GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE —
The wind off Lake Erie in her hair, the taste of a perfect hot dog on her lips and a video camera in her hand, Anna Haas was having the adventure of a lifetime at Geneva-on-the-Lake.
A reviewer for the Rand McNally and USA TODAY “Best of the Road” contest, Haas and college roommate Patricia Serrano enjoyed all the village has to offer Wednesday, soaking up the sun, drinking the wine and singing the praises of the little town on Lake Erie.
“Geneva-on-the-Lake is really amazing so far,” Haas said. “I have had more fun today than I have had in most places in my life.”
The Travel Channel crew followed Haas and Serrano’s every step Wednesday, with more fun scheduled today. GOTL, which got 162 reviews and 151 votes, is in the “Most Fun” category of the online contest and is competing against Denton, Texas; Santa Claus, Ind.; Buena Park, Calif.; Corning, N.Y.; and Delray Beach, Fla., the Rand McNally website shows.
A travel blogger by trade, Serrano, of New York City, was all fired up to take on six small towns in the “most fun” category, but her plans were nearly derailed when her partner couldn’t come along. She was given 24 hours to find a new partner or be disqualified from the month-long trip.
That’s when Haas of Nashville, Tenn., stepped in.
“I think she asked herself, ‘Who is crazy enough to drop everything and join me on this adventure of a lifetime?’” Haas said. “The answer was me.”
Haas quit her job and the adventure began.
Serrano said she has never been to a place quite like GOTL.
“I grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, and when I came to America, I only saw big cities,” she said. “Geneva-on-the-Lake is so much fun and there is such a great sense of community here. I can’t believe how great Eddie’s Grill is — I have never seen anything like it.”
After a day of meals across the strip, sunrise yoga and testing out the vertical trampoline at Adventure Zone, the ladies were treated to a welcome reception at the Lodge and Conference Center at Geneva-on-the-Lake and a sunset cruise to close out the day.
They will spend today touring the town on their own, with no set itinerary, GOTL Convention and Visitor’s Bureau director Marge Milliken said.
Haas and Serrano were ferried from place to place in the village on the back of Goblin Custom Cycles motorcycles.
“I’m tired now,” Haas said, “but you can never stop the fun. I figure I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
With four more towns to review, the ladies said the village scored high in the fun factor.
“Geneva-on-the-Lake is a blast,” Haas said. “I never even knew it was here. I will definitely be coming back and I will think of this place as a personal vacation destination. This place is what life is all about.”
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