Waldameer

Why can't Conneaut Lake Park be more like Waldameer? Both parks are about the same age (Conneaut Lake Park opened in 1892 and Waldameer in 1896), but you wouldn't know it.  Waldameer is well kept, beautifully landscaped and the rides all actually work. Conneaut Lake Park is...well, the opposite of that. Let's just say, we chose to drive the hour to Erie instead of going across the lake to our local park.

All eleven cousins ran from ride to ride. Once she warmed up to the rides, little Clare was quite the daredevil and went on every ride that her older cousins did.

They all rode the Music Express three times until they couldn't take it any more. Poor John was squished so much his ribs hurt.

I'd never been to the 'North End' of the park before, but in my opinion that's where the good rides are. Who knew that there were teacups outside of Disneyland!

Dollar Spaghetti Night

Wednesday nights are Dollar Spaghetti Night at the local golf course. (I never said that Conneaut Lake was known for it's fine cuisine.) The name, apparently, did not clue Audrey in that it was a casual affair. She proudly showed up in full eye make up.

Yes, a plate of spaghetti really is a dollar! It's not fancy, but what do you expect.

After dinner, the kids (which I probably can't say since some are 17) went outside.

The two pictures below were taken just before we were told that a skunk family lives under the boat.

The two brave girls below attempted, thankfully unsuccessfully, to unearth the skunks.

Picnic and Bingo

I don't know when it became a yearly tradition, but each summer we have dinner and then play Bingo at a local park. I think it started one year when rain forced us to find a 'Plan B' for our cookout. Don't judge us, but the kids (ok...all of us) look forward to this. 

The park that we go to has covered pavilions that are perfect for the rain - thank goodness, since a huge storm blew through during our dinner.

The real excitement begins after dinner with a rousing game of Bingo. Actually, games of Bingo. We play until every 'kid' wins.

Jimmy screamed each time his number was called. 

Party's over!

Getting Crafty on a Rainy Day

When it rains at the lake, we have to get creative with our activities. The girls got crafty today at Sew Happy, Irie and Amanda's cottage. I love the jewelry holders they made! 

Even though it never actually rained, we thought it might all day and avoided the beach and outdoor activities. The ladies had an impromptu tea on my porch.

Movie time for the kids.

First Full Day at the Lake

After a long travel day yesterday, including two flights, a lost bag and a nearly two hour drive, we arrived safely in Conneaut Lake. Our first full day at the lake ended with a wonderful family dinner and birthday celebration.

There happens to be a lot of family here right now. I tried to count and stopped at 23. 

The cousins are having a blast, but are also wishing the remaining three cousins were here.

Happy Birthday, Hanna!

Mission Amusement: Scare Tactics! Conneaut Lake on Travel Channel!

After nearly a year of waiting, the Travel Channel show (Mission Amusement: Scare Tactics) aired! Last summer, Ben and I volunteered to help with Conneaut Lake Park restoration during the filming. I wrote about it here. Now that the show has aired, I can share more details.

Unfortunately, the sad state of the park in Mission Amusement: Scare Tactics was very accurate. Norma, the show's carpenter, worked like mad that week. Ben and I helped with the Devil's Den (painting, cleaning up inside and hanging the ghost outside), painted the planters on the Midway, and painted the beer stand (shown in Mission Amusement being pulled in before being painted, but not shown after). We were interviewed while painting the beer stand, but that clip ended up on the cutting room floor.

The Haunted House was every bit as scary as they make it seem. Probably even more terrifying! Ben and I were even able to walk through it in the daylight, so we knew what to expect. Despite having the sneak peak, going through the night of the reveal was terrible! Terrible in a good way, if you like that kind of thing (which I discovered, I do not). You can see a news clip of us exiting here. We're also shown briefly on the Travel Channel show. During the final few minutes, we're in the crowd by the haunted house, in line for the haunted house, and also in line for Devil's Den.

I still don't trust The Blue Streak. My dad and Ben rode it during Park After Dark and both said, "Never again!"

We'll see how our renovations held up over the winter. Stay tuned for an update!

Oakland Beach Dude Ranch

A commenter mentioned spending time at the Oakland Beach Dude Ranch, which reminded me of this old flyer. I'm pretty sure that my mother-in-law, her sister, and cousin are the three girls. A dude ranch at the lake today would be so much fun! Especially at those prices. I'd love to hear more stories about the dude ranch.