BigFrank's Father's Day Road Trip 6.0 Penn/Oh/Mich

[drbenzo1]

For ***** sake! Eat Primantis and Pantlels!!!

 

[drbenzo1]

In Pittsburgh the Pirates attendance has been awful, so tickets should be quite available and reasonable. Good family -friendly options along the way from Philly could be Gettysburg and Fallingwater / Ohiopyle.

Brew Gentlemen and Voodoo are really close to one another. Be mindful of when you would go there as BG is Wednesday through Sunday, and opens at 5. Voodoo is open everyday at 4. If you signup for BG's emails they give a nice rundown of weekly releases (same goes for Dancing Gnome) and food trucks. Voodoo has food in house. Both places are family friendly. You don't want to wait in line for DG cans with the kids. Best bet is hopefully someone here can grab you some and do a meetup.

A cheap, but mandatory option for Pgh visitors is to do the incline. Probably a 15-20 minute drive from Voodoo. Along the way is Carson St where Fat Heads is located. Great food and very family friendly.

If Primanti's is on the list then there are a bunch around the city. If going to the original in the Strip District then there are several local breweries fairly close: 11th Hour, Cinderlands, Penn, Church Brew Works, Roundabout, Grist House, Hitchhiker, Dancing Gnome, Hop Farm...

This guy gets it... but Prantl’s!!

 

[drbenzo1]

BigFrank will you be my dad and take me on vacation!!??

 

[BigFrank]

BigFrank will you be my dad and take me on vacation!!??

Next year son, next year. We getting a bago?

 

[greg4579]

This guy gets it... but Prantl’s!!

Prantl's is the closest i have come to knowing a true addiction. When the burnt almond torte is in the house it runs my life...always thinking about that next slice.

They have a couple of locations now, but close earlier on Sunday's (when BigFrank will be there).
http://www.prantlsbakery.com/locations/

 

[BigFrank]

Okay, let's do a LIF for this trip! I will be traveling from August 10th through August 20th with this schedule:
Fly into Philadelphia
Drive from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh
Columbus/Dayton
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Cleveland
Back to Philadelphia.

I'm picking up the rental from the Philadelphia train station if you really want to get nitpicky.

Here is the lif. Guess the total number of miles traveled on my rental car during my trip. Closest number wins even if it's higher. If for some wacky reason there is a tie, the tiebreaker is the total number of stamps gained in my National Park passport. Entries will be accepted up until August 9th. Winner gets a box of whatever beer is in my fridge at home.

Feel free to add your best Midwest gif.

 

[jmgrub]

Okay, let's do a LIF for this trip! I will be traveling from August 10th through August 20th with this schedule:
Fly into Philadelphia
Drive from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh
Columbus/Dayton
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Cleveland
Back to Philadelphia.

I'm picking up the rental from the Philadelphia train station if you really want to get nitpicky.

Here is the lif. Guess the total number of miles traveled on my rental car during my trip. Closest number wins even if it's higher. If for some wacky reason there is a tie, the tiebreaker is the total number of stamps gained in my National Park passport. Entries will be accepted up until August 9th. Winner gets a box of whatever beer is in my fridge at home.

Feel free to add your best Midwest gif.

2,236 miles
3 stamps

Thanks for the chance. Have a great trip.

 

[Stubs]

1536 mi

 

[drbenzo1]

1,000,000 miles

 

[steimie]

1,900 miles

3 stamps

Thanks for the chance!

 

[chefduff2]

I approve off the Prantls Burnt almond torte. carry on.

 

[jdd419]

BigFrank this trip sounds very fun. I've gone to a lot of these places with kid(s) in tow her are my recommendations.

Never been to Philly

Pittsburgh
The Zoo is pretty nice
Primanti Bros is a known Pitt place so trying it is fun, I'm sure there are better places though
Downtown has some cool views with all the bridges and rivers, if a pirates game is happening it's one of the best stadiums in the country and tickets should be cheap.

Cleveland
Rock and roll Hof
Great lakes ceter has tons of things to do
Food options are pretty good in the downtown area as stated
Cedar point has to be mentioned but maybe not what you are looking for

Toledo
Maumee Bay State Park is cool with a boardwalk
Lots of metro parks in the area
Mudhens, let me know when you are here, I might be able to get you free tickets
Food, depending on your likes. Maumee Bay brewing, Tony Paco's, san Marco's, lots of options depending on your stay
Beer, Ernest Brews, Maumee Bay, the attic, inside the five, wild side

Hit me and rpbuckeye up. Unless you are here the 16th I should be able to meet up


Ann Arbor
Walk the campus lots of history
Homes, jolly pumpkin, Ashely's, zingerman deli or Roadhouse and blue tractor

Kalamazoo
I'd visit the lake, we just went to Saugatuck dunes state park that was fun. You hike about 1 mile to the beach through the woods. There are other trails too. Good time
Lots of options for kzoo and GR already



Have fun


1 mile, the boys are driving right

 

[steimie]

BigFrank this trip sounds very fun. I've gone to a lot of these places with kid(s) in tow her are my recommendations.

Never been to Philly

Pittsburgh
The Zoo is pretty nice
Primanti Bros is a known Pitt place so trying it is fun, I'm sure there are better places though
Downtown has some cool views with all the bridges and rivers, if a pirates game is happening it's one of the best stadiums in the country and tickets should be cheap.

Cleveland
Rock and roll Hof
Great lakes ceter has tons of things to do
Food options are pretty good in the downtown area as stated
Cedar point has to be mentioned but maybe not what you are looking for

Toledo
Maumee Bay State Park is cool with a boardwalk
Lots of metro parks in the area
Mudhens, let me know when you are here, I might be able to get you free tickets
Food, depending on your likes. Maumee Bay brewing, Tony Paco's, san Marco's, lots of options depending on your stay
Beer, Ernest Brews, Maumee Bay, the attic, inside the five, wild side

Hit me and rpbuckeye up. Unless you are here the 16th I should be able to meet up


Ann Arbor
Walk the campus lots of history
Homes, jolly pumpkin, Ashely's, zingerman deli or Roadhouse and blue tractor

Kalamazoo
I'd visit the lake, we just went to Saugatuck dunes state park that was fun. You hike about 1 mile to the beach through the woods. There are other trails too. Good time
Lots of options for kzoo and GR already



Have fun


1 mile, the boys are driving right

Second the food and beer at Maumee in Toledo.

 

[BigFrank]

BigFrank this trip sounds very fun. I've gone to a lot of these places with kid(s) in tow her are my recommendations.

Never been to Philly

Pittsburgh
The Zoo is pretty nice
Primanti Bros is a known Pitt place so trying it is fun, I'm sure there are better places though
Downtown has some cool views with all the bridges and rivers, if a pirates game is happening it's one of the best stadiums in the country and tickets should be cheap.

Cleveland
Rock and roll Hof
Great lakes ceter has tons of things to do
Food options are pretty good in the downtown area as stated
Cedar point has to be mentioned but maybe not what you are looking for

Toledo
Maumee Bay State Park is cool with a boardwalk
Lots of metro parks in the area
Mudhens, let me know when you are here, I might be able to get you free tickets
Food, depending on your likes. Maumee Bay brewing, Tony Paco's, san Marco's, lots of options depending on your stay
Beer, Ernest Brews, Maumee Bay, the attic, inside the five, wild side

Hit me and rpbuckeye up. Unless you are here the 16th I should be able to meet up


Ann Arbor
Walk the campus lots of history
Homes, jolly pumpkin, Ashely's, zingerman deli or Roadhouse and blue tractor

Kalamazoo
I'd visit the lake, we just went to Saugatuck dunes state park that was fun. You hike about 1 mile to the beach through the woods. There are other trails too. Good time
Lots of options for kzoo and GR already



Have fun


1 mile, the boys are driving right

I was going to stay the night of the 17th in Cleveland, but I think I'll stay in Toledo and take in the Mudhens game. Probably lunch at Tony Packos (my family are HUGE Mash fans) and grab some beers at Maumee. I will keep you and rpbuckeye updated. Great tips!

 

[jdd419]

I was going to stay the night of the 17th in Cleveland, but I think I'll stay in Toledo and take in the Mudhens game. Probably lunch at Tony Packos (my family are HUGE Mash fans) and grab some beers at Maumee. I will keep you and rpbuckeye updated. Great tips!

Ok when you go to Tony Paco's go to the original on Front. All the signed hotdog buns are at this one

1902 Front St, Toledo, OH 43605


There is one next to mud hens stadium but the original is pretty cool.

 

[Kingfish1]

In Philly, other than the historical stuff which you should do, if you are looking for something different and think the boys may be into it there is the Mutter Museum (http://muttermuseum.org).

On your way west out of Philly I would recommend Tired Hands. The Fermentaria has great food (get candied bacon) and beer (including growler fills), is kid friendly, and the General Store a couple blocks away will have cans and bottles to go.

Someone mentioned Valley Forge, which is a cool spot. Also on your way west in PA you could catch a Harrisburg Senators game (AA Nationals) and stop at Al's of Hampden/Pizza Boy in Harrisburg, which has 100 taps and beer to go.

I highly recommend Gettysburg. I haven't been in over 25 years, but still have vivid memories of it. Looking forward to taking my kids when they are a little older. I remember we had a cassette tape in the car stereo that told us about the history while we drove around, and I'm sure there are similar apps now. Plus only an hour outside of Harrisburg. Maybe you could work that in for a day between Philly and Pittsburgh?

If you make a detour to Washington Crossing Park let me know. I live next to the park and would be happy to take you guys out in our pontoon boat if I am around.

Have fun! Sounds like a great trip!

 

[kbuzz1]

Okay, let's do a LIF for this trip! I will be traveling from August 10th through August 20th with this schedule:
Fly into Philadelphia
Drive from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh
Columbus/Dayton
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Cleveland
Back to Philadelphia.

I'm picking up the rental from the Philadelphia train station if you really want to get nitpicky.

Here is the lif. Guess the total number of miles traveled on my rental car during my trip. Closest number wins even if it's higher. If for some wacky reason there is a tie, the tiebreaker is the total number of stamps gained in my National Park passport. Entries will be accepted up until August 9th. Winner gets a box of whatever beer is in my fridge at home.

Feel free to add your best Midwest gif.

4200 miles

Midwest gif:

 

[landrewg]

Plus 1 for Hocking Hills near Athens. Lots of caves and rock formations. Also liked the Columbus Zoo when we visited in June.

 

[capnmike]

If you go to Dayton the Wright Patterson Air Force Musuem is cool.

Seconded.gif - so cool.

specifically with Transient and Arclight in mind .

One other selling point for Transient is that one or more FIBs would be in range to meet you there.

 

[user 309192]

Just chiming in to advocate for going to the Rouge Plant tour while visiting Henry Ford Museum. It's a bit offsite, but they bus you to the factory. The tour starts with a couple videos (one is a bit of a promotion for Ford, the other more informational) and then opens up to a "balcony" walkway that take you through the plant above the factory floor lines that assemble the F150. You get an up close view of the people, machinery, and technology that come together in modern American factories. The tour concludes by taking you to a viewing area at the top of the factory, allowing you to observe the entire Ford-Rouge complex and even the downtown Detroit skyline. I would definitely recommend it, even though it is a bit pricey. I've taken my boys (ages 8, 6, and 4 at the time) and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

 

[BigFrank]

Just chiming in to advocate for going to the Rouge Plant tour while visiting Henry Ford Museum. It's a bit offsite, but they bus you to the factory. The tour starts with a couple videos (one is a bit of a promotion for Ford, the other more informational) and then opens up to a "balcony" walkway that take you through the plant above the factory floor lines that assemble the F150. You get an up close view of the people, machinery, and technology that come together in modern American factories. The tour concludes by taking you to a viewing area at the top of the factory, allowing you to observe the entire Ford-Rouge complex and even the downtown Detroit skyline. I would definitely recommend it, even though it is a bit pricey. I've taken my boys (ages 8, 6, and 4 at the time) and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

My only limitation is the time involved. This tour sounds fantastic, but I'm concerned that it may take up too much of the day. I have to drive from this Ford Museum to the other Ford Museum in Grand Rapids in the same day. Is that doable? How long does watching the the truck get built take?

 

[beerindex]

My only limitation is the time involved. This tour sounds fantastic, but I'm concerned that it may take up too much of the day. I have to drive from this Ford Museum to the other Ford Museum in Grand Rapids in the same day. Is that doable? How long does watching the the truck get built take?

Assuming reasonable traffic conditions, that drive is doable within 2.5 hours. Mind you even without the tour I think that is already a somewhat demanding schedule. The absolute minimum I'd set aside for the Henry Ford is 3 hours, though allowing for 4-5 is ideal. Then you'll have to grab lunch before making the drive (which can be done inside the museum if you so desire), so assume that'll add 30 minutes to an hour. So in the best case you're on the road to GR by 1pm, though very possibly/preferably even later. So you could expect to get to the Ford around 3:30, leaving 90 minutes at the Gerald Ford, which if you stop to read all the signage is on the short side of what you'd want. Obviously staying longer at the Henry Ford only exacerbates the time pressure on the other end.

I've not done Greenfield Village, which people usually pair with the Henry Ford and the Rogue tour (because it was impractically hot when I visited), but it gets rave reviews. I recall Grand Rapids being the terminal point of your trip before looping back, which I assume is what explains the rush. If you're not otherwise compelled to visit Grand Rapids you might consider devoting the day in Dearborn to the Henry Ford, Rogue tour, Greenfield Village combo, which would also save you a couple of hours of driving back east. The Gerald Ford is interesting but not essential, and of comparatively dubious appeal to younger audiences.

 

[BigFrank]

Assuming reasonable traffic conditions, that drive is doable within 2.5 hours. Mind you even without the tour I think that is already a somewhat demanding schedule. The absolute minimum I'd set aside for the Henry Ford is 3 hours, though allowing for 4-5 is ideal. Then you'll have to grab lunch before making the drive (which can be done inside the museum if you so desire), so assume that'll add 30 minutes to an hour. So in the best case you're on the road to GR by 1pm, though very possibly/preferably even later. So you could expect to get to the Ford around 3:30, leaving 90 minutes at the Gerald Ford, which if you stop to read all the signage is on the short side of what you'd want. Obviously staying longer at the Henry Ford only exacerbates the time pressure on the other end.

I've not done Greenfield Village, which people usually pair with the Henry Ford and the Rogue tour (because it was impractically hot when I visited), but it gets rave reviews. I recall Grand Rapids being the terminal point of your trip before looping back, which I assume is what explains the rush. If you're not otherwise compelled to visit Grand Rapids you might consider devoting the day in Dearborn to the Henry Ford, Rogue tour, Greenfield Village combo, which would also save you a couple of hours of driving back east. The Gerald Ford is interesting but not essential, and of comparatively dubious appeal to younger audiences.

I have heard a lot of rave reviews for the Henry Ford Museum so I may do the Gerald Ford Museum the next morning. We have to drive to Toledo for the Mudhens game and I was hoping to also go to the Rutherford B Hayes museum. I like taking the boys to presidential libraries...

 

[landrewg]

Thanks for the LIF.

1777 miles

1 stamp--there ain't many parks in this neck of the woods.

Hope you don't see one of these:

 

[Yooper1]

BigFrank this trip sounds very fun. I've gone to a lot of these places with kid(s) in tow her are my recommendations.

Never been to Philly

Pittsburgh
The Zoo is pretty nice
Primanti Bros is a known Pitt place so trying it is fun, I'm sure there are better places though
Downtown has some cool views with all the bridges and rivers, if a pirates game is happening it's one of the best stadiums in the country and tickets should be cheap.

Cleveland
Rock and roll Hof
Great lakes ceter has tons of things to do
Food options are pretty good in the downtown area as stated
Cedar point has to be mentioned but maybe not what you are looking for

Toledo
Maumee Bay State Park is cool with a boardwalk
Lots of metro parks in the area
Mudhens, let me know when you are here, I might be able to get you free tickets
Food, depending on your likes. Maumee Bay brewing, Tony Paco's, san Marco's, lots of options depending on your stay
Beer, Ernest Brews, Maumee Bay, the attic, inside the five, wild side

Hit me and rpbuckeye up. Unless you are here the 16th I should be able to meet up


Ann Arbor
Walk the campus lots of history
Homes, jolly pumpkin, Ashely's, zingerman deli or Roadhouse and blue tractor

Kalamazoo
I'd visit the lake, we just went to Saugatuck dunes state park that was fun. You hike about 1 mile to the beach through the woods. There are other trails too. Good time
Lots of options for kzoo and GR already

Philly is one of my favorite beercation places. Not just the famous Monks, but so many other cool dive places serve great beer and mussels with frites. The liberty bell and things are classics, and walking around there is fun and education (and lots of places to eat and drink). It's a super easy walk from Independence Hall to Ben Franklin's grave, and to a cool dive with Belgian beers and mussels if you don't want to do the trek to Monk's (but it's not that far, either).

I grew up half way between Pittsburgh and Cleveland and have gone back probably a hundred times, alone and with kids and then with grown kids and a grandson.

Pittsburgh zoo is one of the best in the country, and it is easily walkable and interesting for all ages. I love it. For classic amusement parks there, Kennywood is still a famous favorite and I really like it.

In Cleveland, Great Lakes is west of downtown and has good food and beers. And of course Fat Heads is near the airport. Otherwise, the kids' museum there was nice (forget the name) but nothing else really caught our fancy. The zoo there is nice also, probably quite a bit larger than Pittsburgh's.

Toledo is meh to me, so I have no input there.

Henry Ford museum is a classic, and most people love it. Boy Scout troops drive hundreds and hundreds of miles to visit. It's definitely worth a (long) visit.

Grand Rapids is spread out weirdly, so you'll want to map where you want to go ahead of time. I've been to Perrin (before it was sold out) and it's really nice and the food is good. Founders is huge, and the food is pretty good. However, I'd go to HopCat with the kids and get yourself a great beer and get yourself and the kids crack fries. Trust me- you need do do that. Three orders. You're welcome.

Kalamazoo is a miss to me. I'd either go to Lake Huron or Lake Michigan, grab some beers and play a little in the water. There are some cool beach towns in the west, with brewpubs and distilleries and hiking and kayaking, etc. Lots more to see and do than being stuck in Kalamazoo. Grand Rapids isn't all that far from Lake Michigan, and there are some better places over that way.

I'm jealous of your road trip! It sounds like a great time.

Oh, miles! Let's see. 1878 miles. Definitely!

 

[owlsfan]

Philly is one of my favorite beercation places. Not just the famous Monks, but so many other cool dive places serve great beer and mussels with frites. The liberty bell and things are classics, and walking around there is fun and education (and lots of places to eat and drink). It's a super easy walk from Independence Hall to Ben Franklin's grave, and to a cool dive with Belgian beers and mussels if you don't want to do the trek to Monk's (but it's not that far, either).

I grew up half way between Pittsburgh and Cleveland and have gone back probably a hundred times, alone and with kids and then with grown kids and a grandson.

Pittsburgh zoo is one of the best in the country, and it is easily walkable and interesting for all ages. I love it. For classic amusement parks there, Kennywood is still a famous favorite and I really like it.

In Cleveland, Great Lakes is west of downtown and has good food and beers. And of course Fat Heads is near the airport. Otherwise, the kids' museum there was nice (forget the name) but nothing else really caught our fancy. The zoo there is nice also, probably quite a bit larger than Pittsburgh's.

Toledo is meh to me, so I have no input there.

Henry Ford museum is a classic, and most people love it. Boy Scout troops drive hundreds and hundreds of miles to visit. It's definitely worth a (long) visit.

Grand Rapids is spread out weirdly, so you'll want to map where you want to go ahead of time. I've been to Perrin (before it was sold out) and it's really nice and the food is good. Founders is huge, and the food is pretty good. However, I'd go to HopCat with the kids and get yourself a great beer and get yourself and the kids crack fries. Trust me- you need do do that. Three orders. You're welcome.

Kalamazoo is a miss to me. I'd either go to Lake Huron or Lake Michigan, grab some beers and play a little in the water. There are some cool beach towns in the west, with brewpubs and distilleries and hiking and kayaking, etc. Lots more to see and do than being stuck in Kalamazoo. Grand Rapids isn't all that far from Lake Michigan, and there are some better places over that way.

I'm jealous of your road trip! It sounds like a great time.

Oh, miles! Let's see. 1878 miles. Definitely!

You're probably thinking of Eulogy in Philly for that dive with mussels in Old City. It closed. Probably for the best.

Also, 2018 miles.

 

[Shakedwnst]

You're probably thinking of Eulogy in Philly for that dive with mussels in Old City. It closed. Probably for the best.

Also, 2018 miles.

Definitely. Khyber probably replaces the cool dive part but not the mussels or Belgian beers

 

[wuntrikpony]

1869 Miles!!

If you're going to the Henry Ford Museum, I'd suggest getting some Lebanese food since you'll already be in Dearborn. Al Ameer and La Shish are both delicious options.

Alternatively there is a Buddy's pizza location nearby if you haven't had Detroit style pizza before.

 

[BigFrank]

1869 Miles!!

If you're going to the Henry Ford Museum, I'd suggest getting some Lebanese food since you'll already be in Dearborn. Al Ameer and La Shish are both delicious options.

Alternatively there is a Buddy's pizza location nearby if you haven't had Detroit style pizza before.

Boy, this is turning out to be one of the bigger food challenges of the trip. Near where we are staying g in Canton is an L. George Coney Island, a Cottage Inn pizza and of course all this killer Lebanese food. I have heard from a few people about each....what to do...I may have to get a meal from each and split it up with my crew.

 

[cneville1]

Boy, this is turning out to be one of the bigger food challenges of the trip. Near where we are staying g in Canton is an L. George Coney Island, a Cottage Inn pizza and of course all this killer Lebanese food. I have heard from a few people about each....what to do...I may have to get a meal from each and split it up with my crew.

cottage inn is trash, don't waste a meal there