Summer road trip advice

I would like to take my kids on a ';road trip'; stopping at the following, I presume in this order:

Bowling Green, for a tour of the Corvette factory

Mammoth Cave NP area

Loiusville (what there?)

Cincy area for:

Creation Museum

Freedom Center

Reds game

King%26#39;s Island

Questions:

How many days? Itinerary suggestions? I think we really only want to see one cave tour, and, wondering how do King%26#39;s Island and Six Flags in Louisville compare?

We are not Theme park junkies, so I imagine my kids will like either, but was wondering what specifics would help me make a decision. ( we will NOT go to both)

Hotels- should we stay south of the River while in Cincy, or go into town?

Any advice for early planning would be great.

Thanks in advance,

Miller

Summer road trip advice

I%26#39;d do Kings Island before Six Flags. Kings Island is bigger, and it has some of the longest, fastest roller coasters in the world. One thing...make sure you do Kings Island on a weekday...definately not a Saturday or Sunday.

I think you can do Cincinnati in two days. I%26#39;m assuming you%26#39;d be driving up from Louisville that day. You can do the Creation Museum in the morning, the Freedom Center in the afternoon and the Reds that night. Night games usually start at 7:10, so hopefully the game will end about 10.

I wouldn%26#39;t stay downtown...too expensive. However, I wouldn%26#39;t in Kentucky, because you%26#39;d be backtracking when you go to Kings Island the following day. I%26#39;d travel north on I-71 about 20 miles to the Fields-Ertel exit (the exit right before Kings Island). There are several moderately priced motels at that exit. And you%26#39;re only five minutes away from Kings Island, the next exit north.

Kings Island is pretty big, so I%26#39;m allowing the whole day there (the park is open from 10-10 on weekdays). But an alternative if you aren%26#39;t really big theme park junkies...you can skip the Reds game the night before and check into your motel late afternoon or early evening. You open Kings Island up at 10 am, stay until about 4:30, then make it to the Reds game in time for the first pitch at 7:10. After the game, you travel south on I-75 to Florence (about 13 miles south). There are several moderatedly priced restaurants there.

HTH.

Summer road trip advice

I agree with the previous post, Kings Island is definitely a better choice than Six Flags. You don%26#39;t mention your kids ages, but my kids liked the Nickelodeon theme there. Hotels in this area will be relatively inexpensive and much more convenient than on the KY side.

Since you%26#39;re going to a game, I assume you%26#39;re baseball fans so while in Louisville your kids should love the Slugger Museum downtown. It%26#39;s also right near the Science Center, Frazier Museum, the Muhammad Ali Center, Glassworks, and the waterfront park depending on your interests. Kid friendly restaurants downtown include the Hard Rock Cafe %26amp; The Old Spaghetti Factory. I%26#39;d recommend trying to stay downtown so you can walk to the attractions unless you decide to do Six Flags where you could get a cheaper hotel nearby with a shuttle.

I agree that the Six Flags here is a little outdated. I just wrote somebody else to mention The Great American Dollhouse Museum; should be fantastic, but it%26#39;s not slated to open until June 1. The site is www.thedollhousemuseum.com.

My kids liked to go to all the attractions at the old Union Station museum in Cincinnati. The building is beautiful and there%26#39;s an Imax and a natural history museum and some other fun things. Last time I was there the food wasn%26#39;t very plentiful or good, though. That may have changed. IT%26#39;s been years.

Great replies, THANK YOU! (Keep it coming, please...)

I have boys, so I do not know if they%26#39;d be interested in the dollhouse museum, BUT, it is possible another family is travelling with us, and they have a daughter who might. Is it in Louisville?

Also, w/ regard to hotel in Cincinnati, will I need to get in my car and drive back to towm for the ballgame, and to attractions that are downtown, (and pay for parking there, etc.) or is ther a public transportation that is recommended, ot is a cab affordable, etc?

Thanks, Miller

The Dollhouse Museum is in Danville, KY, about an hour and a quarter from Louisville. It will open in late spring/early summer. It does have appeal for boys as it contains a big castle, caves with dragons, a fantasy forest, vehicles, architecture and a lot of other stuff like that. It%26#39;s not full of prissiness. : )

In Cincinnati you should consider crossing the river to Newport in Kentucky to visit the excellent aquarium. Newport Landing, where the aquarium is located, also has a branch of the Hofauhhaus of Munich, Germany.

In Louisville, if you are baseball fans--visit the Louisville Slugger Museum as suggested and also take in a Louisville Bats AAA game iin beautiful Slugger Field. You will enjoy that more than a MLB game.

Ifyou are coming during a race meet I highly recommend a visit to Churchhill Downs, the world%26#39;s most storied race track.

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