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Ohio!?
Hi! My boyfriend and I live in the Detroit area of Michigan and have been together for over two years. 
We're young, and just going into our sophomore years at college in the fall.
After a disappointing visit to the Detroit Zoo yesterday, we both agreed that we would REALLY like to go visit the Toledo Zoo in Ohio when we have the chance. After mentioning Ohio, we realized we'd also like to visit Cedar Point and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Obviously, these places aren't all right next to each other in Ohio, but they form a nice line when I mapped it all out.
If we were to cram them all in the same visit (either stay a long weekend or a week and do other things as well), it would make sense for us to do Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first, then Cedar Point, then the Zoo last. That way, we would go to the farthest event first, and slowly work our way back home while hitting the other locations. Does this make sense?
I guess I'm asking, what would be wiser? To take one big trip and do all that we want over a week or a few days? Or do one event one trip at a time?
Taking into consideration the ideas of both saving as much money as possible (I know that's tricky, as all of those places can get pretty costly, as well as the prices of gas and hotels) but at the same time, thinking about energy levels (we don't want to do something like, finish one place, and by time we get to the last place, just be exhausted and "road-tripped out").
Opinions would be nice.
Trip probably won't happen till next summer at the soonest, but it would be nice to start planning.
Re: Ohio!?
I used to live in Cleveland (and was a member at the Rock Hall a couple years) and grew up in Michigan, so I can help a little bit. Depending on where you are in "Detroit" (I know how nebulous that can be) it can take between 3 and 4 hours to get to Cleveland. There are lots of cops on the Ohio Turnpike, so you really can't speed. If you left in the morning you could probably do the museum in the afternoon (and it's open until 9 Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer). It's not huge -- I think you'd have to really try to spend more than 3 hours there.
I haven't been to Cedar Point or the Toledo Zoo in a looooong time, but I'd devote an entire day to CP. If you're really trying to cram everything into 1 trip, you could in theory drive back west after going to the Rock Hall and stay somewhere closer to Cedar Point, then go to CP the next day. Then the next day you could wake up and hit the zoo on your way home. Alternatively you could probably do the Rock Hall and Zoo over 2 days and CP as another 2-day trip unto itself.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Mark Twain
My Travel Blog
We live in the metro-detroit tri-county area. He lives just west of Royal Oak, and I live in Warren, so downtown Detroit is a mere 30 minutes away from us on a day with good traffic. He literally lives three exits west of where 696 and I-75 meet.
Mapping it out on google, it will allegedly take us a little over 3 hours to get from his house to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2 and a half hours to get to Cedar point from his house, and an hour and a half to get to the Toledo Zoo from his house.
The Toledo Zoo is definitely a nice zoo and worth seeing. In general, Toledoans tend to not have a lot of pride in this city, but the zoo is definitely one of the things that we're proud of. I don't think it's an ALL day activity, but definitely the better part of the day.
If it were me, I would drive down here on day 1 and spend the late morning and afternoon at the zoo. I would leave at dinner time and catch a nice dinner around here somewhere. We have plenty of nice places, let me know if you want some recs. That evening, I would drive over to Sandusky and find a hotel around there.
On day 2, enjoy Cedar Point. If you've never been there, you will be overwhelmed and amazed. Meijer sells discount tickets to Cedar Point which will save you some money. You can get them at any of the stores in Toledo or there is a Meijer on route 250 in Sandusky that you will pass. I would figure on the entire day at Cedar Point and stay in the same hotel again that night.
On day 3, drive the rest of the way to Cleveland and see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I might try to find another 1/2 day activity and then plan to drive home that night.
If you want to extend this trip, I would consider staying another day or 2 in Sandusky. There is so much to do there. You could go to Soak City which is Cedar Point's water park. I'm pretty sure that you can buy tickets for both parks together which will save you money. You could also go to either Kelley's Island or Put-In-Bay which are 2 of the Erie Islands. I'm not sure how old you are, but I think you could have a fun time and enjoy yourselves even if you aren't 21 yet.
My one major suggestion is that you make sure you go to Cedar Point on a weekday and sooner in the summer as opposed to later. A Wednesday in May will mean that you are waiting no more than 20-30 minutes for some of the best coasters. Other roller coasters will have a wait under 5 minutes. However, a Saturday in August can have you waiting for 3 hours for a single ride- not exaggerating.
Also, keep in mind that it tends to feel cooler and have a good breeze since you're right there by the lake. I would suggest bringing a sweatshirt or something and leaving it in the car in case you need it when it gets dark.
I'm not much help for the Cleveland area, but I'm from Toledo and have been going to Cedar Point every year for 20ish years. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with!
Have fun!
what you do and for how long and where really depends on what you can afford.
since you have over a year to think about it why not figure out a budget first and then figure out where and when and what?
I'm another vote for the Cleveland Zoo over the Toledo Zoo. Or you could do both (the Cleveland Zoo and RnR HoF can be the same day). Parking at the Cleveland Zoo is free and admission is about $11/pp.
I agree with everyone on Cedar Point taking a full day and you'll be exhausted after. It's a ton of fun though and well worth a trip. Just prepare yourself to potentially wait in very long lines for a very short (but thrilling) ride.
I'm in Northville, but went to Cedar Point as a kid, loved it! Definitely spend an entire day there, but the earlier the better before it gets busy!
I've never been to the Toledo zoo but would like to. We have a Detroit zoo membership. I'm sorry you had a bad experience there, may I ask what happened? I love our zoo, I've been to 3 others (Toronto, Brookfield, St. Louis) & I think ours & St. Louis is the best.
I've recently had some friends go to Toledo zoo & say they like the Detroit one better, so I can't wait to go down & try it to see for myself.
Have a good trip!