For Immediate Release
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CAMBRIDGE, Ohio, March 31, 2008 - There is more to an Ohio State Park Resort vacation than lounging by a pool and sipping a cold drink. With activities as diverse as Ohio's geography, seven Ohio State Park Resorts managed by Xanterra Parks & Resorts feature a wide range of activities on state park grounds or within an easy drive.
"Most of our guests like to be active and do things they can't typically do at home," said Sabreena Beaverson, director of central reservations for Ohio State Park Resorts. "Ohio's state parks are really perfect for travelers who want to enhance an existing skill or try something new. Of course, there is nothing wrong with sitting by the pool or catching up on your paperbacks."
Here are 15 memorable activities available at Ohio State Park Resorts:
Sharpen your swing. Several Ohio State Park Resorts offer golf lessons. Maumee Bay State Park Resort in Northwest Ohio offers 30-minute lessons for $30. Hueston Woods State Park Resort in the Southwestern part of the state offers a three-day golf school.
Have a ball. Feeling energetic and competitive? Paint your friends and family on one of the popular paintball courts at Salt Fork State Park Resort in Central Ohio or Hueston Woods State Park Resort.
Take in the culture. The Southern Ohio Museum and Culture Center near Shawnee State Park Resort features permanent collections of historic photographs depicting life in Southern Ohio and an extensive doll collection. Also near the resort is the popular Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, an outdoor amphitheater that stages summer evening performances about the legendary Shawnee leader Tecumseh.
Hunt for treasure. Geocaching is a trendy, high-tech game of treasure-hunting, and a popular way for vacationers to get into the woods. Salt Fork State Park Resort offers packages that include use of a GPS system to hunt for a cache.
Discover antiquing. Antiques offer an up-close and attainable glimpse into the history of an area. Northeast Ohio, home to Punderson Manor State Park Resort, has long been considered one of the state's top places for antiquing. Punderson offers Antique Weekend June 6-8 and September 12-14 in conjunction with the Great Geauga Antiques Market.
Explore animal habitat. The naturalist at the Burr Oak State Park Resort in South Central Ohio takes guests on nature walks and pontoon boat rides to watch for beaver, great blue heron, swans and other waterfowl. A nature interpretation center includes a kid-pleasing "Do Touch" area. Several parks, including Maumee Bay and Hueston Woods, also have fully equipped Nature Centers. Maumee Bay State Park is located within a 15-minute drive of three major wetland preserves with abundant bird-watching opportunities.
Skim the water. Several larger state park lakes allow water skiing. Salt Fork Lake is rated for unlimited horsepower boating and water skiing in designated ski zones. The Salt Fork Marina offers boat rental by the hour, day or week.
Trot a trail. Several parks offer bridle trails and nearby stables. Salt Fork State Park Resort, for example, features more than 20 miles of trails that meander throughout the park. Two stables outside the park offer guided trail rides.
Hit the courts. Try your hand at walleyball at Maumee Bay State Park Resort. Guaranteed to burn calories, this fast-moving, fun sport combines skills used in racquetball and volleyball. Most state park resorts also have volleyball, tennis and basketball courts.
Let us entertain you. Several state park resorts stage live entertainment on selected summer evenings. Burr Oak State Park Resort offers live entertainment on selected summer weekends. Especially popular is a mountain man storyteller and local country/Western singer and guitarist. Many of the acts have a devoted local following.
Build a Monopoly. All seven state park resorts offer free board games. On rainy summer days, it is typical to see clusters of families and friends gathered around lobby sitting areas playing cards or moving game pieces around a board.
Do the shuffle. Shuffleboard has regained its popularity, especially with multi-generational family groups. All seven resorts feature shuffleboard courts.
Cruise the coasters and catch the waves. Three state park resorts are within an easy drive of some of the best amusement parks and waterparks in the country. The country's second oldest amusement park, Cedar Point, is near Maumee Bay State Park Resort. Paramount's Kings Island, the largest theme park in the Midwest, is near Hueston Woods State Park Resort. And Geauga Lake Wildwater Kingdom, known for its kid-friendly waterpark, is situated near Punderson Manor State Park Resort.
Throw out a line. Lake Erie has the best walleye fishing in the world, and guests of the Maumee Bay State Park Resort can also try for catfish, freshwater drum, small mouth bass and yellow perch. Man-made and natural lakes at other state parks also offer abundant fishing.
Get crafty. All seven resorts operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts feature organized children's activities at selected times throughout the summer. Kids can paint T-shirts and participate in other crafts, go on a treasure hunt or horse around in the pools under the supervision of trained staff.
Complete information about the facilities at each of the seven Ohio State Park Resorts operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts is available online at www.atapark.com or by calling 1-800-AT-A-PARK. 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.
Media contact:
Mona Mesereau
(1) 720-842-5271