If you haven’t been living under a rock (or maybe only if you live in the U.S.), you have probably heard about the total solar eclipse that is happening this Monday, April 8th, through a good chunk of the Central and Midwestern United States. My family and I are quite near to the path of totality, but we are planning on driving up to Cleveland to be in the path of totality. There are a few closer places in the path of totality but we are combining this trip to visit my parents who live in Cleveland.
2017 Solar Eclipse
In August 2017, there was also a total solar eclipse that was near our house. In Cincinnati, we were somewhere in the 90-95% range of totality.
Back then, I figured that this would be “good enough”, so instead of driving 3-4 hours into the middle of nowhere, we’d just see what it looked like in Cincinnati
(SEE ALSO: Eclipse canceled. Go home.)
(SEE ALSO: Travel hacking win: booking last minute eclipse travel!)
Since the eclipse happened in the middle of the day, a bunch of us at work got together and had a late lunch on top of our parking garage and had a cookout
When the actual eclipse came I found that it was…. underwhelming. It didn’t even really get dark. It got a bit dim but nothing that I would consider eclipse-y. So even though we were somewhere in the 90-95% range of totality, I decided then and there that I would make it to totality for the 2024 eclipse.
Our Plans For The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
With the 2024 total solar eclipse coming even closer, I decided that I would go up to my parents’ house near Cleveland to visit the eclipse. That was 7 years ago and it’s finally coming up this weekend!
We are hoping for sun, though we’re willing to drive a bit if we need to. My dad asked if we wanted to go out on Lake Erie to a park but I told him I thought there would be tens if not hundreds of thousands of people there, so I would just rather go out on their driveway.
Since my parents have moved to a smaller house, we also booked a hotel room nearby. We were able to get it for only 19,500 Marriott points per night, which was an amazing points deal since cash rates at most Cleveland hotels have been pushing $200-$300 / night if not completely sold out. My particular hotel is currently over $500 / night with taxes
How Joe Burrow Is Like A Total Solar Eclipse
As I mentioned before, after our disappointing 2017 eclipse viewing, I immediately decided that in 2024 I would be making sure I was in the path of totality. Astronomers and others seem to agree. Cincinnati’s WKRC interviewed astronomer Dean Regas, who said
“If you are at a partial eclipse, it is pretty cool. At 99 percent it will get darker, you will still see some of the effects but you won’t get full effects, the corona, the color the sky turns. The temperature goes down. It’s basically like in totality, you are watching Joe Burrow in the Super Bowl and if you are outside you are watching me throw football with my grandpa – that’s what is is basically like.”
😀
When I read that, it confirmed to me that we were doing it right by driving up to the path of totality
The Bottom Line
(Most of) my family and I are driving up to the Cleveland area to make sure that we are in the path of totality for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. After a disappointing 2017 Eclipse experience, I have been waiting for the past 7 years for this one, especially since the next total solar eclipse that will pass over the United States is not until 2044.
What are your plans for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse? Leave them in the comments below
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
This comment represents the totality of what I am doing for the eclipse.