Being a native of St. Louis, Missouri, I grew up hearing all about Cincinnati’s largest playground, Kings Island; however, I was never able to visit. Years later, when my family was transferred to this great city, I remember driving north on Interstate 71 towards Mason, and there it was…. the Eiffel Tower, large thrill rides and a water park. Since then, I have visited the Midwest’s largest amusement park several times; and each time gets more fun as my daughter grows and seeks new adventures.
Two things my close friends know about me:
- 1. I am NOT a fan of crowds, and
- 2. I must arrive the minute a venue opens.
This personal philosophy also applies to Kings Island. We arrived bright and early when the park opened last Wednesday morning, at 10 a.m. My daughter brought some greats friends for fun, excitement and memories. And on this Wednesday, the weather was perfect, crowds were low and the ride wait times were non-existent.
Nicknamed “Ohio’s Largest Playground,” Warren County also has its own water park, The Beach!
When entering the park, your family must pose for the traditional “in front of the fountains and Eiffel Tower” picture. Either take a photo with your camera/phone or a park photographer is on-site to take your picture for purchase later.
After posing for this “essential” photo, we headed to the area my daughter knows best, Planet Snoopy. This award-winning children’s area includes PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions for the whole family. Plus, your favorite PEANUTS characters are known to walk around for greetings and photo opportunities with your family.
Our group road most rides throughout Planet Snoopy including Woodstock Gliders, Woodstock Express and Linus’ Launcher. The kids’ favorite Planet Snoopy ride was definitely Surf Dog. Shaped as a large surf board, it rolls and spins while all aboard are happily screaming with excitement. As the outside temperatures rose, it was time to ride Race for your Life Charlie Brown (water log flume), and explore more family rides in the park, especially White Water Canyon, were everyone could cool off after walking the park.
Next, we headed for the world’s largest animatronic dinosaur park, Dinosaurs Alive! For a small extra fee ($5/child), your family can explore and interact with 56 life-sized dinosaurs. My family loves Jurassic Park, so walking through the winding, shaded paths and interacting with these gigantic historic creators was a wonderful and informative experience. Each exhibit displayed the names, era lived and the lifestyle of many dinosaurs that lived over 65 million years ago. Plus, we became paleontologists by digging for dinosaur fossils. This attraction definitely makes learning fun!
A day at Kings Island would not be complete without some tasty treats. Walking around this large park, creates quite an appetite. With so many varieties of food to choose from, my child decided on lunch at Larosa’s Pizza; and then we finished the day with blueberry ice cream cones and Coca-Cola Icees. (But no matter what you eat, make sure to drink plenty of water as you explore the park!)
Kings Island guarantees lots of fun for kids and adults of all ages; and it may take a few days to truly explore the entire park and water park. For hours, parking and events, please visit visitkingsland.com.
About Ainslie:
Ainslie Gordon is a St. Louis, Missouri native and graduate of the University of Missouri’s Journalism School. Her career has focused on advertising, public relations and event planning. In 2011, Ainslie and her family moved to Cincinnati; and she became a stay-at-mom and founder of the blog, Modhousewife.
Additionally, she was a fashion/trends contributor on Fox 19 and Fox 2. Currently, Ainslie is the Marketing Director for Game On! Fitness. She is also a Girl Scout leader and enjoys volunteering throughout the community.
She lives with her husband and daughter in West Chester and loves all things Disney. You can find Ainslie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
