Looking for things to do in Carbon County?

What you need is a map, an illustrated map of Carbon County - a map that shows the attractions and shops and shows you where to find them, all packaged in an easy-to-understand, fun to use, and suitable to be framed format.Where do you find this map? All over. In just about every shop, restaurant and attraction in Carbon County you can find one on a table, counter or rack just inside the entryway. It's the free Carbon County map."We just introduced the fourth annual Carbon County map," said Akantha Susko, of True North Advertising and Marketing-publisher of the map. "We redrew it this year to add more detail and change the perspective of the map."The map, in its latest incarnation by downtown Jim Thorpe artist Ruth Bush, is a huge 24" x 36" and is printed in full color. The backside tells all about the Carbon County destinations and front side shows where they are located."It's an illustrated tourist map of Carbon County," Susko explained. "What I found from living here is that many people come for a specific attraction, perhaps to shop on Broadway, or to ski at Jack Frost, or to visit the Butterfly Sanctuary. Then, they ask, 'what else is there to do? What's close to them? Where can they eat? What can they see in a different season?' So, I developed this map to show the diverse picture of all there is to see and do in Carbon County."The map is principally green and blue, reflecting the verdant mountains and the county's water artery, the Lehigh River, and gray and red reflecting the varieties of stone used in the local buildings. "It has fun things like kayakers and rafters. You can see the train and many of the historic buildings on Broadway in Jim Thorpe, as well as the ski resorts, and the surrounding communities of Lehighton, Panther Valley and Lake Harmony."People look for the maps and take them home as a souvenir," Susko said. "It's something attractive that they can take home, hopefully to plan a new trip."I find them in the craziest places. When I visited my children's elementary school classroom, the teacher had the map hanging on the classroom wall. I was surprised. Children like to look at these maps."In May, Susko printed 70,000 maps that she will be distributing throughout the year. The maps are supported by the advertising on the reverse side."It's fun to work with small businesses," she said. "I get to understand who the business customer is and how they are trying to reach their customer. I get to meet all these cool small business owners and help them to bring in new business. Many business owners are so busy that they can't always work with the businesses next to them, or in the next town, so the map is a great catalyst to bring them together to promote the area."The map is such a fun project," she said. "I love when I drive downtown and I see someone holding my map and walking down the street. I love it when I find the maps in unexpected locations. I love working with small businesses and being a part of the business community."Since starting the project, I have learned so much about what it means to be a small-business owner," Susko said. "I've met so many people that are passionate about our area, and I've learned a lot about what drives people to care for and grow a business in Carbon County."For additional infomation, see carboncountymap.com.