Ohio Travel Industry Releases

Ohio Leaves Peepers in Awe
State parks are affordable alternative to pricey New England vacations
9/19/2008

CONTACT:
Mona Mesereau
(720) 842-5271
mona_mesereau@msn.com

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio (Oct. 19, 2008) – The fall foliage in Ohio is every bit as breathtaking as the leaves in New England. And with charming and affordable lodges located throughout the state as well as a wide range of activities, fall foliage vacations in Ohio are as pleasing to the wallet as they are to the eye.

Leaves on the state’s 125 species of hardwood trees begin to turn shades of yellow, orange and vibrant red in mid-September. Trees such as red and white oak, pin oak, black cherry, dogwood and sumac trees turn various shades of red while ash, beech, birch, hickory and others turn yellow and gold. And some, like buckeye, red maple, sweet gum and sassafras turn a mixture of red, yellow and orange.

Ohio State Parks are particularly popular spots for regional leaf-peeping because they not only offer the full spectrum of colors, but also feature opportunities for other fall festivities such as hiking through woods, bird watching, wandering through antique shops and galleries in nearby towns, feasting on fall’s bounty of vegetables and fruits or simply whiling away restful days before digging in for winter.

State park lodges operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts all offer a variety of value-focused packages and deals throughout the season. Xanterra operates Burr Oak State Park Resort in South Central Ohio, Hueston Woods State Park Resort in Southwestern Ohio, Maumee Bay State Park Resort in Northwestern Ohio, Mohican State Park Resort in Central Ohio, Punderson Manor State Park Resort in Northeastern Ohio, Salt Fork State Park Resort in Central Ohio and Shawnee State Park Resort in South Central Ohio.

A good way to garner even more value at the already affordable lodges is to book a vacation package such as the “Buckeye Package” at Burr Oak State Park Resort. This package includes two nights in a standard double room, two breakfasts each, one dinner each and a $25 gift certificate for use in the gift shop. The package price is $259 for midweek – Sunday through Thursday – stays and $279 for a weekend visit. The fall-season non-package price for a standard double room at Burr Oak ranges from $71 to $108 per night.

“Clearly the best way to get the most out of your fall vacation dollar is to book a package because lodge rooms and extras like meals are bundled and very reasonably priced,” said Judi Lages, vice president of sales and marketing for Xanterra Parks & Resorts. “Since all of us are spending more on the gas it takes to get to our vacation destinations, we are pleased we can offer an affordable lodging price. And unlike gasoline prices, our lodging rates are not subject to perpetual price-creep.”

Some packages have been designed to highlight both in-park and nearby offerings. For example, the “Antique Weekend” at Punderson Manor State Park Resort includes two nights in a double room, two early bird admission tickets to the popular Great Geauga Antiques Market on Saturday, an Antique Review Dinner with area experts and a map of Geauga County antique shops. The special weekend event is Sept. 12-14 and is priced at $365 plus tax per couple. Guests may upgrade to other room types, based on availability, for an additional charge.

Several Ohio State Parks are located near charming and picturesque towns that rival New England towns in both authenticity and beauty.

“Autumn is my favorite time of the year here,” said Laura Weirick, general manager of Mohican State Park Resort. “I believe that the fall colors in Ohio rival New England’s colors, and the nearby town of Loudonville is just as quaint as any country town in Vermont. It is great fun to talk to guests who are experiencing Ohio’s incredible autumn colors for the first time.”

The 6,000-acre park includes the Mohican Gorge, which can be viewed from a covered bridge. The gorge was designated a National Natural Landmark because of its distinctive natural beauty and its significant history. Famous wanderer Johnny Appleseed traveled the park’s popular Lyons Falls Trail, planting many trees along the way. Still popular today, the trail was heavily used as a stagecoach road. The park boasts a lush forest of deciduous trees including oak, elm, gum and buckeye.

To reserve rooms in these state parks or for more information, visit the individual web sites or www.atapark.com or call 1-800-AT-A-PARK (1-800-282-7275). Xanterra also operates the marina and facilities at Geneva Marina State Park in Geneva-on-the-Lake in northeastern Ohio.

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Xanterra Parks & Resorts® (consisting of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. and Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C.) operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra Parks & Resorts is the country’s largest park concessioner. Xanterra operates concessions in the following locations: Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial; and at the Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; and eight Ohio State Parks. Its affiliate Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C. operates concessions at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Xanterra also operates the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz.

Long committed to the preservation and protection of the environment, Ecologix, Xanterra Parks & Resorts’ environmental program, includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs in each location. Xanterra has been repeatedly recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry and is the recipient of many honors, including major awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Travel Industry Association, Colorado Department of Public Health, State of Arizona, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

For more information about Xanterra, links to individual properties and reservations numbers, visit www.xanterra.com.