create steam and they were all washing in cold water.)
Walking The East Block Shower
The interior of the prison is striking. Not necessarily for good reasons. The common areas, where visitors would arrive and the offices are more decorative; detailed wood door and window frames, tiled floors, decorative staircase (looks like carved wood, but is actually painted metal). The cell blocks are six levels high, facing the outer walls/windows. The doors are very small. If you were a bigger person, it would not be comfortable getting in and out of the cells. The cells are also small for two people. Some of them were designed originally for 1 person occupancy, but later had two people per room (the room size did not change).
It’s a little haunting walking through, even in the daytime. The lighting is dim, especially on a rainy day like we had. There are several layers of paint peeling off the walls, bars, cells, etc. The building sat empty for many years, and maintenance has been done on the building, and the administration rooms. The rest of the building is in various states, so I would recommend wearing flat, closed-toe shoes. There were several areas of puddles or debris on the floor. The building was constructed in the late 1800s, with its first prisoners admitted in 1896. I am sure there is still lead paint and asbestos contained in the building. There were spots where windows were missing or broken, letting the weather into the building. The cell blocks are not really heated or air-conditioned, although the museum/store/ticket area is temperature-controlled, so dress for the weather.
The museum area had some interesting items, including several different types of shanks and souvenirs people could buy about the prison/prisoners (including postcards of death row inmates).
(Museum Images: click to enlarge)
(Museum Images, Souvenirs, Prisoner Woodworking Items: click to enlarge)
(Shawshank Redemption Movie Items: click to enlarge)
(Round Rooms, Tiny Doors: click to enlarge)
Shawshank Redemption may be the most popular movie shot at the prison, but there have been several other movies that have been filmed at this location. There have even been some music videos!
(Small Cell Door Width, Lil Wayne Music Video Cell: click to enlarge)
There are several different types of tours available: self-guided, self-guided with an audio wand rental, tour guide, Shawshank, ghost, etc. I would definitely recommend renting an audio wand. It was $5/wand. The volume is not very loud and you hold it next to your ear, so you may be able to get 1 wand per 2 people if you place your heads close together, but it is worth it to rent them for your whole group. There are a few signs around, mostly markers for the audio tour that have extremely limited information on them. You will miss out on a lot of information if you do not have an audio wand or go with a tour group. I think it would make the experience a lot less enjoyable. Even if you are not a ghost believer, I think going on a ghost tour at night would be extremely freaky. The atmosphere of the prison is haunting during the day, but without sunlight, it would be scary (even just for tripping hazards).
TIPS:
Wear closed toed shoes.
Dress for the weather.
Rent the Audio Wand for the self guided tour!
Be aware. Although not currently a prison, there is an active prison located behind it. You will know where because on the windows that face the active prison there are “pictures taken out these windows is prohibited” signs.
DETAILS:
WHERE: 100 Reformatory Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905
HOURS: Daily 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
COSTS: $25+ (adult tickets). Please check website for pricing for children/adults/seniors and different tours offered.
PARKING: Yes
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1.5 hours+
COVID RESTRICTIONS: N/A
Details correct at time of posting, please double check before you go.
I double-checked the park’s hours before we left, but when we got there, we were told the house was closing in 10 minutes for a staff meeting and wouldn’t be open until later that morning/early afternoon. We rushed through the house and then spent time in the Visitor Center.
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Nick got his Junior Ranger Badge. They had a neat package for the kids: a bag with the Junior Ranger program booklet, a pencil, a Junior Ranger badge sticker, and a William Howard Taft sticker. Once the booklet was completed, he turned it in to be sworn in and receive the plastic Junior Ranger badge.
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It was neat to see, especially since there is no admission fee for this Historic Site. I think we will go back again when we can spend more time in the house though and really read through everything.
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DETAILS:
WHERE: 2038 Auburn Ave, Cincinnati OH 45219
HOURS: Grounds open sunrise to sunset. House/Visitor Center open daily 8:30am-4:30pm. (Some limited hours/holiday closures)
COSTS: Free
PARKING: Yes (small sized lot)
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 30 minutes+
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Masks Optional (as of March 2022)
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.
In a small building, located among a mix of houses, is a pretzel shop in Dayton, Ohio. Smales Pretzel Bakery offers a variety of pretzels, both hard and soft.
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The area in front of the counter is small, maybe enough to fit 4 or 5 people, but it’s a squeeze. There is a parking lot located behind the building, with spots for maybe 6 to 8 cars.
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You can also find these pretzels at the local Dorothy Lane grocery stores (an upscale Dayton grocery store). I will say that if you are planning to buy the frozen soft pretzels, they are about half the cost if you buy directly at the Smale store instead of the grocery store!
The boys enjoyed the hard pretzels, but my favorite was the warm soft pretzel. It is a denser dough, but nice and soft.
Ben enjoys art museums, so we decided to check out one that we had not been to since we were kids, the Taft Museum of Art. Currently (February 2022), the house is under renovation and is not available to go through. Part of the collection has been moved to the connected Fifth Third Gallery. The rest of the collection was temporarily displayed at Union Terminal (aka the Cincinnati Museum Center, which is also a great place to visit). The house is set to reopen in June 2022, with the art collection restored to being showcased in the house.
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The museum is now offering free admission for their bicentennial, although a $10 donation is suggested. When we went in February, there were timed entries and you could reserve your spot online.
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The exhibits now have expanded information plaques, which we found very interesting. Since the collection is smaller right now, as not everything would fit in the event space, we were done in about an hour. They had several neat pieces, and we learned a few new things from the plaques.
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There is a small cafe and gift shop located there as well. During the warmer months, there is a great outdoor garden patio.
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We plan on going back after the house reopens. I’m sure it will be amazing with all the pieces back in place!
NOTE: There is a parking garage on the grounds, which is free with admission. When we went, there was some construction going on, so it was confusing to see the entrance. Coming from Pike Street, you want to stay to the left and turn left into the drive (looks like an alley) next to the house. Do NOT follow the road to the right, or you will have to drive around the block again.
DETAILS:
WHERE: 316 Pike Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
HOURS: Friday 11am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm (Through 5/21/22. Check website in May for updated hours.)
COSTS: Free/Currently a $10 donation is suggested (through 5/21/22). Normally admission is around $18.
PARKING: Yes (in garage on property–free, or city street parking/garages/lots–normally paid)
BATHROOM: Yes
TIME RECOMMENDED: 1 hour+
COVID RESTRICTIONS: Need to show proof of vaccination ages 12+ or negative test, timed entry (2/2022)
*Details correct at the time of posting, but please double check before you go.
We have been wanting to try a rolled ice cream for a while now. The timing and location just hadn’t worked out before. While we were out of town, a new place called the Milk Jar went in. The one location offered rolled ice cream!
They had a lot of different flavors. The rolled ice cream was $7. You pick a base flavor (we did Cookie Monster/cookies and cream) and then you can add unlimited toppings after it is rolled up. They start with a liquid base and pour it on the cold surface. An Oreo cookie was added and chopped up and then mixed with the freezing ice cream. The mixture was then spread thinly over the metal surface and rolled into strips.
click to enlarge
It was fun to watch and the ice cream was good, but at $7 for a bowl, it is a sometimes treat for us.
Anyone who lives near Cincinnati has heard of Jungle Jim’s. It is a grocery store. Now, if you are not from the area, you may be wondering asking “Sarah, why do I care about a grocery store?” The answer is that it is not justa grocery store. It is definitely an experience. If you are passing through or new to the area, please stop to check it out. I would recommend at least an hour or two, and if possible to go on a weekday. The weekends tend to get pretty crowded.
What makes Jungle Jim’s so unique? It is crazily decorated and offers food from around the world. It is home to the famous port-a-potty restrooms (Don’t worry, it’s just the door. The bathrooms are actually big and clean. (YouTube Video.).
There are two locations: Eastgate and Fairfield (both in Ohio). Both locations have the port-a-potty- bathrooms and the Jungle Jim’s movie that show how the store began (NOTE: as of February 2022, the Eastgate location still had the movie playing, but the Fairfield location had the movie room closed). Both locations offer an amazing variety of foods to discover. (Ben loves the winesap apples Jungle Jim’s carries. It is by far his favorite apple. The kids love finding new “weird” snacks to try.) However, each one is decorated differently (mostly because these are one-of-a-kind items). My personal favorite is the original location at Fairfield. Why? I think it has more things to see and to explore.
Eastgate has similar offerings of the Big Cheese, international food items, a big fish counter, and a large candy section. There are some larger decorations at the Eastgate location including an old beehive amusement park ride and a small Airstream RV. If we are just going to go for a quick grocery run, we might go to Eastgate.
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Fairfield has a monorail system installed along the side and front of the store. The cars are stationed amid a large snake-guarded building (located on the right side of the building when facing the front). Inside the store, you will find a large ship in the seafood department, a singing Elvis bear in the candy area, and a Robin Hood treasure-filled forest scene in the English food section where I like to pick up tea and Hobnob’s. They offer cooking classes and different tasting events. There is also a pressed penny machine there.
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Tours are also available for a fee and are by appointment only. We have not done one yet, but it does look fun! There is also a weekly podcast that broadcasts on Wednesdays.
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NOTE: Although both locations have very large parking lots, there is not really designated RV parking.
