December 8, 2025 • 17 mins
Ohio is one of the best places to be over the holidays. Find out which exact locations are nationally ranked in this conversation with The Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Tisness season for Christmas, carols, Christmas lights, sledding, Christmas concerts, shows, movies, cookies,
Christmas everything. Hey, we have to talk about it. Were
going to do our Christmas eating contest this year.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I hadn't even thought about it.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
We may try that again. So this is a great
setup if we can have the contestants. Yeah, if you're
interested in wanting to be and take part in our
Christmas eating contest, we'll get this together.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
And if you're a baker who wants to help us
out get some free publicity, let us know, because I
think the gal who baked for us before, I think
she went out of business in the last year or
too do to health reason.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So we need a baker too.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So if you want to do it, just let us know.
Let us know, let us know.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Oh, because Matt McClaren really wanted to singing intro before
he came in.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
All things to do that is all Christmas, all holiday.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
You've got the list that we need to know about,
and I love it.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
I walked into an episode where were talking about all
the fun holiday things to do in the state of Ohio.
I walked into the right episode today because we got
holiday lights for you. We got some credible zoo displays,
and then those very fun winter activities like ice skating, outdoors, tobogganing,
snow tubes. I just want to know where you guys
want to start.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Where do we want to start tubing?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Tubing?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
She says, yeah, tubing individually or with the group. And
it's so fun.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
It is so fun, And there's snow on the ground
right now, so you can think about it, right it
makes sense to think about it. But the snow tubes
in Ohio they start opening up in January, so you
can make your plans now to start getting your reservations.
One of my favorite places to go snow tubing is
that Snow Trails in Mansfield, Ohio. They have five different lanes.
You can either go on your own tube, or you
can link up with a bunch of tubes with the
whole family. I've gone down in groups as big as
(01:41):
a dozen people, all tubes link together, all ages, so
my youngest daughter to grandparents. It is a blast, and yeah,
you go quick. So the secret when you go snow tubing,
people think that wet snow is going to make you
go faster. It doesn't. It actually slows you down a
little bit. The dry snow is when you go fastest.
And at the snow Trail snow Tube you have one
one hundred feet long lanes and if you go on
(02:03):
a dry day you can hit miles per hour of
twenty five miles per hour. Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
The last time we went tubing, it was at snow
Trails and I'm telling you what. It was so fun
because at the end of the run you like bounce,
sometimes you fly up into the air, depending on Oh
my gosh, it was so much fun. And then not
that this is a good thing, but nobody got hurt,
but the tube like they were not getting out of
the way and people down at the bottom of the
(02:29):
run and we're like, oh, it was kind of a
crash course in tube, but it was actually, really.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
We need to go to snow Trails. We've not been
to snow Trails to tube.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
It's a good time. And I went last year and
they have figured it out. They have people at the
end of the lane so they don't let the next
tube go down until they got everyone cleared out at
the bottom.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
That didn't happen when we were there.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, let's go to boggaining. I've been wanting to do
this for a while and they haven't committed well.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
And the place you got to go is Cleveland Metro
Parks where they have two real tobogganing shoots that are
over seven hundred foot in length. When I had a
chance to go to it the family last year, and
about four people at a time go on the back
of the toboggans and they race down next to each other.
So these are if you think of a toboggan, they're
like a really long fast sled, but they're actually on
(03:11):
toboggan tracks and that's why you get miles per hour
up to fifty miles an hour going down the seven
hundred foot tracks side by side. And by the way,
they are refrigerated, which means the tracks are open even
when there's not snow on the ground. That's at Cleveland
Metro Parks. Go try tobogganing the year you need a reservation.
Definitely worth doing.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
No man, I'm looking at this run.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Sorry, Mikayla, but I pulled this up because I put
up Cleveland toboggan.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
This one's in Strongsville and this.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Has got a huge hill that may be the boggan
shoots that says.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
That sounds like it's the right one too. Yeah, because parks.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, exactly, so, well that's really cool looking.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Yep. Even though it's Strongsville, it's still part of that
whole Cleveland Metro sparks that we get here in Central
Iioa with the different parks that operate outside of Colnbos.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So is it opened through January or through the entire winter?
Do you like or do I have to check this
out in December?
Speaker 5 (04:03):
No, you can go now. It's open now through March
every year. Oh okay, it's something really to enjoy. Each
rider has to be forty two inches talk because I
know you always asked me about your kids, MICHAELA. They're
probably that size now or.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Big taller than me now, so yeah, they are now
bigger finally, But I have asked you that.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Over there, you need to wear winter gloves and you
need a reservation. But it's worth doing because it's about
as fast as I've ever gone outdoors without being in
a car.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Right, we have a hockey tournament. What is that President's
dy weekend or MLKA weekend. I'm gonna check into this.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I would if all we're up there. I'm looking at
these images.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
It looks it just reminds me of like a one
hill roller coaster in the cold. And I love roller coasters,
So if you love roller coasters, you need to check
this out.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
For sure, you need to check it out. And if
you're someone that likes outdoor winter activities, we got some
great places to ice skate outdoors now as well. One
of them two Tweto's been really updating their metro parks
and they created what's called the Ribbon at their glass
set of your Motor. The ribbon is a one thousand
square foot loop of ice o our twenty five thousand
square feet of ice that you can go ice skating on.
(05:07):
Great views, picturesque views of downtown Toledo as you ice
skate on the loop. And they're fun, class city metro parks.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
That sounds incredible.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Toledo is up their game in a few different ways
in the last several years, and I love to see
that and love to note this for the holidays.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
They really are. If you haven't gone back to Tweedo
in a while, you need to go back. They've spent
a lot of money in developing down along the river front, there,
and they put a lot more money into their metro parks,
giving a lot more activities, and really I appreciate it
because a lot of these things are quality of life.
So if you're a resident in that area of Ohio,
you can go and enjoy the loop and go and
enjoy the metro parks. But there are also reasons for
us in other parts of the state to want to
(05:44):
travel up there and enjoy what they have to offer.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So obviously everyone likes to see the lights. I mean
that just says Christmas. What are some of the best
light displays? I know, the Zoo always is great.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Yeah, the Ohio is the heart of it all, and
we are always at the top for best light displays
across the state of Ohio. Let's start with zoos, because
our zoos do a fantastic job. We're so lucky right
here in Columbus, Ohio to have the Columbus Zoo, which
this time of year has wild lights, over three million lights,
and they are on the list. They have a chance
to be named one of the top ten zoo light
(06:16):
displays in the United States by USA today. Yep, the
voting's in. We find out this week if they'll make
the list, but they were narrowed down to one of
the twenty zoos and we'll find out if they end
up getting voted as one of the top ten.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Keep us posted on that because we'll share it with listeners.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, definitely if they make that top ten.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Well. And one of the reasons why they add the
new North America track this year, they keep adding new
things that go over so well. If you go in
there in the summer, you see that zoombezy bait, the
new slides, you see the seal area that turned out
so fantastically, and now the North America Track where they
updated everything North America, so the wolves, the otters, and
now it's decorated with the lights. Oh and by the way,
if you time it upright, you might get to see
(06:55):
one of the two not one, but two baby elephants
that have been born in the last year.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Of seeing little videos of them.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
They're so cute.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I think they just named the one Rita Jean one
in July.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
The other one was born in October, and I believe
the naming contest is still going on for Oh I
think it was named did they they named the second
one to please.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yes, because it was Rita Jean's sibling.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Yep, but I can't.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Think of the I'm gonna look at it.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
No, yeah, we gotta check it out.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I'm looking at this holiday getaway in Ohio. Look at
this scene. It looks like a candy klne it does.
It looks completely like that?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Matt.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
What other things in terms of lights or anything else
are you suggesting for folks to check out?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I gotta mention Tweto Zoo also because they were one
of those twenty zoos that may end up being named
one of the top ten two lights. Also so there
is a chance that Ohio will have two on the list.
Tweto's actually made the list before. They do a great job,
not only with over a million lights, but over two
hundred illuminated animals, and they always do something fun like
one year they had Santa Claus zip in on a
(07:52):
zip line like, so I got to give a shout
out to Leta Zoo for their lights. But moving away
from the Zoo's other really fun things to do right
here in central Ohio that are lights related. Conservatory Glow
at the Franklin Park Conservatory literally thousands of lights. The
Franklin Park Conservatory is beautiful all times a year, but
this time of year when they add the lights with
one hundred foot tunnel of lights that you can walk through,
(08:13):
an ornament tree with over fourteen hundred ornaments, and then
my favorite, they've added some activities like a life sized
candy lane board game and all at the conservatory and
some other things, some other games and fun things that
you can do, igloos that you can rent for food
and beverage. That's some of the new stuff they've added
this year. So they're making that is.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Right in that same lane. If you're looking for shopping,
because many of us still have a lot of shopping
to do. Easton with their holiday lights beautiful lights, do
your shopping. And then some of the best restaurants across
the entire state. You'll find things like Cameron Mitchell's Ocean
Club right there at Easton. That's on the list too.
But I'll tell you what the number one, number one
on the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail. Over seventy nine places
(09:01):
on the list confinement o hio dot org. Consistently the
legendary lights Clifton Mill.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Topic Now I have been there over five million lights.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
They do a great job. They light up the mill.
They light up the river banks, they do one hundred
foot waterfall lights, they sink it all and then they
play it to music and it's really special. It's something
worth going to see. Consistently ranked one of the top
light shows in the entire United States.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I totally get that. And they can go in their
little restaurant and eat.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
That's right, yes, get chocolate pancakes.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
We did it last year for the first time.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
I'd heard you all talk about it so much, and
it felt like the right year to take the kids.
We went to have dinner at a classic spot in Dayton,
the Pine Club, which a lot of people know, and
we went and had like steaks and veggies, and then
we went over to Clifton Mill. I want to go
back for the pancakes though.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Like them.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
They're known for their pancakes. And I remember you did
a story on that when we were Channel four. Yeah,
and so we need to make it back for that.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Just to let you guys know. Read a gene little
brother was named Oliver.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I thought, yeah, Matt, why.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Does Ohio go all out for Christmas in the holidays, Why.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
We are a great place for the holidays if you
think for a couple of reasons. We are the heart
of all. There's so much pride and growing up in Ohio,
the family that's here. It seems like many many family
members come home if they've moved away for the holidays.
And then we got the seasons. Not every state does,
but we're definitely getting winter this year, so it makes
it all that much more fun to celebrate those lights
twinkling in the snow. Doing some of the stuff like
(10:31):
tobogganing or snow tubing when there's snow on the ground
can be a really enjoyable time.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
What are the things that you have booked personally?
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Because it has to be hard, you know so much,
so you probably make selections of like what you want
to do each year, So what's on your list?
Speaker 5 (10:45):
And the one on this year the high on our list.
It kind of combines a little bit of all of it,
and that is going down to Winterfest at King's Island.
And why I say it combines all of it. I
have daughters now that are basically all teenagers or of that,
yet have something that contains all of them. Thank you.
I appreciate that there is ice skating outdoors on Snowflake
(11:07):
Lake it's right in front of the Eiffel Tower, which
if you've been to King's Island, huge twindred foot plus
Eiffel Tower. They turn into a giant Christmas tree over
seven million lights going on. And of course, even if
the kids aren't into the ice skating, there's plenty of food,
hot chocolate, and characters, the singing, the performances that go
on for it. The Winterfest at King's Island consistently one
(11:31):
of the most highly rated winter festivals winter events in
the entire United States. And my family's going to go
check it out this year.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So if I don't have like one kid that's a
ride person, is it still worth going I have one
that's a ride person, one that's not.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That's exactly why you go to a place like King's
Island Winterfest, because they can do something else. They can
go watch the carrollers. They can just go sit in
one of the restaurants and have food and drink while
looking out at the ice skating. It's not about this
time of year, especially, it's not about riding roller coasters inside.
It's more of the festival, celebrating the holidays.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Okay, I promoted you were coming on the show and
I put on my Facebook page a picture of Winterfest
and Kings Sile oh Fantasts. You just look at that
picture and it does say it all. My gosh, there's
so much color and fun and festive feeling.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Absolutely, and that's what Ohio and that's what the holidays
in Ohio are all about. Ohio is the heart of
it all. You can either follow at Ohio Chamber on
social media and you'll see the list that we've talked
about today, or you can go to Ohio dot org
and you'll find that list of the seventy nine holiday
light displays across the state of Ohio that made this
year's Holiday Lights Trail.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
You know, I can't wait for him for next year.
You get to find out all the new things that
are coming into Ohio too. He gets to go and
check them out personally. I wonder how that will change
in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
You're always the most informative Matt, hands down.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
You have all the information.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
We possibly could need when you do our segment, so
really appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
I appreciate that too, and I love being on the show.
And by the way, every time I've been on one
of you two like today, adding Mandy, adding Oliver the
other name for the baby elephant. You've always been able
to add something that makes me want to go see
a place in Ohio or learn more about the state too.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Were team or baby And we're the three m's.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And we are the three and the fourth.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
When you think of his last name, Oh yeah, four ms,
but three m's.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
We'll stop at the three m's with the first names.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Matt, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Merry Christmas? Do you MICHAELA Merry Christmas? Mendy, Merry Christmas?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Buddy. We love having you in studios.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
All right, So since Matt McLaren stuck around for this
final segment, I'm gonna have a little battle between you two. Matt, okay,
sign name that tune. You guys have to name this
Christmas tune. So Michayla or Matt, who wants to go first?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I'm gonna let our guests go first.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Give me as one.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Give Chris go ahead, play it for Matt.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
Hold on this.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Producer, Chris just screw that up massively. Christ off the first,
all right? Can you give him another one?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
No?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
No, no, no, I need the softball.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
No you don't believe in yourself, you know, and Christmas
believe right? You got one for him there, Chris, he's
working all right ready in three two one go.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Christmas on them.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Jig to boy gets that's the book, Kimla. I needed
the softball. I know I should do you.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Know this, Michaela, I know who sings it that counts
Ariana Grande gets a newer one.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
All right?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
You know what I bet your daughter tell me Sta,
sure it is something like, tell me what is it?
What's the name of it?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Chris, Santa?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Santa? Tell me tell me if you really care.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Okay, you gotta give Mikayla one give a hard one.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Having a na chushing, I'm having a Chisorge in.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
The world have I couldn't tell you who that is.
It's someone from a launch, yeah, but it is Georgia
the world.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
What's your favorite Christmas Carol.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Oh, that's a great question. Jingle bells It's too easy,
all right.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Jingle bells is your favorite all time go to? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, gets you a good mood, right, it gets you
in a good and I know most of the words,
all right, because so those things all all help. I'm
one that enjoys listening to music, but I am not
very talented when it comes to being a singer.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Oh my gosh, you me both.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah. I apologize to anyone who was at Lulu's on
Friday night.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I apologize that you had to hear.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
You still got to do everyone's wile. It's too much
fun to get up there.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Especially when you have a couple of cocktails. You know, baby,
what's your favorite?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So I'm thinking about one from church.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
I love Hark the Herald Angels singing, Yeah, and then
we sing in Latin.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
You know, can you do that? I know the words,
I can follow long enough.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah, But like if I had to, like, I really
do like rocking around the Christmas Tree. Kelly Clarkson's one
is great underneath the tree, the.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Number one forever.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Christen has been trying to hit that note. I'm like,
you're not a soprano anymore, buddy.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
That's like, by far the number one that in White Christmas.
My mom always liked Last Christmas.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
I gave you my Heart.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah, I like Little Drummer Boy. And then I was
talking earlier at the church, Missioha, we used to go
two years ago. The head of the choir used to sing,
Oh Holy night Christmas Eve, and his rendition was just beautiful.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
That's a straw. I love Oh Holy Night too.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah, that's a beautiful song. Well, we are in the
midst of all of it right now, songs, food, things
to do, shopping. We are here.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Decorated yet, are you? Is your house done up in lights?
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Yeah, we've been fully decorated since Thanksgiving. We've actually gotten
the other way. Our puppy, now nine months old, is
undecorating our house. So the bottom half the tree is
undone and the other areas the pencil has been taken
off and down branch. He is a nine month old
cheap a duel. He's fantastic, but he has decided to
decorate his own way.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Sounds exciting.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
You come in and bring him in. I'd love to meet him.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
I would do that. He'd love it too.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Well.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
I will get decorated the rest of it decorated this week.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
The tree is up. I just need to decorate it
and you know, there you go. We'll land on this note.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
This is for you Mom, her favorite. Every time I
hear it, I have to dance.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You have to just dance. She just danced.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
No matter what you do. This week spend some time
doing what matters.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Good job,
Tisness season for Christmas, carols, Christmas lights, sledding, Christmas concerts, shows, movies, cookies,
Christmas everything. Hey, we have to talk about it. Were
going to do our Christmas eating contest this year.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I hadn't even thought about it.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
We may try that again. So this is a great
setup if we can have the contestants. Yeah, if you're
interested in wanting to be and take part in our
Christmas eating contest, we'll get this together.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
And if you're a baker who wants to help us
out get some free publicity, let us know, because I
think the gal who baked for us before, I think
she went out of business in the last year or
too do to health reason.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So we need a baker too.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
So if you want to do it, just let us know.
Let us know, let us know.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Oh, because Matt McClaren really wanted to singing intro before
he came in.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
All things to do that is all Christmas, all holiday.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
You've got the list that we need to know about,
and I love it.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
I walked into an episode where were talking about all
the fun holiday things to do in the state of Ohio.
I walked into the right episode today because we got
holiday lights for you. We got some credible zoo displays,
and then those very fun winter activities like ice skating, outdoors, tobogganing,
snow tubes. I just want to know where you guys
want to start.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Where do we want to start tubing?
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Tubing?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
She says, yeah, tubing individually or with the group. And
it's so fun.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
It is so fun, And there's snow on the ground
right now, so you can think about it, right it
makes sense to think about it. But the snow tubes
in Ohio they start opening up in January, so you
can make your plans now to start getting your reservations.
One of my favorite places to go snow tubing is
that Snow Trails in Mansfield, Ohio. They have five different lanes.
You can either go on your own tube, or you
can link up with a bunch of tubes with the
whole family. I've gone down in groups as big as
(01:41):
a dozen people, all tubes link together, all ages, so
my youngest daughter to grandparents. It is a blast, and yeah,
you go quick. So the secret when you go snow tubing,
people think that wet snow is going to make you
go faster. It doesn't. It actually slows you down a
little bit. The dry snow is when you go fastest.
And at the snow Trail snow Tube you have one
one hundred feet long lanes and if you go on
(02:03):
a dry day you can hit miles per hour of
twenty five miles per hour. Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
The last time we went tubing, it was at snow
Trails and I'm telling you what. It was so fun
because at the end of the run you like bounce,
sometimes you fly up into the air, depending on Oh
my gosh, it was so much fun. And then not
that this is a good thing, but nobody got hurt,
but the tube like they were not getting out of
the way and people down at the bottom of the
(02:29):
run and we're like, oh, it was kind of a
crash course in tube, but it was actually, really.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
We need to go to snow Trails. We've not been
to snow Trails to tube.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
It's a good time. And I went last year and
they have figured it out. They have people at the
end of the lane so they don't let the next
tube go down until they got everyone cleared out at
the bottom.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
That didn't happen when we were there.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, let's go to boggaining. I've been wanting to do
this for a while and they haven't committed well.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
And the place you got to go is Cleveland Metro
Parks where they have two real tobogganing shoots that are
over seven hundred foot in length. When I had a
chance to go to it the family last year, and
about four people at a time go on the back
of the toboggans and they race down next to each other.
So these are if you think of a toboggan, they're
like a really long fast sled, but they're actually on
(03:11):
toboggan tracks and that's why you get miles per hour
up to fifty miles an hour going down the seven
hundred foot tracks side by side. And by the way,
they are refrigerated, which means the tracks are open even
when there's not snow on the ground. That's at Cleveland
Metro Parks. Go try tobogganing the year you need a reservation.
Definitely worth doing.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
No man, I'm looking at this run.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Sorry, Mikayla, but I pulled this up because I put
up Cleveland toboggan.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
This one's in Strongsville and this.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Has got a huge hill that may be the boggan
shoots that says.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
That sounds like it's the right one too. Yeah, because parks.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Yeah, exactly, so, well that's really cool looking.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Yep. Even though it's Strongsville, it's still part of that
whole Cleveland Metro sparks that we get here in Central
Iioa with the different parks that operate outside of Colnbos.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
So is it opened through January or through the entire winter?
Do you like or do I have to check this
out in December?
Speaker 5 (04:03):
No, you can go now. It's open now through March
every year. Oh okay, it's something really to enjoy. Each
rider has to be forty two inches talk because I
know you always asked me about your kids, MICHAELA. They're
probably that size now or.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Big taller than me now, so yeah, they are now
bigger finally, But I have asked you that.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Over there, you need to wear winter gloves and you
need a reservation. But it's worth doing because it's about
as fast as I've ever gone outdoors without being in
a car.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Right, we have a hockey tournament. What is that President's
dy weekend or MLKA weekend. I'm gonna check into this.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I would if all we're up there. I'm looking at
these images.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
It looks it just reminds me of like a one
hill roller coaster in the cold. And I love roller coasters,
So if you love roller coasters, you need to check
this out.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
For sure, you need to check it out. And if
you're someone that likes outdoor winter activities, we got some
great places to ice skate outdoors now as well. One
of them two Tweto's been really updating their metro parks
and they created what's called the Ribbon at their glass
set of your Motor. The ribbon is a one thousand
square foot loop of ice o our twenty five thousand
square feet of ice that you can go ice skating on.
(05:07):
Great views, picturesque views of downtown Toledo as you ice
skate on the loop. And they're fun, class city metro parks.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
That sounds incredible.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Toledo is up their game in a few different ways
in the last several years, and I love to see
that and love to note this for the holidays.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
They really are. If you haven't gone back to Tweedo
in a while, you need to go back. They've spent
a lot of money in developing down along the river front, there,
and they put a lot more money into their metro parks,
giving a lot more activities, and really I appreciate it
because a lot of these things are quality of life.
So if you're a resident in that area of Ohio,
you can go and enjoy the loop and go and
enjoy the metro parks. But there are also reasons for
us in other parts of the state to want to
(05:44):
travel up there and enjoy what they have to offer.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So obviously everyone likes to see the lights. I mean
that just says Christmas. What are some of the best
light displays? I know, the Zoo always is great.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Yeah, the Ohio is the heart of it all, and
we are always at the top for best light displays
across the state of Ohio. Let's start with zoos, because
our zoos do a fantastic job. We're so lucky right
here in Columbus, Ohio to have the Columbus Zoo, which
this time of year has wild lights, over three million lights,
and they are on the list. They have a chance
to be named one of the top ten zoo light
(06:16):
displays in the United States by USA today. Yep, the
voting's in. We find out this week if they'll make
the list, but they were narrowed down to one of
the twenty zoos and we'll find out if they end
up getting voted as one of the top ten.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Keep us posted on that because we'll share it with listeners.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, definitely if they make that top ten.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
Well. And one of the reasons why they add the
new North America track this year, they keep adding new
things that go over so well. If you go in
there in the summer, you see that zoombezy bait, the
new slides, you see the seal area that turned out
so fantastically, and now the North America Track where they
updated everything North America, so the wolves, the otters, and
now it's decorated with the lights. Oh and by the way,
if you time it upright, you might get to see
(06:55):
one of the two not one, but two baby elephants
that have been born in the last year.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Of seeing little videos of them.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
They're so cute.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I think they just named the one Rita Jean one
in July.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
The other one was born in October, and I believe
the naming contest is still going on for Oh I
think it was named did they they named the second
one to please.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yes, because it was Rita Jean's sibling.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Yep, but I can't.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Think of the I'm gonna look at it.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
No, yeah, we gotta check it out.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I'm looking at this holiday getaway in Ohio. Look at
this scene. It looks like a candy klne it does.
It looks completely like that?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Matt.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
What other things in terms of lights or anything else
are you suggesting for folks to check out?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I gotta mention Tweto Zoo also because they were one
of those twenty zoos that may end up being named
one of the top ten two lights. Also so there
is a chance that Ohio will have two on the list.
Tweto's actually made the list before. They do a great job,
not only with over a million lights, but over two
hundred illuminated animals, and they always do something fun like
one year they had Santa Claus zip in on a
(07:52):
zip line like, so I got to give a shout
out to Leta Zoo for their lights. But moving away
from the Zoo's other really fun things to do right
here in central Ohio that are lights related. Conservatory Glow
at the Franklin Park Conservatory literally thousands of lights. The
Franklin Park Conservatory is beautiful all times a year, but
this time of year when they add the lights with
one hundred foot tunnel of lights that you can walk through,
(08:13):
an ornament tree with over fourteen hundred ornaments, and then
my favorite, they've added some activities like a life sized
candy lane board game and all at the conservatory and
some other things, some other games and fun things that
you can do, igloos that you can rent for food
and beverage. That's some of the new stuff they've added
this year. So they're making that is.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Right in that same lane. If you're looking for shopping,
because many of us still have a lot of shopping
to do. Easton with their holiday lights beautiful lights, do
your shopping. And then some of the best restaurants across
the entire state. You'll find things like Cameron Mitchell's Ocean
Club right there at Easton. That's on the list too.
But I'll tell you what the number one, number one
on the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail. Over seventy nine places
(09:01):
on the list confinement o hio dot org. Consistently the
legendary lights Clifton Mill.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Topic Now I have been there over five million lights.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
They do a great job. They light up the mill.
They light up the river banks, they do one hundred
foot waterfall lights, they sink it all and then they
play it to music and it's really special. It's something
worth going to see. Consistently ranked one of the top
light shows in the entire United States.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
I totally get that. And they can go in their
little restaurant and eat.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
That's right, yes, get chocolate pancakes.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
We did it last year for the first time.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
I'd heard you all talk about it so much, and
it felt like the right year to take the kids.
We went to have dinner at a classic spot in Dayton,
the Pine Club, which a lot of people know, and
we went and had like steaks and veggies, and then
we went over to Clifton Mill. I want to go
back for the pancakes though.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Like them.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
They're known for their pancakes. And I remember you did
a story on that when we were Channel four. Yeah,
and so we need to make it back for that.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Just to let you guys know. Read a gene little
brother was named Oliver.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
I thought, yeah, Matt, why.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Does Ohio go all out for Christmas in the holidays, Why.
Speaker 5 (10:10):
We are a great place for the holidays if you
think for a couple of reasons. We are the heart
of all. There's so much pride and growing up in Ohio,
the family that's here. It seems like many many family
members come home if they've moved away for the holidays.
And then we got the seasons. Not every state does,
but we're definitely getting winter this year, so it makes
it all that much more fun to celebrate those lights
twinkling in the snow. Doing some of the stuff like
(10:31):
tobogganing or snow tubing when there's snow on the ground
can be a really enjoyable time.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
What are the things that you have booked personally?
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Because it has to be hard, you know so much,
so you probably make selections of like what you want
to do each year, So what's on your list?
Speaker 5 (10:45):
And the one on this year the high on our list.
It kind of combines a little bit of all of it,
and that is going down to Winterfest at King's Island.
And why I say it combines all of it. I
have daughters now that are basically all teenagers or of that,
yet have something that contains all of them. Thank you.
I appreciate that there is ice skating outdoors on Snowflake
(11:07):
Lake it's right in front of the Eiffel Tower, which
if you've been to King's Island, huge twindred foot plus
Eiffel Tower. They turn into a giant Christmas tree over
seven million lights going on. And of course, even if
the kids aren't into the ice skating, there's plenty of food,
hot chocolate, and characters, the singing, the performances that go
on for it. The Winterfest at King's Island consistently one
(11:31):
of the most highly rated winter festivals winter events in
the entire United States. And my family's going to go
check it out this year.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So if I don't have like one kid that's a
ride person, is it still worth going I have one
that's a ride person, one that's not.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
That's exactly why you go to a place like King's
Island Winterfest, because they can do something else. They can
go watch the carrollers. They can just go sit in
one of the restaurants and have food and drink while
looking out at the ice skating. It's not about this
time of year, especially, it's not about riding roller coasters inside.
It's more of the festival, celebrating the holidays.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Okay, I promoted you were coming on the show and
I put on my Facebook page a picture of Winterfest
and Kings Sile oh Fantasts. You just look at that
picture and it does say it all. My gosh, there's
so much color and fun and festive feeling.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
Absolutely, and that's what Ohio and that's what the holidays
in Ohio are all about. Ohio is the heart of
it all. You can either follow at Ohio Chamber on
social media and you'll see the list that we've talked
about today, or you can go to Ohio dot org
and you'll find that list of the seventy nine holiday
light displays across the state of Ohio that made this
year's Holiday Lights Trail.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
You know, I can't wait for him for next year.
You get to find out all the new things that
are coming into Ohio too. He gets to go and
check them out personally. I wonder how that will change
in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
You're always the most informative Matt, hands down.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
You have all the information.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
We possibly could need when you do our segment, so
really appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (12:54):
I appreciate that too, and I love being on the show.
And by the way, every time I've been on one
of you two like today, adding Mandy, adding Oliver the
other name for the baby elephant. You've always been able
to add something that makes me want to go see
a place in Ohio or learn more about the state too.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
Were team or baby And we're the three m's.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And we are the three and the fourth.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
When you think of his last name, Oh yeah, four ms,
but three m's.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
We'll stop at the three m's with the first names.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Matt, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Merry Christmas? Do you MICHAELA Merry Christmas? Mendy, Merry Christmas?
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Buddy. We love having you in studios.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
All right, So since Matt McLaren stuck around for this
final segment, I'm gonna have a little battle between you two. Matt, okay,
sign name that tune. You guys have to name this
Christmas tune. So Michayla or Matt, who wants to go first?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I'm gonna let our guests go first.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Give me as one.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Give Chris go ahead, play it for Matt.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
Hold on this.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Producer, Chris just screw that up massively. Christ off the first,
all right? Can you give him another one?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
No?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
No, no, no, I need the softball.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
No you don't believe in yourself, you know, and Christmas
believe right? You got one for him there, Chris, he's
working all right ready in three two one go.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Christmas on them.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
Jig to boy gets that's the book, Kimla. I needed
the softball. I know I should do you.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Know this, Michaela, I know who sings it that counts
Ariana Grande gets a newer one.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
All right?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
You know what I bet your daughter tell me Sta,
sure it is something like, tell me what is it?
What's the name of it?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Chris, Santa?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Santa? Tell me tell me if you really care.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Okay, you gotta give Mikayla one give a hard one.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Having a na chushing, I'm having a Chisorge in.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
The world have I couldn't tell you who that is.
It's someone from a launch, yeah, but it is Georgia
the world.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
What's your favorite Christmas Carol.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
Oh, that's a great question. Jingle bells It's too easy,
all right.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Jingle bells is your favorite all time go to? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah, gets you a good mood, right, it gets you
in a good and I know most of the words,
all right, because so those things all all help. I'm
one that enjoys listening to music, but I am not
very talented when it comes to being a singer.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Oh my gosh, you me both.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Yeah. I apologize to anyone who was at Lulu's on
Friday night.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
I apologize that you had to hear.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
You still got to do everyone's wile. It's too much
fun to get up there.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Especially when you have a couple of cocktails. You know, baby,
what's your favorite?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
So I'm thinking about one from church.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
I love Hark the Herald Angels singing, Yeah, and then
we sing in Latin.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
You know, can you do that? I know the words,
I can follow long enough.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah, But like if I had to, like, I really
do like rocking around the Christmas Tree. Kelly Clarkson's one
is great underneath the tree, the.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Number one forever.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Christen has been trying to hit that note. I'm like,
you're not a soprano anymore, buddy.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
That's like, by far the number one that in White Christmas.
My mom always liked Last Christmas.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
I gave you my Heart.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah, I like Little Drummer Boy. And then I was
talking earlier at the church, Missioha, we used to go
two years ago. The head of the choir used to sing,
Oh Holy night Christmas Eve, and his rendition was just beautiful.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
That's a straw. I love Oh Holy Night too.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Yeah, that's a beautiful song. Well, we are in the
midst of all of it right now, songs, food, things
to do, shopping. We are here.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Decorated yet, are you? Is your house done up in lights?
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Yeah, we've been fully decorated since Thanksgiving. We've actually gotten
the other way. Our puppy, now nine months old, is
undecorating our house. So the bottom half the tree is
undone and the other areas the pencil has been taken
off and down branch. He is a nine month old
cheap a duel. He's fantastic, but he has decided to
decorate his own way.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Sounds exciting.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
You come in and bring him in. I'd love to meet him.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
I would do that. He'd love it too.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Well.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
I will get decorated the rest of it decorated this week.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
The tree is up. I just need to decorate it
and you know, there you go. We'll land on this note.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
This is for you Mom, her favorite. Every time I
hear it, I have to dance.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
You have to just dance. She just danced.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
No matter what you do. This week spend some time
doing what matters.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Good job,
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