Everyone knows about the beaches and the Multi-purpose Trail, but have you tried any of these other gems of Presque Isle State Park lately?
Save this list for a not-so-rainy day and explore even more of this amazing piece of topography located on Lake Erie.
For starters, Presque Isle is where it all starts with 11 miles of beaches, making it a draw for locals and tourists alike. Different beaches have different amenities, but they all have one thing in common: summer heated sand and cooling water.
Open beaches to start the season are Beach 3 (Barracks Beach), Beach 6 (Lyons Beach), Beach 8 (Pettinato Beach) and Beach 11 (Kohler Beach). Three new swimming information boards in the park’s inbound lane provide daily updates on which beaches are open and patrolled for swimming, as conditions are subject to change.
Events to mark in your calendar
-
Saturday, 10:30 am: Biking tour of Presque Isle — Learn about the park history, flora and fauna on a leisurely drive around the peninsula. Bring a helmet, water and sunscreen. Children under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
-
May 31, 10 a.m.: Virtual: Natural Wonders — Explore Presque Isle through the docents’ photography, videography and camera traps. Registration required before May 27.
-
May 31, 12:00 noon: Virtual: Have lunch and learn about natural wonders – Join naturalists over lunch and learn about the natural wonders that take place in Presque Isle and Erie Bluffs State Parks. Naturalists will share what’s happening in the parks through videos and photos taken by staff and camera traps. Registration required before May 29.
-
June 4, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM: History of Presque Isle “Old Maps” —View old maps and historic photos in a presentation about the history of Presque Isle State Park. Registration required.
-
June 8, 7:15 am and then every 15 minutes until 11:00 am: Presque Isle Poker Paddle — Explore the waterways of Presque Isle as you try to draw the best five-card poker hand. $50 per rower (a fundraiser with a bag full of goodies)
-
July 22-28: Discover Presque Isle 2024 — This annual event is a great opportunity to enjoy all that PI has to offer. We can’t possibly list everything there will be to do here, but plan to visit Sunset Point for kiters, kite arches, bubbles and more kites. Visit the beach lights in the evening, when the whole area is lit up with neon and candles. For more information about DPI, visit discoverpi.com/events/dpi.
-
3 August: Presque Isle Triathalon – Bike 21 miles, swim 0.35 miles, run 5.1 miles. Starts and ends at Strand 10, 7:30 am. Don’t you have it in you? Make it a day to encourage those who think so. Good luck everyone.
Try a twist cone at Sara’s
-
Sara’s Restaurant is the gateway to the Peninsula experience. Grab a Smith’s hot dog, milkshake or twist cone and take it to one of the beaches to watch the sunset. It doesn’t get better.
Go fly a kite
-
Don’t miss Sunset Point, located between Beaches 9 and 10. This is affectionately called ‘Kite Beach’ and here you will find people from all over the region flying a variety of kites. Make sure you stop and watch – as kite flyers like to say – a ‘lookieloo’.
On the way to the beach?: A guide to Presque Isle State Park rentals, trails and more
Walk, run, cycle or skate on the multifunctional trail
-
Officially known as the Karl Boyes Multifunctional National Recreational Trail, the paved path starts at the park entrance and runs all the way around the publicly accessible perimeter 14 miles later. The entire circuit can be completed by bike at a leisurely pace, which takes about 90 minutes. If you don’t have a bicycle, you can rent one. If cycling isn’t your preference, grab a pair of inline skates and hit the trail, or put on a good pair of shoes and spend a few hours walking or running. The trail can get busy in good weather, so keep an eye out for others
View the North Pier and Horseshoe Pond
-
The light station on the North Pier offers a glimpse into parts of the park that are not on the main road. To get there, take the main road to the easternmost point and turn right towards Strand 11. Don’t stop at the beach though, keep driving until the road ends at the North Pier. One of the cool things you’ll see on the way to the pier is… Horseshoe pond, home to countless houseboats. Once you get past that, you will see the US Coast Guard station on your right and the pier ahead. Hang out at the pier and watch the boats enter and leave the bay via the canal; if you’re lucky, you might see a large freighter, or even better, the American Brig Niagara pass by.
Take a free pontoon ride
-
A ride through the lagoons might be the best cost-to-fun ratio for a first date that we can think of. No date? No problem. This is a free performance. Bring the kids, your team, or your mom for a free (did we mention it was free?) interpreter pontoon boat tour through Misery Bay and the lagoons. Learn the names of plants and animals that live in this wetland. The fun runs through September 8. Rides are offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM and from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Rides are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins 15 minutes before the start time at the pontoon station and all participants must be present at registration. Visit the Presque Isle website for more information.
Explore the lagoons by canoe or kayak
-
Although most of the park is accessible by car, bicycle or on foot, the lagoons are a part of the park that forces you into the water. Bring a canoe, kayak, or other non-motorized boat and explore the nooks and crannies of Presque Isle. Don’t have one? Rent one from the livery just over the bridge from Perry Monument. You will see wildlife hidden from the population and you will experience a new part of what makes Presque Isle unique.
On the hunt for beach glass
-
Search beach glass is a lot like golf: you’ll either love it, or you’ll wonder what the appeal is. Beach glass is formed from bottles or other glass dumped into the lake. Over the years, these fragments tumble and shift around the lake before washing ashore as frozen clumps of majesty. If you love it, start a collection and look for white, aqua brown, green, blue, even red or purple pieces; the brighter the color, the rarer the glass. Many artisans transform beach glass into jewelry or other treasures.
Pull to TREK
-
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center, located across from Waldameer Park, is the first stretch of Presque Isle State Park you see before heading down the hill on Peninsula Drive. Although not physically connected to the park, it is home to park activities and a must-see for anyone visiting the park. Be sure to climb to the top of the tower (or take the elevator) for great views of Presque Isle and neighboring Waldameer Park – and don’t forget your camera, because the view is incredible. While downtown, purchase a ticket for the Big Green Screen and stop by the gift shop for your Presque Isle souvenir.
Beautiful view of the sun
Check out the turtles
-
The observation deck Graveyard Pond is a must when you are in the park. Money raised through the Presque Isle Partnership’s annual Discover Presque Isle events funded the construction of the deck, which includes two telescopes, an educational panel and a bench. Visitors can reach it via stairs or a ramp.
Visit a lighthouse
-
Located near beach 8, the Presque Isle Lighthouse is the second oldest lighthouse on the shore of Lake Erie. If you climb the 78 steps, you will have a beautiful view of Lake Erie.
Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com or at 814-870-1885.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Presque Isle 2024: The best things to do in the park this summer
