Published: July 04, 2008 09:38 pm            

Tribune-Star Editorial: Now a good time for a Hoosier holiday

Having fun doesn’t require guzzling gas



Unless you are independently wealthy, brain dead, or simply oblivious to what’s happening in the world, you have already reconsidered traditional approaches to summertime vacation travel. Why would any rational person not want to look for ways to avoid breaking the bank account with too many stops at the gas station?

It may sound like a depressing exercise, but it doesn’t have to be. July and August of 2008 need not become a summer of discontent. With an attitude adjustment, and a better understanding of destinations and recreational opportunities available close by, this can be a summer of discovery — or rediscovery — with what our beautiful, vibrant state has to offer.

To their credit, the Indiana Department of Tourism Development and a group of tourist industry partners are pooling resources to get the message out.

“From our theme parks and campgrounds to museums and festivals, Indiana has many options for fun family travel,” Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman said in a media release late last week. “Summer is here. If you haven’t planned some time away, now is the time to do it and take advantage of all that Indiana tourism has to offer.”

A good place to start is by pointing your computer’s Web browser to www.visitindiana.com. Playing off the state’s tourism brand of “Restart your engines,” the site helps you get focused on travel that is close to home and offers the type of leisure activities you or your family may be seeking. The site is worth a visit, if only as a way to spark even more creative thinking about vacationing within Indiana’s borders. It covers lots of ground, but barely scratches the surface of things to do and places to go.

If it convinces more Hoosiers to resist the temptation to cancel summer vacation plans altogether, it will have served a good and healthy purpose.

“National research indicates that even when times are tough, vacations are non-negotiable for many Americans,” said Indiana Office of Tourism Director Amy Vaughan in a news release. “Knowing that but also recognizing that this has been a tough summer for many, we’re encouraging Hoosiers to take some time off to relax and recharge a little closer to home.”

Indeed, during hard times, it’s even more important to find opportunities for yourself and your family to relax, unwind, have fun, and enjoy the good things in life.

The list of possibilities is long and interesting. For example:

n Perhaps a visit to one of the fine lodges that exist in many of Indiana’s idyllic state parks such as Turkey Run, McCormick’s Creek or Brown County nearby. Or at New Harmony, Spring Mill or Chain ’O Lakes for those willing to travel more distance.

n How about a canoe outing down Sugar Creek in Parke County?

n One need only be young at heart to enjoy a trip to Holiday World in southern Indiana.

n Consider a casino excursion to French Lick. Or to the newest gaming hotspot in Anderson, where Hoosier Park re-opened this spring with a new casino. It’s not just for horse racing anymore.

n Indiana’s Lake Michigan shoreline boasts any number of outdoor activities.

n Downtown Indianapolis has become world class in so many ways. Cultural and entertainment opportunities abound, and holding tickets to a Colts game in the brand spanking new Lucas Oil Stadium is not required to ensure a good time.

That’s just a start. A potential Hoosier holiday exists at all points of the state.

We applaud state officials for seizing the opportunity to promote Indiana’s vacation destinations. Hoosiers would be wise to take notice.

        

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