Tag Archives: Birdwatching Erie PA

Frontier Park

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The Walnut Creek Marina was a way to get to a beach, enjoy the sun, and find a place a little less crowded while beating the heat. While the crowds aren’t too large, we did see a lot of people at the ever-popular Frontier Park. And while there were a lot of people enjoying different activities, there certainly is a lot to do in the downtown location.

Location:

Frontier Park is located on West 8th street, West 6th Street, and along the Bayfront Parkway. There are multiple entrance points as it takes up a handful of city blocks, but there is no “true” entrance. That being said, there is a lot to do, and this location provides a great bit of nature right in the heart of the downtown area. There are fields, paths, and a creek that runs through the middle of the property.  There is also an amphitheater with seating, tennis courts, playgrounds, and the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier. Throw in the fact that long stretches of bike paths go around the park as well as extend deeper into the city, and you can quickly see the appeal of this park.  

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In addition to everything that the park itself has to offer, it has great proximity to many other adjacent locations. Romolo Chocolates, Donatos Pizza, and PopLuck Gourmet Popcorn are all directly across the street from the park to the south, and more locations are in the area as well if you are looking for a snack while you are at the park.

Property Description:

Frontier park provides access to walking, jogging, biking, sled riding, and more. While we were there, some student athletes were working out and playing catch. Many people were playing tennis on the tennis courts. A few dozen were walking or jogging the trails, and yet others were just sitting out enjoying the view. While there are different routes to take within and around the park, the main path around the perimeter of the park is very close to a one-mile loop (out specific route mapped out .92 miles).

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At the present time, the LEAF building is closed due to COVID 19. Under normal circumstances, however, you are able to rent the building. The building itself has capacity for 80 people with 10 tables and 80 chairs. It also has a large sink, white boards and projector screens, and an outdoor patio with restrooms and ample parking space.  

Things to do:

The park is open to the public, so it has ample space for large gatherings, activities such as frisbee, throwing a ball around and playing catch, or even participating in the various courses which are offered in the area, including yoga.

Many people in the general area use the space to avoid seeing the cars and hearing the noise from the city atmosphere. You can quickly forget you are right in the middle of the downtown area, and within a handful of steps you are not only surrounded by considerable wildlife, but you have a tremendous number of birds to listen to as well.

There are also a handful of popular spaces along the creek to watch the water, including as you cross over the couple of bridges.

This is another great location to bring a dog, but remember that they must be on a leash and you are responsible for your pet.

Who Can Go:

This is a great location for the general area. If you live close by, want to take a quick lunch break while you are working downtown, need to get in a jog or short run, or you even want to just relax and watch the birds and listen to the water, this is a great location. It is yet another place we visited to specifically get out of the house, log some steps, and maintain social distancing, and this location had many people present, but made it easy to keep distance from others.

Final Thoughts:

It all depends on what you are looking for. This park is right in the downtown and allows for an excellent walking or jogging trail, as well as a tremendous amount of space to do many different activities. While the park isn’t at it’s “full capabilities” due to the current pandemic, there are many more activities that normally occur within the boundaries of this park, such as the playground, classes, use of the amphitheater, and more.

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If you treat this location as another bucket-list item to travel to in Erie and just want to check it out once, or you come back time and again for the scenery, this is a tremendous park. It may be a somewhat hidden park as it is nestled right in the middle of the city, but with so many reasons to check out Frontier park and pass the time while being there, we fully recommend you find a reason to wander about Frontier Park soon!

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Walnut Creek Marina

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After heading to Wintergreen Gorge and wandering the trails, it was time to find a new way to beat the heat. The past week has seen hot temperatures for Erie, with the weather continuing to rise into the high 70’s, and into the mid 80’s as far as the thermometer is concerned. That being said, we wanted to go to a place less crowded during this pandemic in order to maintain social distancing with the little ones. We decided on the Walnut Creek Marina in Fairview, PA.

Location:

Walnut Creek marina is easily accessible at 241 Manchester Rd, Fairview, PA 16415. The easiest wat to get there is off of state route, about 2 miles east of state route 98 in Fairview, PA. It is an actual marina with 72 slips. It is a popular area for boating, fishing, and jet skis. And while there are other services available for boating enthusiasts, boating was not our purpose. For more information on this, you can always call the facility at 814-833-2464.

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The reason we went to the marina was simply because there is beach access. While most in the area know of Presque Isle when they think of beaches, this one is far less crowded. Despite being smaller, there is still water access to do many of the things you would like on the beach, but you can do it without bumping into others every few feet.

Property Description:

The property itself has more than just access to the water. There are sandy areas, as well as areas with more stones and rocks, and even grass located throughout the property. All provide wonderful views of the lake. Be cautioned that the wind does provide a cool breeze, and it can be cooler down at the marina and by the water than it is in the rest of town. There is also ample parking, and access to Walnut Creek itself if you are looking to follow the creek south for whatever reason.

Boats in the Marina

Things to do:

Besides the actual boating or getting on the water, there is plenty to do. During our visit we counted multiple people just taking a walk. Suntanning is almost the default at a beach, and some individuals were just in lawn chairs enjoying the view while children built sand castles and splashed in the water. In addition, there were multiple people fishing off of the small-rock-piers, and heading up into Walnut Creek to fish.

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We also saw multiple dogs on the property and even in the sand and water. Due to the higher winds there were some kites in the air as well. Also, during our wandering, we found a few pieces of beach glass. However, we would recommend combing the beach first thing in the morning and after a night where there are storms, as that tends to uproot and move around any of the rocks to uncover treasure.

Who Can Go:

While the location is small, this is certainly a less popular destination. We were out in the middle of the day when the sun was high and the heat was strong. We won’t actually count all of the people there for boating because they really aren’t part of the crowd on the beach access if they were getting out on the water. That would mean we probably only saw a dozen or two other people in total. Certainly reasonable compared to the more popular and more crowded beaches in Erie, PA.

One of the many beautiful views you’ll find at this location

Final Thoughts:

This location really is a simple one, but sometimes that’s all you need. Taking your children (or just yourself) to walk the water line has every benefit here as it does at any other beach. The size may be smaller, but that means less crowds and less noise pollution. For that reason, it made sense to see most of the individuals there just sitting in lawn chairs or on beach towels. We also saw a few different clusters of individuals. It looked like there were more than a few people on dates, holding hands while walking and talking. We also saw a few small families who were trying to let their children play. And we even saw some people who brought their lunch or ice cream down with them and were eating right up on the water as well.

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This location is at worst something to do and explore which will get you out of the house and give yourself, your kids, or whoever something to do for at least a few hours. At best, this is a gem of a location that offers many of the same luxuries and amenities as other popular beaches in the area, but with almost no crowd whatsoever. Plus, while the tourists come from miles away just to visit Presque Isle and the surrounding areas, this location seems almost empty by comparison. As long as social distancing guidelines are in place, and even if you just enjoy less crowds and more peace, the Walnut Creek Marina is definitely worth the trip to check out.

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Pleasant Ridge Park – Fairview, PA

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When it comes to getting outside in this climate, one of your best options is traveling to a park. We explored Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview, PA and it checks off all of the boxes for a way to get out into nature.  

Entrance Sign

Location:

Pleasant Ridge Park is located in Fairview, PA, on the west side near the border with Girard, Pa. It is located at 8271 Barker Road, Girard, PA 16417. It can easily be reached by taking U.S. Route 20 westbound until you get to the border of Girard and Fairview.

Property Description:

This park is an 80-acre recreational park with portions that include woods, trails, sports fields, and rolling fields. In addition, there is a small playground and a pavilion which can seat approximately 100 people and can be rented out.

Athletic Fields

Things to do:

The specific sports amenities include full-sized soccer fields, softball fields, a sand volleyball court, and a small playground. Also, there are ample trails to walk or run. The park is open year-round, so the hills are great for sled riding and the trails double down as cross-country skiing when snow is on the ground.

In addition, the trails, trees, and scenery make for a popular destination to anyone having pictures taken. This includes family portraits, wedding photography, senior photos, and other announcements.  

Playground

Who Can Go:

Pets are welcome at this park. It should go without saying that you are responsible for your pet, as well as cleaning up after them. While you should check to be certain before you go, we have seen horses and horseback riding on the trails in the past. The trails are made of dirt and grass, and while maintained and wide, they are not paved. They do provide for very easy walking, however, individuals requiring a flat surface may want to be aware of this before venturing too far back.

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More Information:

With respect to the size of the trails, you could easily spend 30 minutes walking, but there are different trails to run and you could easily pick up a few miles in the longer loop, while also being able to take shorter routes or different paths every time you go.

One point to note. There is a drinking fountain at the entrance as well as bathrooms which are well maintained. During this current COVID crisis, bathrooms are currently closed (This blog post was written in 2020, please check the website for current bathroom operations).

Park Scenery

In addition to the items already mentioned, this site is great for bird watching as there are many different species throughout the park. There are also deer trails, and occasionally deer can be spotted. You also won’t mistake the sound of bull frogs which can heard in the frog pond in the corner of the larger field, and also as you walk across the foot bridge.

Park Rules

Be aware of the basic rules before you go. Some of the basics are that the park is open from dawn until dusk. In addition, be smart. This is a community park, so clean up after yourself and your pets. And if you have any other questions, you can also contact the Fairview Parks and Recreation Authority at 814-474-5077.

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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival in any way. This is true of all of our posts. We simply enjoy wandering around Erie as we know finding what to do in Erie, PA area can be hard.]