Bandwagon, a New Orleans-based place marketing firm, announced it has added the City of Aiken, SC, as a client. As the city’s agency of record for tourism marketing, Bandwagon is running a fully integrated campaign to build top-of-mind visitor awareness while driving overnight stays for the destination
Aiken is an award-winning destination
In 2018, Aiken, South Carolina was crowned the number one small town in Southern Living’s South’s Best awards.
Top equestrian U.S. destination
Aiken is known as a premier equestrian destination with a quaint downtown. Also, the local horse community is known for the Kentucky Derby winners that have been trained and developed in Aiken. Equestrians enjoy polo matches and fox hunts. And, horse enthusiasts visit the local training center, eat at the Track Kitchen, and tour the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum.
Aiken’s deep history as a tourism destination
Aiken’s storied past as a top-tier destination began in the 1800s when coastal residents visited to escape malaria and yellow fever and Northern resides fled the cold. Then, word spread rapidly about the pine-scented air, spring water, and dry climate and these characteristics were viewed as a healing tool. The destination became the “Sporting Capital of the South”, and large estates, called “cottages” were built. In order to be referred to as a “cottage”, homes need more than twenty rooms. Today, they fill historic districts as places on the National Register of Historic Places
Art is a key component of Aiken’s cultural landscape
Art plays a large role in local culture. In fact, fine art and performing arts are key components of the local art scene. Aiken Center for the Arts, located downtown, offers revolving exhibitions and art education classes. Joye in Aiken brings the very best in performing arts to the community. Located inside a 60-room “cottage”, Joye in Aiken has hosted nearly 500 musicians, actors, and dancers primarily from The Juilliard School.
Aiken offers thousands of acres to explore and get outdoors
There is ample outdoor space to explore and learn when visiting. With 2,100 acres, Hitchcock Woods is one of the largest urban forests in the nation. And, another 1,622 acres houses the Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve where the rare and state-listed endangered gopher tortoise lives. This tortoise is a keystone reptile that provides shelter for other species of animals in its 30-foot long underground burrows, which are about 10 to 15 feet deep. The preserve is the northernmost known location of the large, terrestrial tortoises, which have stumpy, elephantine hind feet. Also, fishing, hunting, and water activities abound.
Plan your trip to Aiken
For a complete overview of activities in Aiken, we encourage you to visit them online at Visit Aiken, SC.
Header Photo credit AP Gouge
