Travel

We have traveled back & forth to each other starting in 2006. Check out our top picks. 

First summer visit to Allison's farm in Curtice, Ohio 2006. 

  

A campfire was a must! These city folks got to enjoy the farm life & met my sheep.

Northwest, Ohio 

Allison's Top 10 things to do in Northwest Ohio:

1. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) **stop at Toft's Dairy afterwards!

Summer 2006 

2. Maumee Bay State Park 

Favorites: Bike, walk, swim, eat at the lodge for any meal, visit the nature center, walk the boardwalk, rent a cabin, stay at the lodge, rent water equipment like a jet ski, & enjoy the state park 

The gorgeous Maumee Bay State Park: Allison's Wedding Day 

3. Put in Bay (Jet Express leaves from Port Clinton, Ohio or The Miller leaves from Catawba) 

Favorites: Heineman's winery, Beer Barrel, Roundhouse, Frosty's pizza, The Boardwalk for lobster bisque in a bread bowl, & either biking or renting a golf cart to go around the island. 

On the Boardwalk & On top of Perry's Monument 

Put in Bay Labor Day 2013 The Battle of Lake Erie Celebration

4. Kelley's Island (Leaves from Marblehead, Ohio)

My aunt, mom, cousin, & me riding bikes at Kelley's 

Favorites: Brandy Alexanders from the Pump, Strawberry shots from Bag the Moon, Kelley's Island Winery, rent a golf cart or bikes, glacial groves, & walk on the beach at the state park

5. Wineries  
Chateau Tebeau Helena, Ohio 
Firelands Sandusky, Ohio 
Paper Moon Vermilion, Ohio 
Quarry Hill Berlin Heights, Ohio 
Mon Ami Winery Port Clinton, Ohio

At Firelands Winery November 2012

Allison's favorite wine: Pink Catawba

Kelly's favorite wine: Cellar Red 

6. Visit a local festival or fair top picks:
Ottawa County Fair in Oak Harbor, Ohio *3rd full week in July
Apple Festival in Oak Harbor, Ohio *Fall
Walleye Festival in Port Clinton, Ohio *Memorial Day Weekend

7. Visit a farm
Jason's pumpkin patch Oak Harbor, Ohio
Macqueens Apple Orchard Swanton, Ohio
Moore's Apple Orchard Oak Harbor, Ohio
Bench's Greenhouse Oregon, Ohio or Elmore, Ohio

8. Bike Ride favorite paths: (Oak Openings & Elmore-Clyde trails)

9. Visit East Harbor State Park & Marblehead Lighthouse (Port Clinton, Ohio)

View from the top of the Lighthouse 

10. African Safari Wildlife Park with a stop at Bergman's for snacks (Port Clinton, Ohio)

Safari Park November 2012

Port Clinton, Ohio (Any season):

1. Mon Ami Winery: We love going to the Chalet side to order wood fire pizza or going for a Sunday Brunch or Seafood Buffet

2. Bergman's: Great every season for fresh produce

3. Nagoya especially on discounted Sushi Monday

4. Casa Las Palmas lunch or dinner excellent Mexican food & margaritas

5. Coffee Express: great for breakfast & lunch

6. Mr. Ed's Bar & Grille: great for late night entertainment live music & dancing

7. The Cakery Bakery: try the oreo truffles

8. Best pizza: Cameo dine in or order out

9. Basset's Market: Saturday is an excellent day to go for the Seafood roadshow, beer samples, & wine tasting.

10. Great Lakes Popcorn: my favorite to get is Island Mix & Vanilla Butternut

St. Louis, Missouri

Visit to St. Louis in Summer 2007. 

We went up into the arch!

Kelly's Top 10 of things to do in the St. Louis Area:

1. Cardinals games!

Matt's cousin Rachel and I at a Cardinal's Game 2013

2. Forest Park- great for biking, the zoo, The Boathouse (where Matt and I had our first date and our rehearsal dinner!)

Matt & Kelly's wedding party in Forest Park

3. Breweries

   - Anheuser Busch- free tours and beer samples

Of course bringing out of town guests on the A-B tour!

Emily, Rachel, Kelly, Matt 2013

   - Schlafly- we love both The Tap Room and The Bottleworks
      The sticky toffee pudding and oatmeal stout beer are amazing

The Sticky Toffee Pudding lasts about 5 seconds before being devoured!

   - Urban Chestnut- great outdoor patio

Celebrating Janice's Birthday at Urban Chestnut

Janice, Abby, Kelly 2013

4. Old Town St. Charles- cute little shops and restaurants along the river
   - Trailhead Brewery
   - Picassos Coffee Shop
5. Jilly's Cupcakes - Amazing cupcakes- they were on Cupcake wars!

A Jilly's Cupcake!

6. Visit the arch 
7. Biking on the Katy Trail or Creve Coeur Park

Matt and I biking on the Katy Trail 2013

8. Ted Drews- best Frozen Custard in St Louis
9. Bailey's chocolate bar.. need I say more. 

Chocolate Martini!!

10. Wineries 
   - Balducci Winery near Augusta Missouri
   - Hermanhoff Winery in Hermann Missouri

Matt and I at Balducci Winery 2013

Indianapolis, Indiana
This is a great half way point for many of our friends to meet. We have had multiple visits there thanks to our 2 friends who live there! 

Fall gathering to celebrate a lot of birthdays! 

Abby's sparkle party 

2010: Jessica's bachelorette party. 

2012: Jessica's Baby Shower 

Favorite things in Indy: 

1. Children's Museum

2. Indy Zoo

3. Howl at the Moon: Piano Bar Downtown Indy 

4. Downtown Indy nightlife

5. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Restaurant 

Chicago, Illinois 

This is another great half way point to meet up at!

 Since Kelly & Matt are Notre Dame Fans and Allison & Nick are Indiana Amish Fans we met up near there.

Favorite things Chicago, Illinois:
1. Deep dish pizza

2. Garrett Popcorn

3. Michigan Avenue shopping & browsing 

4. Millennium Park- The Bean

Here we are at the Bean 

5. Get a Chicago style hot dog- Wiener Circle in Wrigleyville

6. Have a drink at the Signature Room in the John Hancock Building- the view from the ladies bathroom is amazing

7. Museums

8. Second City Comedy Club

Dayton, Ohio 

Our college city always a great place to go back too. 

Top 10 things to do on The University of Dayton's Campus: 
1. Milano's for Karaoke 
2. Timothy's Bar & Grill order a Wall 
3. Get a fishbowl from The Fieldhouse 
4. Walk around campus & inside the Chapel 
5. Christmas on Campus 

6. Dewey's Pizza 
7. Cousin Vinny's Pizza 
8. Go to a Basketball game or another sporting event! Go Dayton Flyers!
9. Visit the "ghetto"
10. Anything on Brown Street 

Beyond campus in the Dayton/ Northern Cincinnati area:

1. Dorothy Lane Market in Oakwood try the Killer Brownie 
2. Oregon District 
3. Ikea northern Cincinnati 
4. Premium Outlets northern Cincinnati 
5. U.S. Air Force Museum 
6. Grater's Ice Cream the closest one is in Oakwood 
7. King's Island 

8. Yellow springs: hike, shop, & eat 
9. Skyline Chili
10. Hafbrauhaus in Newport, KY

Allison's favorite Getaways & Day Trips

1. Hocking Hills, Ohio: rent a cabin, hike through multiple state parks, & even bring your dogs

2. Niagara Falls: Canada or USA side, check groupons for amazing deals 

Up in the Tower Restaurant with a 360 view 

3. The Lodge at Geneva on the Lake 
Wineries: the lodge takes you from winery to winery
Downtown Geneva 
Beaches & Lake walking 

4. Mohican area / Snow Trails, Ohio 
Great restaurant: Malabar farm
Snow tubing & skiing at the Snow trails

5. Amish Country
Ohio: Der Dutchman Restaurant & Walnut Creek 
Indiana: Jo Jo's pretzels,Young's Dairy & Cheese, & The Farmstead Inn is a great place to stay. While in the Indiana area check out the outlets, Pokhagon State park, & Yogi Bear as well. 

6. Ann Arbor/ Canton, Michigan: 
Shopping
Exploring downtown
Ikea 

7. West Side of Cleveland, Ohio 
Westside Market: Gyros, crepes, & amazing food 
Great Lakes Brewery 
Crocker Park

8. Columbus, Ohio 
Easton
Jeni's Ice Cream
Ohio State Fair 

9. Vermilion, Ohio 
Paper Moon Winery
Vermilion Valley Winery
Quaker State & Lube
Swan Creek Candle Company outlet

10. Sandusky, Ohio
Kalahari
The Good Time Fun Cruise 
Toft's Dairy