4 Wintertime Ways to Explore Lake Erie Shores & Islands - Cleveland Article

1. Rustic Charm

Make the most of the snowy northern Ohio winters inside the oh-so-cozy Sawmill Creek Resort with its rustic charm, quaint upscale shops, three eateries, indoor pool and more than 200 beautifully appointed rooms.

Got adventure running in your blood? Then, take the fun outside to explore the wonders of nature. Sawmill Creek Resort offers snowshoe rentals for its 500-acre nature preserve brimming with walking paths to explore. In addition, they offer ice skate rentals for skating on their scenic pond (weather permitting).  

2. Indoor Waterparks

Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge, Castaway Bay—OH MY! Sandusky is an indoor waterpark paradise with a number of these waterpark-meets-theme-park-meets-resort properties dotting Sandusky’s map. Winter can be one of the best times of the year to visit, as they offer the perfect weather respite from the cold.

Inside Kalahari—the largest of all the properties—you’ll be met with a top-of-the-line spa in addition to its dozens and dozens of slides, surf machines, pools, arcades and more. 

Head over to Great Wolf Lodge and the kids will go nuts for the outdoorsy theme matched against a super cute kids club, sweets shop, great restaurants, a sizable waterpark and some seriously cool hotel rooms.

And, attached to Cedar Point Amusement Park, is the famous Castaway Bay featuring an indoor wave pool, slides, water activity areas, a spa, restaurants and a few surprise visits from the PEANUTS gang.

3. Winter Fests

Who says festivals should only be held during the summer months?! Lake Erie Shores & Islands heats up during the wintertime with a bevy of area festivals. 

This includes the Ice-A-Fair in nearby Vermilion scheduled for Feb. 4, 2017. Now in its ninth year, Ice-A-Fair features more than 50 ice sculptures on display, as well as ice carving, ice harvesting, ice fishing and ice boating demonstrations.

Then, of course, there’s the Burning Snowman Festival in Port Clinton on Feb. 25, 2017.  The event, which started in 2015, features indie music, craft beer, food and—no joke—a  25-foot-tall snowman that the town literally lights on fire. You’ve got to see it to believe it.

4. Ready, Set, February!

While January means that many area museums are closed for updates and rehabs, the opposite goes for February. That’s when places like the Merry-Go-Round Museum, Milan History Museum, Maritime Museum of Sandusky and the Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum reopen for business offering a full year of family fun.