Traveling With Kids : A Day at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

I visited the location in this article as a guest of the Columbus Zoo.

On our first week of summer we traveled to Columbus, Ohio with the kids to experience one of the many fantastic offerings the city has for families. We got a chance to get our walk on, enjoy the sun and see so many breath taking animals all in one spot!

Where was this? If you are following me on Instagram you might have guessed that we visited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium! If you are not following me there, you should be! I am getting more active there and sharing lots of my adventures!

We visited the Columbus Zoo on a perfect June day. As soon as we arrived and decided on a path, we were able to take in the sights of the Black Rhino enjoying his morning munch.

The mom in me swooned over the swans with the eggs in their nest.

My son and I loved the Camels!

The sheer number of exhibits and animals at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium makes it well worth the trip to the city,

 The elephants were lovely!

The flamingos made a great group to photograph!

We have visited the Columbus Zoo numerous times over the years. I am never disappointed and I am always very impressed with the continuous effort to make this one of the best places for families to visit for a zoo experience!

This guy stole my daughters heart and attention. She was amazed with him!


I wanted to share a few tips with you to make your next trip to the Columbus Zoo even more enjoyable, if you are traveling with the kids.

Make sure your children wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking and this is a good thing! Kids will get plenty of activity and hopefully sleep wonderfully that night, but folks, do you really want to be carrying a 20+ pound child for several miles?

If your kids are not accustomed to walking very far, take them on a few walks around the block as preparation for the Zoo. 

Pack a few drinks and snacks for the kids to sustain them in between meals and exhibits!

Sunscreen! Enough said!

Bring a pack of travel Baby Wipes. Even if the kids are a bit older these are so handy for freshening up in the summer!

Make sure your phones and cameras are ready for lots of great photo ops!

Grab a map, if the kids are really little, like mine are, decide what exhibits are most important to see and aim for those first, seeing what you can on the way. You never know how much a small child can take in terms of walking in the summer sun.

Take advantage of the play areas for the kids. Give them a break and a chance to let loose. You can rest on a bench and bask in the sound of happy children at play for a little while!


Have you ever visited the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium? If not what is your favorite Zoo?

A Day At Kelley's Island With My Sweetie #LakeErieLove

I just returned from a few lovely days from the Shores of Lake Erie. I can't wait to tell you about a simple adventure I took with my 5 year old and why this was the highlight of the trip.

Since I gave birth to Harper, Roo and I don't get a lot of one on one time. He is now 5, and I have missed him in many ways, despite the fact we spend most of our days together. On Monday night I whispered to Roo "Wanna go on an adventure with me?" He whispered back "And Harper?" I shook my head no and said "No, this is a special day for just you and me." Roo smiled and drifted off to sleep.

At noon my husband dropped us off in Sandusky and Roo and I strolled over to the Jet Express to get tickets for our adventure. We were headed to Kelley's Island, Ohio.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

We had some time before our boat boarded, so we strolled around the area. We stumbled into a great shop featuring basically every old fashioned candy imaginable as well as a vast selection of soda. (I believe it is called Soda Pop's on W. Water Street.) This was a fun stop to make as we waited for our ferry. Roo got an apple juice and a few gummy candies to hold him over until lunch.

We made our way back to the ferry, and my little guy snacked happily on his sweets and a small bag of local chips. As he saw the boat approaching his eyes were wide with excitement. He said "Hold my hand Mommy!" and he bounced his way to the line to board. We climbed to the top deck and sat down, he slid closer to me and said again "Mommy! Hold My Hand!!!" He was excited and a touch nervous.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

We enjoyed taking a few photos together and of the scenery. The ride wasn't too long, I didn't time it as I wanted to savor the moments with my growing son. I did hear that the boat can travel 34 mph, which is impressive!

Roo was quite impressed by the sight of Cedar Point from the water!

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

As we arrived my son was happy. We looked at the boats, we walked around town for a few minutes, scoping out restaurants. We held hands and happily walked around taking it all in. I asked him questions, he answered, we laughed. He very cutely told me that sometime he was going to have 20 babies of his own. I smiled. I said "What will you name all 20 babies?" He said "I don't know. I have to get 20 beds first Mom!"

We wandered into the Captains Corner. We weren't really hungry, but we knew we would be eventually. Roo opted for lemonade and we shared a basket of fries.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

The conversation with my son, giving him the chance to make all the choices. My heart pinched me to savor every second, to let him eat junk food, to laugh with him and soak it all up. We rarely get the chance to do anything just the two of us these days.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

We rode back after a walk around, we admired the view of the lake, the boats, the peaceful atmosphere, the feeling of community in such a lovely place in the world. I have been going to Kelley's Island since I was just a kid, my first trip was at the age of 14.  But, experiencing it with my son.... having a day alone. It made the experience new again.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

After we arrived back in Sandusky, we sat on a bench and talked, looking at the boats and water. We walked around town, enjoyed a fountain and decided we had a great day.

Photo Credit: Sara Lehman.

If you are looking for a trip that takes you away to a slice of paradise, hidden in Ohio, I have to recommend that you get Jet Express tickets and exploring Kelley's Island. It is so much like being at the ocean, that you will forget you are in Ohio!

June is a lovely time to visit in my opinion. The temperatures were perfect (high 70s, low 80s) and going on a weekday gave us plenty of time to explore without the crowds I normally encounter on weekends. If you are looking for a great getaway in Ohio, #LakeErieLove the Lake Erie Shores and Islands make an exceptional option for families!

Thank you to my friends at Lake Erie Shores and Islands and Jet Express for hosting this day of #LakeErieLove with my son.