On Island Attractions

Indulge your sweet tooth at Put-in-Bay’s very own Chocolate Museum. Right here on the Ohio Islands, visitors can learn about chocolate’s rich history, then appreciate it firsthand by tasting one of 100 different types of sinfully delicious chocolates on sale. Take home a chocolaty Put-in-Bay souvenir or enjoy fresh roasted coffee and dessert right there on the island. one of the sweetest places on the island to visit.

South Bass Island may not be a big place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get lost in it! Visitors to Fort Amaze’n are challenged to find their way out of this maze, which is reconfigured and changed over time. Race your friends and family or try to beat your best time at this challenging Put-in-Bay attraction on the island! Admission is $4.50 the first time around, and $2.50 after. Located at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center on the island.

The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum offers a comprehensive history of not only Put-in-Bay and South Bass Island, but all the other Lake Erie islands too. The museum’s three buildings showcase information on winemaking at the bay, the Hotel Victory’s rise and fall, Put-in-Bay genealogy and the ships that have sailed Lake Erie. On top of this, the historical society sponsors tours, children’s events, Elderhostel’s and lectures. Admission to this Put-in-Bay attraction is $4 for individuals or $3 for seniors and children under 5 are free.

Created in 1895 and located on the 6.5-acre Gibraltar Island at Put in Bay, Frantz Theodore Stone Laboratory is Ohio’s Lake Erie laboratory. It is the nation’s oldest freshwater biological field station and the Island Campus of The Ohio State University. The Laboratory offers college-level courses each summer with faculty and students coming from all over the country. Since 1990, students from 40 Ohio colleges, 27 out-of-state colleges, and 257 high schools have taken these courses for college credit. The Laboratory also provides a facility for year-round research, offers special conference facilities and speakers, and develops and offers custom-designed Aquatic Workshop programs for grades 4 through adult with over 5,000 participants annually.

The Perry Peace Memorial and Visitors Center on Put-in-Bay was built in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry, who defeated the British in a huge naval battle on Lake Erie that played a key role in the American victory in the War of 1812. Today visitors to Put-in-Bay can travel 317 feet up to the top of the monument to take in a spectacular view of the Lake Erie Islands and the shores of Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario. At the base of the monument, Put in Bay park rangers give living history demonstrations. Admission to the park visitor’s center is free. The memorial column itself is closed for restoration (admission ticket to get to the top is usually $3.00).

The Put-in-Bay Yacht Club (PIBYC) is located on South Bass Island in the western end of Lake Erie. They are dedicated to promoting all forms of yachting, power boating, sailing, and other aquatic sports. Annual Put-in-Bay events include cruise outs, picnics, parties, and numerous other social functions. PIBYC is host to the Inter-Lake Yachting Association (I-LYA) Annual Regatta and other national and international sailing events. Put-in-Bay Yacht Club is also a member of the Associated Yacht Clubs (AYC); members are encouraged to participate in AYC sailing and cruising events.

The state park on South Bass Island may be Put-in-Bay’s best-kept secret, offering one of the best views of Lake Erie that PIB Island has to offer. On top of that, visitors can enjoy Jet Ski rentals, a stone beach, a playground, glacial grooves, a refreshment stand, volleyball, the ruins of the Hotel Victory, fishing pier and umbrella picnic tables.

Adventure Bay Amusement Park is great fun and adventure for guests of all ages. Just a few of the attractions include a redemption Arcade, Video Games and Ride Simulators, Brunswick’s Virtual Bowling Lanes, Animaland Stuff your own Collectible Animal, Water Wars, Batting and Soccer cages, Sports fishing Simulator, remote control boats, kiddie rides and an electric go-cart track!!

The whole family will enjoy the War of 18 Holes miniature golf course at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center on the island. Challenge each other to a game of putt-putt while learning Put-in-Bay island history. Open daily 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $4.50 for kids.

In 1897, workers at Heineman’s Winery discovered what would later be identified as the world’s largest geode, right on the island. Now visitors to the Put-in-Bay can share the wonderment on guided tours, offered daily for $6 for adults and $3 for children.