Destination:  Put in Bay, Ohio.

The Lake Erie islands are a mecca for recreational boaters.   Although each island has its own personality and style, one of the most popular destinations is Put-in-Bay.   Well protected from wind and waves, it is an ideal boating location whether you spend the day or a long weekend.  With many festivals throughout the summer months, from family friendly weekends to more boisterous events, there is always something cooking in PIB.  In this first installment of a continuing destinations series, we’ll give you our insights on what you need to know to make your visit to Put-in-Bay a memorable one.

Put-in-Bay is located in the western basin of Lake Erie on South Bass Island.   The bay played an important role in the War of 1812, harboring the U.S. naval squadron of Commander Oliver Hazard Perry.  Perry’s defeat of the British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813 allowed America to retake control of Lake Erie from the British.  In addition to being the namesake of the Great Lakes Brewing Company’s excellent Commodore Perry IPA, the victory in the Battle of Lake Erie produced two famous quotes associated with Commander Perry:

“Don’t give up the Ship”

“We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

Put-in-Bay’s protected harbor is now one of the preeminent boating destinations on the Great Lakes.  It is easily reachable for a weekend getaway by boat from major metropolitan areas ranign from Detroit to Cleveland, as well as from the Canadian north shore.  If you own a boat in the area and you haven’t been, you’ll certainly want to get a trip to Put-in-Bay on your boating calendar.  If you don’t want to bring your boat or just want to do a quick day trip from the mainland, jump on the Jet express which leaves every couple of hours from Port Clinton and downtown Sandusky.  A round trip adult ticket is $40 and can be bought at jet-express.com.  The trip from either port takes only 30 minutes or so, and the catamaran ride of the large jet-powered ferries is smooth and predictable in almost all weather conditions.  

Where to dock: Popular weekends can be exceedingly busy, so to ensure you get a spot, you’d be well advised to get an early start to ensure you can beat the heavy rush of boats that begin to arrive by late Friday afternoon.   We never had any trouble as long as we got there before about 3:00 p.m.  The village of Put-in-Bay maintains three large boat docks in the downtown area.  There is usually space available as long as you’re there early, but make sure you bring plenty of bumpers as you may be required by the dock master to “raft off” from from up to two to four vessels. There is also a public mooring field directly in front of the Boardwalk restaurant right in the bay.  There are private marinas and docks available as well, some of which take reservations, but they are less ideally located than the public options.  If your float plan has you in Put-in-Bay mid-week, you should not have any trouble finding a place to dock, but the main village docks in town are usually rafted at least three deep by Friday evening.

Our recommendation:  If you want to be plugged in, or you really like to party, grab a spot at one of the village docks.  They operate on a first-come first-served basis and can be hailed on channel 9 upon entering the harbor.  Rates are currently $1.60 per foot per night.   You’re sure to make a few new friends or maybe get in a fist fight, if that’s your thing.   But if your boat is under 52 feet and you are looking for something a little more tranquil, we recommend grabbing a mooring ball in the mooring field.  Mooring balls costs $35 per night and are also picked up on a first-come first-served basis. Fear not for those without a dinghy, you’ll be able to get easily in and out of town by hailing the free water taxi that serves the moored boats. Don’t forget to tip the excellent taxi captains, who will amaze you with their boat handling skills.  The water taxi operated from morning until just BEFORE last call.   Don’t make the mistake of assuming that the taxi is in operation after last call.  The park benches aren’t as comfortable as your v-berth and you will likely consider several times whether you can make the swim to your boat in your particular condition.  Anyway, just pull into the mooring field ad grab any available ball, the water taxi operator will be around shortly to check you in and collect the fee.  Keep in mind that the mooring field also tends to fill up early, and consider that the balls closer to the main channel suffer a little more wave action from passing ferries and other boats and in certain wind conditions.    

If you do find that you’re arriving a bit later and there’s no accomodations to be had, a decent fallback plan is the state park marina at neighboring Middle Bass Island.   You can even book spots at the marina in advance, which isn’t a bad idea if you’re traveling a long way.   A quick hop will have you over there from Put-in-Bay in a few minutes, and it is a very clean and well run facility.  You can still enjoy all Put-in-Bay has to offer by jumping on the Sonny S ferry that runs regularly between Middle Bass Island and Put-in-Bay. 

Things to do:  While Put-in-Bay is known for its legendary nightlife and themed festivals, there are actually quite a few other attractions on the island.   Take a few of them in before descending into the belly of the beast.  Rent a golf cart from one of several vendors for a few hours and take a leisurely drive around the lesser seen parts of the island.  You can’t get lost as the road essentially make a large circle around island and there are some hidden gems to be found when you get out of the well-worn downtown streets.   

Our recommendations:  

• Perry’s Monument.  Anthony T. Hincks said “The first sailors didn’t sail in friendships….they sailed in warships.”  And so it was at Put-in-Bay.  Visit the 352-foot monument to Commander Perry and take in the views of the harbor from the observation deck.  The visitor center is free to the public but it costs $7 to take the elevator to the observation deck.  Look out on the harbor as if you were standing in Commander Perry’s crow’s nest, and “Don’t Give Up the Ship.” 
• Put in Bay Winery.   If wine is your thing, stop in at the Put-in-Bay winery.   It is very close to the heart of downtown, but feels quite removed, with a large vineyard-like expanse with a patio in the back.   It’s not Napa Valley, but it’s is a nice place to get away from the boisterous fun of the main strip.
• South Bass Island State Park.   If you like to do some camping, the South Bass Island State Park is clear across the island on the western shore.  Parts of the campground sit on a large bluff looking out over the lake.   There is a nice beach area as well.    
• Perry’s cave.  A perfect place to go with younger kids.  The crystal cave is pretty cool and can be toured in about 20 minutes, but there are a few other kid-friendly things to do onsite, including the Butterfly House, which is home to over 50 different types of exotic butterflies from all over the world.   

After you’re done seeing the sights, it’s time to enjoy the the Put-in-Bay island-style nightlife, and just about every establishment has live music every night.  

Our favorites places to eat:  

• Frosty Bar.  If you want to keep it simple, you can’t beat picking up a pizza from Frosty’s  and heading back to the boat.  Stop in and have a drink while you wait, the place is much more expansive than it appears from the street.  Frost’y’s is also open in the morning and has an excellent breakfast menu.  If you really need a bit of fortification after a big night, go for the Breakfast Meatloaf Benedict.   
• The Boardwalk.  Positioned out over the harbor a bit removed from the bustle of the main drag, the Boardwalk has several levels all with live entertainment and dining options.  Definitely enjoy the excellent clam chowder while doing a little boat watching from the top deck.  
• Hooligan’s Irish Pub.   Although the name is fairly ubiquitous as far as Irish bars go, and suggestive of a more rough and tumble crowd, Hooligan’s feels like a warm and traditional public house.  The food and atmosphere are great, and the hearty Irish fare will set you up nicely for the rest of the evening.     

Our favorite bar:  All of the bars in town are fantastic and there is certainly something for everyone, from the full country-vibe at T&J’s Smokehouse, which has live country music and even a mechanical bull, to the huge Beer Barrel Saloon, which claims to be home to the world’s longest bar.   Mojito Bay has a full sand floor throughout the bar and rope swing bar seats.  But our favorite is also the oldest bar in town and should not be missed..  The Roundhouse Bar, built in 1873, is the de facto capital of Put-in-Bay nightlife.  Be sure to catch Mike “Mad Dog” Adams show that starts at 2:00 p.m. most weekend afternoons.  You”ll leave with a full appreciation of being above ground for yet another day.   

Finally, a word of caution if you’re going to Put-in-Bay with kids under the age of 13 or so.  Much like when I took my boys to their first professional football game in Buffalo when they were 12 and 9, if you’re with your kids in downtown Put-in-Bay after about 9:00 p.m., they may see some stuff.   Stuff like maybe a person or two “sleeping” on the sidewalk.  Stuff like a lot of people will seem to have food poisoning.  Stuff that growing up in the 70’s and 80’s I always thought was very oddly called “heavy petting.”  You pet your pet.  That’s not how we pet the dog.  Weird.  Anyway, the island vibe still prevails and the PIB police force keeps everything copasetic, but just like when someone transforms to a zombie in The Walking Dead, there seems to be a snap transformation in the condition of the island revelers after a certain hour. All the more reason to be happily bobbing on your mooring ball after dinner.

Nonetheless, the good times far outweigh some minor mental scars imparted to your children.  So if you’re looking for your next destination on Lake Erie, Put-in-Bay should be high on your list.   Your liver likely won”t be thanking you for the effort, but we’re sure you’ll leave already planning next year’s Put-in-Bay excursion.