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Allegany County the Mountain Side of Maryland
Visit Hagerstown & Washington County
Visit Frederick
Visit Montgomery
Let’s Go! C&O - Beyond the Canal Campaign Launches
Four Maryland Counties Collaborate on New Regional Destination Marketing Campaign
April 14, 2025 - CUMBERLAND, MD – Adventure awaits on and off of the C&O Canal Towpath, part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, the number one most-visited National Historical Park in the United States in 2024. Featuring 184.5 miles of trail through four Maryland counties, the Maryland Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) - Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Montgomery Counties, have collaborated to launch a new destination branding and marketing campaign themed - Let’s Go! C&O, as part of a regional approach to elevate destination awareness around the canal and experiences worth exploring off of the towpath.
“Let’s Go! C&O aims to attract visitors from across the nation, and internationally, offering a holistic travel experience from trail to destination,” says Kelly Groff, President & CEO of Visit Montgomery.
The campaign was launched after the destinations obtained an Economic Development Administration (EDA) Grant as part of the $750 million American Rescue Plan’s Travel, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation program, through the Maryland Office of Tourism. The campaign features a comprehensive C&O Canal Experience brand, complete with a distinctive logo, brand aesthetics, compelling messaging, advertising creative, and implementation of a marketing strategy, which includes the launch of the new website - beyondthecanal.com.
“As a visitor, you do not necessarily know that you are crossing into one town or another, and you certainly are not aware of county lines while on the canal,” says Ashli Workman, Director of Allegany County Tourism. “Our job as DMOs is to drive destination awareness and by working together as four Maryland county destinations that share a highly visited attraction, we hope to deliver on our messaging.”
Let’s Go! C&O traverses through Maryland’s four counties with the canal being a conduit for connectivity and a thread through each destination. Arts and culture, culinary offerings, history and outdoor recreation serve as the key marketing drivers within each destination, emphasizing the experiences Beyond the Canal to inspire travel to and through the C&O Canal National Historical Park.
“Beyond the Canal recognizes the physical location of the towpath and National Park, while also suggesting the endless possibilities for nearby exploration within each DMO’s destination," added Dan Spedden, President of Visit Hagerstown-Washington County.
Montgomery County is highlighted for its wooden serenity outside the robust contrast of Washington, DC. Key features include the Billy Goat Trail and Great Falls, the most iconic scenic overlook within the park. Frederick County blends old and new with historical sites such as the Monocacy Aqueduct marvel along the canal and Carroll Creek Park, a linear public greenway with public art and waterfront vibes, just off the towpath. In Washington County, the canal highlights transformational history with the waters of Antietam Creek, near the site of one of the Civil War’s most pivotal battles, while visitors may be surprised by the arts community in downtown Hagerstown. And in Allegany County, adventure abounds on and off the canal, with a thrilling ride through the 3,118-foot-long Paw Paw Tunnel to connectivity to the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile long rail trail.
Dave Ziedelis, Executive Director of Visit Frederick, says that while each county along the Canal has a strong individual tourism story, "by unifying our destinations around the canal that flows through each of us, we are able to build a destination experience that is much greater."
2025 marks not only a milestone for joint destination efforts but for the C&O itself, which celebrates its 175th Anniversary of its completion and opening for business on October 10, 1850. Today, the C&O Canal National Historical Park welcomed approximately 4.4 million visitors in 2024 and is a major economic driver for the area. In 2019, park visitors spent an estimated $98.4 million in local gateway regions, which supported 1,330 jobs.
For more information on the adventures and experiences on and off of the Canal, or more on the campaign, Let’s Go! C&O, please visit beyondthecanal.com.
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