My family’s favorite getaways are the many state parks around Ohio. There are a bunch within driving distance and they have great activities for families. And some really nice lodges/restaurants; no camping for me!

On our last trip pre-kids, we spent a long weekend at Mohican State Park, hiking the trails and enjoying the beginnings of fall color. And enjoying sleeping in. I look back fondly on that part as well.

Burr Oak State Park was the site of an extended family trip with my in-laws. We’ve also visited Maumee Bay and Deer Creek as a large group; the lodges or cabins are a great way to vacation together without too much togetherness.

Punderson Manor was another lovely getaway for me and my husband. It was November, so the trails were a bit muddy and the fall color was past its prime. It was, however, also NaNoWriMo, so I took the opportunity to treat it as a bit of a personal writer’s retreat. I remember how excited I was that I was able to complete one really key scene in a different, more interesting way than I had originally thought. Sometimes it takes some new scenery to get out of a writing rut!

You can find more getaways at the original Lens-Artist challenge, guest hosted this week by Rusha at Oh, The Places We See…