If you are looking for a fun-filled family getaway this summer, consider a trip to the Lake Erie Islands. The Lake Erie Island region offers something for everyone, from fishing, swimming, boating, camping, lighthouses, and shopping, even a little rest and relaxation.
Whatever your niche may be, you’re sure to find it here. The most popular islands are Kelley and South Bass. Here you will enjoy beaches and boating. On the mainland, you will find Sandusky, Ohio, home to Cedar Point, where you will find the world’s largest collection of roller coasters. Cedar Point has 16 thrilling roller coasters in all, not to mention a wide variety of other exciting rides sure to please the inner thrill-seeker in all of us.
There is something for the little ones as well at Cedar Point–Camp Snoopy, which offers a smaller roller coaster, the Woodstock Express, a 38-foot tall roller coaster that the whole family can enjoy.
On a hot day, visit Soak City, just adjacent to Cedar Point, where you can splash away at the large outdoor water park. Soak City offers many large flume slides, a large wave pool, splash zone, and tadpole town for the little ones, just to name a few. You can slip out to the Cedar Point beach right on Lake Erie and enjoy activities such as volleyball, sandcastle building, swimming, and sunbathing.
You can stay at Cedar Point’s Hotel Breakers. Directly behind the hotel, you can enjoy the sunny beach or take advantage of two outdoor pools, whirlpool spas, or the heated indoor pool. You can take the ferry from Sandusky to Kelley’s or South Bass Islands in Lake Erie for a great family adventure.
Kelleys island is the perfect quiet family adventure. You can take a quiet stroll on the many nature trails and fish for walleye. There is a tram ride that will take you to Inscription Rock, where you can view the petroglyphs created by the Native Americans of the Erie Tribe over 300 years ago.
You will also be able to visit the Glacial Grooves State Memorial, the world’s largest visible glacier trail. If your in for a wilder time, head to South Bass Island, where you will Put-in-Bay just three miles of the inland. This is the hot spot for the young or the young at heart.
Put-in-Bay is the heart of the “nightlife.” There are many bars and pubs to hop around Put-in-Bay. It’s still a great place to visit with the children during the daytime; I would not recommend taking children there at night, especially during the weekend. This is when the rowdy crowd surfaces! Here you can visit the Butterfly Museum to walk amongst hundreds of beautiful, colorful butterflies.
There are so many things to do at the Lake Erie Islands that I could go on for days about; these are just a few. If you enjoy camping, there are so many camping resorts to choose from; you can find anything from nice quiet wooded campgrounds to campgrounds right on the lake edge.
They have awesome firework displays; you can go sit at the lighthouse and see three different firework displays across the lake at the same time. It is quite a sight to see the night sky illuminated with brilliant colors reflecting off of Lake Erie.
If you ever get the chance to go visit the Lake Erie Islands, you will want to go back year after year.
