It was rather a shock coming back to the States from Germany.
It’s ok here, but it won’t ever be home for us.
The Best of Wright-Patterson AFB
Central location
It’s kinda halfway between Chicago and Atlanta, where our respective families live. Not that we visit them.
Lots of camping opportunities we may explore.
It’s a good jumping off point to travel by car, I guess. It’s about 12 hours to the east coast or Gulf, and about 6 to the Great Lakes.
Dayton airport goes lots of places.
Lots of outdoorsy stuff to explore
We love the MetroParks and all the wetlands and hiking areas and state parks. We love all the nature!
Boonshoft Museum
We cannot get enough of this place. Great monthly homeschool days and summer camps! Boonshoft is so much more than a kids museum. Reciprocal membership to Fort Ancient and Sunwatch!
Air Museum
It takes a week to see it all! And they have the Memphis Belle now.
Native American history
We love SunWatch, Fort Ancient, the Serpent Mound, Miamisburg Mound. It’s great being able to see Native American sites as we learn about Indigenous Peoples.
Medical facilities
Huge WPAFB hospital and lab. There is a great children’s hospital network. Lots of varied medical specialties, if needed.
The Worst of Wright-Patterson AFB
Landlocked
Yes, I realize there’s a big lake up north, but it’s very polluted. There are lots of lakes, rivers, and wetlands. I miss the ocean. It’s about 12 hours away. It seems so very expensive to fly or even drive anywhere for overnight trips.
Weather
We have the craziest weather I’ve ever seen. Torrential rain, hail, hot and cold, high winds – at the drop of a hat. It’s weird. I have to always be prepared for anything. I don’t like tornado sirens at all. Wind frightens me.
Little diversity
I figure we may have chosen the wrong township, but there is very little diversity here and lots of racism and bigotry. Perhaps we were insulated in Germany, but it seems more pervasive since we’re back in the States and so very obvious to us now. Perhaps it’s the new political climate.
Dayton smells like Jeeps and privilege.
Ohio is on my list of places, but as a state, it’s so huge, I have to split it into several trips. Probably splitting the state into three or four ‘chunks’. We also spend the winter days off in a different city, and did Cincinnati last year, and Toledo the year before. It was really, really fun. The adventure posts are online with LOTS of pictures, if you’re interested: https://annamatrix.wordpress.com/2017/04/25/ohio/
We did Wright-Patt when we came back from RAF Alconbury (UK) when I was 15, but haven’t been there since. It’s on my list, definitely. But it’s kind of intimidating, too.
You need to spend time at Indiana Dunes. Or go up to Sleeping Bear. Even a camping week in Holland or Grand Haven. The big lake (Lk Mich) is *amazing*. You would feel very much at home, there. (And there are Jr. Ranger badges!)
If you have recommendations for places/things not to miss, be sure to share them?
Excellent ideas. I think there are some caves nearby we want to check out.