Sandusky, Ohio - The Town with no Motto

"Sluggish and uninteresting enough,... something like the back of an English watering-place, out of the season." Thus spake Charles Dickens, on passing through Sandusky in 1842. Obviously, before Cedar Point was built.
Seriously, Cedar Point is the amusement park to end all amusement parks. Eight years running, Amusement Today has named it the "world's best", and with good reason. Not just one wooden coaster, like most amusement parks, but a whole section of them. And the tallest, and the fastest and the most "G's", and all the measures of a great thrill ride. Cedar Point has most of the records.
If you are a serious roller-coaster fiend, you have to go.
But there are more reasons to go to this little Midwest town of 30,000. It is located on the banks of Lake Erie, with watersports aplenty, and some of the best freshwater fishing in the country. Personally, I would recommend camping at any of the waterfront campgrounds in the area, but if you don't want to rough it, most of them also have cottages available, cheap.
It is also located just an hour or so drive from Cleveland to the East, and Canton to the south.
Among the themes I pursued during my traveling days was visiting as many "Hall of Fames" as I could find. Cleveland is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is a perfect day trip from a base in Sandusky, and an awesome experience for anyone in the Rock 'n Roll Generation.
Take the next day to drive south to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, also an experience I think everyone should have. I was lucky enough to see Joe Montana get inducted, and to watch the Hall of Fame Game in 2000.
So, that's it. Couple days at Cedar Point, a day at one of the other amusement parks in the area, 2 days on the water, skiing and fishing, a day for Rock 'n Roll, and a day for Football.
Pretty much your All-American vacation right there.