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About Put-in-BayYou won't find an abundance of cars at this popular summer resort destination. Although vehicles are permitted on South Bass Island, parking is very limited. The alternative is to rent a bicycle or golf cart once you arrive. The main visitation season runs April through October; if you prefer fewer crowds, consider visiting Sunday through Thursday. Two ferries provide transportation from the mainland. Jet Express Ferry, (800) 245-1538, carries passengers from Port Clinton and Sandusky to the island May through October. Miller Boat Line, (419) 285-2421 or (800) 500-2421, transports passengers and automobiles late March through November from Catawba Island. In addition to its extensive access to Lake Erie, the island's other claim to fame is Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial , just outside the village.
Lake Erie affords great recreational opportunities like boating, kayaking, parasailing, sailing and jet skiing; there are multiple places to rent watercraft. Put-In-Bay has two public beaches, both of which offer nice scenery; a sandy beach is at the end of Delaware Avenue and a pebble beach is in South Bass Island State Park. A boat ramp is located downtown next to the Jet Express Ferry dock. You can fish at South Bass Island and Oak Point state parks; picnicking is permitted at both. South Bass Island State Park also offers camping facilities, boat rentals and a launch ramp, and if you look closely at some of the limestone bedrock in the park, you may be able to see some glacial striations, small grooves created from rocks in the glaciers that once covered the area. If you plan to fish with children while you're here, you may want to go to the Aquatic Visitors Center on SR 357. The facility offers free bait and fishing gear for those under age 16.
There are many other activities to occupy your time. Watch the lake and Delaware Avenue activity from DeRivera Park, a grassy area with picnic tables, benches, a fountain and a playground. The area is a good locale for bird-watching, particularly May 1-20 and in September during migrations. Stroll the downtown streets and do some boutique and souvenir shopping. Pop into the Carriage House gift shop, 150 Delaware Ave., to buy tickets to ride Kimberly's Carousel, a 1917 Allen Herschel creation from North Tonawanda, N.Y., that usually runs mid-June through Labor Day. Several dozen special events are held during the main tourist season. A regularly held event is an antique car parade passing through downtown each Sunday afternoon—a big treat for classic and historic car fans.
Visitor Centers Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau 148 Delaware Ave. Put-in-Bay, OH 43456. Phone:(419)285-2832
Things to Do Crystal Cave
Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum
Perry's Cave Family Fun Center
WINERIES Heineman Winery
Put In Bay, OH
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