Sunsets at Lake Erie PA make a romantic weekend
Sunset Lake Erie
If you’re looking for a memorable way to spend a weekend Lake Erie is the place to be. This is an impressive romantic weekend away. Our Anniversary falls over Memorial Day weekend. Every year we look for a new place to spend our anniversary. This year was the lake. Lake Erie is full of beautiful sunsets and places to take fantastic pictures. You don’t have to be a photographer to get beautiful pictures. The scenery steals the show and makes the amateur photographer look like a pro.
Dinner Cruise on the Victorian Princess
One way to captivate the majestic sunsets is to be in the middle of the lake during sunset. The Victorian Princess offers dinner cruises (located at 1 State Street Erie Pa) that take you around the lake and bring you back just after sunset. We took the sunset dinner cruise. If you are going to book this cruise, I recommend getting there early for two reasons. First parking is very limited because there are other venues that are going on at the same time as your cruise at the same location and parking is limited. If you are dressing up for the cruise you may want to take walking shoes and change them before the cruise. I saw a few people do this on our cruise.
Bicentennial Tower Observation
The second reason is that the boat sits right next to the Bicentennial Tower in Dobbins Landing. There are limited benches there but if you can snag one it is a good place to sit and watch the water and lake before your cruise sets off. Also, for great photos while you’re waiting take advantage of the bicentennial tower’s views while you are there. This tower was built in 1996 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the city's founding. There are two observation decks. The lower one is free. The second one is 137 feet off the ground and requires a ticket. You can take the 210 steps or take the elevator. Bicentennial is dubbed Eries’s landmark and claims on clear days you can see Long Point in Ontario, Canada which is 27 miles away.
Once it is time for you to board your dinner cruise you will be greeted by the crew of the ship during onboarding. There is seating on both decks and you will need to find your table identified by a place card. The staff works the bar and the buffet and will let you get in line by the table. They serve from a buffet-style table in the middle of the ship. The upper deck gets served first. They also start serving the food early. You will have plenty of time to eat and still enjoy the views. Dinner is followed by dessert.
After the desert, we went out to the front part of the ship to enjoy the sunset. The sky looked like cotton candy that night. It started off with blues and yellows and then as we got closer back to the port it turned pink and purple. We were able to see the lake shore the whole time during the boat ride. We also saw lighthouses on our trip. The boat ride was very smooth and relatively slow going for those who get motion sick it was one of the easiest boat rides I have been on. Depending on your sensitivity you may still want to take the side of caution since you will be eating and on a boat that still does go over some waves and take motion sickness medicine early just to be preemptive. The Victorian Princess is a paddle boat that you could see from inside the ship behind the bar. On the way off the boat, the ship’s crew does bid you farewell with a tip jar.
Capture History
In this same area don’t pass by the Erie Maritime Museum & Us Brig Niagara for an educational experience. Learn about the War of 1812, the battle of Lake Erie, the importance of lighthouses, and get to see the remains of the first iron-hulled warship built in 1843. There is a lot of history to be found here.
Go Animal Watching at the ZOO
Located not far away is the Erie Zoo at 423 West 38th Street Erie, PA 16508. The zoo is on the smaller side so it does not take long to get through about two hours. It is open from March 1-November 30th. On the day we went they had a butterfly exhibit where you could feed them and they would land on your hands. They also have a train ride that takes you around the perimeter. In the middle of the park is the food court with picnic tables under large shady trees and an expansive outdoor model train display. Throughout the park, there were zookeepers stationed that told you stories about the animals in their care. Most of the animals were a relatively up-close experience and were not in hiding. There are also a lot of shade trees along the walking paths which help keep you cool. The reptile house is a large indoor exhibit. Outside of that is a kid’s playground on one side and an indoor carousel on the other.
We enjoyed taking our time and watching the animals. We had to wait in line for 45 minutes to get in so we were prepared to not be able to see much because of the crowds. Once inside we went straight to the center zoo and ate lunch since we got there when it first opened. Most people went to look at the animals. By the time we were done with lunch, we walked the whole zoo and had no problems with crowds of people or not being able to see the animals. Most people were spread out and we did not have to wait to see most of the animals. The orangutangs were popular with the kids and we did have to wait to see them up close because the kids sat in Infront of the glass for a long time and were quite entertained by these animals. The zoo has white rhinos and a Visayan Warty Pig that we watched for quite a long time. The warty pig was playing in the mud and having the best day.
Relax at the Beach
After all that walking Presque Isle is a great place to sit and relax. You can put up your beach chairs and watch the waves come into the shore. It has over 3,200 acres of sandy beaches on the peninsula that is surrounded by Lake Erie. It is only open during the day so get there early to make the most of the park. Bird watchers will love this park. Because of its unique habitats, it has a considerable number of endangered and rare birds. To learn more about the birds and other environmental information on site visit the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Admission is free and there is an observation tower as well. You can also view the haven of Full Point to see migrating birds taking a rest. There is an observation platform on the hiking trail.
Make sure you pack a picnic basket for lunch. There are Picnic Pavilions and shelters available for rental if you want to have lunch with electricity and water. Reservations need to be made in advance so call the park or go online if you want to reserve a table.
After lunch unwind on a Presque Isle scenic boat tour. Take in the sites of the waterfront on the 90-minute tour. Along the way, you will get to see the skyline, lighthouses, and wildlife. The tour guides are knowledgeable and very informative. You will learn all about the development of Lake Erie, its history, and what it is doing today. You will also learn about Erie’s environment and wildlife. The boats are smaller so it is very personable and you can ask questions and have conversations with your guide. Reservations are needed in advance so call early to book. (814-836-0201 or 800-988-5780)
If you are not tired of being on the water, try the Yellow Bike Rentals and rent a paddle boat for the evening. If you are more of a landlubber, rent a bicycle or take a stroll along one of the many nature trails in the park.
These events are a great way for couples to relax and enjoy what the area has to offer. I hope you are inspired to take the trip and visit Erie or create your own adventure.
