The Vacationland region of

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

—billed as such for being known primarily as a major summertime tourist destination—is the area that is generally considered to be in the north central part of the state, and along the western half of the

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also ha ...

shoreline, specifically the counties of Erie,

Huron Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawato ...

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the c ...

, and Sandusky.

History

Western Reserve Including the Fire Lands 1826

In the early part of the 20th century, cities along the Lake Erie shoreline, such as

Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Erie County, Ohio, United States. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie in the northern part of the state, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo ( west) and Cleveland ( east). Accor ...

, began to become popular vacation destinations for more affluent Ohioans. Families bought either summer cottages or vacation homes in the area, and people with access to boats sailed or fished in Lake Erie from this area. During the 20th century, the area became more popular also with more

blue-collar A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and powe ...

families, who began to see the region as an inexpensive and nearby place to spend their leisure time. The Sandusky River is designated as a "state scenic river", and some tourists travel it in canoes to see the best scenery, including covered bridges.

Attractions

The

Cedar Point Cedar Point is a amusement park located on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1870, it is considered the second-oldest operating amusement park in the U.S. behind Lake Compounce. Cedar Point is owned and ope ...

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

in Sandusky attracts millions of people to the area every year. The

Lake Erie Islands The Lake Erie Islands are a chain of archipelagic islands in Lake Erie. They include Kelleys Island, Erie Island, Pelee Island, the Bass Islands, and several others. The majority of these islands are under the sovereignty of the State of Ohio ...

are also considered an important part of this region, as they have become noted for their dining, nightlife, and overall tourist appeal through the latter half of the 1900s and into the 2000s. Other cities such as Marblehead and Port Clinton are popular with visitors for their numerous historical attractions,

wineries A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, ...

, and various other points of interest.

Recognition

The area has been officially recognized as "Vacationland" since 1962 by the

Miss Ohio The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program selects the representative for the U.S. state of Ohio to compete for the title of Miss America. The pageant is held annually, during the "Miss Ohio Festival" week, at the historic 1,600 seat Renaissance Theatre ...

beauty pageant A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, ...

, which allows it to elect a "Miss Vacationland" to compete in higher level contests.

Jacquelyn Mayer Jacquelyn Jeanne "Jackie" Mayer (born August 20, 1942) is a former Miss Ohio 1962 and Miss America 1963 and currently travels the United States as a motivational speaker, noted for her recovery from a near-fatal stroke suffered at age 28. Ear ...

, who won the title of the first "Miss Vacationland" in 1962, would go on to win

and ultimately

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

that year.

References

{{coord, 41, 29, N, 82, 46, W, display=title Regions of Ohio Lake Erie

History

Attractions

Recognition

See also

References