Lake Erie Islands

The Lake Erie Islands are in Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes in North America and serve as a major tourist, resort or summer home destination. Comprising islands which belong to either Ohio on the southern US side or Ontario on the northern Canada side, the islands are accessible via ferry boat from a number of locations. Lake Erie was named after the Erie Native American tribe who lived along its southern shore prior to exploration by Europeans.

Significant Islands

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial

Glacial Grooves

• 🌍 South Bass Island — The most significant tourist destination containing the village of Put-in-Bay.
• 🌍 Middle Bass Island
• 🌍 North Bass Island
• 🌍 Kelleys Island An island known for its nature.
• 🌍 Pelee Island — on the Canadian side

Minor Islands

Starve Island

Middle Island

• 🌍 West Sister Island A government nature preserve. No entry allowed.
• 🌍 Sugar Island
• 🌍 Turtle Island Part of a border dispute with Michigan.
• 🌍 Hen Island Canadian island. Property of the Quinnebog Club.
• 🌍 Starve Island A small desert island.
• 🌍 Middle Island The southernmost point of Canada. Uninhabited but was once a bootlegging hub.
• 🌍 Gibraltar Island An Island owned by the Ohio State University
• 🌍 Ballast Island A private island.
• 🌍 Mouse Island

Cities

• 🌍 Put-in-Bay

Other destinations

Get in

Get around

• Island Hopping. Four different ferry boat lines provide service from the mainland to Ohio’s Lake Erie Islands which include The Jet Express, a high speed passenger ferry, Miller Ferry Lines, and Kelleys Island Ferry, and the Goodtime which does a daily island hopping cruise. 

See

South Bass Island is home to Put-in-Bay and Crystal cave. Kelleys Island offers is more sparsely populated and offers the opportunity to enjoy nature at Kelleys Island State Park and Glacial Grooves State Park.

Do

A ceremony on Lake Erie

Eat

Restaurants are plentiful in Put-in-Bay, but options are limited on other islands.

Drink

Sleep

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