Ohio Erie shore west

View from Catawba

Ohio Erie shore west is in Ohio.

Regions

It includes the following counties: Erie County, The county seat is Sandusky. Even though Erie County is one of Ohio's smaller counties, over seven million visitors come to Erie County each year to visit. Over 50% of the land is still dedicated to agricultural use. The Lake Erie shoreline is more pristine and accessible along Erie County than most other areas, that is why it is so popular with boaters and fishermen.

Sandusky County Courthouse in Fremont

Sandusky County is in Northwest Ohio. The county seat is Fremont. The S/W part of Sandusky Bay is in Sandusky County as well as the Sandusky River flowing North into the bay. The northern part of the county is popular with fishermen who wade the river and fish the south end of the bay where fish traffic is heavy during the spawning period. It was also the home of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, where he practiced law from 1845 to 1849 before moving to Cincinnati.

Lucas County, Ottawa County.

Cities

Milan Township Building

• 🌍 Toledo
• 🌍 Bellevue
• 🌍 Huron
• 🌍 Kelleys Island
• 🌍 Milan
• 🌍 Sandusky
• 🌍 Vermilion
• 🌍 Catawba Island
• 🌍 Lakeside
• 🌍 Marblehead
• 🌍 Port Clinton
• 🌍 Put-in-Bay

Bellevue

Other destinations

• Cedar Point - amusement park in Sandusky
• Kelleys Island
• Lake Erie Islands

The islands listed below are either in Ottawa County or close to it. Some like Pelee, are in Canada, different fishing license required.

• Hen Island - Property of the Quinnebog Club.
• Green Island Lighthouse.
• Kelleys Island. Tourist destination (Erie County)
• Middle Bass Island. Tourist destination
• North Bass Island. Tourist destination
• Pelee Island. Tourist destination - Canada.
• Rattlesnake Island. Private island owned by a club, membership required
• South Bass Island. The most significant tourist destination containing the town of Put-in-Bay.
• Sugar Island.
• Turtle Island. Privately owned vacation homes
• West Sister Island Wildlife Refuge.
• Pelee Point Ontario, Canada mainland.
• East Harbor State Park, Northeast part of Ottawa County, on the north part of Catawba Island, off of Route 63, on the shores of Lake Erie. 365 electric sites, 205 non-electric sites, showers, flush toilets, dump station, launch ramp, camp store, pet camping, two Rent-A-RV units on full-service sites, two deluxe camper cabins, dock rentals, restaurant, marina, fishing, hunting, 7-mile trail, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe courts, playground equipment and a 1,500-foot sand beach.

Sandusky Bay

• Lake Erie
• Sandusky Bay
• Sandusky River

State parks

• 🌍 East Harbor State Park. Northeast part of Ottawa County on the north part of Catawba Island, off of Route 63, on the shores of Lake Erie. 365 electric sites, 205 non-electric sites, showers, flush toilets, dump station, launch ramp, camp store, pet camping, two Rent-A-RV units on full-service sites, two deluxe camper cabins, dock rentals, restaurant, marina, fishing, hunting, 7-mile trail, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe courts, playground equipment and a 1,500-foot sand beach. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Kelleys Island State Park. Erie County on Kelleys Island. 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 can be reached by ferry from Sandusky or Marblehead Peninsula. (updated Jan 2019)
• 🌍 Maumee Bay State Park. Lucas County, east of Toledo, and northeast of Oregon on the shores of Lake Erie. Resort lodge with racquetball courts, game room, saunas, whirlpools, indoor, outdoor pools, conference and meeting rooms, dining room, lounge, and a snack bar. Resort cottages. 252 campsites, showerhouses, flush toilets, electricity, playground equipment, fishing, three Rent-A-Camp units, Rent-A-Yurt, five miles of asphalt trails, cross-country skiing, winter nature walks, ice skating, sledding, 32-slip marina, 57-acre inland lake, sailing, canoeing, canoes, paddle boats, row boats, and sailboats are available for rent, two sand beaches, concession area, changing booths, amphitheater, 18-hole "Scottish Links" style golf course, pro-shop, nature center, bike rental, a basketball court, horseshoe pits, bike rental, basketball and volleyball courts.  
• Middle Bass Island State Park. Ottawa County, on Middle Bass Island south of Pelee Island and north of Catawba Island Ferries are available from Catawba Island or Marblehead. 20-site primitive campground, no drinking water or electric, 50 boat slips, 25 with electric hook-up, 20 tie-ups, showers and flush toilets. (updated Jan 2019)
• South Bass Island State Park. Ottawa County on South Bass Island, southwest of Pelee Island and northeast of Catawba Island Ferries are available from Port Clinton or Marblehead. 125 non-electric sites, 10 full service sites, flush toilets, showers, pet camping, four cabents, two picnic shelters, picnic areas, launch ramp, fishing pier and small stone beach. (updated Jan 2019)

Understand

Erie County and Huron County were at one time one county, they were divided in the 1800s. Erie County includes one island, Kelleys Island, and has a long shoreline on Lake Erie running from Bay View east to Vermillion. In the early days the shoreline was quite rough and swampy. Today, it is the site of Cedar Point in Sandusky and the location of some of the most expensive residential property in Ohio.

• Cold Creek, starts as an underground river, lacking normal oxygen levels, that rises first at Castalia, Ohio south of the business district and forms a pond, where the water, which remains at a constant 48 degrees year around flows north to Sandusky, where it enters Sandusky Bay and then Lake Erie. The places where the water rises to the surface are similar to the cenotes in the Yucatán and the two areas share a similar Karst geological sub-surface of limestone. From Castalia, north, there are several of these "cenotes" or springs that vary in size. Some have been explored by divers and they have not been able to determine the depth or scope of the rivers. Today, most are on private property and access is a bit difficult. The small ones at Castalia are not difficult to visit, as they are in a public park. Another example of this can be found a short distance away at Seneca Caverns.

Get in

By plane

• Toledo Express Airport (TOL ^IATA)
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE ^IATA)

By car

• SR 6 E/W 2 lane follows lake shore. Scenic.
• SR 2 E/W 4 lane.
• I 80/90 Turnpike E/W Indiana to Pennsylvania
• SR 4 2 lane N/S
• SR 13/250 2 lane N/S

By boat

• Cruises - Ferries & Catamarans
  • The Goodtime I, [phone], . The Goodtime I Departs from Sandusky, Ohio daily on an island hopping cruise.
  • The Jet Express, 101 West Shoreline Drive, toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Trips to Kelly's Island and Put-in-Bay.  
  • The Pelee Islander, 1-800-661-2220. Daily trips to Pelee Island and mainland Ontario, Canada. Service from Sandusky is limited to once daily during the summer months, and is further restricted during the spring and fall. Advance vehicle reservations.
  • The MV Jiimaan, Jackson St. The largest passenger ferry along the Lake Erie route to Pelee Island. Leaves from the foot of Jackson St., Sandusky. To Lemington, Canada, Kingsville Govt. Dock, Ontario, Canada and Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada.

Get around

See

Marblehead

• Hayes Presidential Center. Fremont, Ohio. The Nations first Presidential Library and Rutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth president of the United States retirement home. 

Do

• Birding - Many birds pass through this area as they migrate over Lake Erie.
• 🌍 Sky Zone Toledo (located in Holland). (updated Jan 2019)

Eat

Freshwater fish are widely enjoyed in this part of Ohio.

Drink

Stay safe

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