Kelleys Island
Kelleys Island is an island and city in Erie County, Ohio.
Understand
The island is sparsely-populated, with a small village on the south side of the island, residential areas on the east side, a limestone quarry on the west side, and a State Park on the north side. Ferries from the mainland dock at the village several times/day during prime tourist season.
History
PreHistory
During the Ice Age, receding glaciers carved glacier grooves across the island. Kelleys Island was originally inhabited by the Native Americans, creating Inscription rock on the southern shore sometime during the 1640s.
Settlement
By the early 1800s, the first white settlers arrived, but were unable to stay due to a variety of mishaps. By the 1820s the first permanent settlers established themselves. By the 1830s the first quarry opened, and by the 1840s the first winery opened on the island. The use of the island stone unfortunately destroyed most of the vast glacial grooves, outside of a small preserved area.
Get in
Kelleys Island can be reached by ferry from Sandusky or Marblehead Peninsula, by airplane or private boat.
By Boat
- 🌍
Kelleys Island Ferry Boat, 510 W. Main St., Marblehead, Ohio, ☎ +1-419-798-9763. Offers passenger and vehicle ferry service between Kelleys Island and Marblehead runs daily year-round, weather permitting. During peak season, ferries run every half-hour and offer late night service on weekends. There is a parking fee at the Marblehead dock.
Rates of the Kelleys Island Boat Company (each way) are $9.50 for adults, $6 for children, $15 for autos, $4 for bicycles, and $8 for motorcycles as of 2013. - 🌍 The Jet Express, 101 W. Shoreline Dr., Sandusky, Ohio. Offers passenger-only ferry service from downtown Sandusky, Ohio to Kelleys Island aboard hydro jet catamarans. Ferry operates daily during summer and weekends spring and fall.
By Plane
- Griffing-Sandusky Airport and Flying Service, 3115 Cleveland Rd., Sandusky, Ohio, ☎ +1-419-626-5161. Offers service to Kelleys Island with prior reservations.
- 🌍
Erie Ottawa International Airport, 3255 E. State Rd., Port Clinton, Ohio, ☎ +1-419-734-6297. Offers service to Kelleys Island with prior reservations.
- 🌍 Kelleys Island Municipal Airport (Kelleys Island Landing Field). The airport on Kelleys Island.
Get around
The island has many miles of paved roads if you ferry your car to Kelleys Island.
Golf Carts are a popular way for locals to get around, and are available as rentals.
Many choose to travel by foot or bicycle.
See
Ohio's largest island is full of adventure for all ages. It has 600 acres of state park lands, 17 miles of coastline, beautiful wildflowers, nature trails, a fossil-filled quarry, and wetlands which are admired by nature-lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. There is also a popular downtown district that offers shopping and entertainment, as well as dining and drinking establishments.
- 🌍
Inscription Rock. A boulder covered in native petroglyphs. Near the ferry dock at the south end of the island. Free.
- 🌍 Winery Ruins. The ruins of an old winery can be seen half-way between the State Park and the Village.
- 🌍 Kelleys Island Historical Museum, Division St., Kelleys Island, ☎ +1 419-746-2399. Exhibits include the Himmelein House, commercial fishing artifacts, Estes school, island churches and wineries, fossils, Indian artifacts and Shays locomotives.
- 🌍 Kelley's Island War Memorial. Free.
- 🌍 Shrine. 24/7. A small wayward christian shrine Free.
- 🌍 Monument to the Unknown Soldier. A small monument in the island cemetery. Free.
- 🌍 Charles Herdon Sculpture Garden and Art Gallery. Wait outside until greeted for access to the indoor art gallery. The indoor gallery contains artwork for sale. Free.
Do
- 🌍
Glacial Grooves State Park (Kelleys Island). The world's largest accessible glacial grooves, embedded with fossils that are 350-400 million years old. Located on the north side of the island, the grooves can be viewed from a walkway and stairs. The wavy trough is 400 feet (120 m) long, 35 feet (11 m) wide, and up to 10 feet (3.0 m) deep carved by glaciers pressing large stones along the bedrock. Free.
- 🌍
Kelleys Island State Park, 920 Division St, ☎ +1 419-734-4424. The park features hiking trails, camping, launch ramp, fishing, summer programs, picnic shelter, and sandy swimming beach. Some of the preserved areas have observation towers for Birders. Free.
- 🌍 Kelley's Island State Park Public Beach. Free.
- 🌍 Scheele Preserve, Monagan Rd. A nature reserve on the Island's east side with a single trail. The trail is sometimes difficult to pass through, especially after rain. The trail ends on a beautiful white sand beach.
Buy
Eat
- 🌍 Seaway Marina. A coffee shop and convenience store
Drink
Several bars exist in the village, and Kelleys Island Brewery produces several varieties of ale and lager at their facility west of the village.
- 🌍 Kelleys Island Wine Company, 418 Woodford Rd, ☎ +1 419-746-2678. Beautiful indoor and outdoor setting, dining options, special events, catering, and wines. Horseshoe pit, volleyball, cornhole, and gift shop also available.
- 🌍 The Village Pump. A downtown pub. Has good hours. Servings can be rather large.
- 🌍 Captian's Corner.
- 🌍 Kelley's Island Brewery. Has a wide variety of desserts.
- 🌍 West Bay Inn. A restaurant and Bar in a remote part of the Island. Not actually an Inn.
Sleep
- 🌍 Kelleys Island State Park, 920 Division St, ☎ +1 419 746-2546. 45 non-electric, 82 electric sites, showers, flush toilets, volleyball court, six miles of hiking trails, North Pond Nature Preserve, North Shore Nature Preserve, picnic areas, a picnic shelter, launch ramps, fishing, 100-foot swimming beach and hunting.
- 🌍 Kelleys Island Venture Resort, 441 W. Lakeshore Dr, ☎ +1 419 746-2254. 30-room hotel with private balconies and decks.
- 🌍 The Fly Inn Luxury B&B. A bed and breakfast close to the airport
Connect
The south side of the island is well connected with 4G cellular service and businesses offering Wi-Fi. Outside of downtown, especially on the north side of the island, cellular signals can be poor or non existent. On the north shore you may be able to be able to intermittently connect to Canadian cell towers - Be aware that you may accidentally incur international charges depending on your provider and plan. To avoid this, as well as battery drain, consider switching your phone to airplane mode.
- 🌍
Kelley's Island Library & School (Estes School). Offers free Wi-Fi. Limited hours for actually going inside, but the wifi signal reaches to the parking lot. May offer small art exhibitions on occasion. Free.
Stay safe
Despite its low population and remoteness Kelleys Island still has a police department and an emergency medical service. Don't forget they can help in the event of an emergency.
The bedrock on Kelleys Island is very close to the surface, and often bare patches of it are exposed in parks. This rock can be slippery, especially after rain or near the lake. Always pay attention where you're stepping, especially near cliff edges.
Lake Erie is volatile and can be dangerous. Be careful while swimming.
Don't enter the unmaintained abandoned buildings in the woods. Most haven't been maintained since the 1930s.
When a sidewalk is available use it. Walking on the road is punished by a $100 fine from the island police.
Go next
- Cedar Point - This amusement park is visible from the south shore.
- Sandusky - The largest nearby mainland city.
- Marblehead
- Cleveland
- Toledo