Snow may not be avoidable for an Ohio Christmas getaway. Swaying palm trees, warm breezes, and white sandy beaches are nowhere to be found. Keeping clear of Rudolph, a small northwest Ohio town where people from near and far flock to send mail in order to have it stamped with the village post-office's signature reindeer post-mark, is advisable. But Ohio still offers plenty of opportunities to get away from the hustle and bustle of shopping, the madness of extended family get-togethers, the days of cookie making, and the general madness that signals the arrival of the holiday season.
Sandusky, Ohio, along the southern Lake Erie shore between Toledo and Cleveland, may not sound like a cozy place to don a swimsuit and take a splash on a cold December day, but three resorts in the city offer indoor water park fun for the whole family. Kalahari Resort, spanning the equivalent of three football fields, bills itself as "America's Largest Indoor Waterpark." It includes several water slides, a dual wave rider for boogie boarders, and much more under a transparent roof. Great Wolf Lodge, just down the road from Kalahari, uses 200,000 gallons of water to supply a four-story treehouse called Fort Mackenzie, with 12 levels of climbing opportunities, a lazy river, and other amenities, such as an arcade. Cedar Point's Castaway Bay features 38,000 square feet, a wave pool, water slides, and even has a day spa.
Kalahari Resort
7106 Milan Road
Sandusky, Ohio 44870
(866) 257-5627
kalahariresorts.com
Great Wolf Lodge
4600 Milan Road
Sandusky, Ohio 44870
(866) 257-5627
greatwolf.com
Castaway Bay
2001 Cleveland Road
Sandusky, Ohio 44870
(419) 627-2106
castawaybay.com
Not everyone likes to forsake snow when getting away for Christmas, which is a good thing for ski resorts. Ohio has five public resorts. In the northeast, Alpine Valley in Chesterland features a half pipe for snowboarders and snow tubing, and 72 skiable acres. Boston Mills in Peninsula and Brandywine in Sagamore Hills are operated separately but owned by the same company and located next to each other. They include their own amenities that cater to all ages. Mad River Mountain in Bellefontaine has tubing parties and expanded its trails in 2006. Clear Fork in Butler is a smaller, family-style resort, as is Snow Trails in Mansfield, which is not far from Clear Fork.
Alpine Valley Ski Area
10620 Mayfield Rd.
Chesterland, OH 44026-2738
(440) 285-2211
alpinevalleyohio.com
Boston Mills
7100 Riverview Road
Peninsula, Ohio 44264
(800) 875-4241
bmbw.com
Brandywine Ski Resort
1146 W. Highland Road
Sagamore Hills, Ohio 44067
(800) 875-4241
bmbw.com
Mad River Mountain
737 New Hampshire St.
Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311
(800) 231-7669
skimadriver.com
Snow Trails
3100 Possum Run Road
Mansfield, Ohio 44903
(419) 774-9818
snowtrails.com
Clear Fork
341 Resort Drive
Butler, Ohio 44822
(418) 883-2000
skiclearfork.com
Ohio has many quaint smaller towns with their own distinctive charms, but the big cities provide opportunities like hearing symphony performances, visiting world-renowned museums, and watching polar bears frolic at zoos. Visit Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then have pierogies stuffed with mascarpone and black truffles at Lola in the Tremont neighborhood. Ogle the Toledo Museum of Art's stunning glass collection after lunching at Poco Piatti (Italian for "small plates") on Monroe Street. Appreciate life and its resiliency by experiencing Cincinnati's National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216) 781-ROCK (7625)
rockhall.com
Lola
2058 East 4th Street
Cleveland, OH 44115-1024
(216) 621-5652
lolabistro.com
Toledo Museum of Art
2445 Monroe Street
Toledo, Ohio 43620
toledomuseum.org
Poco Piati
Levis Commons
3155 Chapel Drive
Perrysburg, Ohio 43551
(419) 931-0281
pocopiatti.com
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202-3414
(513) 333-7500
freedomcenter.org
