Zoo: Oglebay’s Good Zoo, Wheeling, WV

 Address:465 Lodge Dr, Wheeling, WV 26003
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Visit Day and Time: Monday May 29, 2017 10:30 am - 1:30 pm
Temperature at visit: 72 degree dry and sunny
Crowd level: Moderate it was memorial day and there were a good crowd of people at the zoo but it was still a very manageable crowd

• Pros
• Small zoo very manageable for a couple hour adventure
• Nice train ride
• Feeding goats is permitted ($.25 - quarters needed for dispenser)
• Feeding the lorikeets is permitted ($1.03 for a cup of nectar cash or card)
• Cons
• Zoo path is pretty hilly so be prepared for some hill climbing
• Range of animals are pretty limited

• Cleanliness
• There are trash cans around to use one of the liners had fallen in the can but generally the park is very clean
• There are chickens that roam the zoo and seem to have the popcorn clean up job
• Adult Info
• This is a pretty stress free zoo because its easy to keep an eye on your little one while still giving them the freedom to walk with you
• Access
• This zoo can make it hard to get around if you are pushing anything heavy because of the hills in the park
• The leg room is pretty limited on the train
• Restrooms
• There are restrooms in the main building
• There is a restroom at the barn (I have not been in this one)
• There is a single restroom at the Lorikeet landing building
• Misc
• Train runs on the hour and half hour
• There are some animal encounters available 
• They were walking the tortoise in the zoo and allowed visitors to touch the its shell
• They seem to get a different animal each year so there is some variety for year to year visitors
• The playground was very wet due to some recent rains be on the safe side if you plan to play and bring extra clothes/shoes 
• Pricing
• $9.95 for adults and $6.95 for kids 3-12 More Info
• Zoo admission is included in the Oglebay activity band ($18.95) More Info
• Membership start at $73 for the basic family pass for the year 
• The zoo also participates reciprocal zoo listing so if you are a member of another zoo check to see if you can get discounted admission

The train room is one of the first things you see if you take your stroller down the elevator

Lots to see here if you are a member use a rainy day to enjoy the train room

Some of the indoor space this area was remodeled this spring

Stuffed animal care area we are waiting for a rainy day to spend some quality time in this building

Just a pic with a fake crocodile

More inside exhibits

More inside exhibits

The tortoise taking a walk 

Barnyard area

Feeding the lorikeets

The playground was very wet due to some recent rains

Arts and Crafts: Fired Up Pottery Studio

GPS:
Address: 4151 Washington Rd, McMurray, PA 15317
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Visit Day and Time: Friday May 25th at 11 am -12:30pm
Temperature at visit: about 65 degrees cloudy
Crowd level: 3 other families with kids and two sets of adult patrons

• Pros
• Fees are all inclusive no hidden costs
• Staff was very friendly and helpful
• Lots of selection
• Cons
• Have to come back in a week to pick up what you paint
• Prices are a little higher than the Wow factory in Morgantown, WV
• Space is a little small so if it was crowded could be a little harder to enjoy
• They have their paints in small containers and they are used and reused as opposed to getting paint on tiles like at Wow Factory.  Feels like there is a greater chance fore paint "contamination" and not as easy to blend colors  
• Cleanliness
• Very clean space and well organized
• Staff made it very clear to us how to deal with dirty brushes and other supplies 
• Staff said don't worry about the mess we clean it up (nice to hear when you have a toddler) 
• Adult Info
• Definitely a good place for a day trip adventure you could spend as much time as you needed to complete a project.  
• It was a little hard to find this place as the turn is before you see the location and their sign is red on a redbrick building so it does not stick out.   Take a few extra minutes and look at the google street view before driving 
• Let the staff know your ideas and paint order and see if they recommend any changes they know what they are doing so ask for assistance and recommendation 
• Access
• Its in a shopping plaza so standard access and parking
• Restrooms
• One restroom (lock was broken) was clean and well stocked all the way in the back of the space
• Hand sink in the front of the store
• Misc
• They are open to you bringing in food if you plan to spend a long time in the shop
• They have a lot of events scheduled on their website and Facebook page prices seem very reasonable for their classes
• While we were there a little girl kept checking to see if her items were dry in the drying station (couple fans) and at one point she touched one of our items with wet painted fingers so just be aware I had to wipe it and touch up the paint.  Same little girl dropped her sisters item and the staff worked to get a new item to the sister
• Pricing
• 4x4 tile was $8
• 6x6 tile was $10
• Animal figures were $15 for 3-4 inch size 
• They had a 40% off sale when I was there until May 31st for item they were discontinuing.  They posted that on their Facebook page so keep an eye out for sales

Our creations before firing

Some of their pet options

Some of their pet options

Playground: Oglebay Park, Wheeling, WV

GPS: 40.097827, -80.663141

Visit Day and Time:Wednesday May 3, 2017 from 2:59 pm until 3:02 pm
Temperature at visit: Cool
Crowd level: Mild (There were several families there for a total of around 7-10 kids all kids were under 4 years old)

• Pros
• Large playground with multiple play structures
• Area for small toddlers
• Plenty of various types of seating
• 
  
• Cons
• Could be hard to keep an eye on your child if they move from structure to structure
• My daughter fell several times going between play areas (luckily the rubber turf kept her from getting hurt) so some kids might have a hard time adjusting to the rise that the rubber turf creates
• Trash Info
• Several trash cans available 
• No loose trash
• Shade Info
• There is some shade over some of the adult seating areas 
• Play structures don't have a lot of shade
• Adult Seating
• Several benches
• Several Picnic tables
• Access
• There is a sidewalk from the parking area to the playground
• Multiple access entries (stairs, pipe climber, and chain ladder)
• Misc
• Rubber flooring under play area
• Broken equipment
• None to note

View of lake from one parking area

View of lake from one parking area

View of the playground coming from one of the parking areas

Newer play area to the right coming from one of the parking areas

Playground: Good Zoo, Wheeling, WV

GPS: 40.096943, -80.666360
Address:465 Lodge Dr, Wheeling, WV 26003

Visit Day and Time: Wednesday May 3, 2017 from 1:33 pm until 1:39 pm
Temperature at visit: Cool
Crowd level: We were the only visitors at the playground there were a few families in the zoo in general

• Pros
• Low/No crowds
• Plenty of Adult Seating 
• You have to pay zoo admission to use this playground (so no one just hanging around without a purpose)
• Cons
• You have to pay zoo admission to use this playground 
• Some broken equipment
• Some parts of the structure have large drop offs
• It is a little hard to see the kids when they are playing on the backside of the playground

• Trash Info
• Low (a bottle and a food wrapper)
• Trash cans available 
• Shade Info
• Shade trees for the adult seating area and the small kids play area
• Not much shade directly over the main playground
• Adult Seating
• Four benches
• Picnic tables very close 
• Swings
• 2 little kid swings
• Slides
• Large tube slide (very fast my toddler ended up on the ground the first time out, I caught her early the second time)
• Large open air twist slide
• 2 mild straight slides (side by side)
• Small straight slide for little ones
• Access
• 2-3 tenths of a mile walk from zoo entrance (if you exit the main building and head right
• Kids need to do a little climbing to get on the equipment
• Misc
• Lots of active climbing for your kids so they need to be aware not fall off the areas where there are high entrance and exits 
• Broken equipment
• One of the logs on the side of the swinging bridge is damaged
• Older kid play area is older but very functional

Entrance coming from the long way (standard zoo path)

General view of the playground (the white tube slide is super fast)

General view from the adult sitting area

Side view

Note the broken post on the right part of the platform before the sway bridge

Due straight slide

Fast tube slide and note the picnic tables in the back

Adult sitting area and trash cans

Little kid play area

Little kid swings (only swings available)

Little kid play area

View from the little kid area

Playground: Dallas Pike, WV

GPS: 40°00'53.3"N 80°31'37.3"W

Visit Day and Time: Sunday around 3:01 pm until 3:47 pm
Temperature at visit: over 80 degrees (Hot for the end of April)
Crowd level: We were the only park visitors

• Pros
• Low/No crowds
• Good line of sight from the adult seating to the play areas
• Cons 
• Lots of boring bees buzzing around and some wasps
• Some broken equipment
• Getting to the tube slide could be difficult without help for little children
• Trash Info
• Low (pair of socks and a couple other pieces food wrappers)
• There was a trash bag tied to a pole (that had some trash it)
• Some minor writing on the interior of the higher club house
• Shade Info
• Adult seating in the sun
• Open air slide in the sun (it was hot to touch the day we were there so my toddler preferred the tube slide
• The club house area is covered 
• The tire swing is under the play structure
• There was some shade in the swing area because of the club house
• The picnic area is covered
• Adult Seating
• Wood bench with movable back to sit facing the playground or the basketball court
• Wood bench (no back)
• Composite bench glider
• Picnic tables at the shelter (6 tables)
• Swings
• 3 standard swings
• 1 baby swing
• 1 tire swing
• 1 rope disc swing
• Slides
• Open air gentle grade slide
• Tube slide (access to this slide is difficult for little ones to do on their own)
• Access
• Climbing chain ladder
• Pipe ladders
• Tunnel to climb from one platform to the other
• Pipe handle/stair to access the tube slide (could be difficult for little ones to do on their own)
• Misc
• Telescope 
• Lower level play house (might have been a sandbox at some point)
• Broken equipment 
• Steering wheel in the club house
• Baby swing was in need of repair but functional
• Rope disc swing seat was pretty worn
• One of the benches back support was gone

View from the parking area

Shelter (I think this is associated with the Dallas Pike community center)

View from the far side of the playground 

Swing area

Basketball court

View from the newer bench area

View from the clubhouse are near the tube slide

View of the area where you enter the tube slide (note the yellow pipe is what my toddler used to climb to the platform)

View from the clubhouse (note the broken steering wheel area)

Parking area