By Karen Shadrach
In early spring in Northeast Ohio, our large snowfalls finally come to an end, yet there’s still a definite chill in the air. This is when I think: Ugh…I need to need to escape to a warmer place!
If you feel the same way but can’t jump on an airplane to fly South for a while, then take your grandkids to enjoy a warm adventure right here in Cleveland.
There’s No Place Like…
The first warm escape is the RainForest, which is a part of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and re-opens in March after ongoing construction and COVID-19 restrictions. Its iconic glass dome was replaced this past summer. The RainForest’s two-acre, two-level habitat is one of the largest of its kind in the country. As soon as you enter the door, you are transported into a rainforest environment, complete with a beautiful 25-foot waterfall and lush green plants. You can feel the heat and humidity, which is wonderful to step into from a cold, windy day.
The grandkids love to walk along the path which eventually ends at a tree which you can climb and takes you up to the second-floor level. (An elevator is available.) This takes you to a jungle research facility and a huge room of tropical birds and other creatures in the rainforest.
Watch the monkeys interact with each other and play on their swings. Downstairs, you can see tropical frogs, bats, an ant farm and a tropical rainstorm exhibit. It storms approximately every 20 minutes, producing heavy rain, thunder and lightning followed by a thick mist; the grandkids are enthralled. We usually have to stay through two storms to see and experience everything. The rainforest has a cafeteria area, which is a nice place to rest and have a snack or eat lunch.
Next up is Cleveland Botanical Garden, where you can travel both to the spiny desert of Madagascar and the Costa Rican rainforest in their Glasshouses. Here, you can find restorative peace, quiet and warmth. Special meet-and-greets with different rainforest creatures are hosted Fridays through Sundays at 1 p.m.and 2 p.m. The Costa Rican rainforest, usually filled with butterflies, has a new addition this year: dart frogs.
The annual Orchids Forever exhibit runs through April 11. There are thousands of beautiful orchids filling the hallways, all galleries and the Glasshouse. Orchids are for sale in the garden store. Take one home for yourself and the grandkids so that they can learn to care for it and watch it grow.
If the weather is nice outside, take a walk into the Hershey Children’s Garden and let the kids play in the treehouse and explore the many little gardens and mazes.
If your grandchildren enjoy swimming, there is another option to escape into a warm environment. Take them to an indoor pool or waterpark. These facilities are open under limited restrictions, (which make for fewer crowds) and have temperatures of 80 degrees inside. Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge, both located in Sandusky, sell one-day admission tickets. Of course, you could always stay overnight in one of their themed rooms and enjoy two days of warmth and water fun.
Lastly, check your community recreation centers for their indoor pool schedules. Most are open and take reservations to limit the number of people in their pools. Visitors are assigned a specific time to enter and exit the facility. We have done this several times already, and the children love to have the opportunity to swim before summer.
Treat yourself and your grandkids soon for a day of fun and warmth.
