Kalahari Resort
You might not think an indoor water park could provide much educational stimulation for student groups. However, at Sandusky’s Kalahari Resort, students can not only experience fast waterslide thrills but also assist in the care of wild animals at the resort’s Safari Adventure Animal Park.
“The Safari Adventures Animal Park is definitely a highlight for student groups,” said Frisch. “It allows students to get up close and personal with the animals. How many indoor water parks allow you to stand next to a giraffe?”
The resort’s Junior Zoo Keeper Program lets students prepare food and feed and interact with a variety of African mammals while also learning interesting facts about each. The resort also offers outdoor adventures nearby, such as a zip line, a ropes course and a climbing wall.
The 173,000-square-foot water park remains the main draw of the resort. Students can try indoor bodyboarding, surf simulators, a wave pool, a basketball pool and a variety of waterslides. The Zip Coaster takes guest uphill on a water roller coaster.
The new Storm Chaser combines waterslides with video game technology, so riders can shoot at targets as they descend the slide. Participants choose their own levels of difficulty and try to gain the most points.
An African theme appears throughout the resort, with trees in the lobbies, African-made products for sale and waterslides named after African landmarks. Numerous restaurants, shops and game rooms can keep students entertained and fed.
West Side Market
Education and ice cream don’t normally go together. But they should and do at Cleveland’s West Side Market.
“Kids looking for a treat can go to Mitchell’s Ice Cream,” said Jantonio. “They use local ingredients. The ice cream there is fantastic. West Side Market is a way students can experience the culinary side of Cleveland.”
Opened in 1912, West Side Market houses close to 100 locally owned businesses that reflect the various ethnicities and flavors of Cleveland. Designated one of 10 “Great Public Places in America” by the American Planning Association, the market served the city’s growing immigrant population in the early 20th century. Some families have run the same market stands for generations.
The roster of tenants still reflects the surrounding cultural diversity of Cleveland, with Irish, German, Italian, Greek and Polish among the influences. These vendors allow students to taste international dishes from falafels to shepherd’s pies to bratwurst sandwiches. Students can also see authentic butcher shops with exotic offerings of beef tongues, eels and chicken feet.
On the National Register of Historic Places, the Neoclassical and Byzantine building boasts an interesting history. West Side Market’s tile vaulted ceiling and 137-foot-tall clock tower causes many to look up in admiration.
A handful of vendors can claim international acclaim, with television features on the Food Network and the Travel Channel. Market visitors love to sample Czuchraj Meat’s homemade beef jerky, which was featured on the Food Network show “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
Opened in 1989, Steve’s Gyros has also attracted a loyal following and has been featured on “Man v. Food” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
For more information on a trip to the area go to www.thisiscleveland.com or www.shoresandislands.com.
