Another Summer Get-a-Way

Last week, we spent two days (and one night) in Cincinnati. Cincinnati is just 90 miles from Indy, so the kids didn’t even finish a Harry Potter movie before we arrived. We spent the first part of day one at the Creation Museum, which is actually in Kentucky. This brand new museum tells the biblical story of creation in a comparative format with the big-bang theory. The museum is beautiful and everything is very well done. Here is a picture of Andrew as he discovers the giant moving dinasour above him.

But, very crowded and lots of reading. The kids were not too interested, except for an occasional naked Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark. After we toured the museum, we hung around on the grounds passing time until our 4:30 planetarium visit. The grounds are beautiful and while also still very new (and the foliage isn’t very lush yet), there is a winding asphalt path, flowing water, beautiful flowers and one of those rope foot bridges (you know, like rope and wood planks—a real challenge to walk on).

The boys enjoyed that way more than the museum. We scouted snakes in the water and butterflies on the flowers. Jeff scouted mullets (seriously, he did. It is Kentucky, so he kept pretty busy). But, we couldn’t pass enough time in the heat and ended up heading to the hotel before our planetarium show time. We checked in the hotel and the boys spent some time jumping on the beds. Then, we headed to the pool for a swim. Andrew was ready before everyone else so he and I snuck back to the room, got our clothes back on and went to the bar for cocktail hour. I got him a Shirley Temple and he drank it in the lobby while I drank my wine and we waited on the others. They joined us for another cocktail and more Shirley Temples. We ate dinner at the hotel to keep things simple. The hotel restaurant was along the river (actually on the Kentucky side, looking over to Cincinnati). There was a Reds game wrapping up and much activity on the river. The restaurant was empty and the kids could enjoy themselves (a good think because my glass of wine was very big and by that point, I didn’t pay too much attention to what they were doing). Back to the room after dinner for bath and showers. I ordered sundaes from room service and once everyone was out of the bath, the sundaes arrived. Ah, they love to eat room service in bed…just like me. My little Leona Helmsleys, I am so proud.

Next day started with breakfast downstairs in the hotel again. While we tried to search out a little local breakfast spot, we just were not in that part of town (if that part of town exists at all in Covington, Kentucky). Then, off to the Cincinnati Museum Center to see the pirate’s exhibit. This is an exhibit of items recovered from the only discovered pirate ship. It is a wonderful exhibit. In the intro, the docent said, “You know who Captain Jack Sparrow is, don’t you?” and the boys eagerly answered yes. She sternly and dramatically replied, “Well, forget him. He is make believe. What you are about to see is the real deal.” In that same re-functioned train station is the Children’s Museum. Indy is home to one of the world’s (and I mean world, not state or nation) most renowned children’s museums—but this one had some very cool stuff. The boys were totally occupied every second they were there. Then, a quick trip to the Museum of Science and Natural History. Back to the hotel to check out and off to lunch at an arcade (sort of like a Dave & Buster’s). Phillip was in heaven. Final stop, the Newport Aquarium. It was over $70 to get in—Jeff and I both almost passed out. So not worth the money, but still a nice little (and I mean little in the “quaint” sort of way) aquarium. Oh, and
after we paid and entered the museum, they said—no strollers. We were like, hu?!? It isn’t always easy to keep track of three little kids in a crowded space like a museum. But, we managed. Then, in the car and back home. A quick but fun trip.