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Tag Archives: soft drinks

The Clifton Mill Holiday Lights, Ohio

31 December 202022 September 2024

The Clifton Mill Holiday Lights

Sometimes I find myself lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and realize that there is so much more to Christmas than mall shopping for gifts.  I decided to take an evening to escape the madness and planned a visit to Clifton Mill for their spectacular light show.

Each year, the Mill sponsors a legendary holiday event that takes place in Clifton, Ohio.  From the day after Thanksgiving to December 31st, visitors can experience this over-the-top display with more than 3.5 million lights.

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For over 20 years, the mill has been lighting up the holiday season by illuminating the mill, the bridge, the gorge, and the riverbank.  In preparation for the event, it takes six men approximately three months to put up the light display.

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Located just outside of the mill is a miniature village that displays some of Clifton’s local, historic buildings as well as other structures that would be found in town.  For example, there is a drive-in movie theater where a movie is actually playing on its “big screen” as well as the county fair with its moving ferris wheel.  I watched the men working in the  auto mechanics shop and firefighters climbing on a ladder to put out a fire at the village’s log cabin.

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A 1950’s re-creation of Clifton Mill, and the Ohio State band creating its script Ohio as the Goodyear blimp hovers over the field are additional  displays which are absolutely spectacular.  Before Christmas, visitors can see Santa working out of his workshop.  through the frosty glass, I stepped up to the window to see what kinds of toys he was making.

The Santa Claus Museum displays the Satariano family’s private collection of over 3,000 Santas. Some of the items date as far back as 1850 and has taken the family about 40 years to collect.  You will find a wide variety of Santas from over the years that range from interesting, odd and elegant.

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One of my favorite features was the 100 foot “waterfall” of red and white lights along the riverbank.  From here I had a wonderful vantage point to view the synchronized light show that includes the covered bridge and gorge.

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After perusing the fascinating holiday display, I strolled over to the mill where  I had my choice of hot dogs, sandwiches, popcorn, soft drinks, cookies and pies.  I just couldn’t resist a hot chocolate.

Have you made visiting the Clifton Mill’s Legendary Light Display a holiday tradition in your family?  I would love to hear from you, so leave a message about your experience in the Comments section below!  Happy Travels!

Disclosure:   Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

What to See and What to Do:

Clifton Mill
75 Water Street
Clifton, OH  45316
Telephone: 937 767 5501

The light display begins the day after Thanksgiving and open nightly through December 31st.  Gates open daily at 5PM and the light show starts at 6PM. Gates close at 9PM and the lights are turned off 30 minutes after the gates close.  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, the gates close at 8PM.

Parking is free and there is an admission of $10 for guests, 7 years and older, while children 6 and under can enter at no charge.

Where to Stay:

Mills Park Hotel
321 Xenia Avenue
Yellow Springs, OH  45387
Telephone:  937 319 0400

Where to Eat:

Clifton Mill
75 Water Street
Clifton, OH  45316
Telephone: 937 767 5501

Clifton Mill is open on New Year’s Eve with a full menu from 5PM to 8PM, and open daily for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served all day.

One of my favorite meals at Clifton Mill is the order of pancakes. They are huge!  Their pies are delish as well.

What to Read: 

Not That I Could Tell, by Jessica Strawser

Photo Guide to Yellow Springs: 

  • Clifton Gorge
  • Colorful, Artsy Streets
  • Glen Helen Nature Reserve
  • John Bryan State Park
  • Sunflower Field, located at 4625 US-68, Yellow Springs (The Tecumseh Sunflower Field)
  • Wall Murals
    • Preparation for Life Work by Axel Horn hangs in the Yellow Springs Post Office
    • Village Cyclery is the location of the oldest mural in Yellow Springs
    • “Keith’s Alley” located behind the shops on the east side of Xenia Avenue between Cory and Glen Street showcases several murals
    • Winds Cafe displays one of the largest murals in town
    • Ohio Silver Co. displays a beautiful painting by Maxfield Parrish
    • The patio of Sunrise Cafe
    • The Smoking Octopus displays the works of Sarah Dickens
    • The Xenia Avenue Shops’ painting was created by local Mandy Knaul (Mandy Sue)
    • Corner Cone mural designed by Pierre Nagley
    • Kings Yard murals

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The beautiful Clifton Mill Holiday Light Display

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The County Fair, Auto Mechanics Shop and Firefighters at the Scene

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1950’s style diner

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The Ohio State Football Game

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A re-creation of the Clifton Mill 

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Santa and his reindeer

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10 Hidden Cruise Ship Costs

15 December 201919 September 2024

Have you ever booked a discounted cruise and realized that there were additional charges that you did not anticipate?  Here are some of those added costs that may take you by surprise:

  1. Cruise Ship Taxes: The base rate of the cruise is usually listed on advertisements and websites, but it is important to know that this is not the final total that you will be paying for the cruise part of your vacation.  There are those little additional fees called taxes. These include tax on the cruise as well as taxes that are charged by the Port Authority of the various ports that you will be visiting on your trip.  These fees are not controlled by the cruise lines, but rather the government agencies or states that govern the port.
  2. Drinks: Many cruise travelers are surprised to learn that soda is not included in the drinks that are available on the ship.  Of course alcohol is an additional charge and this includes wine unless you happen on a European cruise where wine and well drinks may be included.
  3. Coffee Shop Drinks: One of the best services now available on cruise ships are the  specialty coffee shops.  Various stands set up around the ship offer cappuccinos, macchiatos, frappuccinos, etc. and may be available 24 hours or at posted times.  Specialty coffee drinks require the services of a barista, which is why there is an additional charge for an afternoon caffeine boost.  Don’t be surprised when you receive a bill for the service and you may want to check to see if a tip was already included as well.
  4. Water in your room: Just as in hotels, the bottled water provided to you in your stateroom is not free (unless otherwise indicated).  There is usually a fee for drinking this water and a receipt for the bottled water will be provided to you at some point on your cruise.
  5. Wine Corkage Fee: So you have decided to order a bottle of wine and notice that when the bar service representative presents you with the receipt that there is a “wine corkage fee”, your first instinct may be to ask why you are paying an additional fee on top of the wine that you had purchased for your meal.  What could this possibly cover?  Interestingly enough, this fee is included for the service of opening the wine as well as providing wine glasses and chilling or storing the wine depending on the type that you have purchased.  I consider it a small token for the additional service that is offered to you by the bar staff.
  6. Room Service Fee: Room service can be very convenient, especially during the one or two hours where a buffet is not available.  Many cruises will offer a 24 hour pizza delivery service, but of course, there is a fee for them to deliver the pizza.  It’s a small price to pay for the luxury of having food delivered to your room, but again, it is available and you need to know that there is an additional charge added to your bill.  The information will be outlined in the daily schedules that are provided to you during your cruise.
  7. Gratuities (bar, room attendant, waiter, busboy): In the good old days, before computers and technology, tips to service staff included an envelope in each passenger’s stateroom.  It was the passenger’s responsibility to tip each of the service staff for their work over the number of days that they cruised.  Of course, the cruise director would provide the standard tipping rates and passengers could provide more (or less) as they saw fit for tipping.  Today, the tips are already included in the total cost at the close of the ship’s journey.  You can choose to keep the charges on your credit card, pay cash or challenge the amount that was predetermined at the front desk.  Just remember, the service staff work very hard to make your vacation as enjoyable as possible, so even if you decide to forego the dining hall and eat at the snack shop, keep in mind, that the minimal charge that is added to your bill may be a big help to the service staff, as they depend on these tips for their livelihood.
  8. Shore Excursions: Most people know by now, that if the ship offers shore excursions, there will be a fee for signing up.  These outings are optional, but depending on the port of call, you may decide that you want to see your destination with the assistance of a tour guide, most of whom are local residents.  The ship usually provides a wide range of port options ranging from a day at the beach to a full day of port exploration.  When using the internet, you can select which trips you want to take while you are in port and you can determine which ports you may want to adventure on your own.  Just note that if you purchase excursions apart from the ship’s offerings, you will want to ensure that you board the ship at the designated time or the ship will depart without you.  Please be aware that the tour guides welcome tips, so be prepared to have an amount of cash as you see appropriate.
  9. Laundry service: Did you know that some ships offer laundry service for its customers?  Most likely you will find this service available on “world cruises”, but you may want to check into this service if you plan on taking an extended cruise.  This helps you plan accordingly for packing and can also save you luggage fees for flights if you travel light.  You can leave your laundry in a bag, the room steward will pick up the laundry and you will receive you cleaned belongings ironed and folded in perfect condition.  This of course will incur a fee and you may feel obliged to tip your room steward as well.
  10. Exercise Classes/Gym Use: On most of the ships I have traveled, there is a gym as well as a spa on board.  There may or may not be a gym fee, but spa services are not included in the cruise rate and an additional fee will be charged according to the spa menu.  You may also note in your daily itinerary the various workout classes that are being offered on the ship and something may peak your interest.  Read the fine print to see if there is an additional charge for attending the class and again, if you find the service to your liking, you can opt to tip the instructor as well.

Additional activities where one could spend money on a cruise ship include gambling, internet use, purchases from the gift shop, bingo and raffles.  But if you plan accordingly, these additional fees and charges will not come as a surprise.  This will allow you to enjoy your vacation without stressing about the final bill, which will appear in your room the night before departure.  When in doubt, contact the front desk to keep your charges in check or if you have any questions about the status of your charges, they will be happy to help.

Disclosure:   Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

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I have had a passion to travel for as long as I can remember and landed my dream job at the age of 19 on a cruise ship. The Suite Life of Travel is about those experiences as well as my future endeavor to explore this amazing world!

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