Spring is often thought of as a time of rebirth or reawakening. With events like the Biggest Week in American Birding and the reopening of many seasonal businesses in the area, Shores & Islands Ohio is truly blossoming once again. Our group services team is here to help you plan group excursions that will have you feeling rejuvenated and connected with nature.
See the flowers in bloom at Schedel Arboretum & Gardens. This 17-acre arboretum is a hidden treasure in Elmore featuring a Japanese garden, a kitchen garden with many varieties of ornamental hot peppers, a world class bonsai collection, water gardens, perennial gardens, an outstanding collection of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, and dozens of flower gardens showcasing almost 10,000 annuals. It is also the permanent home of the Blair Museum of Lithophanes in the manor house. Also found throughout the grounds are unique and lovely sculptures, while the Brown Welcome Center showcases artwork done by a local artist. The welcome center is home to the Veh Conference Room, which can be used for meetings, showers, and luncheons for up to 90 people. The gardens offer parking for motorcoaches and group discounts when scheduled in advance.
It’s time to celebrate – Lakeside Chautauqua’s 150th anniversary that is! Welcoming groups since its start in 1873, this gated community was founded on the principles of religion, arts and entertainment, recreation, and education, and keeps those traditions alive today. Groups enjoy the historic charm of Lakeside with its variety of programming for concerts and shows, the arts, recreational activities on land and lake, and educational and spiritual discussions and lectures.
Get your thrills on by visiting Cedar Point Amusement Park. For more than 150 years, student groups, bus groups, and families have chosen Cedar Point as their destination to connect with each other and create new memories. Cedar Point is home to 71 rides, spectacular live shows, three large kids’ areas, and diverse overnight accommodations.
Escape the everyday and take a quick ride across Lake Erie to South Bass Island to visit the town of Put-In-Bay. Choose from the Jet Expressa high-speed passenger ferry, the Miller Ferry, the only passenger and vehicle transportation to the island, or the Goodtime I which offers a variety of cruising styles including a daytime island-hopping cruise.
While there are many options in Shores & Islands Ohio available to put a spring in your step this season, we recommend working with any of our Group Tour Co-Op Partners, who go above and beyond to make sure fantastic memories are made by each group!
For more information on group travel any time of the year, contact [email protected] or visit shoresandislands.com/groups.
