Not only is the fun-packed Columbus Roar & Explore Getaway budget friendly, but it also offers a little something for everyone in the family from the preschooler to the teenager to the adults...
My family & I were were offered the Columbus Roar & Explore Getaway package to review courtesy of Experience Columbus.
As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.
My family & I have deemed the summer of 2016 as the summer of our family weekend road trips. Instead of going on a longer week long vacation to just one destination like we usually do in the summertime, we are opting for 2-3 days visits to 3-4 different family friendly spots instead. First on our family summer road trip list was the Columbus Roar & Explore Getaway. Not only was this fun-packed getaway budget friendly, but it also had a little something for everyone in our family from the preschooler to the teenager to the adults.
We started our visit to Columbus, Ohio with a little Roar first and headed to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell...
My son & I are no strangers to the Columbus Zoo having had lived in Columbus for 8 years before and being card carrying zoo members for at least 3 years of that time. But the zoo is ever growing and expanding, and we found ourselves gravitating towards their newer exhibits like the Heart of Africa that is the 43 acre home to an African lion family, giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, and more...
Though we had the awe-inspiring opportunity to watch the daily Cheetah Run at Heart of Africa (CLICK HERE to see our video of that), I think the highlight of our visit to the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium was getting to feed the giraffes. For just $3 a pop, you can walk up and feed a giraffe a handful of leafy greens. Both the teenager and the preschooler said this was their favorite part of our visit to the zoo that day. Want to see the giraffe feeding in action? CLICK HERE to see a video of my daughter feeding the giraffe. :)
After spending a good part of the morning and early afternoon exploring the zoo & aquarium, we decided it was time to head to the neighboring Zoombezi Bay to cool off. From water slides with gravity defying drops that are sure to satisfy the thrill seeker of the family to a relaxing float down the Roaring Rapids (don't let the name fool you- it is pretty tame) to family fun for everyone at Baboon Lagoon, there is definitely a perfect way to stay cool in the hot summer heat for every member of the family at Zoombezi Bay! :) Though we spent most of our afternoon playing in Baboon Lagoon & floating on rafts down Roaring Rapids, we also made our way to the wave pool at Wild Tides for some wave crashing fun.
After resting up at the Drury Inn & Suites overnight & fueling up on our free hot breakfast, we headed to downtown Columbus to spend the morning at COSI (short for Center for Science & Industry) for the Explore part of our little family getaway.
As soon as we grabbed our admission bracelets, we made a beeline for the brand new Game Masters: The Exhibition that had just opened two days before. The Game Masters exhibit has a little something for gamers of every generation. From classic arcade games like Ms. Pacman to Atari to groundbreaking PC games to mobile platforms, the exhibit offers 100+ playable video games! Yes, playable. Meaning hands-on, which is always a winner in our family's book.
After playing 1-2 games of Ms. Pacman (Or was it 5-6? I lost count! ;) ), the youngest and I popped over to Little KidSpace to turn her loose for a little while...
In Little KidSpace, the little ones can safely explore and play in the area which includes a tree house, an ambulance, a barn complete with a pretend milking cow, a farmers market, a doctor's office, water play, a kid-sized climbing wall, and so much more!
Though we love all of the classic exhibits at COSI, one of my favorites has always been the Progress Exhibit. The exhibit starts by having you walk through a town in 1898. But then you turn a corner and you are in the same town... but it is 1962! The 60's style diner is always a hit with the younger kids where they can jump behind the counter and "cook" up an order of fountain sodas and burgers. ;)
Though this isn't a permanent exhibit at the science center, I found myself kind of obsessing over the Michelle Stizlein moths industrial art exhibit you could view on the walls of the second floor. Each giant breathtaking moth is constructed from 100% recycled materials. Who knew recycling could be so beautiful?
Photo courtesy of Drury Inn & Suites- Dublin, OH
In addition to a 4-pack of tickets to the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Zoombezi Bay, and COSI, the Columbus Roar & Explore Getaway package also includes a two night stay at the family friendly Drury Inn & Suites. There are 3 Drury Inn locations in the Columbus area- Dublin (which is the one pictured above & where we stayed), downtown, and Grove City.
Photo courtesy of Drury Inn & Suites- Dublin, OH
In addition to their comfortable & clean rooms, the Drury Inn & Suites also offers their guests a free hot breakfast each morning of their stay, free soda & popcorn from 3-10 pm in the lobby, and my personal favorite- the 5:30 Kickback. ;) From 5:30 to 7:00 each evening of your stay, you and your family can head downstairs for a free hot food bar and drinks. Offering nachos and cheese, baked potatoes, hot dogs, salad fixings, & more, you can easily turn the Kickback into dinner time for the whole family. And bonus? The parents get free adult beverages (up to 3 per person) during the daily Kickback.
The Drury Inn & Suites in Dublin also offers its guests an indoor & outdoor pool, whirlpool, and a fitness center. My family and I did end up taking advantage of all 3 during our stay.
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