As a visitor to Chicago, I'm always impressed by the Lincoln Park Zoo. It's free and held to higher standards than many zoos you pay to get into. It feels so open. They have a great variety of animals and even have a small petting zoo. It has easy access too.

We spent 1 night/ 2 days at Niagara Falls. The first day, we did all of the touristy things in Niagara on the Canadian side- Ripley's museum (kind of fun but $$), a haunted house (save your money) and saw the falls. Stayed at a B&B half way between downtown and Niagara on the Lake. Did wine tasting all afternoon and winery tours! Had a great romantic dinner. Saw the falls at night. Awesome breakfast, took a long hike around Niagara on the Lake, stopped at some roadside farm markets. Next time we'll save time for the Maid of the Mist...

This is a great place to take the older kids- teenagers. It is kind of dangerous to try and take little ones and impossible to use a stroller. But, there are great hiking trails and plenty of areas to go rock climbing. The scenery is great, and it stays pretty cool by the water even in the heat of summer. One of my favorite hiking destinations!

Erie, PA has one of the best sunsets in the world, and it is best seen from Presque Isle. Its great for taking a dip to cool down or warming up on the volleyball court. It's 14 miles around the penninsula, making it a great bike ride, or if you're really adventurous, a walk/run. There are areas for picnics and fishing too. Honestly, this is truly a hidden gem.

Its a great zoo for a town the size of Erie. Don't expect it to be the Toledo Zoo, this is not Toledo. It has a great variety of animals and the exhibits seem well designed. Not so big that you have to spend hours and tire out the kids. Also, its a very affordable afternoon outing. The picnic area outside the zoo is great for a small family outing.