Spring Break on the Lake

Ten trips to take now, including fun with blackjack, birding, rides, slides and more.

Spring Break Chart

Trip A

Point Pelee National Park

Leamington, Ontario

Be there to witness the return of the songbird — a migration that draws people from all over the world. The park’s Festival of Birds 2011 runs from April 30 to May 23.

519-322-2365, www.pc.gc.ca

Trip B

Cabela's

Dundee, Mich.

Stepping inside the enormous 225,000-square-foot Cabela’s is like entering the heart of the American wilderness — without the cold, bugs and rain. The store is landscaped to suggest the real thing, complete with taxidermic wildlife, trout-filled streams and ponds, a mountain and an aquarium. Shop for top-notch gear, then hit the in-store restaurant for some rather unusual fare. Elk, anyone?

734-529-4700, cabelas.com

Trip C

Cedar Point or Waldameer

Get a jump-start on your summer thrills. Cedar Point (419-627-2350, cedarpoint.com) in Sandusky, Ohio, opens at 10 a.m. on May 14 this year and is debuting a new ride — WindSeeker, a 301-foot-tall giant swing. Waldameer (877-817-1009, waldameer.com) in Erie, Pa., opens at noon on May 7.

Trip D

I-X Indoor Amusement Park

Cleveland

Too cold for outdoor amusement? Head to the I-X Center for carnival food and rides, including a Ferris wheel that rises 35 feet above the rest of the building thanks to a glass atrium, allowing views of downtown Cleveland on clear days. Don’t miss the tiger shows. Open March 30-May 1.

800-897-3942, ixamusementpark.com

Trip E

Aquarium of Niagara

Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Witness the feedings of sharks, penguins and seals, and observe the behavior of fish and sea horses. If the kids’ spring break is around Easter, stop by for the SEAster Egg Hunt, where children search exhibits for “SEAster” eggs and win prizes.

716-285-3575, aquariumofniagara.org

Trip F

Great Wolf Lodge

Sandusky, Ohio and Niagara Falls, Ontario

It’s hard to beat Great Wolf Lodge if you’ve got little ones. Kid-friendly rooms called Wolf Dens feature in-suite faux caves with bunk beds and a TV inside. There are daily story times, crafts and family movies, too. At the Niagara Falls location, there’s even a Scoooops Spa just for kids that offers sherbet scrub manis and pedis.

800-641-9653, greatwolf.com

Also try: Cedar Point's Castaway Bay in Sandusky, Ohio, 419-627-2500, castawaybay.com; or Splash Lagoon in Erie, Pa., 866-377-5274, splashlagoon.com

Trip G

Kalahari

Sandusky, Ohio

Indoor water parks don’t come any bigger than this. The wave pool alone is 12,000 square feet. Surf the FlowRider, lounge on the lazy river or ride the Zip Coaster — or relax at the swim-up bar or spa.

877-525-2427, kalahariresorts.com

Trip H

Casinos

Your options are many, but if you plan on spending the night, consider Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, (800-991-7777, caesarswindsor.com) where rooms in both the new tower and the old are always pristine. The Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has top-tier rooms as well, with the added bonus of the Falls (888-325-5788, fallsviewcasinoresort.com). The Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in Salamanca, N.Y., boasts a spa and restaurants (888-913-3377, senecaalleganycasino.com) as does the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (877-873-6322, senecaniagaracasino.com). While it doesn’t have a hotel, Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie, Pa., added table games last summer (866-374-3386, presqueisledowns.com).

Trip I

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