Recently and before the COVID-19 outbreak, my son and I decided to have a father/son weekend.  A great opportunity to give mom a break and experience some cool things close to home at the same time. These are the weekends I treasure and are a great catalyst for conversation and bonding over the two days. We would were reminded that there are fossils in Ohio.

This time around, we decided on a combination of indoor and outdoor activities. The Newport Aquarium is located across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and is a quick drive from central Ohio.  This would be our jumping off point and the furthest we would travel.

The Aquarium has 70 exhibits and 14 galleries including five seamless acrylic tunnels according to the website.  The collection spans the world and is quite impressive this far from any coast.  Our favorites included the poison dart frogs, touching the stingrays and the sheer size of the arapaima - thank you Jeremy Wade.  

The facility is set up to funnel foot traffic in one direction.  The crowd was a bit chaotic on a Saturday afternoon in February as you might expect, but we discovered on Sunday morning, at opening, was the time to go.  You could take in the whole place without bumping into your neighbor.  

I’d recommend purchasing the annual pass in advance as well.  Since we went both days, it paid for itself.  In addition, you are able to enter at your leisure as opposed to waiting for your time slot.  A huge time saver if you plan on visiting multiple times.

Once we got our two-day aquatic fix, we hit the road started venturing back toward central Ohio.  Our final stop was Caesar Creek State Park near Waynesville, Ohio.  On the surface and after a quick online investigation, it may seem like most of the state parks in Ohio.  Great trails, a nice reservoir, wildlife, BUT this one has a little secret.  Fossils…oodles and oodles of fossils.

Now…if you are expecting the next huge t-rex or velociraptor, you will be a little disappointed.  These fossils predate the famous movie stars by roughly 400 million years.  This part of Ohio was a shallow sea some 450 million years ago and populated by corals, brachiopods, trilobites and a myriad of other life forms.  Stuff was starting to get really interesting in the evolutionary stream.  Just ask your budding paleontologist.  We were finding specimens by the handful!

We spent a good part of four hours examining the remains of the seabed.  I would look over and my son would be curled up, laying in a ball; examining the small rocks in front of him.  You could feel the curiosity vibe.  He was completely engaged; muddy, cold and I would not have had it any other way.

The icing on the cake and what makes Caesar Creek really special?  You can take what you find as long as you obtain a free permit at the park office and follow a few simple rules.  If you are looking for an opportunity for a fossil adventure, this is it!

Suffice to say, most people aren’t going to spend this amount of time in the area.  Fossils are totally his jam, so we do what we do.  I would highly recommend putting the park on your to do list regardless.  Pack a picnic lunch, grab your bike or hiking shoes and enjoy the many trails available.  The entire park is worth exploration even if fossils aren’t your thing.

Remember, adventure is subjective.  Sometimes we mean the grandeur of our National Park system and all that goes with them.  Sometimes we mean stepping out your back door and making the most of what’s in your own backyard.  This time, I’m referring to a multi-prong approach.  Don’t limit yourself by geographic restrictions or perceptions.  Put down the electronica and spend a weekend doing.  Make it fun, make it interesting and your entire family will thank you for it.

Now more than ever, what is your favorite State Park and why?  Be sure to comment below.

Jason M