Road Trip Tuesday: Exploring The North Shore

Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail
Length: 293 mi / 471.5 km
Time to Allow: 8 hours to drive the byway, 3-4 days to see it in its entirety

With this being the inaugeral entry into the Road Trip Tuesday section of the blog, I figured I'd start small and close to home, using Cleveland as a point of origin and branching out from there. We won't go far today, barely out of Ohio even, but for those in the area looking to take a weekend drive this summer, this could be a perfect option.

If you're familiar with the weather in Ohio, or even the midwest in general. the temperatures stay below 50 degrees for nine months of the year and it's rare to even see a blade of grass underneath the mountains of snow between Thanksgiving and the beginning of March. The areas between Cleveland and Buffalo (locally referred to as the "Snow Belt") especially get the brunt of this force, with northeast Ohio being one of two areas in the world affected by what we lovingly refer to as Lake Effect Snow, where condensation from the fresh-water Great Lakes is driven into the atmosphere and unleashed upon the northcoast shorelines as heavy, unforgiving blizzards of snow. However, when spring starts to roll in during late-March, everything changes and a once barren landscape is alive with an arrary of colorful flowers, green rolling hills and warm breezy days, enough to lift anyone's spirits.

Brutal, I know. However, the redeeming aspect of living here are the scenic beaches of Lake Erie, otherwise called Ohio's north shore, which offers the exploration of a variety of lighthouses, maritime museums, islands, rural landscapes and views of red "Chew Mail Pouch" barns that allow you to glimpse decades into the past, if not over a hundred years.

From Cleveland, Heading East
Starting from downtown, you have the option of jumping on I-90 east and traveling towards Willoughby directly along the eastside marinas and fishing harbors, or you can begin on US-20, just slightly east of downtown, following the newly renovated Euclid Avenue past the Museum of Art and University Circle, making your way though a few of the outlying small towns of eastern Cleveland, through Painesville and on along the coast past Conneaut and into Pennsylvania. Whichever way you choose, as you hug the shore of Lake Erie, a few small towns worth visiting for thier spirit and charm are Fairport Harbor, Madison, Ashtabula and Conneaut, most of which prominently display historic lighthouses and maritime museums, and the latter of the four featuring an old-fashioned amusement park that opens up directly into the shores of Lake Erie.

As you pass along Rte 20, be sure to keep an eye out for the various wineries spotting the area. It is actually proven that Northeastern Ohio grapes produce some of the best wine in the world. However, because of the cold weather patterns and brutal winters, the industry here is only able to survive on a limited basis. During the summer months though, there are plenty of wine tastings available, with guests from all over the world traveling to the area to participate in the tastings.

From Cleveland, Heading West
From downtown Cleveland, take the west-bound shoreway towards Edgewater park and hop on Rte 6 though Lakewood and the mansions of Lake Road. As you pass through Rocky River and Bay Village, the landscape opens up and soon you find yourself surrounded by oak and beech forests on your left, and the waters of Lake Erie on your right. Eventually you'll pass through Vermilion, a small but notable coastal town, known for it's history of visits from well-known captains of the Great Lakes and lush maritime lore, then onto Sandusky, Marblehead, the famous Marblehead Lighthouse and the historic Port Clinton, where, if you chose, you can drive your car onto the Ferries to Kelley's Island or the reputable Put-in-Bay Island for the night. Be sure to make reservations for accommodations in advance though, as rooms fill up extremely quickly.

Just as a side note, a few summers ago I explored Kelley's Island by bike and it was one of the best day trips I've ever taken. There is so much to explore here, that it's impossible to see it all entirely by car. If you get the opportunity, take it, and be sure to make your way over to the quarries, on the west end of the island. The landscape is eerie and radically different from anything you've seen in Ohio.

Also, while in Sandusky, don't forget to visit the world-famous Cedar Point Amusement Park, one of the best roller coaster amusement parks in the country. The Point boasts to hold some of the steepest and fastest roller coaster rides in the world. During the busy summer months, it's not unlikely to find the park filled to capacity and lines for a single ride to taking up to three hours long, but if you wait until the fall after school starts, the lines tend to die down and you can experience the park to its fullest. Throughout October, the entire place is made-over for Hallo-weekends, where the streets are crawling with monsters and zombies, the Thunder Canyon rafting ride is drained and filled with pine trees and fog to create Werewolf Canyon, and haunted houses scatter the grounds between the rumbling coasters throughout the park. Following Halloween, the Point shuts down and remains closed until the following May.

At this point, since Rte 6 drops south towards Fremont and away from the shore, if you want to continue west along the lake, you'll want to jump on Rte 2 towards Toldeo, where you can visit the Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge and Maumee Bay State Park before crossing the Maumee River and heading north into Michigan.

If you're interested in learning more about this trip, visit the following websites for detailed maps and trip guides to help you along.
National Scenic Byways
Road Trip: USA

Photo credits go to: Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Inc., Leslie Dellovade, and Rona Proudfoot