Every year, millions of Americans weigh their travel options when considering a fun trip for the entire family – and many love theme parks.

Do you love Ohio theme parks but hate the high prices and long line-ups? Do you plan a family vacation every year to Six Flags, but are tired of fighting the crowds and constantly opening your wallet? If so, keep reading for a basic guide that will help you survive the ups and downs of Ohio’s roller coaster parks.

Can Your Kids Handle It?

Certain rides may come with age restrictions, but theme parks don’t. However, just because you can take your three-year-old to Six Flags, does that mean you should?

Remember, younger children can really slow down the pace of the day as you make your way from the rides to the potty to the cafeteria and back to the rides. Smaller infants are often easier as they can be pushed in a stroller, but it also limits your options as a parent. However, before you take your kids to a theme park, ask yourself if they’re ready.

Be Realistic About Cost

A frugal five-night vacation for a family of four near Ohio theme parks will run about $2,000 – plus transportation. Roughly one-third will be for tickets, a third for food, and the rest for lodging and incidentals. But there are ways to cut back.

To save money, try to avoid buying anything inside the park. For example, pack light and healthy snacks like granola or apples to keep your kids going without draining your bank account on expensive park food. Also, purchase items like hats and sunscreen before you arrive.

Avoid the Crowds

Finally, call the park you want to visit and ask for a vacation-planning guide and a map so you can plot out your plan of attack. In general, theme parks are laid out in a giant convoluted circle. Theme park vets will tell you that most people veer to the right after entering the gate – so go left and work your way through in a clockwise rotation.

You can also avoid the crowds by heading straight for the rear of the park and slowly work your way toward the entrance. While you make your way to the front, you’ll avoid the rush of people. Also, get a map of the park ahead of time and plan out your route the day before.

Say No to Ticket Lines

Buy tickets in advance. The main ticket window is one major line that can be skipped entirely. Arrive when the park opens with entry tickets in hand.

Where to Go

Probably the most popular out of all the Ohio theme parks is Cedar Point. It’s the biggest amusement park in the world and home to some of the highest and longest roller coasters too. Other parks in the area include Six Flags, SeaWorld, King’s Island and numerous others.

The most unique aspect of many towns and cities in Ethiopia is their distinctiveness. Addis is modern, big, crowded and hilly, where Harar is a medieval walled city which seems to take you back in time. In stark contrast to Addis Ababa is Axum a town located somewhere in the middle of nowhere, while Bahirdar is relaxed and tropical.

Among the most inspiring and charming of places is Gondar Ethiopia with its art-deco Italian elegance. Whichever places tourists visit Gondar Ethiopia should be on their must see list of destinations.

Gondar is re-known for its 300 year old Disney like castles and absorbing architecture from the 1930’s. It also offers an amazing array of colorful flowers that tempt one to stay a lot longer than planned.

Gondar Ethiopia is situated in the North – West of Ethiopia, south is Tana Lake and north are the Simien Mountains. Travelers generally come here from Axum, Bahirdar or Simien and if not going further north turn eastward to Lalibela. The road north and east of Gondar is stunning.

This is the best of what can be experienced in the Abyssinian plateau, but is the most difficult to travel if we are talking about the main roads in the north of Ethiopia. The road to Axum, built by the Italians during there occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930’s is an extreme feat of engineering. The road twists and turns with sharp bends that go on for much longer than any map would suggest. It crosses the highest Ethiopian mountain range Simien, which makes it another must stop-over, for any tourist.

Expeditions across the Simien range are more attractive with tourists, calling more and more on those who try to find the last forgotten spots in the world. This is undoubtedly one of those places, but for how long will it remain so ?

No matter how you reach Gondar, its appeal will cause you to want to stay longer than you planned. For the traveler seeking to immerse themselves in history it is a location rich in ancient history and stunning scenic views.

The Gondarine Empire
Gondar was established where the long-distance trade routes crossed. Gold, salt, ivory and slaves were carried, sold and bought there. It is not known exactly when Gondar began life as a trading center.

However, it is obvious that the beginning of its power was connected with moving the Empire’s political center towards the western part of the Abyssinian plateau in the 17th Cent. From that point in time, Gonder began to be the first capital of Ethiopia since the Axumite Empire.

Before the rise of Gonder successive Emperors along with their courtiers would exercise powers from nomadic encampments. Gonder was at the center of the Empire’s seat of power until the mid-19th century after which time it was forsaken and slowly declined.

Italians came to Ethiopia in 1936. They started and won a bloody war, and occupied the country. Emperor Selassie I, conscious that to stay in Ethiopia would mean certain death to him and his family, left to Europe and continued political struggle for his country. Gondar was by then the long forgotten place, with its castles left to fall into disrepair.

But this town charmed and became a big attraction to the Italians. The settlement of the Italians started a new phase in the history of Gondar. They pronounced it a capital of a newly established Amhara province and began the construction of houses, hotels and government buildings.

They even constructed an artificial lake, so that the Governor of the province had a view from his residency, what is now one of the most attractive Gonder hotels. The town was created in an art-deco style, where Italian restaurants and coffee houses were found in abundance as they still are to this day.

About the Author
Dr. Rubinkowska travels frequently to Ethiopia. A lecturer at Warsaw University, Department of African Languages and Cultures she specializes in the history of Ethiopia.

More information on ethiopia africa is available at ethiopiantour.com or you can follow the continuation about the castles and ruins at gondar ethiopia where on an ethiopia website we also have other travel reviews and facts about Ethiopia.

No matter where you head for a family fun vacation, the hotel or resort in which you stay can make or break the prospect of a relaxing trip. Among your many exciting travel options, Beaches Turks and Caicos should be one of your considerations.

Beaches Turks and Caicos underwent a $100 million renovation project about 5 years ago and the resort has since gone from the unknown to a major family-friendly destination.

To find out more about the resort, who it’s targeted toward and how it measures up, read on for a broad overview.

Targeted Clientele

As a Beaches resort, Beaches Turks and Caicos is all about appealing to families. Their villas in the French village are their most popular family option, allowing parents and children to share a space with multiple bedrooms.

If you’re planning to visit this resort as a couple, you may want to think again as the majority of guests are families and the activities tend to be targeted toward kids and family-friendly activities.

The Rooms

The French Village features 166 deluxe rooms which are divided among several buildings that encircle the large courtyard.

They’re decorated in old French style and all the rooms come with their own patio or balcony. Unfortunately, the deluxe rooms are still rather small, especially if you’re sharing with the kids.

Resort Areas

A porte cochere welcomes guests to the reception area, which is decorated in the same style as the guest rooms. The large courtyard serves as the primary public area for this part of the property. It features a 4,000-square-foot swimming pool with a swim-up bar, bandstand, three new restaurants and a French-themed bar.

Guests also have access to all the amenities offered by the main property, including a 900-square-foot European spa and salon, a fitness center that features top-of-the-line cardiovascular equipment and free weights, and two large meeting rooms seating up to 200 people theater-style, 150 classroom-style and 120 banquet-style.

The Food

Thanks to its new French theme, there are now three French a la carte restaurants here. The first is Cafe de Paris, which just serves pastries, light treats and coffee. The second is Le Petit Chateau which is an upscale French dining facility with a dress code. The last is Guiseppe’s which offers Italian and French fusion food.

Guests also have the option of dining in any one of the six restaurants located at the main property. Choices range from Teppanyaki-style Japanese cuisine at Kimonos to elegantly served Caribbean delights at Sapodilla’s to pizza and fries for the kids at Bobby D’s.

Drawbacks

There was no resort information (descriptions and locations of restaurants, facility hours, etc.) in the guest rooms at Beaches Turks and Caicos resort. Some guests have also experienced minor plumbing problems like low water pressure in showers. In addition, this is definitely a family resort and shouldn’t be considered for a romantic getaway.