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It’s Always Warm at Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark Sandusky, Ohio + GIVEAWAY!

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Castaway Bay Resort review and giveaway

** Giveaway over.  Congrats to Lori Mahlich!

Are you completely done with winter, like I am?  The weather has not only been unrelentingly cold but the snow just keeps coming!  I can’t wait for warmer temperatures, sand between my toes and the sun upon my face but unfortunately we still have quite a few months to wait.  Thankfully, my family was invited to escape winter’s harshness and spend the weekend at Cedar Point’s Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark!  Did you know it’s always a balmy 82° at Castaway Bay?

As soon as we walked through the doors my kiddos squealed with delight when they saw the large pirate ship located right inside the lobby.  The tropical decor really helped set the mood and we couldn’t wait to check into our room and change into our suits.  Our room had two comfy beds, and large bathroom, mini refrigerator, microwave and screened balcony (of course, it was a little too cold to enjoy that last amenity).

Castaway Bay Sandusky Ohio

As soon as possible we headed to the indoor waterpark.  I wasn’t sure who was more excited me or my boys.  Our first stop was the wave pool where we frolicked in the warm waters and jumped in the waves for quite a long time.  Another favorite was the indoor/outdoor hot tub that the whole family could enjoy.  It was so fun to enjoy a warm soak while there was snow on the ground around us.

Castaway Bay Sandusky review

Castaway Bay wave pool

Castaway Bay Sandusky Ohio 1

Toddler’s Tide Pool has three slides, spraying gadgets and more!

Since my two youngest boys (ages 3 and 6) were with me we wound up spending a lot of time in the Toddler’s Tidepool and the Lookout Lagoon Family Funhouse.  These areas are perfect for the “kid” in all of us.  There are smaller slides in the toddler area along with a zero entry pool.  I really liked that I could sit nearby while I watched my boys play.  If your child is looking for a bit more adventure, The Lookout Lagoon will be right up their alley.  This gigantic multi-story interactive play area has more than 100 different elements, including a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket and water slides.

Castaway Bay Sandusky Ohio 2
I was so happy to see my son Mason get adventurous and try out the Congo Crossing at Castaway Bay.  He’s never had quite the courage to do this in the past summer’s at Cedar Point’s Soak City so he was excited to make it across the first time.  I can’t imagine the strength that takes…and no I did NOT attempt this myself. 🙂

While at Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark, don’t miss the three Tropical Tubes Slides and Creature Cove.  For those of you who dare you can also try out Rendezvous Run which is a 35-foot-high, 520-foot-long water roller coaster that propels riders uphill using water jets.  FUN!

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Even out of the water, Castaway Bay Resort has a ton of activities for you and your family!  Here are just a few:

  • 6,000-square-foot state-of-the-art arcade
  • Peanut characters meet and greet
  • A craft and child activity center
  • Face painting/baloons
  • Family movie and story time with Snoopy
  • Three restaurants
  • Retail shops

Castaway Birthday Club = FREE Day Pass!!

Did you know that your kids can get a FREE Castaway Bay day pass on their birthday?  Yep, just sign them up and they can choose either a complimentary Waterpark Day Pass or a Birthday Fun Pack (only available for our overnight guests). Also if you choose to host your child’s birthday at Castaway Bay, the birthday child is FREE when booking with 8 or more paid guests.  You’ll also be signed up for Castaway Bay coupons and special savings!  Who doesn’t like coupons, right?

Castaway Bay coupons

Do you want to get out of the cold and spend the day at Castaway Bay Indoor Waterpark?  One winner will be randomly chosen to win a 4 pack of day passes!  What a perfect day to spend with the family!  You can enter once a day…good luck!

Disclaimer:  This is not a paid post.  All opinions are my own.  Thanks to Castaway Bay for giving me tickets for review and giveaway. 





Plan a family night out with the Lake Erie Monsters + Giveaway!

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Lake Erie Monsters
GIVEAWAY over.  Congrats to Ashley Senn!

Recently, my family was invited to attend a Lake Erie Monsters game at The Q Arena!  Before the game started we walk around the concourse and I was excited to see all that a Lake Erie Monsters hockey can offer, in addition to a game!

If you have little ones like I do, you can appreciate how busy they can be.  Sitting for any extended period of time usually doesn’t work real well, but the Lake Erie Monsters offer so many activities they don’t have to.  In addition to watching a high energy, action packed game, you and you family can also enjoy a bunch of FREE concourse activities such as sign-making, temporary tattoos, games, uniform try-on stations, and hair and face painting (don’t worry, it will wash off).  With all of these you are sure to keep even your youngest entertained between periods or on extended bathroom breaks.

Lake Erie Monsters 1
During the game keep your eyes pealed as there is a good chance that you’ll run into everyone’s favorite mascot, Sully!  Did you know that he has his very own Twitter account?  It must be easy for a bald eagle to “tweet”!Lake Erie Monster’s games are thrilling to watch but throughout the game there were more than enough times to stand and cheer, do a little dance and even participate in on-screen jumbo tron activities.   Best of all, throughout the season, you can expect a lineup of theme nights and giveaways.  The night we attended they gave out Monsters Piggy Banks which were a huge hit with my kids!Lake Erie Monsters 3
A few upcoming promotional nights that you won’t want to miss include Neon Night on February 21st where neon sunglasses will be given out, March 7th for Monster sock giveaway, and March 23rd where kids not only eat FREE but the first 1000 kids will receive a FREE Castaway Waterpark pass!

Lake Erie Monster’s Promotional Nights:

  • All Giveaways, unless otherwise noted, are for the first 5,000 fans in attendance (Shown in Blue)
  • College ID Nights are every weekday (Tuesday – Thursday), presented by RTA & WMMS: Receive $6 tickets with a valid college ID or $5 tickets valid RTA fare card or UPASS sticker along with college ID at the Quicken Loans Arena Box Office
  • Thirsty Thursday presented by RTA & WMMS: Fans can enjoy $2 14 ounce select draft beers and $5 Monster Margaritas during every Thursday night home game
  • Dollar Dog & Dollar Soda Nights are every Friday night and are presented by Sugardale and Pepsi: Hot dogs and 16-ounce sodas are just one dollar each
  • Postgame Skates presented by Hudec Dental following every Friday night home game. Skates are available to rent for a $3 donation to the Monsters Community Fund (while supplies last)
  • Military Discount: Receive $5 tickets (select locations) with a valid Military ID at the Quicken Loans Arena Box Office

Lake Erie Monsters’s give back not only to their fans but also to local non profit organizations.  While at your next Lake Erie Monster’s game be sure to find the 50/50 table which allow you to enter a raffle to win money!  One fan will get half while the other portion goes to an area non profit group!  It’s truly a win-win!

Lake Erie Monsters 2

Want to attend a game (well of course, right?)?  Well you may be interested in purchasing theFamily plan which includes, 4 lower level seats, $20 in FREE food, and a digital family picture for $59.  You can also purchase tickets:


WIN TICKETS!!

I’m super excited to share that I’m hosting another Winter Family Fun giveaway!  One winner will receive a 4 pack of tickets to the  Wednesday, February 26th game versus the Texas Stars.  Best of all these are AWESOME seats, section 108 row 4!  Yep, really close to the action!

Enter below and good luck!  Keep in mind that you can enter once per day!

Disclosure: This is not a paid post. All opinions are my own. A huge thanks to the Lake Erie Monsters for providing my tickets for review and giveaway!




Ghostly Manor Thrill Center Is SUPER Fun For Kids – Sandusky Ohio

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ghostly manor review

While staying for the weekend at Sawmill Creek Resort, my family had the opportunity to check out Ghostly Manor Thrill Center in Sandusky, Ohio.  This gem is filled so many activities that my family was able to spend the whole afternoon and as we left my boys begged to come back!

Ghostly Manor Thrill Center has a full sized skating rink, 3-D mini golf, XD Theater, arcade games, year round haunted house, and bounce houses.  With so many activities all under one roof, it’s the place to be for families with a wide age group of kids.  Ghostly Manor allows you to pay individually for each activity or offers money saving package deals.

As soon as we walked in, the kids ran straight to the 4D XD Theater.  This ride allows you to pick from five action-packed movie experiences from an under the sea adventure to a trip down a snowy, pine-covered mountainside.  Before the movie starts you are given 3D glasses and are belted into an oversized seat but since this ride can get bumpy, children need to be over 40″ tall.

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We split up the group and choose two different movies to watch.  While the first group went in, we stayed right outside of the enclosed curtain and hear a lot of giggling and laughing.  In fact, my mom, who never rides roller coasters said their ride, Canyon Coaster, was downright thrilling.  This attraction is a must-see on your next trip to Ghostly Manor.

Next up we headed over to Wizard’s Journey which is a 3D blacklight mini-golf adventure.  It starts unlike most golf games as this one has a video at the beginning where you learn about your quest and are given 3D glasses to wear (some of the kids chose not to wear them but still had a blast).  I think the attention to detail in this attraction was simply amazing and the sound effects made it extra fun.

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Even with all the fun we had already had, we were just getting started!  Ghostly Manor just recently added a huge addition to their building and created a place where kids can jump, slide and bounce.   With five inflatables to choose from (some have height restrictions) kids can play the day away.  This area also boasts a HUGE 3 level play area with bridges, tunnels, and slides, oh my!  I’ve never seen such a structure before.

While supervision is required in this area I appreciated that there were staff members to help keep an eye on the kids also.  Staff members while young, seemed to really love their job and interacted very well with the kids. Later in the day, I was so happy to see them wiping down not only the play structure but also the bounce houses with a mild cleaning detergent.  When asked, they said that they did this each day.

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Are you ready for this?  Even after all of that, we still weren’t done at Ghostly Manor because we still had to check out their full sized skating rink!  What is absolutely unique here is that not only can you skate but you can also use 2 or 3 wheeled scooters which were perfect for my two youngest boys.  In fact, for a small fee, they even rent a roller bar which makes skating a breeze.

For those of you who dare, you may also want to check out their year round haunted house full of haunts and spooks.  In fact, this haunted house is one of the most highly rated ones in the United States and has been featured on several TV shows, including The Travel Channel.  Since we had five children under 8 with us we chose to save this attraction for a few years from now.

In the end I was blown away by the amount of activities that Ghostly Manor Thrill Center offered.  As a mom of three boys who like to venture out on their own, I really loved that we didn’t all have to be doing the same thing.  So will we be back? ABSOLUTELY!




Cleveland Metroparks Zoo giveaway! Have you entered?

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cleveland metroparks zoo
Who says winter can’t be FUN in Cleveland?  Be sure to read all about our fun trip to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and enter to win 4 tickets!  We had a blast and I’m sure you will too!

Don’t stay inside this winter, read more about “Winter Family Fun in Cleveland”!

** Monster Jam coming 2/14/14 to Cleveland, Ohio
** Tobogganing at The Chalet in Strongsville
** Sawmill Creek Resort Snow Fest in Huron, Ohio




Winter Family Fun at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

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cleveland metroparks zoo

GIVEAWAY over!  Congrats to Tiffany Hoesel!

Looking for something FUN to do this winter?  Head off to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo!

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is obviously a family favorite during the spring, summer and fall months but I think visiting during the winter can be just as much fun, if not, my favorite time to visit!  Here are a few reasons that The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is on my list of “Winter Family Fun”!

cleveland metroparks zoo

Smaller crowds:
Growing up, my parents would buy a yearly family membership to The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and to maximize the benefits we went year round.  In fact, one of my favorite winter zoo memories is sliding down the ice covered stone stairs of the seal exhibit with my siblings…what energy we had!
If you visit the zoo during the winter months there are virtually no lines at the ticket counters, restrooms or the concession stands. Since there are a lot less people, you won’t have to feel rushed to move along because there is a family behind you waiting, nor will you have to hold up your child to see over the crowds in the smaller exhibits.

cleveland metroparks zoo winter
Indoor exhibits:

The Cleveland Zoo offers many heated indoor exhibits including the unique two-acre, two-level Rainforest exhibit, African Elephant Crossing, Wolf Lodge and the Primate, Cat and Aquatics building. We especially love visiting the Rainforest in the winter as the balmy temps inside are a welcome retreat to the harsh winter air.  With over 10,000 plants and over 600 animals from the jungles of Asia, Africa and the Americas, you could easily spend the afternoon just in this one building.


cleveland metroparks zoo winter

Much cooler:
While we love visiting the zoo in the middle of the summer, the cooler temperatures of winter allow us to enjoy the park without the humidity and haze that July can bring.  I find that many of the furry animals are much more active this time of year too as they are not hiding away trying to get out of the heat.
If the cold has you hesitant about walking about, no worries; The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo offers trams to transport you to the different areas.  We rode a open air tram up the the Primate building, much to the excitement of my boys and a heated bus on the way back and out to the Northern Trek.  Best of all, there were no lines!

cleveland metroparks zoo winter


Less expensive:
Well of course I’d be talking about this!  If you don’t have a Cleveland Zoo family membership (as low as $74 for two adult and up to 6 kids), then visiting the zoo in the winter months can save you money!  Winter rates, November through March, will snag you a $4 discount on adult tickets and a $2 discount on kids.  Depending how many are in your family, that can save you quite a lot!

cleveland metroparks zoo winter
It’s gorgeous:
Without the summer heat and large crowds, we were able to take our time and truly enjoy our day.  I think there is something quite peaceful about the snow covered paths, serene foliage, and smaller crowds that makes the winter months one of the best times to visit!

cleveland metroparks zoo winter fun
Want to make a visit to the Cleveland Metroparks?  One reader will be randomly selected to win a 4 pack of tickets!  Enter below:

Give away is over!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer:  This is not a paid post.  Thank you to The Cleveland Metroparks for providing tickets for a review and giveaway.  All opinions are my own




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  Hi my name is Rachel and am a stay-at-home mom to three boys here in northeast Ohio.  I've been "couponing" for over 5 years and it has completely … [Click To Find Out More...]