Easter weekend proved an ideal time to visit one of those "why is this here?" spots in Ohio. A place where you can truly put your eggs in one, or many, baskets. One of the most renown makers of woven basket is the Longaberger Company and they have created a tourist destination (see right, click to enlarge) not far from the company's beginnings in Dresden, Ohio (map, web). Situated less than an hour east of Columbus or about 90 minutes from Canton, Longaberger's Homestead offers tours, ambiance, food, and a taste of home the likes of Martha Stewart Living or Pottery Barn style.
Located on Ohio State Route 16 east of Newark, it is now quickly accessible thanks to investment by the State of Ohio in upgrading the route from a 2-lane road to a limited-access highway. Long-range plans are to link Columbus and Pittsburgh via 4-lane highways. Currently 65-mph divided highway can get you from Columbus to Newark, minus about six miles of reduced speed 2-lane driving, then to just north of Dresden again via 4-lane highway travel.
Coming east from Newark, you can get a hint of what's to come, as you pass Longaberger's corporate headquarters, a multi-story office building in the shape of a basket about 20 minutes east of the Longaberger site via highway (see right, click to enlarge). It is one of the most intriguing buildings anywhere. This place makes multiple web-hits for unique roadside attractions in America. It seems whenever I pass through Newark it is raining, and my ability to get a good picture of
the Longaberger building yields awful results.
Longaberger built a tourist destination out of Newark and Dresden during the economic boom of the region in the 1990s. A refurbished hotel in "downtown" Newark (map, web) serves as an overnight stop for touring not just Longaberger's attractions but the region as well. Too, golf opportunites exist through Longaberger's own country club. Traveling east from Newark you are escorted along the road by a uniquely styled wooden fence that continues all the way until you reach the Longaberger facility in Frazeyburg.
Greeting you as you enter the Homestead complex is a huge basket of apples... that is to say, a two-story basket with apples the size of a golf cart (see left, click to enlarge). Longaberger Baskets are primarily sold the route of Avon, Pampered Chef and PartyLite, through the hostess, party-in-your-house method. They are of high quality and not moderately priced. The baskets are hand-woven in the factory located on the grounds of The Homestead, which was built well after the factory expanded beyond its Dresden origins.
Upon entering the visitor center you can witness a worker weaving together the trademark baskets while you obtain information to plan your visit, purchase tour tickets, freshen up in the facilities, or grab a snack. Browsing the grounds, The Homestead shops -- all in one large building complex (see left, click to enlarge) -- or Crawford Barn (for discounted merchandise) are free. The architecture, both of the structures and the landscape are worth the stroll on a nice day.
The lobby is the focal point of the Homestead shops entrance (see above, click to enlarge). Wrapping around the second floor is a balcony and grand staircase. Stenciled along the edges of balcony on the hardwood flooring is a leaf motif. From either floor, the store spreads out east and west with different shopping themes ranging from clothing and furniture to housewares and toys.
The western side of the Homestead stores end with some housewares but sprouts a large tree that has the look of having grown right through the ceiling to the 2nd floor and roof. Peering up (see left, click to enlarge) you can see kids gear on the floor above. Climbing the steps brings you to toys, collectibles, clothes and other home accoutrements for the children. The rope-strewn balcony lends a playful air to the room and is inviting for children to roam and seek. 
The stuffed giraffes beckon you towards what looks like a tunnel carved out of a tree. Stepping through the "tree" leads you to more shops, and one of the most unique rooms you will find anywhere (see right, click to enlarge). Imagination appears to be the main ingredient used to cook up the design of this wing of the series of shops.
The shop with lots of goodies for decorating a child's room is itself a child's dream of a room. The ceiling is decorated as a puffy partly cloudy day against a beautiful blue sky, but gazing down at the floor gives a heightened sensation. The hardwood floor has been stunningly painted to look like farmer's fields as seen from thousands of feet above in the air (see right, click to enlarge). The whisps of thin clouds painted along the floor lend an airy feeling of soaring above the world in a room where imaginations could also take wing. It can only be imagined how many children run to their parents in delight pleading for their room to be made over like this one!
The Crawford Barn stands majestically at the eastern edge of the Homestead complex (see right, click to enlarge). It was painstakingly restored and is as impressive a structure as the other buildings on the property. It houses discounted merchandise and a cafe and snack bar. While the $7 pulled pork is a bit pricey for a small meal, it is well above the quality of other pricey tourist destination meals at other attractions around the state and country. A nice sized playground will help the little ones to unwind if tagging along with the grown-ups have turned them into, well, basket cases.
Tours of the basket making facility are available and worth the time and cost. Longaberger baskets are hand-woven and a process that is intriguing to view. A shuttle will take tourists from the visitor center to the factory. While it is "on the grounds" it is not exactly a quick walk to the production center.
Included on-site is also a sit-down restaurant and between the tour, the restaurant, the Homestead shops and the soon-to-open Yankee Candle outlet in a Victorian style home built on the grounds, this is a site where you can truly relax and spend considerable time. On the day I visited there were three tourist busses parked in the lot but barely a crowd inside the Homestead. Between the factory tour, Crawford Barn and Homestead shops, there is so much available that hundreds of people can be on site and it would not feel crowded.
A tiskit, a taskit, don't forget your Longaberger basket!
- J.
Cleveland may lack the historical panache of cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. or Baltimore and may fall short of the artistic and economic giants of New York City or Chicago. But what the meager lesser skyline of Cleveland (see right, click to enlarge) may lack between east and midwest, you will be hard pressed to find a better museum dedicated to interactive, hands-on scientific learning and fun. The Great Lakes Science Center, or GLSC, (map, web) scores high on the list of must-see museums anywhere.
COSI in Columbus is nearly a twin-sister to GLSC and is a mere 2 hours down the highway in a growing and expanding metropolitan area. Cleveland's exodus of industry and population over the last few decades have left as a main tourist attraction some fantastic, but also overlooked museums. Wade Oval in the University Circle area east of Cleveland is home to a handful of great family friendly museums, including the diverse big four of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Western Reserve Historical Society (and Crawford Auto/Aviation Museum), Cleveland Art Museum and the Botanical Gardens.
The Great Lakes Science Center (see left, click to enlarge) was brilliantly designed along the downtown waterfront and sits a good 50-yard field goal away from Cleveland Brown's Stadium and adjacent to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Along with the move of the Goodtime III, a lake and river sightseeing cruise, to the 9th Street Pier has made this area a wonder spot for daily museum visits and the occasional festival, such as the Tall Ships gathering of clippers and other sail vessels.
While possible to do in single day, most families will probably not take in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and GLSC the same day. Without blinking an eye, you can easily surpass three hours at GLSC, perhaps even four if you take in one of the thrice daily IMAX offerings. $15 for the center and IMAX for adults ($9 for children) is not out of line in today's economy. Even the $6 (after validation) for the urban parking deck that adjoins the facility is not unreasonable. But the $22/$13 (Adults/Children) admission for the Rock Hall of Fame makes a one-day double dip quite pricey. Too, I'm not sure younger children will get the same out of the Rock Hall that teens and adults will.
Adding to the sites to see on the block, the William Mather Steamship Museum (see left, click to enlarge), housed inside a retired Great Lakes freighter, is open during the summer months and is quite an impressive site in the harbor. If a full day is desired on the lakefront, add in a tour of Cleveland Brown's Stadium. It might possibly be the highlight of the Brown's year during a changeover of coaches and personnel in 2009!
The Great Lakes Science Center is neatly laid out on three floors. You will not have a ton of walking and the floor plan is very open (see right, and below left, click to enlarge). There are permanent and temporary exhibits, all very hands-on and kid friendly. On my visit, the temporary exhibits on robots had many displays and interactive activities including a way to make a "jitterbug" robot using Styrofoam and batteries. You could make one for free and leave it behind, or for a few dollars take your little robotic device home.
The "science" at GLSC varies from the mechanics principals such as simple machines (you can lift a junked car smashed to a block using a lever), investigate the science behind medicine (manipulate a mechanized prosthetic arm), marvel at the physics behind acoustics and light, and shock yourself (literally) with matters of energy and electricity. The lower level brings natural science of the Great Lakes into the museum with weather, water and other elements while you gaze out the windows at Lake Erie.
But GLSC makes the kids the stars of the show. From flying a hang-glider (virtually), to plucking the strings of a LED harp, flying a computerized biplane, and even being subjected to thermal imaging (see right, click to enlarge), kids will find much to their liking. Even the simple (by today's technology) blue-screen broadcasting of the weather puts the younger ones in the spotlight. On a nondescript mid-week day, there were several demonstrations led by GLSC staff, from science of bubbles to magic of matter and exhibit led demonstrations such as the static electric machine that gives a new meaning to the term "bad hair day."
Even the youngest can find science in their pursuit of play. The 7 and under play area is equally hands on and pursues science. The biggest attraction is the padded ball pit, where you can put balls into sand-box pails on a conveyor er belt (moved by hand of course), or stuff balls into a tube that launches them skyward, ultimately falling into a pair of clear scoops that can be opened and closed by little ones, plummeting the collection of balls back to the pit. There are many other play structures including an inflatable "bounce house" (see right, click to enlarge) for tots, preschoolers and even kindergartners to expend their own energy.
So much to take in and do in one day, that easily when leaving the youngest will fall quickly asleep and the older ones begin asking about the next visit. All along a lakefront that 20 years ago featured a nice seafood restaurant, a tepid, if not turbid, stadium that sat at the water's edge and not much else.
- J.
The two words that "springs" eternal in Ohioans... "Play Ball!" The hope that maybe this year, after 162 games, their team will be playoff bound. For Cincinnati Reds fans, it's been a long time since the days of the "Big Red Machine" in the 1970s and for Cleveland Indians fans, a long drought lasting to 1948 when the Tribe won it all. Opening day in Ohio can be brutal, as witnessed by game time temperature for today's Red's home opener: 40 degrees. Two years ago the Indians home opening series was shifted to Milwaukee's domed stadium due to 12" of snow.
But Ohio is unique, in that you have a lot of baseball within the state lines, at every level from division-contending professional teams through just about all levels of the minor leagues and even independent league teams. On any given summer day you can take in a little league game somewhere. (see right, click to enlarge)
You will not lack for a chance to watch a ball game, at some of America's best venues. Only New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and California offer professional baseball parks. From April to October, there's lots of baseball to take in.
As I grew up in the '70s, Cleveland's Municipal Stadium wasn't much of a stadium by modern means. But it was all I knew. Nestled along the lake and next to Burke Lakefront Airport, some of my fondest sports memories are here. It was a time when you could get up and close... for cheap. Somewhere in my memorabilia is a faded Polaroid picture of a 10-year old (or there about) sitting on the knee of Jack Brohammer, behind the outfield fence on a picture day promotion (see picture left, click to enlarge -note: it may not be Brohammer pictured!). It was set in a cute gigantic baseball-shaped card with the Indians logo on it.
My children will only know Municipal Stadium from the Western Reserve Historical Society (see left, click to enlarge), which displayed two rows of the seats preserved from the stadium and the gargantuan neon Chief Wahoo that welcomed you to Gate D. (see above right, click to enlarge)
The standing joke was that "today is opening day... and that means the Indians have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs." So you could buy a ticket in the nose-bleed section of the upper deck general admission and by the 4th inning could be sitting behind the dugout. A popular boredom buster those days was for folks to spell things in block letters using the empty seats of the open sections in the outfield upper decks.
But things changed about 15 years ago as Cleveland built one of the gems of modern sports architecture, in what will always in my mind be, Jacobs Field (now renamed for financial purposes, Progressive Field). Modeled in purpose after the retro-style hit, Camden Yards (still one of the top parks in the world), Jacob's Field opened to a team on the rise. It spawned baseball development around Northeast Ohio.
If you plan your week right, you can today catch the Indians and their farm teams on a tour of top flight facilities around the state. Minor league baseball allows you great seats up close to the action for a much smaller price tag. Sure, most of the players you see will not make it to the major leagues, but some of them will. (see right, click to enlarge)
Start with the short-season Class A Mahoning Valley Scrappers (map, web, ballpark). This is where some of the current draft picks and younger players get their feet wet. It's a small park but offers intimacy and is financially friendly. Your next stop is a just over an hour's drive from the Youngstown area to Willoughby/Eastlake and to the longer-season Class A Lake County Captains (map, web, ballpark). Nestled amongst a busy strip of businesses and retail stores, this can be a bustling and busy park depending upon the game you catch.
Another hour's drive down I-271 to Route 8 will land you in Akron, home of the Double A Akron Aeros (map, web). The gorgeous urban stadium is best attended on a Fireworks Friday night, but get your tickets early as they often sell out the 9,000-some seat stadium. At this level you are sure to see some of tomorrow's big league stars in their youth and inexperience. You can easily leave a game thinking "he's supposed to be a big time prospect?"
New in 2009 is the Indians AAA affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. Playing for decades on the west side of Columbus at Cooper Stadium, Clippers recently separated with their parent organization, the New York Yankees and after one short season as the Washington National's highest level farm club, struck a deal with Cleveland. The brand new Huntington Park is another urban gem of a sports stadium, elbow to elbow with downtown stadium brethren Nationwide Arena (home of the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets) and Value City Arena (home to Ohio State University athletics).
Not to be outdone, you can catch other minor league baseball games in Dayton and Toledo. The Mudhens (ballpark), made famous by proud native Jamie Farr through his character in the TV series M*A*S*H, are the AAA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Dayton Dragons (ballpark) are the Class A Midwestern League farm team of the Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds played in one of the least attractive stadiums during their glory days in the 1970s, the cookie cutter circular stadium (once known as Riverfront, then corporate-ized as Cinergy Field) that had clones in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and St. Louis. But as the retro-trend of ballparks get steaming through the country in the 1990s, Cincinnati upped the ante with one of America's most unique stadiums. Known as the Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati's history with the river and steamboats plays a central theme in the stadium. Giant steamboat smoke stacks grace the viewing lines towards the river and Kentucky beyond.
Each year, thanks to Interleague Play, the Reds and Indians go head to head in a three game series in each city. A five-hour drive can put you in either city and with a stop in between in Columbus and perhaps an extra day or two beyond in each city's suburban sprawl you can find take in a few minor league games as well.
And if you think you still have what it takes to play the game... there are independent leagues and teams in the area. The Lake Erie Crushers are part of the legendary Frontier League and the Chillicothe Paints (ballpark) a part of the Prospect League while cities such Canton (former Thurman Munson stadium) have hosted teams in this league or minor league baseball in the past and have stadiums that are still active and spacious. Even the smaller venues have fan-friendly promotions. Shoot, even the big league parks let your kids run the bases these days! (see right, click to enlarge)
Buy yourself some peanuts and Cracker Jack at a stadium not far from your spot in Ohio!
- J.
Easter weekend proved an ideal time to visit one of those "why is this here?" spots in Ohio. A place where you can truly put your eggs in one, or many, baskets. One of the most renown makers of woven basket is the Longaberger Company and they have created a tourist destination (see right, click to enlarge) not far from the company's beginnings in Dresden, Ohio (map, web). Situated less than an hour east of Columbus or about 90 minutes from Canton, Longaberger's Homestead offers tours, ambiance, food, and a taste of home the likes of Martha Stewart Living or Pottery Barn style.
Located on Ohio State Route 16 east of Newark, it is now quickly accessible thanks to investment by the State of Ohio in upgrading the route from a 2-lane road to a limited-access highway. Long-range plans are to link Columbus and Pittsburgh via 4-lane highways. Currently 65-mph divided highway can get you from Columbus to Newark, minus about six miles of reduced speed 2-lane driving, then to just north of Dresden again via 4-lane highway travel.
Coming east from Newark, you can get a hint of what's to come, as you pass Longaberger's corporate headquarters, a multi-story office building in the shape of a basket about 20 minutes east of the Longaberger site via highway (see right, click to enlarge). It is one of the most intriguing buildings anywhere. This place makes multiple web-hits for unique roadside attractions in America. It seems whenever I pass through Newark it is raining, and my ability to get a good picture of
Greeting you as you enter the Homestead complex is a huge basket of apples... that is to say, a two-story basket with apples the size of a golf cart (see left, click to enlarge). Longaberger Baskets are primarily sold the route of Avon, Pampered Chef and PartyLite, through the hostess, party-in-your-house method. They are of high quality and not moderately priced. The baskets are hand-woven in the factory located on the grounds of The Homestead, which was built well after the factory expanded beyond its Dresden origins.
Upon entering the visitor center you can witness a worker weaving together the trademark baskets while you obtain information to plan your visit, purchase tour tickets, freshen up in the facilities, or grab a snack. Browsing the grounds, The Homestead shops -- all in one large building complex (see left, click to enlarge) -- or Crawford Barn (for discounted merchandise) are free. The architecture, both of the structures and the landscape are worth the stroll on a nice day.
The lobby is the focal point of the Homestead shops entrance (see above, click to enlarge). Wrapping around the second floor is a balcony and grand staircase. Stenciled along the edges of balcony on the hardwood flooring is a leaf motif. From either floor, the store spreads out east and west with different shopping themes ranging from clothing and furniture to housewares and toys.
The western side of the Homestead stores end with some housewares but sprouts a large tree that has the look of having grown right through the ceiling to the 2nd floor and roof. Peering up (see left, click to enlarge) you can see kids gear on the floor above. Climbing the steps brings you to toys, collectibles, clothes and other home accoutrements for the children. The rope-strewn balcony lends a playful air to the room and is inviting for children to roam and seek. 
The shop with lots of goodies for decorating a child's room is itself a child's dream of a room. The ceiling is decorated as a puffy partly cloudy day against a beautiful blue sky, but gazing down at the floor gives a heightened sensation. The hardwood floor has been stunningly painted to look like farmer's fields as seen from thousands of feet above in the air (see right, click to enlarge). The whisps of thin clouds painted along the floor lend an airy feeling of soaring above the world in a room where imaginations could also take wing. It can only be imagined how many children run to their parents in delight pleading for their room to be made over like this one!
The Crawford Barn stands majestically at the eastern edge of the Homestead complex (see right, click to enlarge). It was painstakingly restored and is as impressive a structure as the other buildings on the property. It houses discounted merchandise and a cafe and snack bar. While the $7 pulled pork is a bit pricey for a small meal, it is well above the quality of other pricey tourist destination meals at other attractions around the state and country. A nice sized playground will help the little ones to unwind if tagging along with the grown-ups have turned them into, well, basket cases.
