Presque Isle Passage

To the beaches and then to the lake: both have enough to do to keep you around this part of Pennsylvania for quite some time… and then there are state parks, nature reserves, outdoor activities and outdoor events and facilities to tap into too. As there 11 or so miles of Presque Isle beaches, there's a good choice of facilities and options along the sands, from family spots to quieter zones, kite flying to beachside biking, all among wooded picnic areas, beach volleyball courts and safe family-friendly waters. Around spectacular Lake Erie, just to the site's north, popular picks include pottering around the lakeside towns by foot, car or bike; visiting the several lighthouses; watersports such as kitesurfing and kayaking; pleasure cruises and boating, or getting out to the islands on the west of the lake: Kelley's, Pelee and South Bass. More outdoorsy days are at the Asbury Woods Nature Center, a good spot for fishing, mountain biking and hiking as well as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in the Presque Isle State Park, where visitors can find out more about the wildlife of the area and see what's happening on Lake Erie from the observation tower. You could also take a trip to Erie Zoo or to the (free) Wooden Nickel Buffalo Farm, where herds of buffalo roam over 170 acres; for more thrillseeking times, zip along to the amusements and water fun of Erie's Waldameer Park.