Summer Days on the Shores of Lake Erie

I've lived in Northwest Ohio my entire life (well, except for those 18 months when I lived in Florida and the six months I'd rather forget in Pennsylvania).

But it wasn't until I had kids that I really started to appreciate the Lake Erie Shores and Islands and all the family fun they have to offer.

Sure, I visited Cedar Point every year when I was a kid, but honestly since I'm not a big coaster fan, I don't feel the need to visit that amusement park every year. Or every 3 years.

However, I do love to take a day and head to Put-in-Bay or Marblehead.

I'm going to admit - I never went to Put-in-Bay when I was "younger" - which means I never visited the island to drink. (I went to Ohio University...I had enough to drink there. ha!). The first time I visited PIB was when we took the kids ... about seven years ago.

Now we like to make it an annual summer day trip. We hop on the Miller Ferry and rent a golf cart on the island and spend the day driving around, soaking up "island life." And we did just that a few weeks ago.

If you are making plans to visit PIB I strongly suggest (1) reserving a golf cart before you arrive OR (2) arrive before noon if you don't make a reservation. On busy summer weekends the golf carts go quickly and believe me, you don't want to walk from one end of the island to the other. (There are buses near the Miller Ferry dock that will take you "downtown"...if you can't get a golf cart).

This year's visit was fun - even if Liv was nursing what would end up being a chipped bone in her foot. We arrived early, drove around for a while, and decided to stop at the Perry Monument. Sadly, the monument had been struck by lightning the day before so we couldn't take the elevator to the top.

The rest of our day consisted of lunch (PERCH!) at The Keys, a new-to-us place with a cool Jimmy Buffet vibe; traveling down to Perry's Cave at the Family Fun Center; a stop at the Heineman Winery; and ice cream!

People always seems surprised when I say I take my kids to PIB. I don't understand why - it's not like we're bar hopping with the kids. ;-)

The island is full of fun, family-friendly things to do. I always recommend visiting PIB during the summer and/or early fall - our favorite time is actually AFTER Labor Day when most of the boats and weekenders have gone and the weather is cooler. One of the best visits we've had was a few years ago when we went in mid-September. It was perfection.

But really, just about any weekend during the summer and early fall is a good time to visit. And you can always check out the upcoming events to see what kind of fun stuff is going on!

Another favorite spot to visit is Marblehead, Ohio. We hadn't driven out there in about three years, so today we packed a picnic lunch and hopped in the car for a nice day trip.

On our way to Marblehead we stopped at Cheesehaven. I'm going to put this out there: if you love cheese (like I love cheese) you MUST stop at Cheesehaven. This fun store has 100's of kinds of cheese, cheese spreads, and some really fun retro candy (gum cigarettes, anyone?). They also have a nice selection of wines - many from the island wineries. [Also? You can sample many of the cheese spreads. Seriously. Sample them! Except for maybe the Ghost Chili cheese. Or the chocolate and walnut cheese spread.]

The lighthouse was open for tours to the top, but we opted out of that part (Liv is STILL in a walking boot). We walked the rocky shoreline, took some photos, and tried to have a picnic lunch. The bees had other ideas so we opted for eating in the car instead. Plus, A/C is always nice at a picnic. ;)

After a couple hours in Marblehead we decided to take the "scenic route" home, driving through Port Clinton and then home on Route 2. (Not my favorite route home, but I did it for the kids).

All-in-all we've had two great Sundays visiting the Lake Erie Shores and Islands this month. If you're ever looking for a fun day trip or even a short "staycation" you should check out the Shores and Islands - there is something for everyone. We even found a few things we want to do next year at PIB, but we're going to visit on a weekday this time!

Disclosure: Miller Ferry Line provided me and my family with round-trip tickets on the Miller Ferry, a golf cart rental, and a family fun pack for Perry's Cave. All opinions in this post are mine. Miller Ferry did not ask me to write about my experiences.

A Summer Day on Put-in-Bay

One of our favorite places to visit each summer (or fall) is Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. Last weekend we boarded a Miller Boat Line ferry in Catawba, Ohio and headed to the island for a day of fun in the sun.

The ferry ride from Catawba to the Miller Ferry docks at PIB takes about 20 minutes or so and it's a nice, relaxing ride. Last weekend was also HOT and humid and there was a little bit of haze on the lake, but standing on the lower decks of the boat was nice and cool thanks to a great breeze.

Once we docked and disembarked the ferry we rented a golf cart from Island Bike & Cart Rental. Over the years we've discovered that having a golf cart is the best way to travel around the island. There are several golf cart rentals around the island and in the summer months it's sometimes a good idea to reserve a cart since the island can get very busy on weekends.

Our first big stop for the day was Perry's International Peace Memorial and Visitor's Center. The monument was built to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. This year marks the bicentennial celebration of that battle (we even watched a historical video about the battle...yeah, I'm "that" mom!) The kids were really excited to take the short elevator ride to the top of monument - and when you're at the top you're about 317 feet high above Lake Erie.

On a clear day you can see Canada, Cleveland, and sometimes Detroit. Since it was so hazy we could only see one of the Canadian islands. But the view from the top is amazing! (Oh, and Commodore Perry? Yeah, he's a great-great-great-uncle of mine!)

Emma had her heart set on eating fried perch for lunch, so we headed over to The Boardwalk for lunch. It was our first time eating there, and we would definitely eat there again! The food from the Fish Shack was incredible as was the "world famous" lobster bisque. Yes, it was 90 degrees with 10 million percent humidity but I ate soup. And I loved every minute of it!

After lunch we planned on heading over to Perry's Cave Family Fun Center for a couple hours of fun, but as soon as we arrived Emma was stung by a wasp. So, we hopped back in the golf cart and headed to the PIB EMS station.

Finding no one "home" we quickly drove to the island's general store where we purchased baking soda. The staff there was so nice - they gave us a little coffee cup and spoon so I could make the "wasp sting home remedy paste." Once Emma stopped crying and the swelling started to go down, we headed back to Perry's Cave.

One of our favorite places at Perry's Cave is the Butterfly House. I love butterflies (and have a tattoo to prove it!). But let me tell you how HOT it is inside a greenhouse when it's 9 gazillion degrees outside. It. Was. Hot. Like sweat pouring off us in buckets HOT. But it was so worth it!

After the Butterfly House the kids and Kevin wanted to cool off so they decided to head underground to visit Perry's Cave. (I chose to stay above ground so I didn't aggravate my never-ending ankle injury - there's a lot of steps to get into the cave!). The cave itself is a natural limestone cave and is registered as an Ohio Natural Landmark. It's a really cool sight to see if you aren't claustrophobic. And, it's "cool" as far as temperature too...so a great thing to do on a hot summer day!

After their trek underground, the kids decided it was time to play 18 holes of mini golf. (Did I mention it was hot that day?) I've never seen two kids play a faster game of mini golf - they practically RAN to every hole. It helped that they're good golfers and were able to two-or-three-putt every hole.

Another thing we like to do on the island is just drive around in the golf cart for a bit. During the summer months, the main street of the island is always full of people - so it's a good place to people watch. (And yes, there are bars on the island and bars can = adults behaving badly, but we have never seen any questionable behavior during the day!).

During our drive around "downtown" PIB, I discovered that my blog has its very own bar. The Fishbowl. And yes, we did stop traffic so that I could get this photo. But don't worry...we were in a golf cart traffic jam at the time anyway, so I'm not sure anyone really noticed the crazy blogger hanging off the golf cart to take this photo!

By mid-afternoon of our day on PIB, the kids were getting hot and tired and so we decided it was time for ice cream. We found a great little spot in the old Diary Queen location, right near the boat docks. That soft serve ice cream was divine - a perfect way to end our day on the island!

Our day on Put-in-Bay was one of our best family days so far this summer. The kids had a great time (despite the wasp sting!) and it wasn't overly crowded, which is always nice. Next year we're thinking of heading over for a whole weekend - sort of a mini-vacation! There's a great hotel right on the water...and the kids loved the idea!

And here's my favorite photo from the day - my girls, enjoying the ride home on the Miller Ferry.

Disclaimer: I was provided four round-trip tickets on the Miller Ferry by Miller Boat Lines, in addition to a one-day golf cart rental from Island Bike & Cart Rental. We were also provided with Super Combo Tickets to Perry's Cave Family Fun Center. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are my own.

Island time - spending a day at Put-in-Bay

Last weekend we boarded the Miller Ferry and headed over to Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island. If you've never (1) taken the Miller Ferry, or (2) visited Put-in-Bay, or (3) all of the above, what in the world are you waiting for?

Each summer for the last few years we've tried to visit the island with the girls. It's a perfect day trip and a way to "escape the city." And, even though you're in the middle of Lake Erie - and not on some tropical shoreline - you do feel that vibe of "island life."

welcome to Put-in-Bay!

The ride on the Miller Ferry was a short, relaxing, and VERY breezy trip. Once we arrived on the island, we walked up a small hill and found the Island Transportation for our golf cart rental. This is a must when you're visiting Put-in-Bay - you need to rent a golf cart. (Yes, you CAN take your car to the island on the Miller Ferry...but golf carts are the best mode of transportation in my opinion). If you're going during the busy summer months, be sure to reserve a golf cart before your visit - or get there early.

the view from the top!

Our first stop was at the newly renovated (and recently reopened) Perry's Monument - also referred to as Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial. It's a long way up to the top and thankfully there's an elevator to get you up there. Kids ages 15 and under are FREE and adults cost $3 per person (cash only!). Once you get to the top, the view is amazing! We could see downtown Cleveland on our visit. (A fun note: I'm a distant relative of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry).

Mining for gems

After our view from the top, we headed back down to Earth and decided to spend some time at Perry's Cave area. If you have kids you could spend an entire afternoon here. The girls decided to "mine" for gemstones first. Then we went 52 feet underground to Perry's Cave. This a really fun tour, but if you're claustrophobic you might want to sit this one out! And then, we hung out in the Butterfly House for a bit. And we ended our visit in Fort aMAZE'n - and got very lost for a time!

underground in Perrys' Cave

The Perry's Cave area is one of our favorite places to hang out when we're on the island. But after all the cave exploration and maze walking we were starving for lunch! Emma wanted perch (who can blame her?!?) and someone recommended The Goat Soup and Whiskey Tavern because they have the best perch tacos on the island. Well, we didn't try the perch tacos...but the perch bites (on the appetizer menu) were amazing! Oh and the "beer plate" from the appetizer menu was more than enough food for the grown ups (it was loaded with cheeses, olives, salami, crackers, and the most amazing mustard....I'm hungry just thinking about it!)

one of the butterflies

After lunch and some more "exploring" in the golf cart, the girls wanted to head back to "town" and ride the merry-go-round and play in the park. I have to say it was very relaxing to just sit and watch them play. I think my favorite part of this trip was the fact that the island wasn't crowded. There are times during the summer when you visit and it the crowds are huge and you have to battle it out for a parking space for the golf cart - but on our visit it was just perfect. The weather was lovely for late summer and the island almost had a sleepy feel to it - as if summer was winding down and fall was on its way.

Eventually the girls got tired and so we piled into the golf cart for one more ride around the island. Then we headed back to the docks and boarded the ferry for our ride back to the mainland. All in all it was the perfect day on Put-in-Bay.

Disclaimer: Miller Boat Lines provided me with tickets for the ferry, the fun folks at Perry's Cave provided us with tickets for the attractions, and Island Transportation provided our golf cart. I was not required to blog about our trip. All opinions are mine.