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Presque Isle State Park, Erie

4.8
Must see · Park · Nature / Park
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From a lighthouse to its environmental center, Presque Isle State Park attracts more than four million visitors per year. Visitors are drawn to the 34 km (21 mi) of recreational trails, 13 beaches for swimming, a marina, and more. Several kinds of birds and endangered species inhabit the area, making it a perfect spot for nature lovers. The environmental center features exhibits and a great view of the park from its tower. If you like, bring a meal and pick out a table at the picnic areas. In winter, the lake creates ice dunes, where people come to fish and iceboat. For Presque Isle State Park and beyond, use our Erie road trip planner to get the most from your Erie vacation.
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Presque Isle State Park reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
3,207 reviews
Google
4.8
TripAdvisor
  • This time of year the park is good for walking, and we took a drive, as well as some cool pics on the beach. 
    This time of year the park is good for walking, and we took a drive, as well as some cool pics on the beach.  more »
  • Although it was a gloomy day driving around the island was lovely. We were there in October and the leaves we’re still hanging on in very beautiful. The lighthouse is interesting and the small but... 
    Although it was a gloomy day driving around the island was lovely. We were there in October and the leaves we’re still hanging on in very beautiful. The lighthouse is interesting and the small but...  more »
  • We took only a driving visit to the park because of cold and wind but enjoyed it very much. Great views on the city and lake sides of the peninsula. I also enjoyed the Perry Memorial and the... 
    We took only a driving visit to the park because of cold and wind but enjoyed it very much. Great views on the city and lake sides of the peninsula. I also enjoyed the Perry Memorial and the...  more »
Google
  • This park has a big shore line with multiple beaches, bike and boat rentals, tours and sunset cruise. This is one of the best parks to visit and experience it's natural beauty, huge trees that offer shade and oxygen, biking and walking trails along the shore lines, sand beaches and clean water. During summer weekends, the beaches will be busy with lot of people and dirty water along shore lines. I suggest going here early in the day to find the best spot but given the shore line stretches across multiple miles finding a beach spot shouldn't be a problem. While it would be nice to have more water activities within the island, you can find them by traveling few miles outside the park. The tour was great which helped us learn about the history of the place. There is a museum to visit within the island and a tower which you can climb up top. I had a great time and will recommend going here.
  • This is a great spot for a day trip if you're in NE Ohio or northern PA. There's so much to do & see. Talk to the locals to find all the best spots. The views of Lake Erie are spectacular & of course the sunsets are beautiful. Sara's restaurant is at the entrance of the Isle & is a great spot to get food on your way in or on your way out. There are restrooms throughout the park & from the ones I went into they were all clean. If you have time I recommend driving the entire Isle & seeing it all. You can rent bikes & there's a path around most of the Isle that accommodates the bikes. A walking/running path is also on the Isle if you want to get a workout in. This is a gem for sure with well maintained beaches & sights to see!
  • Awesome- a must visit. Plenty of parking and restrooms. The park is very clean, there are multiple areas to relax and have picnics 🧺. I envy the people that live here, they have a beautiful piece of nature to enjoy. Great place to host events or just enjoy a beautiful day with family. Added bonus: there are plenty of bikes and paddle boats to rent as well as areas you’re allowed to fish in. Lockdowns are over - Go enjoy the outdoors and nature plenty to see and do.
  • Beautiful state park! Plenty of beaches so you can find one that's perfect for your family. Bicycle paths make it easy to navigate if you enjoy biking. Nature and wildlife are abundant. Food concession stand, bathrooms, boat/kayak rentals are all available. Also, keep your eyes open and you might find a hidden treasure from the Lake Erie Rocks group.
  • Amazing. This is our second time here. First time was extremely windy and chilly (last April). This time was much nicer and although it wasn't hot, it was quite a great experience. But I'm not critiquing the weather here, I'm reviewing the park. While beach 7 was recommended to us as a good family oriented beach, it was closed this time, so we chose beach 6. There weren't a ton of people there at the time. There were enough that it wasn't totally vacant, but the right amount for what you want when trying to be distant from others. For reference, this was early afternoon on a Wednesday. It did get busier as the afternoon went on, but I'd never say the beach was necessarily crowded. The bathroom facility here is adequate enough. I did notice they had a changing area, but we did not use that. There were picnic benches every so often at the top of the beach near the tree line. I really appreciated this about the area. We got to set up in front of one and still be in the sun, yet have our own spot to use for the day. There were lifeguards on duty at beach 6 while we were there. Overall this was a great experience and I would gladly bring the family back again.

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