With the price of gasoline the way it is, it may be very wise to stay around the corner…one-day jaunts inside or close to the Buckeye homestead are a good way to enjoy the summer months without wiping out your wallet.

Cedar Point, which boasts the largest roller coasters on the planet, is located right here in our backyard and is a popular summer destination with Ohioans and visitors to the Buckeye State alike. Cedar Point paid $21 million for their newest addition, the Maverick, an up and down project that includes straight down drops. Good thing you don't have to pay for the gas as the steam-era style trains scorch the steel tracks at 70 miles an hour.

Are water attractions more to your family's liking? Try visiting Kalahari Waterpark, located in Sandusky. Kalahari Waterpark has both an indoor and an outdoor waterpark complete with private cabanas/bungalows; a resort featuring rooms that can accommodate up to twelve people; a full spa; lots of shopping, an arcade, miniature golf and restaurants and lounges. Kalahari Waterpark is perfect for a weekend getaway for two or a weeklong family vacation.

If you need to slow down, Marblehead Lighthouse State Park is located near Cedar Point and Kalahari Waterpark. Marblehead Lighthouse offers weekday afternoon tours of one of Lake Erie's most photographed landmarks. Enjoy the spiral staircase and remember to bring food along because the grounds surrounding the lighthouse are excellent for picnicking. Catawba Island, South Bass Island and Kelleys Island are all a stone's throw away with plenty of attractions.

Want to leave the driving to someone else? Consider Ohio Travel Treasures, a tour operator that takes groups around the state and nearby. They know plenty of the more interesting places and if you have a place in mind, they're willing to listen. Tour packages include not only the ride, but also dining and entertainment experiences. Most of the attractions are within Ohio's borders.

Sawmill Creek Resort Golf Club has overnight packages to go along with their 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course, wildlife marshes, nature preserve and lakefront marina. It's the perfect destination for family reunions with lots of outdoor activities including charter fishing, boating excursions and fly fishing. You can even tour some Ohio wineries like Mon Ami Winery and Firelands Winery while you're there!

One doesn't have to push the gasoline budget to get to the Botanical Garden's Glass House. Just around the corner are the worlds of Madagascar and Costa Rica, decked out with unique plants, exotic birds, rose and Japanese gardens with butterflies year-round. It certainly can be called the largest outdoor flower show in America.

How about the zoo? Some 3,000 animals including the largest collection of primate species in North America can be seen at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zoo is a glorious combination of plants and animals and offers programs for all ages and interests. The popular summer-long wild animal show takes visitors on a journey back in time when Jurassic Park was only a figment on some Hollywood movie-maker imagination. It's a welcomed journey back in time.

Another favorite short jaunt is a visit to the Holden Arboretum where visitors get a chance to explore the gardens and natural areas. The wildflower habitats are a sight to see with floral displays along with the Lantern Court House, a Georgian-Colonial home set on 25 acres. There are also a dozen hiking and walking trails guaranteed to make this trip a total pleasure. Their newest exhibit, the Holden Express, opened on Father's Day and runs daily until September 23. The outdoor exhibit features model trains amid scaled re-creations of some of Northeastern Ohio's most recognizable bridges and landmark Holden barns. For more information, call 440-946-4400.

If you haven't visited Hall Farm and Village you've missed another opportunity to step back in time. This is Civil War-era time of old-fashioned fun and games. Visitors can peek in and watch artisans and craftsmen plying their trade with glassblowers, basket makers and candle makers with a blacksmith tossed in at the forge.

If you haven't caught the delights of the Western Reserve Historical Society, it's an experience on your must see list. The WRHS was founded 140 years ago to preserve and present the history of the people of northeast Ohio. The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum collections are both nationally and internationally famous. The other collections and exhibits reach out to something for every kind of audience. Sadly, if you missed the Princess Diana exhibition, you missed one of the great highlights of the year. The story of Diana was related in nine galleries -- everything from childhood to condolence. The centerpiece was the Royal Wedding gallery, featuring her wedding gown of 1981. The WRHS is truly a collection of treasures.

Why not spend the day in Cleveland and enjoy the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? "Baseball As America," a national exhibit highlighting "the relationship between baseball and American culture" and featuring over 500 artifacts will be on display at the Science Center until September 3. While you're there, take in a movie at the Center's Omnimax Theater. Currently playing are the films Hurricane On The Bayou, Dinosaurs Alive! and Superman Returns. For more information on these Science Center events, visit greatscience.com.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has several new exhibits, including The Doors, The Clash, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Rick Nelson. On October 14, the Rock Hall will have a World Festival Day, where a celebration of Cleveland's ethnic diversity will be celebrated. As it's stated on the museum's Web site, "Through song and dance, we are afforded an opportunity for true appreciation of the great melting pot of cultures, traditions and legacies of others." For more information visit rockhall.com.

Every short trip can be a special event. All you need to do is just go for it!