Often referred to as the “Key West of the North”, we are super fortunate to have access to one of Ohio’s islands just a short drive away from the Cleveland area.
In case you weren’t aware, Ohio has islands you can visit & Put-in-Bay is known as probably the liveliest one. Depending on where you are in Northeast Ohio, it’s roughly an hour & a half drive west of Cleveland. Put-in-Bay can be accessed by personal boats or a service like Miller Ferry or the Jet Express. Miller Ferry is the budget friendly option & only takes about 20 minutes.
Although the island is known for party vibes & a younger crowd – if you time it right, the island is as family friendly as any other place to visit. We have personally either gone on weekdays or Sundays & have never had an issue. We typically finish our day before 5pm or earlier so I can’t vouch for how it is later at night.
I’ll break this guide down by activities on the island that are appealing for families.
(bold text are linked to websites for additional info)
Ditch the car & embrace the golf cart life to explore the island! We have personally always used E’s Golf Carts but there are many others available as well. Just be mindful of where you are parking, some spots do charge.
This is a great way to get around the island plus hear a tour with interesting facts. You can also step on & off the train to see some popular stops. It’s $15 for ages 12+, $7 for kids ages 6-11. Kids 5 & under are free.
Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center
The most well known fun center for kids & families. Their attractions include a cave, butterfly house, mini golf, gemstone mining, a maze, rock wall, & antique car museum (which is free for all.) You can buy a pass for 3 out of the 5 most popular attractions for $30 (kids 6-11: $16) or 5 out of 5 attractions for $45 (kids 6-11: $25.) Children five & under are FREE. You can also just buy admission to attractions on their own as well.
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial
This is one of the largest monuments in the country so of course this is a top contender of things to do while in Put-in-Bay. The main attraction here is climbing to the top of Perry’s Monument to the observation deck. Tickets are required for ages 16+ ($10.) Please note: this year (2025) is the last chance to do this as the monument will be closed for two years for renovations – last day is October 27.
Located in South Bass Island State Park, this is a must do FREE activity! They even have a phone holder to easily take pics of your whole group. There is also a playground right next to it along with access to the lake.
Heineman’s Winery Crystal Cave Tour
Yes, it’s in winery but the crystal cave tour is open to all! This is where you’ll see the world’s largest geode. The tour is short but I think a neat activity to do once. Adults are $8, kids 6-11: $4, kids 5 & under are FREE!
$6 gets you unlimited rides all day long on this carousel in the heart of downtown Put-in-Bay!
This small park is unique being that there is a display of love locks that have been placed on a chain link fence through the years like they once did in Paris.
This is a pricey one but worth experiencing once in my opinion ($40/person – I am unsure if there are little kid rates.) They open this private residence to the public a few times a year with proceeds going to island causes. If you’ve toured the Mather in Cleveland, this has similar vibes. There are several different levels to explore with great photo ops.
DeRivera Park is in the heart of town featuring a great playground & fountain. Oak Point Harbor State Park is the smallest one within the state park system. Massie Cliffside, Dodge Woods (has a storybook trail!), & Scheef East Point Preserves are great places to go for a walk – don’t forget the bug spray!
Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center
This is a *very* small nature center. They do have a family rate of $12. Kids 5 & under are free. Adults are $5, kids 6-11 are $4. It’s mostly displays of animals with only a few live ones. I would honestly say this is skippable unless you’re looking for a place to cool down on a hot day. We barely spent 15 minutes here.
New in 2025, this 6.2 million dollar renovation at the aquatic visitor’s center is FREE but only open Tuesday-Saturday so we were unable to check it out this year. I’ve heard it’s great though so definitely plan on stopping by!
DINING OPTIONS (we have personally visited & recommend)
Upper Deck of The Boardwalk – just pay attention to the kids menu beverages. We were falsely charged for refills of lemonades one year which quickly added up!
The Keys – super cute Key West vibes with a kids menu!
Sweet Siblings – we went for ice cream but they also have sandwiches.
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