Anonymous wrote:I also recommend not stopping overnight.

Agreed. If you have a bad back or something I get it. But your kids are older - let them watch movies on a screen...play the license plate game...eat junk food. Stop to eat a few times (Columbus has great restaurants and if you post your fav foods we can recommend). But to waste $450 on a meh waterpark to save 3 hours of driving seems really expensive, especially since you say you are frugal. We do this drive all the time. It's not a big deal.

Anonymous wrote:For future trips, consider Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WVA. During the holidays, they have a light show throughout their park. The restaurant in the lodge is night. The cabins are a bit rustic, but you can build a nice fire and have a bit of an adventure. Plus, Wheeling is pretty much the midpoint between DC and IN, so it breaks the trip up nicely.

Is "nice," obviously, not "night."

For future trips, consider Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WVA. During the holidays, they have a light show throughout their park. The restaurant in the lodge is night. The cabins are a bit rustic, but you can build a nice fire and have a bit of an adventure. Plus, Wheeling is pretty much the midpoint between DC and IN, so it breaks the trip up nicely.

Anonymous wrote:Kalahari Resort is in Sandusky, OH and a little cheaper that GWL.

I was going to suggest this as well. The added benefit is that it's close to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I also recommend not stopping overnight.

Are you planning to stop over night? We do this drive a lot, and so do friends, and it's about 9 hours with breaks.

Anonymous wrote:OP again, turned out the Coco place had bad reviews and just shut down. Took the plunge and forked over $430 for a night at Wolf Lodge. It better be worth it! Even if it's great, it will probably be a once in a lifetime trip for our (thrifty) family.)

Your kids will love it, but that price does sound high.

Football Hall of Fame

OP again, turned out the Coco place had bad reviews and just shut down. Took the plunge and forked over $430 for a night at Wolf Lodge. It better be worth it! Even if it's great, it will probably be a once in a lifetime trip for our (thrifty) family.)

Kalahari Resort is in Sandusky, OH and a little cheaper that GWL.

Does it have to be an overnight/resort-type place, or is a hotel and an activity fine, too? If you're just looking for a daytime activity, I would second COSI in Columbus. Alternatively, if your kids are into airplanes and history, the Air Force Museum is in Dayton. Among other things, they have several presidential planes that you can actually walk through. Of course, my kids would much prefer to go to GWL than either of those places

OP here, I'm now looking at Coco Key Water Resort near Columbus, appears to be half the price of Wolf Lodge (but less stuff)... anybody been there?

COSI in Columbus is a blast for kids. Rated one of the top science museums in the country.

I think this is an occasion when GWL might be worth it. The prices go down but never when you'd want to go.

We're driving from DC to Indianapolis over Christmas with our 9 and 11-year-old, and the plan was to spend a day at Wolf Lodge near Cincinnatti--they have never been to a Wolf Lodge. But I cannot stomach the $400+/night price for a resort that is half that much on slower dates.

Is there an alternative stopover that would be fun along the way? Not a great time of year for state parks, rafting etc....