We are hosting a foreign exchange student from Vietnam next year and are trying to find some places of interest to take him. We live in Cincinnati, Ohio, so we could make a day trip as far as about 3 hours away. This saves us getting a hotel room. We know all the biggies (Kentucky Horse park, Kings Island, Reds, Columbus Crew...), what we need are good ideas that are interesting AND cheap.
As a point of reference, our exchange student and our kids are boys (except my brave step-daughter). They range in age from 11 - 16. The boys like caves, fishing, camping (mom does NOT), swimming, boating, music and theater (yes, especially musicals). They love sports.
Also, next year, we will be driving to Florida and would like to make some interesting stops along the way. We know we want to stop at a gold mine in Georgia on the way. Any ideas straight down I-75?
Finally, believe it or not, I have never been to New York and seen the Statue of Liberty. Anyone know how to see NY on a budget. We have 4 kids of our own and the exchange student, so money is really tight.
Thanks for your help. :-)
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Comments: 13
If you go to New York and you need to do it really cheap, I would suggest staying at a hostel. Even better yet, find a hostel in one of the Boroughs (not in Manhattan) and you will get much better deals. I stayed in a cheap hostel in Brooklyn once, it looked terrible on the outside, but it was great, cheap and clean. I will see if I can think of a name.
Also staying at a NJ hotel or motel can definitely be recommended. Lood for coupons, and I am sure you will find a good deal. We have some coupon booklets here in Florida (do a google search for hotels and coupons and I am sure you will find it helpful). I really wish I remembered the name of the site, but one thing I do know is that my family and I stayed at a nice Orlando hotel for less than 33$ per night last September.
If you go to NYC, leave the car by your hotel, or park it at a parking garage at the train station/subway station - although this itself is expensive, it is much cheaper than parking in NYC.
Get a week pass or a day pass for the subway (and bus) and you will be able to get the most out of the New York City. Try to use the bus as much as possible, as you will see a lot more of NYC this way.
Oh I have so much more to say, but my mind is rambling right now, so I think I will wait a little.
A trip to Berea, KY might be fun especially when they are having one of their many festivals. They are having a Quilt Extravaganza in August which may not interest them (there is a 10-minute festival as a part of this--two of my plays will be produced). The Spoonbread festival can be fun. They actually give out samples of spoonbread for free! Spoonbread is one of my favorite southern treats. If you're interested in the happenings at Berea you can go on the Berea Arts Council web site.
Just some ideas if you want to explore down my area.
I really enjoyed going to the Rookwood Resturant, my hosts reserved a Kiln.
We also went to their cabin in Red River Gorge
The aquarium and Natural History Museum(IMax) and Whispering Fountains are a plus.
We went to some sport games
We all went to NY. Which if you guys use the international student ID from STA travel, you can get a lot of discounts in NY. I also recommend staying in NJ instead of the city. You can catch the ferry for free into the City.
I visited Chicago, which is where I live now and there are tons of things to do for free here!! You can even borrow (library) passes to all Chicago Museums. Yeah, its a five drive from Cincinnati, but its sooooo worth it.
Oh, I would make it a point to go to Findley Market with him. I enjoyed my trip. You have to go on a Saturday though. EARLY, if you want to have a better selection it gets crowded down there the later you go.
I would take him to Cumberland Falls, KY; Stop over on your way to florida, I would recommend taking him and the kids to see the Moon Bow
Gatlinburg is fun!
Oh, and one thing my host family couldnt do, but they let me go on my own was to
The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center. Its in the Blue Ridge Mts. I stayed there for a week its really cool. There is also the opportunity to camp and white water rafting. Yeah, you dont swim, I know but there are streams,lol. But lots of hiking, repelling and the view of the moutains as the sun rises and sets are amazingly breathtaking.
I would say go to Niagara Falls, Toronto.
I also liked it when we went to Bryant Park, its near Antioch that was fun.
I would also make sure that he experiences a diverse group of people, encourage him to make his own friends not just those of your kids. I and most of my mates who were exchange students from my school in Germany, we all came to Cincinnati to be hosted by students from Walnut Hills, hated when our host would assume that we only wanted to meet their friends or the people like them. They often found it difficult that we began to make friends on our own with other people specifically diverse peoples who may not have had alot of money but were really nice persons.We don't like to feel as if we BELONG to the host family. Remember, we come to America to experience more than just the host family and people like them. As a german, I felt that I NEEDED to meet all types of Americans not just wealthy ones like my hosts family. So encourage him to meet diverse peoples because in Vietnam, from my experience, it was really rare that I ever saw any other people who werent vietnamese, laos or other south east asian peoples.
If her turns out to be vegan or vegitarian you may want to take him to Boka, Mulanes, Javiers. They are safe to serve vegan and vegitarian dishes.
I hope it helps, have fun.
Oh DC take him to DC. ALthough, depending on which agency you guys are going through he may be taken to DC or NY when he gets here. My agency took us to DC and NY before I even met my host family.
Thanks so much. We have been e-mailing our student for a while now. He doesn't have too much of an idea of what he wants to do yet. We know he likes the outdoors, music, soccer and wants to try lacrosse with my son. He will be going to St. Xavier here in town. He is the same age as my oldest, and I also have a son who will be a freshman. Since my two sons are so different, I am sure that having one more with different friends won't be a problem. There is always some new kids at my house. I really hope that he makes a bunch of friends. The nice thing about most of the kids that I have met from St. X is that they are all pretty open and accepting. I hope that as long as my sons and our student get along, that any friends he makes will like one of them. In fact, my oldest will have his license, so I have a feeling that I won't see much of either of the boys this year. (Even if that means Michael drops Hung off at his friends and then he goes on to his.)
As for the wealthy Americans, that's not us. Actually, I think he is coming from the wealthy family. Of course, being at St. X , he will meet plenty of wealthy families too. I am hoping that he will meet a good mix of kids. He also wants to take a class with my son that does community service, so he may see some of the more impoverished parts of Cincinnati as well.
We were planning on the Cumberland Falls, but the dropped the water level at the dam and the falls are dried up. Thanks for Findley Market. I loved market. Both my grandparents had stands there (that is my grandpa in the picture) and my parents met there. I definately will have to take him there.
Thanks again for the information. If you think of ANY other tips, please let me know.
Sue
Though I am not so good in this matter but can say it will be a cheaper trip..It's historical place too so there are many packages..
But if you want to come to Los Angeles..I am here ..just let me know I will find everything..
love
One neat new thing in the Cincy area is the Underground Railroad Museum. I didn't think it sounded interesting but I noticed this month they also have an exhibit about Holocaust Survivors.
http://www.freedomcenter.org/
Cumberland Lake is low but not completely drained, right now the Parks dept. has set up web cams all around the lake so that you can check it out.
http://www.lakecumberland.com/
Renfro Valley is on your way south and usually has bluegrass bands playing live there until early fall.
http://www.renfrovalley.com/
I wouldn't recommend stopping in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg so much unless you want to check out something other than Dollywood or music theater. Don't get me wrong, it's nice for adults but it's very commercial and not a whole lot to do for kids. Even Dollywood has limited rides.
Check out www.Kentucky.com which is the site for both the Lexington and Louisville papers. They have restaurant reviews and travel ideas.
It's a bit out of your way but Perryville has an awesome Civil War reenactment in October. We talked to people who'd gone to Gettysburg, etc. and they said it was more authentic seeming than most. The countryside is beautiful and it's not built up very commerically by the battlefield. In fact, you park and they bus you in to preserve the authenticity.
This is a great site for Stone Mountain, Georgia. http://www.stonemountainpark.com/
I've been looking at this site a lot in the past few weeks: http://staynky.com/index.php
I hope this helps you and if I think of anything else, I'll holler.
If you go to www.free-attractions.com there is a listing of free stuff in each state.
My mind is a blank right now, however give me a little bit and I will come up with a big list. If you are a member of AAA get some of their trip-tiks they list all the attractions by city and tell you the price. Some places are free on certain days.
I used to live in Chicago and most of the museums are free on certain days. Here in Chattanooga, it is a big tourist trap and everything is pretty costly, you just have to find free things.
Oak Ridge, TN has a Musuem of Science and Energy which is free and very informative.
The Great Smoky mountains will cover the fishing, camping, etc., none of which I prefer either, but the hubby and kids love it. It is so pretty there you won't care that you are camping (plus shopping is very close).
Email me if you would like more places.
Hope these ideas help you.
On the way down, we went to some caves in Georgia or maybe it was Tennesee ???
It was so cool !
They had parts of it all lit up and it was so pretty. It was VERY humid down there, but cool tempuratures.
Oh, I wish I could remember what is was called and exactly where it was, but maybe my mention of it will help someone else remember what it is for you.
I found others for you too:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/kentucky/0729028443.html
http://www.dispatch.com/live/contentbe/EPIC_shim.php?story=dispatch/travel/stories/ohio_caves.html
http://www.romegeorgia.com/cavespg.html
http://www.pennsylvania.worldweb.com/ToursActivitiesAdventures/CaveTours/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/806905/a_tour_of_lost_river_cave_and_valley.html
Well, I hope these will help you plan some outings.
Have fun !
Diana
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free and cheap things to do in this area. My area has many books on this topic & I bet your area does too.
I'm from East Tennessee and for the trip going down to FL on I-75....
I think someone was thinking of the Lost Sea in Sweetwater, TN which is an exit off I-75. They have glass bottom boats for you to see the albino fish. Really interesting I hear - I've never been there myself though.
If you go to Chattanooga - I would go to that large aquarium down there. Its supposed to be larger than the Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies. I would eat at a place called Sticky Fingers Barbeque. I think they have a website www.stickyfingers.com where you can sign up for email deals (coupons). They have the BEST BBQ ever! and I have tried alot of bbq.
Good luck with the trip - and if you go through Gatlinburg, TN in the Smokies check the web for deals - I think you can go to www.ripleys.com and get a package deal on up to 6 ripleys activities in Gatlinburg - its the best deal.