Fun one tank trips: Imagination Station

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When Gladys and I decided to get married, we made the hour drive down I-75 to the Lucas County Courthouse to tie the knot.  We updated our Facebook relationship status at the main branch of their public library, which is an excellent example of how to blend an exquisite Art Deco structure with a modern addition.  Afterward, we headed to the Toledo Botanical Garden for a picnic lunch before heading back downtown to Fifth Third Field to watch the Mudhens in action (my wife is an amazing woman for letting me go to a baseball game on our wedding night!).

We talk about doing more in Toledo because it is close to home, the cultural attractions are easy to get to and priced right for the experience.  When we decided that we just needed to get out of Detroit for an afternoon, our intended destination was the Libby Glass Factory Outlet.  Our favorite stop of the day, for all three of us, was an impromptu stop at the Imagination Station.

For little ones like The Kid, the KIDSPACE is great play area with simple toys and plenty of padded surfaces so they don't get hurt if they fall.  The little tunnel kids can crawl through was my favorite.  For kids a little older, they have a mock doctor's office and grocery store that help kids under five get use to the idea of what happens at both places.

Little kids are well taken care of here and there is plenty to hold the attention of parents as well.  The Eat It Up exhibit talking about nutrition and exercise was interesting, even for people like me who work with dietitians on a regular basis.  Grow U was fun for the little kid in me who sometimes misses the simplicity of growing up on the back 40 of my grandparent's farm.  And I can't wait until The Kid is old enough to join me at the Water Works exhibit.  It looked FUN!  

My big tip if you're going to make the drive, eat before you go.  There is nothing special about the cafeteria, with few healthy choices on the menu.  If you're going to eat unhealthy food while in Toledo, you are always better off heading to Tony Packo's for some authentic Hungarian food.  

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