We love to do a variety of things on family road trips. Mixing fun and educational means no one gets bored and our family will be talking about “the adventure of a lifetime” for years to come. Amusement parks like Cedar Point are always a highlight with our kids and this year was no different.
Amusement parks, especially in the northern states, are synonymous with summer, am I right? Cedar Point is one of those that I think is especially so because it gets so chilly off the lake in winter. We love to visit in the early fall, like we did this last September, when the park is a little quieter and the lines are a little smaller.
Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio in a prime location along Lake Erie, affording gorgeous views of the lake from roller coasters and the ultimate view of the park AND lake from our favorite WindSeeker. It dates back to 1870 as the second oldest amusement park in North America and is one of the easiest to navigate from our family’s experience.
With the title “Roller Coaster Capital of the World”, many roller coasters do indeed call it home with their newest Valravn claiming the crown for tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in the world. No, I did not ride it. thank.you.very.much. I prefer my stomach where it belongs these days and I’m just old enough not to care if I’m called chicken. My oldest waffled back and forth before deciding not to ride.
Our family visited for Bloggy Con 2016, a small but welcoming conference that is especially great for newer bloggers or veteran bloggers who want a refresher or fun networking opportunity that also leaves time for family vacationing. Our family took it as a great adventure after a long and crazy summer where we uprooted our family from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire only to basically be homeless for 8 weeks – spending 3 weeks in a small apartment someone graciously let us use, then tent living for 2 weeks, then back in the apartment for another 3 weeks. Think we needed a vacation after that?!
You may have already seen our stop in Niagara Falls, but it you haven’t, make sure you check it out. Short, but sweet, it was an unexpected last minute adventure before the main event at Cedar Point. We found 2 days to be just the right amount of time at Cedar Point, which is good news if you can only visit for the weekend with kids in school. We had the opportunity to visit the park both at night, during early open hours (benefit of staying at Hotel Breakers), and regular weekend hours so we had the full experience that early fall gives you. (Go! You won’t regret it!)
[clickToTweet tweet=”Affordable #TravelTip: Travel in the off-season for better #travel deals & cheaper packages. ” quote=”Affordable #TravelTip: Travel in the off-season for better #travel deals & cheaper packages. “]
Hotel Breakers Rooms
We went to Cedar Point several years ago and had a double bed room and it was lovely. However, now that the kids are older, we need a little more space and the Lakeview Suites are perfect.
The suites have been newly renovated and have 2 queen-sized beds and a pullout couch, you can comfortably fit 6. We didn’t need it, but if they allow you to have a cot in the room, you could easily fit that with space to move around still.
The suite was spacious with a small kitchenette that included a sink, mini fridge, microwave, and cupboard space. There is no coffeemaker, but Starbucks is located on the main floor just off the lobby.
The rooms were clean, the beds comfy, and the pillows worked well. I loved the bright amusement park theme in the room. We also had a great view of the lake…and the roof below. Since it was fall the water was restless and moody looking but it was so nice to sit out on our little balcony and enjoy the sounds of the water and feel the breeze coming off the lake.
We definitely feel the convenience of staying at Hotel Breakers is worth it, not just for the view but the convenience of just being up the Boardwalk from the park. It makes the trips back and forth to the room much easier.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Affordable #TravelTip: Travel with your coffeepot/electric tea kettle. Great way to save $$$ on #beverages.” quote=”Affordable #TravelTip: Travel with your coffeepot/electric tea kettle. Great way to save $$$ on #beverages & splurge on fun things.”]
Cedar Point Park
We love the Peanuts theme at Cedar Point. It’s a throwback to simpler times with Charlie Brown and comic strips. The kids spent months on the Cedar Point website looking at rides and ride videos, plotting what they were going to ride. The promise of this vacation and exploring New Hampshire ice cream shops is what got them through this summer.
Dining Options
The park has plenty of dining options to choose from, including meal plans. Sandusky is also just 15 minutes away with many more dining options, grocery stores, and big box stores if you find you forgot necessities…like sunscreen or diapers. Or maybe a jacket. Let’s just say they also have Steak ‘n Shake.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Affordable #TravelTip: Plan make-your-own meals & budget at least 1 meal out so you are more likely to stay on plan. ” quote=”Affordable Travel Tip: Map out your meals and snacks ahead of time. Mix it up with a few meals out and make-your-own meals. Always plan at least one fun meal so you are more likely to stick to the plan. “]
They also have an ALDI, which is a great stop for snacks and water. You could also bring some food from home like I did. Clean out the refrigerator soup was on our menu the first night.
The Rides
The park has a nice mix of rides and shows for the littlest members of the family and the more thrill seeking members, who aren’t always the biggest members *ahem*.
We all had our favorites: Witch’s Wheel, Maverick, Corkscrew, and WindSeeker topped the list, but I can’t believe my kids outgrew the Ferris Wheel. How is that even possible?!
We learned quickly to mix high speed rides with some calmer rides to avoid queasy stomachs and to hit the popular lines early and anytime we didn’t see a line, and my daughter learned what I’m willing to do for her. I still can’t believe I rode this thing!
Fun along the Erie
The fun doesn’t have to stop at Cedar Point Park! After you spend some time at the park you can also see and do many other things in the area. Take a look at what Lake Erie Shores and Islands has to offer.
We were low on time so we didn’t get to see much outside the park but I’m already looking at what we can do next time we are through that area. Perhaps next April?
There’s so much more I can say about our trip to Cedar Point but what’s the fun in telling you everything?! You need to book your own family road trip vacation and make some of your own memories. Oh! I almost forgot, we grabbed the FunPix package to document our visit. If you’re going to be riding the roller coasters it’s well worth your money.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Affordable #TravelTip: Check parking costs. Often convenience, gas, & parking make it worth staying onsite. ” quote=”Affordable #TravelTip: Check parking costs. Often convenience, gas, & parking make it worth staying onsite. “]
If you haven’t checked out our family road trip itinerary for RTKB Travels 2016: New Hampshire to Cedar Point, you can do so here.
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