Weekend Trip Idea: Erie PA

It’s a underlying theme in my writing that I don’t give western Pennsylvania that much love, mostly because it’s an area I’m unfamiliar with. To help try and rectify this, this week’s “Weekend Trip Idea” is Erie, PA.

I feel like I literally never hear anything about it, but Erie is the 4th largest city  in PA (behind Philly, Pitt, Allentown) with a population of 102,000 people. It sits on the shore of Lake Erie.

I’m a sucker for anything maritimesque, give me old ships, marinas, lighthouses, sailboats and a pair of Topsiders and I’m all set. The problem is that due to Shark Week and my brother’s irrational fear of sharks, I don’t love being out at sea. Erie is the perfect solution. It has old ships, marinas, lighthouses and sailboats (and I own a pair of Topsiders) but is located on a lake!

There’s three lighthouses in Erie, if like me, you seek them out. There’s the Erie Land Light , the Presque Isle Light and the North Pier Light.

Dobbins Landing is a waterfront tourist area that includes a wharf, the Erie Bicentennial Tower, several hotels and a convention center as well as where you can catch a water taxi.  The Flagship Niagara, a replica of a old tall masted sailing ship form the War of 1812 and the Erie Maritime Museum gives you insight into the town and the lake’s maritime history and traditions.

If you want a more hands on approach take some sailing lessons or for a drier option, check out the Seaway Trail a scenic drive circumnavigating the Great Lakes.

The port of Erie is actually shielded from Lake Erie by Presque Isle State Park, the most visited state park in PA.

And after you’ve pretended to be a mariner for the day, check out the regions wineries or area breweries.