Frugal, Fun Galore on the Northern Shore - Part 1

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a staycation as a vacation day spent at home or nearby. The benefits of a staycation are that you get all the reinvigorating effects of a vacation, with a fraction of the time and cost. Between hyperinflation, kids activities, and the crisis at the nation's airports, staycations should be on the rise.

I have been staycationing in my home town of Cleveland all summer, and I hope that you will either want to visit the reinvented mistake on the lake, or at the very least, staycation in your own hometown. Amateur scientists and Ancient Alien fans love to daydream about going to outer space when they haven't even explored their own backyard. I decided to explore my own backyard, and I suggest that you do the same.

Cleveland, Ohio is located on Lake Erie, the smallest of the Five Great Lakes. It's location has mostly been a curse - the Cuyahoga River and the canal made it a perfect location for manufacturing, but the factories almost brought about it's demise. The industrial revolution can be both a bain and a boon. But Cleveland has been back on the rise for quite some time. I have had the most affordable fun of my life this summer! Fun that is good for the whole family.

My first stop on my staycation was the Superelectric Pinball Parlor on the west side of Cleveland. Located at 6500 Detroit Avenue, on the border of Lakewood, Ohio. The cost of play is six dollars per person for the day! The pinball machines are clean and well-maintained as well making your inner child happy with a heavy dose of nostalgia. There is a cocktail bar for adults, but it doesn't serve food. You will have to go elsewhere for dinner. My date and I went to the Ninja City Kitchen and was not disappointed.

Swings and things in North Olmsted was another stop this summer. It is an entertainment hub with arcade games, putt-putt golf, go-karts, batting cages and more. It was $40 a person for unlimited play for the day. The arcade games were extra, but it is still a hell of a bargain. I had never been on a go-kart before - I found it very exhilarating! I even got a homemade ice cream cone and I won the round of putt-putt that I played.

The Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was the highlight of the staycation ideas! It currently has the Beatles Exhibit, which has great fun to watch and talk about nostalgic! The cost of the exhibit was $35 per person. I would reserve at least two hours for this trip as it will take that long just for a cursory walk through. The most unpleasant part of the experience is that I was excited to buy souvenirs in the gift shop and it didn't take cash. Unfortunately, I did not get a Rock Hall t-shirt as a result.

This is a just a quick glance at the fun I had this summer, and this is only the first in a series of staycation fun. I have noticed a increase in my motivation, decrease in burnout, and overall happiness as a result of my stacationing. The ever elsuive work-life balance has come into focus by exploring my own backyard.

Cleveland is great for a vacation, staycation, and date night. My date nights have been taken to a whole new level. Besides, the fun previously mentioned, I've been to playhouse square, seen live music, and done netflix and chill indoor date nights. I hope you will tune in tomorrow for the next installment of Fun Galore on the Northern Shore!