A vacation close to home

By Jaime North
The Danville News

June 20, 2008 10:19 am

— ELYSBURG -- It's summer tradition for the Spicher clan to camp out at Knoebels, where they can enjoy breakfast over an open fire and shuttle kids to and from the amusement park as they please.
The four-day excursion has been the family vacation for the past 15 years, according to Dave and Jackie Spicher, who say the two-hour trip from Belleville, Mifflin County, is the perfect retreat for them and their three daughters' families.
"We have a pretty close extended family," said Mrs. Spicher referring the 12 family members, including three grandchildren. "For us, there is no better place to be for the price. Plus, the kids love it."
Heidi Weaver, one of the daughters, said the entire group can vacation at Knoebels for under $500, which includes groceries, camping fees and fun at the park.
"It's perfect for us," Weaver said. "There is a lot of do, and the adults can have just as much fun as the kids."
As the Elysburg amusement resort prepares for its busy season, park officials say an average 300 families already stay overnight at the camp site through the week. The numbers climb for weekends.
The Spicher family's story is part of a growing trend across the state. People are choosing to vacation closer to home and in shorter days, according to Andrew Miller, executive director of the Susquehanna River Valley visitors' bureau.
Miller said the trend will really take effect this summer as families adjust to rising gas prices, which have climbed $1 more per gallon than last year at this time.
"People have already been curtailing their spending and how long they're willing to travel for vacation," Miller said. "Certainly this year, the trend has become a hot button issue."
As more families shy away from longer trips, such as going to the beach and cross-country travel, Miller believes the Valley will benefit because of its vast collection of family-oriented offerings like Knoebels.
"When looking into a lot of what the (tourism) industry forecasters are saying, when the economy slows down so does travel," Miller said. "There is also some prediction on the amount of time people spend on vacation.
"However, the trade off is people are staying closer to home. They're choosing to spend time with friends, families and discovering their backyard paradise."
According to the latest state survey on tourism, Miller said $306 million was spent by vistors to the Valley in 2006. Roughly $291 million was spent a year before, and $259 million was spent in 2004.
"As you can see, it isn't as desperate a landscape as it is on the national level," Miller said. "It's almost like a perfect storm with the economy the way it is. We have a small-town appeal, and plus, people don't have to spend a whole lot of money to enjoy themselves here."
Miller said the Valley is in an ideal location for family travelers, with several main highways dissecting the four-county region, specifically the much-traveled Interstate 80 and Routes 11-15.
"People preferring the one-tank vacation trips started about two years ago," Miller said. "It's really taken off this year, as industry forecasters predict people are choosing to travel two to four hours away for vacation. That puts us in a great place with large pockets of people coming from areas like New York City, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia."
The Valley also offers many affordable places for travelers, said Miller, another benefit for families planning a summer vacation.
"With larger places, particularly corporate-run franchises, people are faced with more expensive gate prices, hotels and restaurants," Miller said. "Our area offers a lot more family-owned businesses, such as Knoebels and Reptiland, and places that are perfect for day trips like wineries, antique shops and parks."
According to its own recent survey of overnight visitors, the Valley visitors' bureau reports that visitors prefer to travel to places where they didn't have to spend a lot of money.
"Our area is allowing people to enjoy themselves while keeping within their budget," Miller said. "We're not one of those destinations that cost you a lot of money to have fun. You can go crazy or simply relax with whatever you have in your pocket."
The affordable price of Knoebels, which offers free admission and a $36 per night camping fee, is what has drawn Janet Diaz-Florez and her family to travel from York every summer. Rising gas prices have no bearing on their plans, she said, since her family of four can still vacation for a week for less than $1,000.
"Everything is reasonably priced," Diaz-Florez said. "The kids can swim, go on the rides and play with other kids. Me and my husband really enjoy sitting back and watching them have fun.
"In our opinion, there is no better vacation for us."
E-mail comments to jnorth@thedanvillenews.com.

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