Lake Erie Circle Tour
Traveling around Lake Erie takes the auto-tourists from Detroit to Niagara Falls and back to Cleveland. By boat whether sailing or cruising, the Lake Erie vacationers can touch the most southern point of Canada and sample wines on the off-shore islands in Ohio and along the bluffs of New York. Travelers driving or sailing around Lake Erie need to bring their passports because they will be crossing the international boundaries between Michigan and Canada and New York and Canada. Additionally, travelers should bring their golf clubs, tents, bicycles, backpacks, fishing gear, hiking boots, binoculars for birding, and picnic hampers. Although the tour takes the visitors through some of America’s most industrial communities, there also are many historical, cultural, and natural sites to visit along the way. In fact, before starting the journey, vacationers should stop at Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village to learn about the history of the region and the innovations that made this region great.
If the starting point is Detroit, the auto-tourists should drive south along Lake Erie to the Ohio Boarder. I-75 is the quickest route; however, there a plenty of places to stop along the shoreline for a picnic. Near Monroe and Luna Pier, charters are available for some Great Lakes fishing. Great Lakes fishing on charter boats are an exciting experience.
Toledo is just across the Ohio border from Michigan and is at the mouth of the Maumee River. This region of northwestern Ohio, although known for both industry and agriculture, has a lot of historical sites relating back to the French and Indian War and the War of 1812. One detour on the auto-tour is driving or bicycling along the western side of the Maumee River to see the remnants a canal that carried trade goods to Toledo and apple orchards that were allegedly planted by Johnny Appleseed.
By following Route 2 from Toledo east, visitors can go to Port Clinton as a destination and see the Port Clinton and Marblehead lighthouses along the way. At Port Clinton, Catawba Point, Marblehead, and Sandusky, vacationers can take ferries to South Bass Island, Put-in-Bay, Kelly’s Island, Pelee Island in Ontario, or mainland Ontario. Boaters and sailors like to rendezvous during summer weekends at the Ohio Lake Erie islands. Tourists on the islands enjoy viewing the historical monuments, wineries, restaurants, and interesting local flora and fauna. Pelee Island and Point Pelee, Ontario are key areas for birding. Sports-fishing is also available. For vacationers, who are interested in other types of thrills, Cedar Point Amusement Park is in Sandusky. Visitors to the Sandusky area can find all types of lodging from hotels with indoor water parks and campgrounds to motels and hotels of every price range.
From Sandusky, auto-tourists should wind east to Bay Village for the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center before going to Cleveland. When tourists reach Cleveland, they must visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Botanical Garden, or the Cuyahoga National Park in the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley south of Cleveland. Visitors to Cleveland can cruise the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie on the 1000 passenger Goodtime III. Hudsonville, near Cleveland, will remind visitors of colonial Connecticut because of the colonial architecture of the homes and building. In colonial times, the Hudsonville region was set aside as the “western reserve of Connecticut” for future settlements. Ashtabula is a Lake Erie Harbor, founded in 1796, is east of Cleveland and known as a coal and iron harbor, but it also has a resort beach and good picnic areas. The surrounding area has covered bridges and Ohio wineries. Golfing is available throughout Ohio.
Bicyclists will find many opportunities for day trips near the Lake Erie shoreline in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
By traveling east to Pennsylvania and New York, drivers and boaters alike will see the beautiful Lake Erie bluffs and picturesque harbors of both states. When first driving, sailing, or boating to Erie, Pennsylvania, most visitors think of its industrial past. However, there are beautiful bluffs to explore on foot and wineries to visit. In fact, the eastern shoreline of Lake Erie is often called the “wine coast". There are also lighthouses to explore in Erie, Barcelona, and Dunkirk. Additionally, the region has a ship building history. Sailors and boaters need to visit the harbors in Barcelona and Dunkirk, New York. Auto-tourists should stop at both harbors before traveling to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls, New York and Niagara Falls, Ontario present two views of the falls and offers the visitors many recreational activities along with good restaurants, campgrounds, and lodging. The falls at Niagara provide electricity for a huge region of Canada and the United States visitors should take a moment to examine the huge power lines while visiting the Niagara Falls.
After visiting Niagara Falls, visitors on the Lake Erie Circle tour can take a detour and visit Toronto or begin the journey along the north shoreline of Lake Erie. By following Route 3 and traveling through wine country, auto-tourists can rejoin the shoreline at Port Colborne and Long Beach before driving on to Port Dover. At Port Dover, a vacation destination with its beautiful sandy beaches, tourists can scuba dive, paddle, fish, jet ski, swim, or join their friends who have been sailing and yachting around Lake Erie.
The next destination along the coast is Port Stanley where visitors can enjoy the water or drive north to Strafford to view the plays at the Shakespeare Festival. Southern Canada has rich agriculture with “truck farms” serving the metropolitan areas of London and Toronto as well as huge tomato and tobacco farms for the agri-tourists to visit. Point Pelee is the next stop on the circle tour of Lake Erie. In addition to enjoying the shoreline, visitors to this region must take advantage of the natural habitat that supports bird migration routes and spend time birding. While following the shoreline from Pelee to Windsor, auto-tourist will notice many summer homes along the bluffs of Lake Erie. Nestled among the summer homes is the historic Park farmstead, a land grant from King George III. Over the years, the farm was part of the underground railroad and a beacon for seafarers. The home is now open to the public and a must see for history buffs. Golfing is available near many of the cities along the Canadian shoreline. Bicyclists find the route between Port Colborne and Point Pelee interesting.
The circle tours ends in Windsor with the drive across the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit.
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Circle Tours
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