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Logan County Visitor Center 7/7/2025
Member of the Week
A Warm Welcome Starts Here…
At the edge of Sterling, just off I-76, there’s a place where road-weary travelers find more than just a bathroom break—they find a warm welcome, a hot cup of coffee, and a personalized introduction to everything Logan County has to offer. That place is the Logan County Visitor Center, and for the last 24 years, it’s been the friendly front door to northeastern Colorado.
Since opening in October 2000 at the Colorado Department of Transportation rest area, the center has grown into a vital part of Logan County’s tourism economy. Each year, it greets more than 200,000 visitors—many of whom are discovering Sterling and the surrounding area for the first time. Whether it’s someone looking for a great place to eat, a scenic stop on their way across the plains, or simply directions to the nearest gas station, the visitor center is ready with a smile and a solution.
Staffed by a small but mighty team—Cheryl Sparks-Schulte and Tanna Prince—alongside 20 dedicated volunteers, the center offers more than brochures and maps. These travel ambassadors hand out local tips and recommendations, answer questions about road conditions and weather, and often go the extra mile—literally. From warming baby bottles to reuniting families with lost phones, purses, and even spouses, the team brings hospitality to life.
“We really are the first impression people have of Sterling and Logan County,” says Marilee Johnson, Logan County’s Tourism Director. “We want them to feel at home, to feel welcome, and to be inspired to explore more of what we have here.”
And it works. According to data from the Colorado Tourism Office, visitors who stop at centers like Logan County’s tend to stay longer, spend more, and are more likely to return. That kind of impact doesn’t go unnoticed. In fact, recent marketing efforts led by Johnson—especially a two-year digital campaign that generated 8.5 million impressions—helped deliver record-breaking lodging tax collections in 2024 and contributed to a statewide tourism rebound
From handcrafted public art and water sports at North Sterling State Park to the revitalized charm of downtown Sterling, Logan County has much to offer—and the Visitor Center helps people discover it.
“About a third of our referrals are for attractions, another third for dining, and the rest for shopping and lodging,” Johnson explains. “And we’re seeing guests from across the U.S.—especially Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and even as far as California and Arizona—not to mention international travelers.”
Funded by Logan County and the Logan County Lodging Tax Fund, the center operates Monday through Friday and remains a cornerstone of the county’s tourism strategy. But at its heart, it’s still about the people—the volunteers, the staff, and the curious travelers looking for what’s next.
If you’ve ever stopped in, you know: the Logan County Visitor Center is more than a stop, it’s a starting point.
For more information or to become a volunteer: 102 N. Riverview Road, visitorcenter@logancountyco.gov, call: 970-522-8962, www.exploresterling.com, or https://www.facebook.com/ExploreSterlingColorado. Please help the Logan County Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Logan County Visitor Center as this week’s Member of the Week and tying our Community together!
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