Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

Date of Visit: June 26, 2026

We enjoyed exploring the Wright Brother's history in Dayton and the parachute museum at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center.

The entry doors have buttons to open them. The ranger pressed the inside button when she saw us coming because she said sometimes the outside button does not work.

Mik and I caught the end of the movie, which he only let me go in to watch because Martin Sheen was the narrative, but he did not want to stick around for it to start over and watch the whole thing.

Mik enjoyed pressing the various buttons to make things happen in the first floor exhibit. This one in particular was cool because to watch the helicopter toy.

Helicopter Toy

He regretted pressing this engine one, though, because it was very noisy.

The propeller one made quite a breeze that he wanted to quickly move on as it made him cold.

The first floor also has a recreated grocery store, which once was in this building.

The second floor had the Aviation Trail Parachute Museum.

The second floor also has exhibits about the Wright Brothers work before flight with particular focus on the printing press.

Mik felt the doorways in the printing press area were too narrow, although he did fit through no issue at least with me pushing him.

Destination Info:

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

16 South Williams Street

Dayton, OH 45402

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Date of Visit: June 25, 2026

As we had not visited Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, our visit was for more than just an America 250 stamp. However, as there was not much for Mik to do, it was not that much longer of a stop than the places we have revisited this year just for a 250 stamp.

The access ramp to the sidewalk was a little awkwardly placed at back of the first parking spot, which could easily end up being partially blocked if the person parking there does not pay attention.

Not sure if it is often this way or just the day we were there, but there was a hose across the path to the main entrance of the visitor center. There was a "ramp" over it, but it was narrow and steep to cross over meaning it was safer and easier to just go over the hose only.

The visitor center has a side door that leads out to the mounds, which can be also be accessed by following the path around the building, that we used to go in and out once we realized that was an option.

The visitor center did not have much to see. The only exhibit was of tribal nation flags of tribal nations associated with the site. There was an interactive language thing, but it was being used by other visitors and it seemed it would be awhile before we could have a turn. I think they might have had a movie, but this was a rare site that the rangers were not all that engaging and were too busy talking with each other to have been directed to it or be told when it was showing next.

There is a sidewalk that leads up to the entrance to the mounds area and that is as far as Mik could go.

It is understandable that they do not want to disturb the mounds area and add sidewalks to be provide access to the mounds and the signage they have out there. However, it does not make sense that the first sign is not put near the end of the sidewalk so at least that one could be read.

There are some signs about the mounds near the visitor center. However, since there are not really any informational or artifact exhibits inside the visitor center, for Mik this site felt much like one of our quick visits to a NPS site just for the 250 stamp, although he did let me go walk around the mound area to take some Ranger Dan photos while Dad and him sat in the shade by the visitor center.

Destination Info:

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

16062 State Route 104

Chillicothe, OH 45601

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Date of Visit: June 24, 2026

Our visit to Canyon Rim Visitor Center was mainly to get the America 250 stamps they had there. Dad and I had visited here before, but since it was Mik's first visit, we also walked out to the overlooks so he could see the river and the New River Gorge Bridge. As we wanted to make sure we had enough time at our next stop of the day in Ohio, we did not end up seeing the movie in the visitor center.

There is a good overlook of the river out the back door of the visitor center. You can also view the river out the back windows from inside the visitor center, but Mik found the frame lines of the window were right at eye level for him when Dad rolled him up to the window.

To see the bridge, there is a short boardwalk trail off to the side of the visitor center.

The trail continues down steps including a warning to know your limits as going down is optional, but coming back up is not. Even without going down the steps, you can get a decent view of the bridge.

Destination Info:

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

162 Visitor Center Road

Lansing, WV 25862

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

Date of Visit: June 24, 2026

Dad and I previously visited in 2016 when it was a National River. That trip we only visited the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. This trip we also visited the Sandstone Visitor Center partly because they had some different America 250 stamps than Canyon Rim, but also because we wanted to explore more of the park this trip.

We ended up getting to the visitor center a little before closing time, so just Dad went in to get the National Park passport stamps. While doing that, he found out there was an accessible trail to see Sandstone Falls, so we decided to go do that before going to the hotel.

The drive from the Sandstone Visitor Center to Sandstone Falls is a scenic drive that takes you along the river on one side and then back on the other side to where there is an accessible boardwalk trail to view the falls.

While the trail is accessible, the parking is mostly not. There was accessible spots right at the boardwalk start, but they were occupied. Most of the parking is on another level of the hill and it is rather steep going between the levels. Thus, we unloaded Mik and then Dad parked. He did end up with a spot on the lower level by the trail. Even though the car next to us left just as we we got back to the truck, Dad had to pull out for us to load because there was a giant water puddle there.

Mik said it was a rather smooth boardwalk trail other than the initial transition up on to the boardwalk was a bit of a bump.

Just a little into the trail, there is a good viewpoint of Sandstone Falls.

At the end of the trail, there is another farther view of Sandstone Falls. Mik preferred the first view of the falls, but the whole trail was still worthwhile as the end view was a good view of more of the river.

Destination Info:

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Visitor Center

330 Meadow Creek Road

Sandstone, WV 25985