Seven Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts have been named finalists in OHI’s association’s 2025 Awards of Excellence competition, earning recognition for innovation and leadership within the outdoor hospitality sector.
The announcement highlights the brand’s continued success across both independent and corporate categories as OHI transitions from its former Park of the Year designation to the Park Innovator of the Year Award.
The award honors parks that demonstrate creativity and operational excellence while advancing the standards of outdoor hospitality.
In the independent owner/operator category, Jellystone Park locations in Akron-Canton, Ohio; Pittsfield, Illinois; and Zion, Utah were selected as finalists. Each park was recognized for its innovative programming, guest experiences, and commitment to quality operations.
Four corporate-operated Jellystone Park locations are also among the finalists. These include Jellystone Park Clay’s Resort in North Lawrence, Ohio; Jellystone Park Glen Ellis in New Hampshire; Jellystone Park Warrens in Wisconsin; and Jellystone Park Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee.
The winners of OHI’s Park Innovator of the Year Award will be announced during the Awards of Excellence Luncheon in Louisville, Kentucky. The annual event celebrates parks and professionals driving the industry forward through creativity and performance.
With more than 75 franchised locations across the United States and Canada, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts operates under license from Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences. The brand has become synonymous with family-oriented camping and outdoor recreation.
The seven nominations continue a pattern of recognition for the Jellystone Park brand. In recent months, Jellystone Park locations in Pelahatchie, Mississippi, and Mill Run, Pennsylvania, placed among the top four RV parks in the United States in USATODAY’s 10Best 2025 Readers’ Choice awards.
The Pelahatchie park earned the number two ranking nationwide, while the Mill Run location took fourth place for the second consecutive year. Both were recognized for their amenities, family-friendly atmosphere, and consistent guest satisfaction.
Last year, the Jellystone Park Columbus North location in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, received OHI’s Park of the Year award in the medium-size category for campgrounds with between 101 and 250 sites. It was one of five Jellystone Park locations to earn finalist recognition in the 2024 competition.
Featured image by Jellystone Park Zion via zionutahjellystonepark.com