Ohio

Photographing Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Connie Attractions & Events, Ohio , , , , 0 Comment
Photographing Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

When at an amusement park, I’m usually not thinking about taking artistic photographs. I don’t carry my DSLR camera, since I’m there to enjoy the park. I recently attended a conference at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, the country’s second oldest amusement park. I didn’t have much time in the park itself, but on the evening I spent there I snapped a few quick photographs using my smart phone just to document the trip. However, as part of the conference, I also went on the optional sunrise photo walk. What a difference it made.

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My camera phone photos are so-so, good enough for trip keepsakes. I took a shot of Johnny Rockets, a full diner inside the park, where they provided service with a smile.

Johnny Rockets

Fries and onion rings

I photographed Lake Erie at dusk from the Sky Ride.

From the sky ride at dusk

Since Cedar Point is known as the roller coaster capital of America, I snapped a shot of the Magnum XL-200, the first coaster ever to top 200 feet.

Roller Coaster

Cedar Point was celebrating the first weekend of HalloWeekends, so Halloween decorations were everywhere.

Carousel

Sgt Peppers

Kiddy Kingdom

Zombies lurked in the gardens and in the Dead Ride Cemetery.

Zombie

Dead ride cemetery

The sunrise photo walk the next morning, led by Fashion by Mayhem blogger Angie Keiser and Cedar Point Public Relations Manager, Bryan Edwards, was a completely different photography experience. The walk highlighted popular photo subjects, starting with sunrise on Lake Erie.

Seagull at sunrise

Sunrise over Lake Erie

At 136 feet, the Ferris wheel is one of the largest in North America.

Ferris Wheel

I can’t stop myself from taking photos of pretty flower beds …

Flowers

… and birds, especially with wings widespread.

Seagull in flight

I liked the effect of the color against clouds on this one.

In Cedar Point at dawn

It’s amazing how pieces of roller coasters can look like art.

Roller Coaster 2

I’m not a professional photographer by a longshot, but the right light, a decent camera, interesting subjects and helpful hints from others make learning fun, and definitely improve my photos.

Cedar Point, located on the shore of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, is open late spring through summer and weekends through Halloween. Check the web site for exact schedule and directions.

Disclosure: My ticket to Bloggy Con included a free pass to Cedar Point , but any opinions expressed in this post are my own.


 

Weathering this Midwest Winter

Connie Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Weathering this Midwest Winter

“I’m tired of this winter.”  I’ve heard it over and over again for the past month.  And I agree.  It seems that every day, at least here in the Chicago area, we’ve been getting either more snow, making roads dangerous to navigate, or single-digit to sub-zero temperatures, so we can’t go out and enjoy snow activities.  Of course, the obvious remedy is to go somewhere warm, and if you can do that, great.  But for many, a vacation to a warm climate is impractical or even impossible.  Besides, a week later, you’ll be back home in the snow and cold again.  So aside from hibernating and counting the days until spring, here are a couple of ways to counter the cabin fever that has hit the Midwest hard:

Go to indoor events and attractions.  On the days that are cold but the roads okay to drive on, go to a local museum that you haven’t been to in a long time.  (Call first to make sure they haven’t closed due to the cold.)  Or go to one of the many travel, RV, boat, auto, or home shows going on in cities all over the Midwest.  You’ll find links to information on lots of them on the Midwest Festivals & Fairs page.

Plan your summer travel.  Now is the time to plan your summer getaways.  Get them on the calendar before your calendar fills up with other obligations.  If you’re planning to go to a popular seasonal destination, you should make your accommodation reservations as soon as possible, too, for the best selection.  Need help in deciding where to go?  Turn to the convention and visitors bureaus of the states you are thinking about.  On the Internet, search “[state name] tourism” to find the state’s official tourism site, which will have listings of attractions, accommodations, dining options, and events.  You can order free hard copy travel guides for the states or regions you are considering for your getaways, too.  I personally like to peruse the hard copy guides from the cozy comfort of a sofa and then use the Internet to get further details on places that interest me.  To get you started, I’ve included links below to order tourism guides for the Midwest states.

Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin

Just thinking about and planning your summer getaways will do wonders to counter the winter doldrums.  Do you have other suggestions for cabin fever remedies?  Answer in the Comments box below.

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Other attractions you may enjoy this winter:

Peoria Riverfront Museum: Interactive Exhibits, Planetarium and Giant Screen Theater

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Springfield IL: Museum Meets Disney

Frank Lloyd Wright Dana-Thomas House: 12,000 Square Feet of Phenomenal

Visit Jelly Belly, Pleasant Prairie WI: Take the Tour, Taste the Candy

Tour Stone Hill Winery, Hermann, MO: Most Historic and Awarded Winery in the State

New Year’s Eve in the Midwest: Dropping the Carp or the Bridge or the Watermelon

Connie Attractions & Events, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin , , , , , , 0 Comment

New_Years_Eve_photoMost everyone is familiar with the ball dropping at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square.  I’ll bet you didn’t know that here in the Midwest, several cities have their own traditions of dropping quirky objects.  I didn’t either until I started researching New Year’s Eve events for the Midwest Festivals and Fairs page.  Here are some that I found:

In Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the grand finale of the Carp Fest that runs for several days at the end of the year includes a pyrotechnic show, music, a bonfire and the Droppin’ of the Carp.  Kiss Lucky the Carp for a year of good fortune.

Another fish, a 20 foot, 600 pound walleye, drops in Port Clinton, Ohio, during Walleye Madness at Midnight following an evening of festivities with street vendors, raffles, and live entertainment.  An early, 6 p.m. edition of the fish drop entertains kids whose bedtime is well before midnight.

Traverse City, Michigan, known for tart cherries, drops an illuminated cherry, called a Cherry T Ball at midnight, with live music beginning at 9:30 p.m.  If weather permits, you’ll see fireworks, too.  The Cherry T Ball is a charity fundraising event.  Suggested admission is $3 or three non-perishable food items.

In Charlevoix, Michigan, the Memorial Draw Bridge will be raised at 11:45 p.m. and then lowered with the countdown to midnight, followed by fireworks and the lighting of the lighthouse.  Bridge Drop festivities begin in early afternoon and include a snowman building contest, food trucks and s’mores and hot cocoa.

Watermelon is the thing to drop in Vincennes, Indiana, fourteen of them!  Live music, food and spirits begin at 9 p.m.

There are more, too, like The Puck Drops Here celebration in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and like in Times Square, Ludington, Michigan drops a ball.

Do you know of a Midwest town that drops something on New Year’s Eve?  Tell us about it in the comments below.

Happy wandering in the New Year.

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