Fall is the perfect time to explore Ohio and Kentucky, when the leaves are exploding with reds, oranges and golds.
But how do Greater Cincinnati's states rank nationally when it comes to foliage viewing?
Apparently not highly. Ohio and Kentucky don't appear at all on several of 2021's big foliage destination guides. And when our states are actually mentioned, they're presented pretty much as afterthoughts. What, have no travel writers been to the Midwest?
A report by lawn-care service LawnStarter gives Ohio and Kentucky the highest marks of several travel resources, but the states still don't fare exceptionally well. On LawnStarter's 2021 list of the best places to visit this fall, Kentucky comes in at No. 23 overall. The Commonwealth is No. 17 out fo 50 for fall scenery but is just No. 30 in both outdoor recreation and entertainment (perhaps contributing to Kentucky being one of the least-happy states in the nation).
Ohio fares even worse on LawnStarter's list, coming in at No. 32 overall. The Buckeye State nabs No. 18 for entertainment but lands at No. 36 for outdoor recreation and an abysmal (and baffling) No. 40 for fall scenery.
But LawnStarter has the good news; other destination resources don't even mention Ohio and Kentucky. Travel and Leisure, Fodor's and even Oprah make no mention of our region's gorgeous state parks or rolling hills.
CityBeat was excited to see Thrillist's headline "America's Best Places to See Fall Colors (that Aren't in New England)," but that piece, too, ignores the states containing Greater Cincinnati.
To its credit, the Travel Channel does include Ohio in its list, but we suspect that's because the resource sections out its picks by region rather than any sort of true affinity for the Buckeye State. Then again, the channel also includes Colorado as part of the Midwest next to Ohio, so we're not putting a lot of stock into its recommendations. And once again, Kentucky gets no mention.
But that just leaves more room on the road for those of us who know about our region's fall beauty, like the best annual secret. After all, it really is the Midwest vs. everybody. Here's when to plan your road trips through gorgeous Ohio and Kentucky this fall.
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