Grab your sand pail: Here's your Presque Isle summer activities bucket list
Everyone knows about the beaches and the Multi-purpose Trail, but have you tried any of these other Presque Isle State Park gems lately?
Save this list for a not-so-rainy day and explore some more of this amazing piece of topography nestled along Lake Erie.
To start, with Presque Isle it all begins with 11 miles of beaches, which makes it a magnet for locals and tourists alike. Different beaches have different amenities, but they all have one thing in common: Summer-warmed sand and cooling water.
Open beaches to start the season will be Beach 3 (Barracks Beach), Beach 6 (Lyons Beach), Beach 8 (Pettinato Beach) and Beach 11 (Kohler Beach). Three new swimming information signs in the inbound lane of the park provides daily updates as to what beaches are open and guarded for swimming as conditions are subject to change.
Events to mark on your calendar
Saturday, 10:30 a.m.: Bicycle Tour of Presque Isle — Learn about park history, flora and fauna during a leisurely ride around the peninsula. Bring a helmet, water and sunscreen. Children younger than 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
May 31, 10 a.m.: Virtual: Natural Wonders — Explore Presque Isle through photography, videography, and camera traps from the educators. Registration required by May 27.
May 31, noon: Virtual: Natural Wonders Lunch and Learn — Join naturalists for lunch and learn about the natural wonders occurring at Presque Isle and Erie Bluffs State Parks. Naturalists will share what is happening in the parks through videos and and photos captured by staff and camera traps. Registration required by May 29.
June 4, 6 to 7:30 p.m.: Presque Isle History "Old Maps" — See old maps and historical photographs in a presentation on the history of Presque Isle State Park. Registration required.
June 8, 7:15 a.m. and then every 15 minutes until 11 a.m.: Presque Isle Poker Paddle — Explore the waterways of Presque Isle while trying to draw the best five-card poker hand. $50 per paddler (a fundraiser with a bag full of goodies)
June 19 through July 24: UPMC Sunset Music Series — Free six-week concert series at Beach 11 on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
July 22-28: Discover Presque Isle 2024 — This annual event is a great chance to enjoy all PI has to offer. We can't possibly list everything that will be going on, here, but plan to hit Sunset Point for kiters, kite arches, bubbles and even more kites. At night, go by for the beach illumination when the whole area is lit up with neon and candles. For more information on DPI, visit discoverpi.com/events/dpi.
Aug. 3: Presque Isle Triathalon — Bike 13 miles, swim .35 miles, run 3.1 miles. Starts and ends at Beach 10, 7:30 a.m. Don't have it in you? Make a day of it to cheer on those who think they do. Good luck to all.
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 sun set. It doesn't get any better.
Go fly a kite
Don't miss Sunset Point, situated between Beaches 9 and 10. Affectionately referred to as “Kite Beach” this is where you will find people from all over the region flying a variety of kites. Be sure to stop and watch — as kite flyers like to say — a “lookieloo.”
Headed to the beach?: A guide to rentals, trails and more at Presque Isle State Park
Walk, run, bike or skate on the multipurpose trail
Officially known as the Karl Boyes Multi-purpose National Recreation Trail, the paved pathway starts at the entrance to the park and runs all the way around the publicly accessible perimeter, 13.5 miles later. On a bike, the entire circuit can be done at a leisurely pace, taking around 90 minutes to complete. If you don’t have a bike, you can rent one. If bicycling isn’t your preference, grab a pair of inline skates and tackle the course or put on a good pair of shoes and spend a few hours walking or running. During good weather, the trail can get congested so keep an eye out for others
Check out the North Pier and Horseshoe Pond
The light station on the North Pier offers a look at parts of the park not on the main road. To get there, take the main road to the easternmost point and turn right toward Beach 11 — but don’t stop at the beach, keep driving until the road ends at the North Pier. One of the cool things you will see on your way to the pier is Horseshoe Pond, home to numerous house boats. Once you pass that you will see the U.S. Coast Guard Station on your right and the pier ahead. Hang out at the pier to watch the boats as they enter and exit the bay through the channel; if you are lucky, you might see a large freighter or even better, the U.S. Brig Niagara passing through.
Take a free pontoon ride
A ride through the lagoons might be best ratio of cost-to-fun for a first date we can think of. No date? No problem. This is a free gig. Bring the kiddos, your squad or your mom for a free (did we mention free?) interpretive pontoon boat ride through Misery Bay and the lagoons. Learn the names of plants and animals that live in this wetland. The fun runs through Sept. 8. Rides are offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 to 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and noon to 1 p.m. Rides are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign-up begins 15 minutes prior to the start time at the pontoon station and all participants must be present at sign in. For more information, visit Presque Isle's website.
Explore the lagoons on a canoe or kayak
While most of the park can be accessed by car, bike or foot, the lagoons are one part of the park that will force you into the water. Bring a canoe, kayak or other nonmotorized boat and explore the nooks and crannies of Presque Isle. Don’t have one? Rent one at the livery just over the bridge from Perry Monument. You will see wildlife hidden from population and you will experience a new part of what makes Presque Isle unique.
Hunt for beach glass
Looking for beach glass is a lot like golf: You will either love it or you will wonder what the attraction 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 up on shore as frosted nuggets of awesomeness. If you love it, start a collection keeping an eye out for white, aqua brown, green, blue, even red or purple pieces; the brighter the color, the more rare the glass. Lots of artisans transform beach glass into jewelry or other treasures.
Trek over to TREK
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center, located across from Waldameer Park, is the first piece of Presque Isle State Park you see before heading down the hill on Peninsula Drive. Although not physically attached to the park, it is the home base for park operations and a must-see for anyone visiting the park. Be sure to climb (or take the elevator) to the top of the tower for a great view of Presque Isle and Waldameer Park next door — and don’t forget your camera as the view is incredible. Inside the center, get a ticket to the Big Green Screen and stop by the gift shop for your Presque Isle souvenir.
Beautiful views of the sun
Whether you prefer sunsets or sunrises, Presque Isle is the place to snap one of those phone wallpaper- or frame-worthy photos you'll be proud of forever.
Watch the turtles
The observation deck at Graveyard Pondis a must stop while at the park. Money raised through the Presque Isle Partnership’s annual Discover Presque Isle events helped fund the construction of the deck, which has two telescope viewers, an educational panel and a bench. Visitors can reach it by steps or a ramp.
Tour a lighthouse
Located near Beach 8, the Presque Isle Lighthouse is the second-oldest lighthouse on Lake Erie’s shore. Climbing the 78 stairs gives you quite a 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 at the park this summer