How To Spend A Day In Erie, PA

Erie is a short trip from the city of Pittsburgh. It also happens to be a great place to spend a day (or weekend). Erie has many options for attractions, here are a few of them.

Presque Isle State Park

A beach in PA?! Yep! On Presque Isle, you can lay on the beach and splash in the waters of Lake Erie. There are several beach options. Some beaches are more quiet, while others have concession stands and volleyball courts. Therefore, it has something for everyone! If you aren’t a “lay on the beach” person, they have a wonderful trail. You can rent a bike or roller blades for a reasonable price.

Erie Zoo

The Erie Zoo is small, but I really enjoy it. You get a close-up experience to the animals. This year, they had a baby siamang and baby orangutan. They were so cute! You can spend 1-2 hours here, depending on your pace. They have a playground for kids and a train that goes around the perimeter of the park.

Tom Ridge Environmental Center

Admission is free to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Here, you can learn about Presque Isle’s ecosystem. They also have a tower that offers a spectacular view of the lake.

Bicentennial Tower

The Bicentennial Tower offers a panoramic view of Lake Erie. In addition to the tower, the location close to water tours, charter tours, Erie Maritime Museum, and a few restaurants.

View from Rum Runners Cove

Splash Lagoon

Splash Lagoon is a great place for kids. Seriously, why do kids love water so much? Haha. You can conveniently stay right at the park at one of the hotels. Aside from the water park, they also have an arcade and laser tag.

Waldameer Water World

I have been to Waldameer, but it was when I was younger, so I cannot remember much about it. It is a nice sized park and reasonably priced. They have both amusement rides and a water park.

What are you waiting for? Go visit Erie!