For many, the summer season has officially started with the end of the school year last week and the Memorial Day holiday. Many will be hitting the roads or taking to the skies for their vacations around the country, or even the world.

As a child, my family always took a vacation to the beach, but we also had many smaller weekend camping trips or visits to Kings Island or Cedar Point amusement parks.

Those memories came flooding back this week as I traveled to Akron to attend a meeting for Ohio Newspaper Association. The lure of traveling to the ocean, out west or hundreds of other destinations are great, but as I nearly drove from one end of the state to the other, my thoughts turned to how fortunate we are in Ohio to have the resources we do in the state, which are amazing. The state has virtually everything you could want when looking for vacation or weekend trip options.

Whether it is a sandy beach, a relaxing camping trip or enjoying roller coasters, Ohio has it all.

While it is not the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, you can take a visit to Lake Erie and enjoy their beaches and bays that cover over 300 miles and offer a myriad of activities.

Or, if you are looking for recreational options, the state has 74 state parks that include lodges, camping, hiking, golfing, fishing and swimming. This doesn’t include the wonderful resource we have right here in Lawrence County with Wayne National Forest and Lake Vesuvius. Ohio has two major amusement parks in Kings Island and Cedar Point that people from all around the world travel to visit.

Add in that Ohio is home to the Rock and Roll and Pro Football hall of fames along with all the wonderful small towns and options for local shopping and dining, you can certainly make a strong case that our state truly has something for everyone.

I know driving isn’t always fun, but for me, seeing the beauty of our state, regardless of the season is something that I love to do. Passing places along the way like Ohio Stadium, the Golden Bridge, known to many as the Big Mac Bridge, in Cincinnati or the Goodyear tire plant among hundreds of others, I always try to see something new each time I travel around the state.

Sure, I admit that I like to travel south or to new places as much as the next person, but tapping into these great resources we have in Ohio can create just as many wonderful memories as a trip elsewhere around the country.

Looking at it from the economic side, taking a trip in Ohio helps the economic outlook for us as Ohioans because it helps keep these place open for business and potentially thousands of jobs available.

If you are planning your next weekend trip or weeklong vacation, I encourage you to check out the bountiful options we have right here at home. I know I will.

 

Josh Morrison is the general manager at The Tribune. To reach him, call 740-532-1441 ext. 16 or by email at josh.morrison@irontontribune.com.