So Many Things to Do & See in Erie (Part 1)

 

Our family just returned from a trip to Erie, PA.  Six days were not enough to fit in everything there is to do there.  If you go though, you must take in a sunset over the lake.  They are breathtaking.

 

After a fantastic dinner on the patio at Lake Shore Country Club, we sat on the adirondack chairs and literally just watched the sun set over Lake Erie.

 

We must have taken 50 photos or more because it was that beautiful at every stage.  My phone does not do it justice.

 

It was especially fun to watch since a wedding had just taken place when we arrived, and the newlyweds were photographed in front of that gorgeous sunset, and in front of us.

 

We stayed until the moon was bright in the sky and we began to be dinner for the mosquitoes.

 

My next recommendation is to go digging for beach glass.  This was the first activity we did when we arrived and the last thing we did before going home.  Our children spent hours doing this and wanted to stay longer.

 

The waves were fairly high and the undertow dangerous to swim in on the day we arrived.  

 

So we kept a close eye on the kiddos at the Walnut Creek Marina that day.

 

On the day we left, however, things had calmed down considerably, and there were a number of beachcombers there that morning looking for treasures.

 

 

 

Our children came home with bags of polished pebbles, shells, multiple colors of beach glass, and an assortment of other great collections.  Some serious crafting is in the works.

 

If you have kids, the next stop has got to be the Erie Zoo.

 

We happened to go on the morning of our youngest son's tenth birthday because it's one of his favorite places to visit.  He is our bouncy one so it was only fitting that he be photographed with the kangaroos.

 

They have wonderful outdoor and indoor exhibits, plus there's a huge hands-on children's area that's perfect for preschoolers and younger kids.

 

Even our teenagers loved it.  Go in the morning before it gets hot when the animals want to take their naps.

 

Another great place to go is the Erie Maritime Museum.

 

I wasn't sure this would hold the attention of all of my children, but I was pleasantly surprised.

 

There was a lot to see and read about, as it focused on the history of the US Brig Niagara and the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.

 

The replica of part of the ship allowed the children to get a feel for what it would have been like to be aboard at the time.

 

The children were also encouraged to pull the ropes of real sails to see how much effort that requires. Our youngest had to hang from them with all her weight in order to get the sails to budge.

 

You also get this incredible view of the bay.  My only disappointment was that the USS Niagara wasn't docked, so we couldn't go on board a real ship as I had promised.  She'll be back in September.

 

Sitting outside the Maritime Museum and the adjoining library is this painted frog.  These are all over the city, and the children had a great time locating them everywhere we went.

These activities, plus a viewing of Finding Dory, along with a shopping trip for the girls and fishing for the boys,  were done in two days' time and we still had time for leisurely dinners.  We don't go out of town all that often, so when we do, I pack as much in as I can without driving the rest of my family crazy.  I'll show you more of Erie in my next post.

Until then, have a great remainder of the week!