Nestled On Lake Erie's Shores Is A Wildly Underrated Ohio Community With Unique Shops And Victorian Cottages

The mission of training Methodist Sunday school teachers helped lay the foundation for what is today a thriving Ohio enclave on Lake Erie's south shore, beckoning tourists to its waterfront activities, quaint shops, and Victorian cottages with wicker furnishings. Just 80 miles north of Cleveland, on the Marblehead Peninsula, the town of Lakeside is both an outdoor wonderland for swimming, sailing, tennis, and pickleball, and a source for live entertainment, shopping, and wine tasting in Marblehead. This gated, residential community is an experience, however, that may not be every traveler's cup of tea.

Lakeside is distinct in two ways. First, it charges tourists for parking and admission, which can range from $33 per day to $210 for the week to $1,500 for the season during the summer season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, but offers package promotions. Standard passes will include access to the outdoor pool, lake swimming, pickleball, lecture series, live entertainment, and worship services. You'll pay more for sailing lessons, logrolling classes, and art classes. Why the charge? That goes to Lakeside's second distinction. It is considered a member of the Chautauqua community, a movement of the late 19^th century which sought to nurture the mind, body, and spirit of rural and middle-class Americans, an ethos in step with Lakeside's own outdoor revivals that were filled with preaching and bible studies beginning in 1873. So, the fee covers the costs of religious, educational, cultural, and recreational programming; all themes of the Chautauqua lifestyle, which seeks to foster Christian values.

Know that there are more traditional lakeside escapes in Ohio, such as Lorain (aka "The International City") with year-round festivals and international cuisine, and the charming small town of Conneaut, a Midwest getaway luring fishermen to its walleye-filled waters at the intersection of Conneaut Creek and Lake Erie.

Kick off your vacation with a dip in the heated, 6,000-square-foot pool at the Grindley Aquatic and Wellness Campus, which can accommodate kids for hours with two waterslides, a volleyball net, and a splash pad. If chlorine is not your thing, the 700-foot dock is a great jumping off point into the lake, and inflatable unicorns are welcome. Lakeside's watercraft are available for rent, including kayaks, sailboats, and paddleboards, or you can venture out on a sunset cruise for a longer outing. For those 10 and over who are not quite regatta-ready, you can take beginner and intermediate sailing classes. Pickleball, tennis, and shuffleboard tournaments run through the summer, and staying fit isn't a problem with classes offered in pilates, yoga, rucking (walking with weight), and even logrolling, a class for kids to practice balancing on a floating log as it spins in the pool. 

If you've had enough recreation, get messy at Lakeside's arts and crafts classes or sign up for a music or dance class. Lakeside provides four venues, including the Hoover Auditorium and Orchestra Hall, for its summer entertainment series, featuring more than 75 concerts and shows spanning hip-hop dance duos, ballet, comedians, and magicians as well as the community's very own Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, established more than 60 years ago.

The locally-owned stores, some open only part of the year, are always keeping a look-out for items appealing to both locals and the tourists. The beloved Miss Mercedes has been around for 26 years and offers gift items such as kitchenware, jewelry, stationery, and Jellycat stuffed animals. You can stop in for storytime at the newly opened Millie Magoo's and The Fine Print bookstore, which sells bestsellers and classics as well as games, puzzles, and art supplies.

You can bet historic charm is the throughline for Lakeside lodging. The Victorian cottages with wrap-around porches, gingerbread trim, and pitched roofs are popular for family reunions, with many bedrooms, wi-fi, and updated kitchens. Prices range from $400 to more than $600 nightly along with cleaning and booking fees. For 150 years, Hotel Lakeside has been welcoming guests, including notables such as President William McKinley, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Amelia Earhart, to its approximately 70 well-appointed rooms. Prices can range from about $130 a night. And modest rooms at Green Gables cost $60 to $80 a night.

You don't have to leave Lakeside for some of your dining needs. Pop into family-owned Lakeside Coffee & Cream for morning turnovers, cinnamon buns, and fresh coffee, and again in the afternoon for a light lunch and smoothies, milkshakes, and slushies. If you're craving burgers, Lake Erie perch, spaghetti, and even homemade cake batter donuts, try The Patio Restaurant, where you can also buy family chicken dinners to go.  Lakeside is a dry community so if you're looking for beers and wings, visit Cleats Marblehead for waterfront dining and spirits.

For more off-campus adventure and adult beverages, take a drive to the Great Lakes' oldest lighthouse, the historic Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, for views, tranquility, and a chance to climb the 77 stairs (be sure to check if it's open). Wine tasting is then just minutes away at the family-friendly Rocky Point Winery which sells cabernet sauvignon wines grown on vines on Lake Erie. Located in Port Clinton just 10 minutes away from Lakeside, Gideon Owen Wine Company offers 48 wines on tap in its Tirage Wine Bar in a warm setting with rock walls and velvet chairs.