Mount Summit Hotel Ad – May 11, 1963

Before the internet, planning a vacation in the 1960s meant doing a little research. It required looking at ads in the back pages of magazines and the travel sections of newspapers for ideas; perhaps writing to an attraction to request a brochure; sending away for a directory of lodgings, such as campgrounds, resorts, hotels or motels; and making a lot of phone calls for reservations. 

Travel agents and organizations like AAA made it a little easier in many cases. But since you couldn't visit a website or read an online review, there was still a slight air of mystery about your vacation that made it an adventure. 

And that's what's going on here, with this ad for Mount Summit Hotel that ran in the Lorain Journal back on May 11, 1963. While the illustration gives the impression that it's a beachfront resort, it's actually a mountain resort, atop Mt. Summit.

As the ad copy notes, "This 1,000 acre Mountain-Resort provides golf on a challenging course, an olympic-size pool – with cabanas – tennis and hiking through mountain trails. Also, nightly dancing, famous for good food and a complete program of entertainment and social activities. Perfect for honeymooners. So why lose valuable vacation time traveling? Write today for brochure and rates or contact your favorite travel agent."

The ad helpfully points out that Mount Summit Hotel is only a four hour drive from Lorain, which is a nice touch. I also like the use of the U. S. Highway 40 shield in the road sign illustration, letting the potential tourist know which main route the resort is on.

Here are a 1960s brochure and vintage postcards of the hotel. It looks like quite a place.

And, happily, it still is today. 

Click here to visit the website of the Historic Summit Inn resort, now open for its 116th season.

I'm hoping that since the resort is in Pennsylvania – ancestral home of Don Hilton – that perhaps the author and blog commenter spent a memorable summer there in his youth, bussing tables or as a cabana boy, and collecting observations for a future, wistful 'rite of passage' memoir.