Newport Kentucky Aquarium, and Jungle Jim's

If you are looking for some unique experiences in the Cincinnati area this is the day for you.  

Jungle Jim's is a ginormous store with a water feature at the entrance. You might think you would get wet from the elephant statue spraying, but we managed to stay dry. It is an international grocery store with food and items from all over the world.  When you first step in the doors a greeter welcomes you and gives you a map so you do not get lost.  They have a section for each food category including, candies, jungle pets, cheeses, seafood, even a singing Elvis Lion.  The smells are unique and Tibbs did great staying focused on me.  I will say they had so many options that the aisles were a little small and it was so crowded after we explored Tibbs and I were both ready for the exit!  It is an out of this world grocery store you must be sure to check out if in the area.

The Newport Kentucky Aquarium is just over the bridge from Cincinnati.  Before considering an aquarium trip make sure you and your service dog are prepared so you have a good experience.  Due to the fact that there are several live animal touching options available before you even enter the doors they will ask you if you dog is a trained service dog and three tasks that it is trained to assist you with.  After breezing through our security questions we were able to go into the aquarium with our timed entry tickets.  There is an escalator, but a elevator is available just around the corner. Tibbs and I were able to navigate the elevator buttons together and make our way down to start our under the sea adventure. I have been to several aquariums so I kind of knew what to expect and had done my research on what we might encounter.  Aquariums are typically kind of dark.  They are also kind of noisy as families with lots of little kids tend to go and explore.  I and the kids parents had to do a lot of reminding not to distract or pet service dogs.  One of the  first things  we saw was a stingray touch tank.  You can wash your hands then go up to the tank and gently touch the stingrays. You also want to make sure you wash your hands again afterwards.  Tibbs was really focused on me. We were able to get right beside tanks with frogs, lizards, fish, seahorses, turtles, and so much more. My mom hated the snake section, but I thought it was awesome! 
   

Next we went through a tank tunnel where there were glass floors and tanks surrounding us.  Tibbs thought it was interesting to look down and see sea animals and fish moving beneath him.  I was a  little nervous at first thinking it might not hold the weight of my chair.  I got brave and went across and of course Tibbs wasn't nervous and helped me move right along. 

  
  
  

After the tunnel we got to another touch tank that had little sharks.  Tibbs and I were so impressed that we learned sharks can have zoomies just like dogs!! When the little sharks get excited they swim in circles and pop their heads up out of the water.  Tibbs enjoys good zoomies at home, but we decided not to show those sharks how a proper zoomie gets done.  Make sure to wash your hands before and after again.

Just around the corner were alligators.  Tibbs and I thought that the alligators stood so still that it might be a statue in there. We eventually did see it more so we knew we were wrong. Just past the alligators were my favorite the penguins.  They had a ramp to one side so we could get up close for a good view. They wobbled back and forth and made a lot of noise.  They also have a slight unpleasant smell but it was worth it for their cuteness. They had a restaurant option at the end if you were getting hungry.  They had a rope bridge that was narrow and tight that they allowed people to walk across.  For once I was glad my wheelchair wouldn't fit! It was fun watching my siblings cross and Tibbs and I went around instead. The exit led into a gift shop where you could buy aquarium souvenirs.  

  

We had a fun day and had to end it with some traveling.  Check back next week to see where we ended up and the adventures we had there. 

Cincinnati Exploring - Friendship Park, Playground, Purple People Bridge, Fords Restaurant, Shopping

 

It has been a bit since my last post.  Tibbs and I have been a bit busy this fall with school starting back up and activities.  As the cool fall weather and bright leaves are here I  decided it was a great time to get back to writing. 

This past summer on our Cincinnati, Ohio trip we checked out some neat places.  

First lets dive into Friendship Park. This is a location I had been to before but was new for Tibbs and my siblings.You can stroll or run along the beautifully landscaped river walk.  Make sure you watch out for the shark and might want to watch out for the flying pig!   It has a long and smooth trail that is great to stretch out and relax on.  If you keep going you can watch people playing pickle ball, or check out the awesome accessible playground.  I wish we had a playground like this near my house.  Kids of any ability can have a great time and have access to play with their friends.  I love to see ramps that can be zoomed up and down by anyone.  The house, musical features, and play areas are built for ALL to enjoy! If you keep going down the path you can make it all the way to The Purple People Bridge.  A bridge that can put you in two states at one time!  It was hot the day we went so we were sure to find all of the shady spots.  Tibbs and I traveled to a different state and back all within a matter of minutes!!

  

  
  

All of that outdoor  time might make you work up an appetite.  We visited the Fords Garage Restaurant for air conditioning, and a break.  Food is never really my thing, so the atmosphere at a restaurant is important to me.  They have a incredible assembly line conveyor belt that rotates cars above your head.  Every last detail even the napkin rings are car themed.  The bathroom even has a gas pump and tire theme.  My brother had  onion rings and a burger and we were impressed that the bun even had a stamp on it. Sometimes you may have to wait for a seat, but a nice waiting area is available to rest and enjoy the atmosphere. 
   
  

Tibbs is such a good boy all the time.  This trip he did exceptionally well considering we were in a new place and had full days of travel and hospital visits to make it through.  We were able to find a special treat at the dog bakery for him to celebrate.  They even had dog jerseys for the Cincinnati Bangles available to buy. After getting him a special treat we checked out the fun stores they have in Cincinnati. Although my trips to Cincinnati are always a little bit exhausting we always find some great things to do to enjoy it as well.