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Worlds of Erie
Family Getaway
By Linda Ryberg
(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: MAY/JUNE 2006)
To get the right idea about Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline, you'll need to swap out a few of the stereotypical images that probably come to mind.
Erase the smokestacks from the picture; draw in beach cottages. Push out ore-laden freighters; bring in small fishing boats. Forget polluted waters; think sparkling, lapping waves.
Ohio's lakeshore still has its hard-working, gritty side, but savvy visitors have known for more than a century that great getaways await in the Sandusky Bay region between Toledo and Cleveland.
Ferries from the busy ports of Sandusky and Port Clinton ply the waters between the mainland and islands. Families hike through wildlife refuges, play at one of the world's most-acclaimed theme parks and enjoy bay temperatures that average 80 degrees in July (Erie is the warmest of the Great Lakes). Charter boats cross waters that sustain world-class fishing and once saw a pivotal naval battle.
Whether you are looking for a trip full of nature, history or just plain family summer fun, the Erie shore around Sandusky delivers.
