The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Tourism on an upswing
‘There’s something for everyone,’ Visitors Bureau director says
It is harvest season in Ashtabula County. The sun is shining, there’s a cool breeze in the air, and visitors from all over come to see the attractions throughout the area.
“The air is just heavy with the sweet smell of grapes,” said Stephanie Siegel, executive director of the Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Tourism has seen a steady increase in the Ashtabula County area throughout 2017, according to Siegel. The various attractions throughout the county can attract patrons from all walks of life.
“Ashtabula is a playground for all different kinds of interests,” said Siegel.
In Ashtabula County, Siegel said that the two biggest attractions for tourists are Lake Erie and local wines in the area.
“No matter what people like ... there are all kinds of wines,” she said.
“There is truly something for everyone.”
The recent Wine & Walleye festival that was held at the Historic Ashtabula Harbor July 29-30 provided local and regional wines from several wineries, according to the festival’s website.
The Uncork’d WineFest that was held Aug. 26-27 at Lake Shore Park’s main pavilion, 1700 E. 1st Street in Ashtabula also featured a tasting of local wines as well as a fishing tournament.
Siegel said that there have been elevated crowds at these recent events.
“We’ve been blessed with good weather,” she said.
Because of the lake becoming for accessible for visitors this year, more kayak tours have also been given.
“People are able to enjoy more recreational things,” she said.
In southern Ashtabula County, visitors can see Pymatuning State Park, 6100 Pymatuning Lake Road in Andover.
Patrons can camp, swim and go fishing at the park. Siegel cited the lake at the park as one of the best fishing lake.
According to the park’s website, fishing from a boat requires a fishing license from either Ohio or Pennsylvania. Fishing on the bank along the Ohio side requires a license from Ohio, and a Pennsylvania fishing license is required for fishing along the Pennsylvania side.
While the festivals in the area have attracted many visitors, there are yearround attractions that are frequented by tourists, according to Siegel.
One such attraction is the Victorian Perambulator Museum, 26 E. Cedar St. in Jefferson.
According to the museum’s website, the museum is the only one of its kind in the world and features over 250 antique baby carriages. The museum also features various collectables including pre-1900 children’s sleds, dolls, wagons, toys, books, and games.
Another place tourists can visit is the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum at 1603 Walnut Blvd. in Ashtabula.
The museum is named after the Hubbard family, who were heavily involved in the Abolitionist movement, according to the Hubbard House website.
William Hubbard was a member of the Ashtabula County Anti-Slavery Society and brothers Matthew and Henry both helped found the Ashtabula Sentinel, an Abolitionist newspaper.
There is also a tourist attraction for faithful worshippers visiting the area.
According to Siegel, those practicing their faith make it a point to visit the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue at the Servants of Mary Center for Peace, 6601 Ireland Road in Windsor.
According to the Servants of Mary Center for Peace website, an apparition of Mary now known as Our Lady of Guadalupe ultimately led to the Christian conversion of millions of people throughout the Americas.
When the statue was built, the plan was to have it be 33 feet high in honor of each year of Jesus’ life on earth, however, when the model was adjusted to replicate the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue in Mexico City, the height rose to 50 feet, according to their website.
Tourists seeking a thrill can find adventure during the Lake Erie Canopy Tours at Geneva State Park. According to the canopy tours website, there are kids and adult challenge courses that allow patrons to soar up to 20 mph through the tree tops of the park using a network of steel cables and adventure sky bridges.
In addition to the success of tourist attractions and recent festivals, the visitors bureau has also seen businesses work well together, according to Siegel. She said that Bissell Maple Farm, 82 W. Ashtabula St. in Jefferson, works with an area distillery and an area winery to make various maple-themed products. According to the Bissell Maple Farm’s website, the farm uses original recipes while using advanced technology at a local maple farm.
“It’s pretty fun to watch businesses grow together,” she said.
There is an emerging restaurant scene in the area as well, she said.
“We just drool over the restaurants,” she said.
Crosswinds Grille, 5653 Lake Road East, Geneva, is notable for serving fresh food from farm to table, according to Siegel. The Crosswinds website said that Chef Nate and Crosswinds Grille’s policy is to start with fresh and local products.
“They can truly tell you where the ingredients come from,” Siegel said.
Heavenly Creamery, 264 Sandusky St. in Conneaut, serves small batches of ice cream. According to their website, Heavenly Creamery is a from-scratch ice cream store that makes it a point to use real vanilla and not cut corners on ingredients.
Heavenly Creamery is also working on “Sinful Selections,” a line of liquor-infused ice cream. However, because of state liquor laws they are unable to sell the adult treat at this time. According to the Heavenly Creamery website, the shop is working with Ohio state Rep. John Patterson to get the laws changed to allow for food-based liquor products in Ohio.
Siegel also cited Historic Bridge Street as a tourist destination, saying that there are a lot of businesses thriving in that area.
An upcoming event that frequently attracts visitors is the Ashtabula Covered Bridge Festival from Oct. 14-15, according to Siegel. Ashtabula County has both the longest and the shortest covered bridges open to traffic in the United States today and Siegel said that almost all of the covered bridges in the area are still in use.
“It’s where history meets the modern day,” she said.
While there is plenty to do in the spring and fall, Siegel said that there are events and attractions year round in the county.
Some events held in the winter include ice fishing on the lake in Pymatuning State Park, snowshoeing on outdoor trails, and even snowmobiling on certain trails throughout the county.
“There is plenty of outdoor space,” she said.
On the tail end of winter, just before spring, Siegel described the process that goes into Grand River Valley’s annual Ice Wine Festival.
After the first frost, grapes are harvested for wine. Because of the way these grapes are harvested, the grapes have residual sugars which make them sweeter. These grapes are then turned into the area’s signature “Ice Wine,” which is then served at the annual festival.
Lodging is not a problem for visitors, according to Siegel. She said that there are more than 200 places to stay throughout the county, giving tourists plenty of choices.
“We’re lucky to have so many resources,” she said.
Ashtabula County welcomes visitors and pro-