SailorGuides.com:
A Trailer Boat Cruising Guide to Put-in-Bay

Posted by Dan on December 17, 2009


 
 

Things to Do Ashore

Perry and his Memorial from inside the visitor’s center.

Perry and his Memorial from inside the visitor’s center.

There are three primary rules you need to remember to have a complete island experience. First of course, is to bring plenty of money. Secondly, bring some additional money. Finally, bring a little extra money. While I’m usually a huge advocate of frugal vacationing, Put-in-Bay runs almost solely on commerce, and who am I to argue with local tradition. The scenery and people-watching are free--everything else is going to cost you.

There’s plenty to do within a short walk of the downtown docks, but some of the attractions are a fair distance away. Bicycles are available, but by far the most common mode of transportation on the island is the ubiquitous Put-in-Bay golf cart. Even the police ride around in little blue carts with flashing lights on top. Cart rentals are available for a cost of around $10 to $15 an hour at the ferry docks, marinas, and a number of stands scattered throughout the downtown, making it almost impossible not to find one when your feet get sore. The most important bit of advice I can offer on golf carts is to memorize the number of your cart when you get it, as it can be almost impossible to tell them apart in a crowded parking lot. Also, take the keys with you when you stop off somewhere in order to protect yourself from some confused soul driving off in your cart by mistake.

If you’d like to see the island sans golf cart and learn a little of its history, the Put-in-Bay Tour Train leaves the little station catty-corner to the memorial visitor’s center on a regular schedule during the season. The tour is fully narrated and lasts about 1 hour.

The biggest (and cheapest) attraction in town is the Perry Memorial itself, operated by the National Park Service. A modern visitor’s center stands at the western edge of the park with various museum displays and a very interesting History Channel-style documentary about the Battle of Lake Erie playing every 45 minutes in its auditorium. Even if you’re not a history buff, the highly detailed ship models are worthy of a visit, and the air conditioning is always welcome on a hot summer afternoon.

Normally, a $3 elevator ride to the 317-foot high observation deck of the tower itself would be one of the highlights of a Put-in-Bay vacation. Unfortunately, the harsh Lake Erie winters have been taking their toll on the structure and the tower is now closed for a multi-year renovation project. The current schedule calls for the tower to reopen in spring of 2012 so, until then, you will have to make do with the pictures I’ve posted in the photo gallery below during our SailorGuides trip shortly before the closing.

Another free attraction is DeRivera Park, which was previously mentioned because of its shower facilities. Stretching along the waterfront from The Boardwalk to C-dock, the park is a great place to sit in the shade and people-watch for a while.

While we’re on the subject of parks, the Oak Point State Park at the western end of the bay is absolutely beautiful and provides a gorgeous view of the harbor and the boats in the mooring field. If swimming is on your to-do list, South Bass Island State Park, at the end of Catawba Street about a mile from the memorial, provides the island’s only public swimming beach. The park also features a launch ramp (on the off chance that you wanted to pay to ferry your boat to the island and launch from there) and a jet ski rental.

For a blast of nostalgia, take a spin on Kimberly’s Carousel in the downtown area behind DeRivera Park. The carousel, originally built in 1917, is one of the few operational merry-go-rounds in the country with all-wooden horses. Or, if you never quite got over your big brother getting the deluxe slot car set for Christmas of 1972 while you were saddled with a pair of dress slacks and really warm socks, you can work out your childhood angst at the Put-in-Bay Raceway and its cool radio-controlled cars.

Venture about a half mile southwest of the waterfront down Catawba Street (this is where a golf cart comes in handy) and you’ll find the Heineman’s Winery. In addition to locally made wine by the glass, bottle, and case, Heineman’s offers tours of both their winemaking facilities and the Crystal Cave, which is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest natural geode in the world.

Across the street is the Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center, with lots to entertain the young and young-at-heart. At the core of the fun center is, not surprisingly, Perry’s cave and its underground stream, which provided the Commodore’s men with safe drinking water during their stay on the island (drinking water directly from the bacteria-filled lake was known to bring on a sickness known as “lake fever”). The constant 50-degree temperature of the cave can be a real treat during a hot Ohio summer. The center also features a rock-climbing wall, a mini-put course called The War of 18 Holes (worthwhile if only for the unabashed pun), a huge butterfly house, and for the kids, a giant maze and a gemstone mining sluice studded with real gemstones and fossils. While the kids are enjoying the maze and sluice, the grown-ups can take a stroll through the classic car museum.

Of interest to almost everyone will be the gourmet chocolates at the Chocolate Cafe & Museum. The museum is filled with antique chocolate memorabilia and, next door in the café, you can enjoy gourmet chocolates, coffee, and hand-made gelato.

Take time out to visit the Lake Erie Islands Historical Museum at some point during your trip. The museum provides interesting insights into island life and history and the nautical displays will be of interest to almost any sailor. If you can’t squeeze a visit in during your trip, take a few minutes to visit their very detailed web site…who knows, you may find that you’re a descendant of Oliver Hazard Perry himself.

If your interests are less cerebral, there are a number of more athletic activities available on the island. If you’ve ever suppressed a pang of envy as a jet ski flew by you on the water like you were standing still, you can see how the other half lives by renting one of the little water rockets at Jet Ski at the Bay. If you’re not into the excitement of a jet ski and didn’t bring a dingy, Kayak the Bay can provide you with a more serene way to explore the shoreline up close without endangering your boat’s keel. For the ultimate thrill ride, check into Put-in-Bay Parasailing for the best view of the harbor short of Perry’s Memorial.

Perry and his Memorial from inside the visitor’s center. If you plan to tour the entire island, you’ll probably want to rent one of the ubiquitous Put-in-Bay golf carts. Just make sure that you can remember which one is yours. The Put-in-Bay Tour Train leaves this station on the hour for a narrated trip around the island. The Perry Memorial visitor’s center should be your first stop. If you like the History Channel, check out the Battle of Lake Erie program in the auditorium.
Inside the visitor’s center, you will find some museum-quality displays. Any sailor would love to have this table in their basement. Outside are the park-like grounds of the memorial itself. This is a view of the harbor entrance as seen from the park near the base of the memorial. Gibraltar Island is in the background and the high-speed catamaran ferry boat of the Jet Express is coming into port on the right. As of this writing, the observation tower of the Perry Memorial has been closed for renovations. The plaza at the base of the memorial has been cordoned off during the process to protect those below from falling pieces of the structure.
Six officers who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie (3 British and 3 Americans) are buried beneath the marble floor of the rotunda inside the memorial. When the observation deck reopens (hopefully in 2012), plan to spend some time standing in line inside this stairwell waiting for the elevator ride to the top. The Admiral and I waited 45 minutes on a Wednesday afternoon in August. But the view from the top was well worth the wait in line. Middle Bass Island and the Lonz Winery building are clearly in view with North Bass Island just beyond it. There are informational plaques at each corner of the observation deck that describe the landmarks and point out exactly where the Battle of Lake Erie was fought.
To the north you can see little Ballast Island. Pelee Island, in Canada, is just visible on the horizon. To the west is Kelleys Island. The park rangers claim that, on a clear day, you can see the tall buildings of Cleveland on the horizon. To the south is the visitor’s center and the village of Put-in-Bay. It's a long way down. In case you were tempted, throwing anything off the observation deck is a crime and the rangers stationed up there will arrest you on the spot.
Even on a weekday afternoon, boats of every kind pour in and out of the harbor of Put-in-Bay. DeRivera Park is a relaxing place to take a break. The public rest rooms at DeRivera Park feature token-operated showers. South Bass Island State Park offers the only swimming beach on the island. As you might have guessed, the beach is gravel instead of sand.
The park also features a small launch ramp and jet ski rentals. Kimberly’s Carousel is one of the last remaining merry-go-rounds with wooden horses. The kids won’t care but the adults may notice that they’re riding a piece of amusement park history. Or you can test your RC car skills at the Put-in-Bay raceway. Races last 2 minutes and cost $2 per car. The Heineman winery offers a tour of their wine making operation that includes a trip into the world’s largest geode.
The Heineman tour includes a glass of wine or grape juice from the bar. Across the street from the winery is the Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center. In addition to the cave tour, you can play a round of mini-golf at the War of 18 Holes. Or you can spend time in the butterfly house.
The little ones will get a kick out panning the sluice for gemstones and fossils. While the kids are busy at the sluice, grown-ups can enjoy the classic car museum. The museum is free, which is a rare thing indeed on South Bass Island. Once you’re worked up an appetite viewing chocolate memorabilia at the museum, you can go next door and satisfy your sweet tooth at the cafe. If you didn’t bring a dingy, you can always rent a kayak and get as close to shore as you’d like without risking your boat.
For the ultimate thrill ride, hop aboard the parasailing boat at The Boardwalk.      

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