Ikea side-trips (with Fossil Park AND Sharon Woods Park)

Here's some great options for sidetrips when you make your way to Ikea. We investigated today, and were really pleased with everything. It was a fun daytrip.



1. Trammel Fossil Park, Tramway Dr., Sharonville, OH (45-50 minutes from Oxford)

This is a nationally reknown fossil park that is--FREE, and chocked full of great fossil finds. We were there with very small kids and they each had their little buckets full in no time. Not much shade and the terrain is rocky (hence the fossils), so we recommend okay shoes for walking/climbing around. And it's probably best to stop here first in morning, or last in evening, to avoid the hot summer sun.

Directions from Oxford:

Mapquest took us 27 south, 275 North, Sharonville exit (just past the exit for I-75). Turn North (which I think is left) on Lebanon rd. Take first left onto Hauck Dr. Go half mile to Tramway Drive and turn right. It is two blocks up on Tramway Drive.


2. Sharon Woods, Sharonville, OH (45-50 minutes from Oxford--5 minutes from Fossil park)


They have a fantastic indoor play area. It costs $2.50, but if you buy 4 entries you get one free (to be used at any time- including that day--for the next year). The center is clean and we liked that you could use big people stairs to go up to the top level of the play area. I also noticed a handicapped accessible lift that could take people up to the top level. It has climbing and tubes, a ball area. Oh, and air conditioning. We had to drag our kids away. We did have a few heart-stopping moments when we tried to locate one of the kids who were in one of the non-see-through tubes. But there is only one way in and out of the play area, so that is reassuring.



There is also a pioneer village, outdoor sprinkler playground, nature center area, and several outdoor playgrounds.



Directions: From the fossil park, go back out to Lebanon Rd. and turn right. The park will be on your left after about a mile. (also can turn right onto Lebanon Rd. from 275 if skipping fossil park).


Directions From Sharon Woods TO IKEA (10-15 minutes)-- Go right on Lebanon Rd., then left on Kemper. At Reading Rd. turn right. This turns into Cincinnati Dayton Rd. Turn left on Allen Rd. and you'll see Ikea's flags almost immediately.


EXTRA: BANANA's Inflatables
If you are taking 129 to and from IKEA, you'll be also going right past Banana's. I can't blog much on it, since I haven't been there. But I hear it has big inflatable jumping stuff for kids. And it's indoor's. I have seen it on 129 near the 129/I-75 interchange (going west on 129 from I-75 it's on your left).