Free
Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
The oldest lighthouse in continuous use on the Great Lakes, on a rocky point. Grounds are free; tower climbs in season.
Lake Erie Shores, Ohio
Sandusky
Home of Cedar Point, and the launch point for the Lake Erie islands, glacial grooves, Perry's monument and the oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes.
Photo: Marblehead Lighthouse, Ohio, Chris "Mr. Pants" Landis, CC BY 2.0
Sandusky sits on Sandusky Bay, with Cedar Point's coasters looping on a peninsula across the water. The old downtown has a waterfront park and a merry-go-round museum. It's a town that likes to spin.
Ferries head out to Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay, and Marblehead Lighthouse, in use since 1822, stands at the tip of the nearby peninsula. Pick an island and go exploring.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Kelleys Island Glacial Grooves
Deep grooves carved into limestone by glaciers, on Kelleys Island. Free to view; the ferry is paid.
Free
Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve
A walk through marsh and woods to a Lake Erie beach, famous for spring bird migration.
Free
Jackson Street Pier and Washington Park
Downtown waterfront and formal gardens on Sandusky Bay.
Free
East Harbor State Park
A long Lake Erie beach and marsh trails on the Marblehead Peninsula.
Paid
Island ferries
Car and passenger ferries run to Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay from the peninsula and Sandusky.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Cheap
Merry-Go-Round Museum
A museum of carousel history in a former post office downtown, with a working carousel.
Cheap
Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial
A towering Doric column on Put-in-Bay honouring the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie and lasting peace between the US, Britain and Canada.
Paid
Cedar Point
A huge amusement park on a Lake Erie peninsula, known for record-breaking roller coasters.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Paid
Maritime Museum of Sandusky
Local Lake Erie shipping, ice-harvesting and ferry history.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Historic downtown Sandusky
A walkable downtown of 1800s limestone buildings, shops and cafés near the bay.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Kelleys Island Ferry
Car and passenger ferry from Marblehead.
Miller Ferry to Put-in-Bay
Car ferry to South Bass Island from Catawba.
Jet Express
Fast passenger boats to Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island.
Goodtime I
Lake Erie island cruises from downtown Sandusky.
Season Island cruises roughly late June–late Aug (check before you go).
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Cedar Point Tickets
Part of our Lake Erie, Ohio guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Cedar Point is a full day, and the islands are another.
- Island ferries leave early, so staying close makes the morning easy.
- A Lake Erie sunset over the bay is a fine end to a long day.
Nearby and worth the drive
Put-in-Bayabout 45 min · Guide ↗
Ferry to South Bass Island and Perry's Victory monument.
Kelleys Islandabout 40 min
Glacial grooves and a quiet island by ferry.
Ready-made trips with Sandusky
2 days · Sandusky
Marblehead and the Lake Erie ferries
A shore weekend from Sandusky: Marblehead Lighthouse, then a day-trip ferry to the glacial grooves or the Perry monument.
4 days · Hocking Hills → Sandusky
Ohio caves and Lake Erie
Recess caves and gorges in the hills, then lighthouses and island ferries.
3 days · Sandusky → Put-in-Bay
Sandusky and Put-in-Bay
Three days that include a night on the island: the Marblehead shore, then the ferry to Put-in-Bay for Perry's Memorial, Crystal Cave and a bike loop of South Bass Island.
Good to know
- Tourism: shoresandislands.com.
- Islands: Ferries to Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay run mostly spring to fall.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Marblehead Lighthouse, Ohio, Chris "Mr. Pants" Landis, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Glacial grooves on Kelleys Island, James St. John, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial over Put-in-Bay harbour, Janeceyatsko, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: A roller coaster at Cedar Point, Cmedinger, CC BY-SA 3.0