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Staycations and Day Trips Around Erie County
No need to break the bank or deplete vacation days for these fun outings within an hour of Erie
July 5, 2023 at 7:45 AM
Jessica Hunter
A short drive to a lake with a different vibe, Chautauqua, New York, offers waterfront activities as well as great cultural events at their Chautauqua Institution.
While there are certainly no lack of fun activities to be had in Erie proper, sometimes it's nice to take a drive and explore somewhere new. Erie is situated perfectly between New York State and Ohio, where a short drive allows you to visit someplace totally different. Check out these fun day trips and head out on an adventure! (This article originally appeared in our 2023 City Guide, available to view here)
Just shy of an hour's drive from Erie is an absolute gem of a museum in Jamestown, New York, a must-visit for anyone who enjoys laughter. The 37,000-square-foot National Comedy Center opened in 2018 with over 50 immersive, fascinating, and hilarious exhibits covering the history of comedy. It was named one of TIME Magazine's World's Greatest Places in 2019 and USA Today awarded it Best New Museum in 2020. August 2-6 is also the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival.
203 W. 2nd St., Jamestown, N.Y.
While it's tough to beat Presque Isle right in our own backyard, it can still be fun to explore the various towns on the shores of Lake Erie. One of these popular destinations is about an hour westward into Ohio at Geneva-on-the-Lake, a small resort village of about 900 people, with a unique atmosphere and plenty of food, wine, attractions, and shops. After soaking in some sun and taking a dip in the lake, take the scenic route back and snag some White Turkey Drive-in in Conneaut on the way home.
Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio
June marks the grand opening of a brand new retro pinball and video arcade in Girard, Ohio. With over 300 pinball machines and 150 classic arcade games — many of which are rare imported vintage games — it will provide more than enough fun and entertainment for the whole family. It is also home to the Holy Grail Video Game Store.
419 N. State St., Girard, Ohio
Head south to Cambridge Springs and experience the historic and newly renovated Riverside Golf Course. With new ownership in 2021, enjoy the improvements to the course (including a new golf cart fleet and Finn Cycles) and then swing into their restaurant The Rambler, themed after Leon Ray Livingston, the self-proclaimed "King of the Hoboes," whose travels took him through his favorite stopping ground of Cambridge Springs before eventually settling in Erie.
24527 US Hwy. 6 & 19, Cambridge Springs
One could make a day out of simply driving around Titusville (or nearby Oil City and Franklin) and looking at the historic homes. History buffs can also make a day out of visiting the Drake Well Museum & Park, Tarbell House, and Pithole Center, while also enjoying a train ride, nature trails, and the small-town feel of the region. Snag a bite to eat at Titusville Iron Works and, if you decide to stick around for another day, book a room in the unique Caboose Motel — inside a renovated caboose car.
Titusville, Pa.
If you're already familiar with the spillway at Pymatuning State Park, you might take for granted that it is absolutely one of the strangest, yet most mesmerizing roadside attractions in America. For many, throwing bread to the thousands of carp (and birds looking to snag it out of the air) is a childhood rite-of-passage. That's about it for the spillway, so to make a day out of it, be sure to visit one or all of the many nearby small towns such as Conneaut Lake, Andover, or Jamestown.
12318 Hartstown Rd., Linesville, Pa.
Canadohta Lake, Pa.
Chautauqua, N.Y.
11100 W. Lake Rd., Lake City, Pa.
Findley Lake, N.Y.
2574 Lincoln Hwy., Ligonier, Pa.
Seneca-Iroquois National Museum
82 W. Hetzel St., Salamanca, N.Y.
1028 South Shore Dr., Irving, N.Y.
Van Buren Drive-in & Activities Center
5349 Van Buren Rd., Dunkirk, N.Y.
22079 State Hwy. 198, Saegertown, Pa.