It’s Saturday, and that means one thing—Mom Mode is officially activated! Pack up the kids, put on your favorite shades, and come along as we spend the day exploring one of our favorite family destinations: Delaware, Ohio.
Every great adventure starts with good food, so our first stop was, naturally, Arby’s and McDonald
With bags of drive-thru treasures in hand (and a few fries disappearing before we even parked), we headed to Veterans Park, affectionately known in our family as Dinosaur Park. We claimed a shady picnic table, enjoyed our lunch together, and before the last bite was finished, both kids were off like rockets toward the splash pad.
Buckets filled. Buckets dumped. Giggles echoed. Water splashed everywhere with the kind of carefree abandon only children can master.
Once everyone had cooled off, it was time to explore the playground. Ruby and I raced each other down the giant dinosaur slide over and over again until tiny raindrops began tapping our shoulders, reminding us it was time for the next adventure.
Our rainy-day destination? Ciao Café.
If you’ve never been, let me tell you—this little café serves some of the best gelato I’ve ever had. Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Delaware and surrounded by charming local shops, it’s one of those places that instantly makes you want to slow down and stay awhile.
My favorite part? Their iced vanilla latte.
Creamy, bold, perfectly sweet, and packing just the right amount of caffeine…which, if you’re a parent, probably means “as much as possible.”
As the rain poured outside, we sat together enjoying our cold treats while playing endless rounds of I Spy through the café windows, watching umbrellas, passing cars, and people rushing through the rain.
Once the skies began to clear, umbrellas in hand, we wandered over to one of our family’s favorite hidden gems: Oakland Nursery.
Now, I know what you might be thinking…
“A plant nursery?”
Trust me—it’s so much more than that.
Yes, the flowers, trees, and plants are beautiful, but what keeps us coming back is the experience.
Our first stop is always the adorable “little houses” outside. Technically they’re storage sheds, but to Ruby they’re tiny storybook cottages. She carefully inspects each one before proudly announcing which house she’d like to live in today.
From there we meander through winding garden paths before making our way inside, where the kids immediately gravitate toward the toy section. Unsurprisingly, each of them found something that simply had to come home with us.
As for me?
The greenhouse.
Filled with lush tropical plants stretching toward the ceiling, it feels like stepping into another world. And hidden among the greenery are giant dinosaur sculptures waiting to be discovered. Around every corner is another prehistoric surprise, making it just as exciting for kids as it is peaceful for plant lovers like me.
By the time we made it home, we probably should have called it a day…
But summer adventures aren’t complete without one last splash.
We changed into swimsuits, jumped into the pool, practiced flips, made the biggest cannonballs we could, and soaked up every last minute before another summer rainstorm rolled across the sky.
Sometimes the best days aren’t the ones filled with extravagant plans or expensive destinations.
They’re the ones filled with favorite fries, splash pads, dinosaur slides, coffee, gelato, little shops, dinosaur discoveries, pool jumps, and simply being together.
Those are the moments I hope my kids remember.
Now I’d love to hear from you!
What are some of your favorite family-friendly spots in Delaware, Ohio? We’d love to add them to our adventure list for next time!
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