Ohio

Ohio’s Hocking Hills Banks on Nature and Quirky Lodgings

Published December 19, 2013 | By Clark Norton

A treehouse hotel in Hocking Hills. Photo from ExploreHockingHills.com

When it comes to my own bucket list of destinations, Ohio has never been high on my list.

Having grown up in the Midwest, I’ve driven through the Buckeye state many times, mainly to get to other places. I spent a weekend in Cincinnati once, found a great breakfast spot near Toledo, and know that Cleveland has a great clinic and improving baseball team, but most of my impressions of Ohio are of flat views from Interstate 80.

So when I learned that a spot in Ohio had made Buzzfeed.com’s list of “22 Stunning Under-the-Radar Destinations to Add to Your Bucket List in 2014” — the only place in the U.S. to make the list — I took notice.

Along with other global under-the-radar destinations like Jericoacoara, Brazil; Ladakh, India; Ipiales, Colombia; Kampong Thom, Cambodia; and the Lofoten Islands, Norway, comes… Continue reading →

Gramping: One Ohio Inn’s Brilliant Idea for Boomers and Grandkids

Published July 23, 2013 | By Clark Norton

Here’s an idea I love (complete with a great name):

“Gramping.”

Gramping comes courtesy of the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, located a half mile above Hocking Hills’ scenic Cedar Falls in southeastern Ohio, about an hour and a half from Columbus.

Boomers relax in a hammock at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls. Photo from Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls.

While the Hocking Hills is a popular family camping area, boomer grandparents who travel with their adult children and grandkids may not be as keen on sleeping in tents as are the younger generations.

This is where the Inn & Spa at Cedar falls comes to the rescue with…gramping.

The inn happens to be near Old Man’s Cave Campground, where the younger folks can pitch their tents. After a day’s hiking in the forests, canoeing and exploring the area’s waterfalls, caves and rock formations, the… Continue reading →

Posted in Baby boomer travel, Hotels, Marketing, Restaurants | Tagged baby boomer marketing strategies, baby boomer travel, baby boomer travel trends, baby boomer travelers, baby boomers, baby boomers and tourism, boomers, Hocking Hills, Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, marketing baby boomer travel, Ohio, selling travel to baby boomers, travel, travel marketing, traveling baby boomers | Leave a comment

According to government and private surveys:

Leading-edge baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1955) and seniors account for four out of every five dollars spent on luxury travel today.
Roughly half the consumer spending money in the U.S.--more than $2 trillion--is in the hands of leading-edge baby boomers and seniors.
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) travel more than any other age group.
When asked what they would most like to spend their money on, baby boomers answered “travel” more than any other category, including improving their health or finances.