SoIN Tourism Showcases Local Charm
If you’re a local looking to explore your home or you’re a tourist traveling in for a conference or a fun weekend, look no further than SoIN Tourism for all of the travel resources you could possibly need.
SoIN Tourism, previously known as the Sunny Side of Louisville, is the destination marketing organization for Clark and Floyd Counties and celebrates its 50th year next year. Its main goal is to draw both leisure travelers and groups to Southern Indiana as a tourist and event hotspot.
Anna Rosales-Crone works as the communications manager and has been with the organization since 2022.
“Southern Indiana has a lot of really great hidden gems that you wouldn’t think of. One of the things that I think surprises a lot of people is it’s not rolling cornfields. They’re always surprised by the Knobs and the hills and the outdoor areas.”
“Southern Indiana has a lot of really great hidden gems that you wouldn’t think of. One of the things that I think surprises a lot of people is it’s not rolling cornfields. They’re always surprised by the Knobs and the hills and the outdoor areas,” she said, specifically mentioning Falls of the Ohio State Park and its fossil beds.
“We also have really great mom-and-pop shops like Schimpff’s Confectionery that people love to seek out — those local gems when they’re traveling. They’ve been around for over a hundred years, and they provide a really unique experience that you can’t get a lot of places.”
Rosales-Crone said the downtown areas in Jeffersonville and New Albany have seen true revitalization in the past 10 or 15 years. They are attractive to those looking for areas where they can easily walk to a restaurant, do some shopping and visit an attraction all in one.
On the other side of the coin, you have the more rural farm experiences.
“Huber’s Orchard and Winery … their U-Pick is something families love, but they’re seeing a lot more girls trips and guy trips of people that want to go out and taste the bourbon or do a wine tasting tour.”
“Huber’s Orchard and Winery … their U-Pick is something families love, but they’re seeing a lot more girls trips and guy trips of people that want to go out and taste the bourbon or do a wine tasting tour.”
She said there is a definite perk of being right across the river from Louisville in that traffic from Louisville events bleeds over across the Big Four Bridge. The bridge itself sees about 1.5 million visitors each year, creating a great opportunity for foot traffic, especially in Jeffersonville.
The group is focused on spotlighting community partners by creating a listing on their website and making sure to incorporate them in blogs whenever travel writers or groups are hosted and working them into itineraries created for their website.
One of the newest itineraries is “School’s Out,” where parents can find five days’ worth of activity suggestions for their kids this summer.
They also have three year-round digital passports, each spotlighting a different aspect of the area — Stranger Things, Scenic and Inspired.
The fifth SoIN Fun Trail just kicked off in May and is a digital passport limited to the summer, May to September. This trail is all about family fun. There are 30 stops, and families can sign up for free.
“We added a trivia question this year. So, in order to get points, visitors have to answer a question at the location. The whole idea is to really get people to go into a location and engage and explore. We also asked all of the businesses to provide a giveaway or a goody, free ice cream cone, coloring sheet, something special.”
“We added a trivia question this year. So, in order to get points, visitors have to answer a question at the location,” Rosales-Crone said. “The whole idea is to really get people to go into a location and engage and explore. We also asked all of the businesses to provide a giveaway or a goody, free ice cream cone, coloring sheet, something special.”
Once travelers collect a certain amount of points by visiting locations, there are prizes to be won.
For the three year-round passports, there are unique posters available for those who visit 10 locations on the respective passports. For these posters, SoIN is partnering with local artist Carrie Johns, who has done several murals in Southern Indiana and Louisville.
Rosales-Crone mentioned the new visitor center in Jeffersonville as a great resource for those looking to have a truly catered experience in the area.
“We have a team of five travel counselors who really get a chance to shine in our new location. They do a fantastic job welcoming visitors and guiding them to the best attractions and businesses that fit their interests,” she said.
They also have a gift shop curated by the team at Regalo, keeping it fresh and stocked with Hoosier-themed memorabilia, some by local artists and authors.
The new location “has been really great for us because it’s a central location. We’re able to participate in some of the events already happening in downtown Jeff, like Jeff Main Street’s Chocolate Stroll, the Spring Street Festival that happens in April … so that has really helped get our name out there and bring our visitors in,” Rosales-Crone said.
The visitor center’s Experience Wall spotlights different partners and is currently showcasing a few artifacts from the Howard Steamboat Museum, which Rosales-Crone was quick to suggest on her shortlist of places to visit in SoIN.
“The curator there, Travis Vasconcelos, has so much knowledge. He and the volunteers are all so well versed in not just the family, but also just riverboat history in general,” she said. “It’s a beautiful place to visit.”
Other places on her list included Charlestown State Park, Falls of the Ohio State Park, the Greenway and Schimpff’s.
Other places on her list included Charlestown State Park, Falls of the Ohio State Park, the Greenway and Schimpff’s.
“One of the really cool things in the summer is we have a lot of free concerts, so each of the riverside cities — Jeffersonville, New Albany, Clarksville — all have a free concert series, so almost throughout the whole weekend you can find a free performance to attend,” she said. “Lots of fun activities that are completely free for people to enjoy.”
For those looking for more, the website is an extremely expansive resource full of itineraries, events, restaurant suggestions, hotel information, history and more. You can also request a free visitor guide that SoIN Tourism puts out annually with updated info on businesses and local recommendations.
“I think for me what makes the area special is that you can do so many different things without spending too much but also within such a close distance,” Rosales-Crone said. “I think that’s one of the special things that’s drawing people here to visit or encouraging people to move here or move back here.” •
For more information on SoIN Tourism, check out their website at gosoin.com or stop by the visitor center on Spring Street in Jeff. Don’t forget to sign up for your free digital passport to complete the Fun Trail for a variety of prizes and for some fresh family fun.
Story by Darian Decker
Photos by Michelle Hockman
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