Plan your Midwest Island Getaway!

We were recently invited to climb aboard Miller Ferry Lineto travel to Put-in-Bay. It had been several years since I had been to the island and only ever as a day tripper, so I was looking forward to the opportunity to have two whole days to explore the island. My husband and I thought it would also be a great way to celebrate our 10^th anniversary.

While there though I came across lots of ideas for a return trip with our kids for an awesome family vacation as well as an adults weekend away and my top 5 suggestions for both trip itineraries are below!

There is truly more than enough to keep you busy all through the weekend! (Tip: If you want to avoid the crowds and save some money during their peak season of June-August.. try to go mid-week!)

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Here are my top 5 picks for your Put-In-Bay family island getaway and for a great weekend with friends or your significant other for an adults only getaway !

There is so much to do on a family vacation to PIB!

1. Golf cart and bicycle travel is fun for adults and kids alike. Once you get off the Miller Ferry you will find golf cart rentals from Island Bike and Cart Rental. They were really nice and able to get me started out on my Put-In-Bay journey!

2. A visit to Put-In-Bay is not complete without a trip to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, which was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812, and to celebrate the long-lasting peace between Britain, Canada and the U.S. The incredible view at the top also gives you a view of Canada!

3. Check out the Family Fun Center at Perry’s Cave! They have mini-golf, rock-climbing, gemstone mining, a serene butterfly house, Fort-AMAZE’N and of course Perry’s Cave, which is a wonder of rock formations and a very old ancient spring and new this year is Gotcha Laser Tag.

My prize for finishing the maze!

4. The Put-In-Bay Tour Train is a great way to see the island, especially if you did not rent a golf cart and would like to see the island through a more formal guided tour! If your kids are older, check out the Segway tours offered on the island a unique way to get around such a unique place.

**If you are staying overnight and looking for additional activities for the kids, check out Adventure Bay

1. During the day, grab some super-duper, make-your-mouth-water, Lobster Bisque from the Boardwalk – you may think its a bit pricy for soup, but trust me – splurge while your on the island and enjoy – you will thank me later 😉

View from Put-In-Bay Winery

2. Close by the Boardwalk is the Put-In-Bay winery, with a great selection of wines and great service! The view is amazing. Purchase a glass and enjoy the lake view from their porch.

Full moon and a cozy fire at The Keys

3. Check out dinner at the Keys, where you can find the Nagoya Sushi restaurant and they have a wonderful lakeside location with some welcoming adirondack chairs and cozy fire at night . If you are looking for a place to cool off during the day, this is also a great spot to be. They have mist fans and lots of frozen libations at their Fat Tuesday bar downstairs to help all your cares wane away (at least while you’re on the island 😉 )

4. Pub crawling at PIB is tradition, ney, an institution. Even if you aren’t much of a wine or beer enthusiast, the atmosphere is light-hearted and each tavern has its own theme and entertainment throughout the week. You can go from Blues to Rock to Country Bands to Dueling Piano’s to DJs and even Bag Pipes or find a spot at an outdoor bar with the sand under your feet and swings instead of barstools!

TIP: There are several taxi’s that operate late into the night to make sure all guest return to their lodging safely, so please be safe and use a taxi to get into town if you plan on making a long night of it.

Click here for a list of local restaurant and watering holes

5. For a post-pub crawl (or should I say PIB crawl? ) treat, grab a pizza at the Put-In-Bay Brewing Company (which has some great beers to try if you like craft brews!)

TIP: These are just the top 5 I discovered on my weekend there…there is so much more to do, see, enjoy and savour which I hope to discover on my next trip there!

Why we love Miller Ferry…