AVON LAKE, Ohio (WJW) — Northeast Ohio will be the center of the astronomical universe in 163 days as we experience the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Local accommodations for the event of a lifetime are quickly filling up.
Avon Lake is among the communities that are in the path of totality, and the city is gearing up for an influx of visitors. Avon Lake is creating a three-day festival that will include a ticketed eclipse viewing party at Memorial Stadium at Avon Lake High School.
“We’re expecting 3 minutes and 52 seconds of totality, so a really good length of totality. And the best seat in the house is really Avon Lake,” said Avon Lake Recreation Director Erin Fach.
There is interest around the country and the world in viewing the eclipse, and reservations for hotel rooms and short-term rental properties in places like Avon Lake are being booked at premium prices.
“I think that’s just about supply and demand. You know, the more demand there is, the more the prices are going to come up. I would guess that if the hotels aren’t already booked, you’re going to see prices triple or quadruple over what a normal night is,” said short-term rental property owner Mike Rogers.
The five short-term rentals that Rogers owns in Avon Lake and Avon are already booked for the week of the eclipse, and one of them was reserved two years ago.
“You’re able to collectively get your family together, make it an event, a vacation — you know, a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Rogers.
Meanwhile, the City of Avon Lake is renting out premium viewing spaces for RVs and campers at Miller Road Park along the Lake Erie shoreline and at nearby Weiss Field. The city is encouraging visitors to make reservations online to rent one of the spaces for a minimum of three days.
“Hopefully we’re going to get them here on Saturday and keep them through Tuesday morning, as we anticipate those large crowds and traffic,” said Fach.
Avon Lake has posted the city’s schedule of events, ticket prices and rental fees at AvonLakeSolarEclipse.com.
