Location: Kelleys Island
Top Things to do in Kelleys Island
- 1. Glacial Grooves State Memorial
- 2. Marblehead Lighthouse
- 3. Lakeside Chautauqua
- 4. Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
- 5. Kelleys Island State Park
- 6. South Bass Island
- 7. Cathy's Wire Art Jewelry
- 8. Put-in-Bay Winery
- 9. Kelley's Island Ferry Boat line
- 10. Kelleys Island Historical Association
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Kelleys Island, United States
Kelleys Island is both a village in Erie County, Ohio, United States, and the island which it fully occupies in Lake Erie. The area was originally known by the British as Sandusky Island, and later officially designated by the U.S. as Island Number 6 and Cunningham Island. It was renamed Kelleys Island in 1840 by brothers Datus and Irad Kelley, who had purchased nearly the entire island.
Restaurants in Kelleys Island
1. Glacial Grooves State Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 206 reviews
Reviewed By hoosierbirder - Carmel, Indiana
Glacial grooves in the bedrock pretty awesome very nice information signage and walkway. This is natural history at its best. Wisconsin glacial period left giant grooves in the bed rock exposed during a quarry operation. Very nicely preserved and present it for the public.
2. Marblehead Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 499 reviews
One of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes, it towers 65 feet into the air.
Reviewed By Les H - Ohio
This is such a beautiful, peaceful place to visit. Plenty of benches and tables to rest. I got to meet a gentleman that was painting the sign. Really nice guy. Keep up the good work.
3. Lakeside Chautauqua
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
For more than 140 years, Lakeside Chautauqua has welcomed families to the Lake Erie shore to take part in a summer Chautauqua experience dedicated to nurturing mind, body and spirit. Lakeside Chautauqua is an historic community in Ohio that offers an abundance of spiritual opportunities, educational lectures, cultural arts performances and recreational activities during its 10-week summer programming season. It is also a year-round destination for groups of all sizes.
Reviewed By shastam - Benton, Ohio
While Lakeside is a great spot for families, with lots of kid activities, it's also great for grown-ups who need a break. I look so forward to sunset strolls, lots of reading on the pier or the porch, and the slower Lakeside pace. This year a new dining spot made the trip even better -- don't miss the Bluebird Cafe.
4. Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 681 reviews
Rising 352 feet above Lake Erie, this monument commemorates an American victory during the War of 1812.
Reviewed By lupaglupa - Albany, New York
The War of 1812 doesn't get a lot of attention in the USA and the naval battles of the war seem to get the least of what attention is paid. This historic site does a good job correcting that. A short film gives an overview of the war and the naval battle and exhibits make clear what might have been hard to picture from the film (naval tactics being little studied these days). The monument itself was closed for renovations when we visited but we can well imagine the good views it would give of the lake and the island.
5. Kelleys Island State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By Cleanhotels - Columbus, Ohio
There is a HUGE water conditions sign in the park....stay out if green algae exsists. Parents had toddlers sitting in it. Just gross. As for the island, rent a golf cart. Yes, you could walk....if VERY fit. $14 an hour for a golf cart is well worth it. It also provides a nice breeze during the July heat and gives you an opportunity to leave towels water etc. We had hoped to see black squirrels, like on Put-n-Bay island but not sure if they are on Kelleys Island. A nice ferry ride, a few shops to grab drinks or snacks along your hike or golf cart trek, the glacial grooves are inspiring to look at. We had fun, just wish Lake Erie wasn't so smarmy.
6. South Bass Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 298 reviews
Theres plenty to see at South Bass Island, such as the Marblehead Lighthouse, the Cedar Point Amusement Park, and the William Perry Monument, and its fishing opportunities cant be beat, especially if you're fishing for Walleye and Perch.
Reviewed By local43944 - Steubenville, Ohio
This was a late summer, last minute trip. We took Millers Ferry to and from the Island. We really enjoyed the ferry ride and Millers Ferry does a great job taking folks to and from the Island. We had planned to visit on a week day, but the weather didn't cooperate, so we went on a Saturday. BIG MISTAKE! If you want a golf cart on a weekend, you really need to reserve it ahead of time, otherwise the chances are great you won't get one. We took a taxi into town, and took the trolley tour, which was a good way to see and learn about the island. We came to the realization that golf carts are mostly PARKED, as the majority are there to drink and party. The main attraction appears to be hanging out at the bars. We didn't find much in the way of kid friendly activities, or points of interest other than bar hopping. Perry's monument was closed, but we did enjoy the museum and the grounds. There is a Central Park with beautiful playground equipment and restroom facilities and picnic tables and this is where our grandson spent several hours playing and where famililies appeared to be spending the majority of their day. We found a little bakery just past the carousel and near the trolley depot for our lunch. The workers were friendly and food decent. If you have a sweet tooth, the pastries looked delicious! They had a few tables to sit outside. Of course there are many BIG restaurants along the main drag, we chose to skip the crowds. The carousel is worth a stop and a ride. For about 5.00 you can ride more than once...hope I saw that correctly...so I would recommend stopping early so the kids can ride several times during the day. It is the oldest wooden carousel in the world, and lovingly taken care of! The shops are mostly t shirts and beachy trinkets...not much of interest. On a beautiful day I imagine riding around the island on the golf cart could be fun...the weekends I think there's just too many people zipping around on them and we witnessed the police on five different occasions pulling a cart over. We ended up leaving the island by 6 as it just wasn't a good environment for the evening. We were disappointed, as we had been to the island many, many years ago and didn't remember the excessive bar scene. This is definitely an adult destination. All in all a pretty place, but not the best family destination.
7. Cathy's Wire Art Jewelry
Overall Ratings
5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By Angela W
My friend and I had the pleasure of visiting Cathy's store in June while we were visiting Kelly's Island for the day. We had a lively discussion about her work and the area and how she comes across the unique stones. She was such a great hostess and told us about the history of the island and how long she has been there, it was very interesting and so much fun. Her pieces are high quality and so pretty, I get compliments every time I wear her pieces. I highly recommend visiting this store, you will enjoy yourself and get some really pretty jewelry!!!
8. Put-in-Bay Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
Reviewed By bjorn5555 - Ohio
Mostly sweet wines. Poor selection of wines. Don't go here if your looking for fine wines. Nice bay front location and tables on the bay.
9. Kelley's Island Ferry Boat line
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By miss_patty526 - Parma, Ohio
Taking a ferry has always been fun for us because we don't have a boat and this is a way for us to see some of the lake. More importantly, the ride doesn't take long to get over to the island where the fun can really begin. Prices are fair and the service is really good.
10. Kelleys Island Historical Association
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14 reviews
Kelleys Island History Museum & gift shop. the grounds include an 1866 stone church and 1888 parsonage which serves as a resale shop.
Reviewed By Tigercar5 - Zanesville, Ohio
We decided to go and check out the museum and were glad we did. The cost for 3 seniors was $ 5.00 total which was well worth it. There was lots of information about the wineries, gravel pits, historical homes and their owners, the school (being a retired teacher that was of interest to me) and the military aspect of the island. There were two volunteers who worked there and they were both extremely friendly and answered our questions we had. It would be a wonderful activity for people to do on a rainy day :)
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