Of all the museums and attractions of Cincinnati, we were careful to time our trip to make sure we wouldn’t miss the last weekend of the Butterflies of Ecuador show at Krohn Conservatory. You walk around the conservatory filled with roughly 12,000 butterflies in free flight.

We took the opportunity to make a long weekend out of Father’s Day and explore Cincinnati — a city neither of us had been to and was just a short flight away.

Staying in South Loop proved to be the best spot for everything we wanted to do in Chicago (despite the fact that unbeknownst to us our AirBnB sat atop a nightclub…!)

Dakota’s favorite part about our apartment was the fact that the L train ran routinely just outside our window. Every time she heard it rolling in, she ran to the window to wave hello. “hiya chooch!” she’d affectionately call out (a nickname she proudly concocted herself).

Every city we visit, we try to make it to the local children’s museum (see LA here). Some of my favorite childhood memories involve day trips with my grandmother, sister and brother to the National Children’s Museum.

The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium were nestled close together just East of our where we were staying (South Loop), making it easy to explore all the Museum Campus had to offer.

Chicago’s parks are pretty bomb. The rich history, fun sculptures, and innovative play spaces amid an incredible skyline offer a breathtaking view for everyday play. It’s safe to say the city’s parks did not disappoint.

Alex recently had some business in Chicago and since Nora had just passed that 6-week-old-safe-for-travel-mark, we figured why not make a little family adventure out of it?

we took Dakota to Rehoboth Beach (her grandparents have a house nearby) and although the weather wasn’t exactly warm and sunny — a surprising twist in August — she had a great time.

Expecting a bit of rain, we checked out The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. The rain held out long enough for us to explore the beautiful grounds, which turned out to be a good bit larger than we had anticipated and currently features a fun exhibit of large scale creatures built with Legos. Dakota especially loved navigating the steps and bridges in the Asian Garden.

Just a two hour drive away, Winchester, Virginia is the perfect distance from home for a quick weekend getaway. We can pop Dakota in the car with some snacks, toys, and promises for adventures abound.