Erie offers a range of experiences for a stay: maritime history, visual arts, performing arts, and outdoor activities. Nearby Presque Isle State Park is four miles west of downtown Erie. This distinction helps with planning: museums, theaters, and the zoo are destinations in the city, while the park offers its own selection of recreational activities.
Maritime History in Erie
The Erie Maritime Museum is the home port of the U.S. Brig Niagara. Its exhibits cover the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie. The building also has a former use: the museum is housed in a repurposed historic building that once served as the Penelec power plant. Discounted rates are available for group tours booked in advance.
The Erie Land Lighthouse was the first lighthouse commissioned in the United States on the Great Lakes. It offers views of Lake Erie and Presque Isle. Another viewpoint in Erie is the Bicentennial Tower, with panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle State Park, and downtown. As its operating conditions may change, check current conditions before visiting.
Art and Performances
The Erie Art Museum’s collection includes more than 8,000 works of American ceramics, painting, sculpture, and photography. In addition to its collection, the museum regularly hosts special exhibitions. This brings both the collection’s range of media and an ongoing exhibition program into focus.
Educational offerings are designed for learners of all ages. Storytelling, games, interpretation, and hands-on art activities provide opportunities to view and interact with art.
For the performing arts, the Warner Theatre is another venue. The restored historic venue first opened in 1931. Its program includes concerts, Broadway shows, and dance productions. If you’d like to plan your visit around a performance, check the event schedule for your stay.
Presque Isle and Outdoor Activities
Presque Isle State Park is four miles west of downtown and forms Presque Isle Bay, a broad, deep harbor for the city of Erie. The park is a day-use park with recreational activities available year-round. These include swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and inline skating. This adds a different kind of destination to a stay than Erie’s museums and performance venues.
The park is also home to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. It features interactive exhibits and a 75-foot observation tower. The combination of exhibits and views makes the center another option for planning a visit to the park.
The Zoo and Special Animal Experiences
The Erie Zoo and Botanical Garden is home to more than 400 animals and 11 gardens. These numbers may change over time. Animal Connections offers guided tours and up-close encounters with animals. Behind-the-scenes tours provide access to areas normally reserved for animal keepers.
When choosing a hotel in Erie, it can help to first decide what you’d like to focus on during your stay: museums, art, and theater in the city, or additional activities at nearby Presque Isle State Park. Its location four miles west of downtown provides a clear point of reference without specifying a travel time.
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