Tag Archives: family activities Erie PA

Main Street Cakery Café

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Main Street Cakery Café

If you’re looking for restaurants in Erie, PA, this locally owned café offers a great atmosphere and friendly service while dining. You can get a lot for a great price, and whether you want breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, there is certainly something there for you.

A view from outside, including outdoor seating

Location:

The Cakery has two locations; the one we visited on this wandering in particular is located at 2900 Copperleaf Dr. Erie, PA 16509. The other location is 7403 W Ridge Rd, Fairview, PA 16415.

Property Description:

This is a café style restaurant, with a bakery and coffee counter located directly inside the entrance. The ice cream selections will be to your left. Seating is located both to the left and to the right, and also outside. You are to seat yourself, but if you opt to sit outside, let them know at the counter so they can send a server your way. The décor is very farmhouse in style, and we felt an “at home” feeling while being inside.

Coffee, Bakery, and Ice Cream Counter
Seating to your left as you walk in

What to Do:

The Cakery in Erie, PA is a great place to enjoy a meal, or even just a cup of coffee and or a sweet treat. This wandering was our second time eating food from this location, and we enjoyed is just as much as the first. They have a great menu featuring breakfast, appetizers, wraps, macaroni and cheese, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. They also have daily specials.

You can have a seat inside the café, or enjoy the weather on a beautiful day by sitting in their outdoor space. If you choose to have a meal at their location, you will be taken care of by a server. On this trip, we actually opted for takeout, and the food was just as good as if we would’ve eaten at the restaurant.

Black Bean Burger
(We split ours, so part is gone in this photo.)
Hawaiian
(Only half of the sandwich, we forgot to take a picture before we started eating!)

The Cakery also offers bakery items if you’re in search of something sweet. We saw cookies, muffins, cupcakes, pies, brownies, cinnamon rolls, and bread. You can view the items behind the glass right next to the ordering counter.

Bakery Case
Bakery Case

If you’re looking for a cold treat, The Cakery offers Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream. On the day we went, they offered 12 flavor choices, including Raspberry Chip Cheesecake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup.

Ashby’s Ice Cream

Who Can Go:

Anyone can enjoy this quaint restaurant, coffee shop, and bakery in Erie, PA. There is ample space for strollers or wheel chairs, and it’s kid friendly.

Final Thoughts:

We really enjoyed the atmosphere inside and out, and the food was yummy. The Main Street Cakery is a great place to meet up with friends, have a nice meal with family, or enjoy a date with you significant other. If you’re looking for a lovely café in Erie, PA, you may have found the right destination in The Cakery.

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

Farm to Table at Legacy Hydroponics

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Farm to Table at Legacy Hydroponics

If you’re looking for a farmers market in Erie, PA, add Farm to Table at Legacy Hydroponics to your list of places to check out. This variety of vendors provided a very interesting and fun local shopping experience on a summer afternoon.

Location:

Farm to Table is located at Legacy Hydroponics, 1357 Lane Road, Waterford, PA 16441. From the road, you’ll turn into a driveway that belongs to a home, and look forward to your left and see an arrow pointing you towards parking down in the open clearing.

Legacy Hydroponics

Property Description:

This is a large piece of land, lined with vendor booths. Upon entering, you will see a decent sized pavilion with picnic tables. Next to and across from that are vendors. If you continue walking forward, you will see move vendors. The vendor tents loop around so that you end up back where you parked after walking around all booths.

What to Do:

This is a farmers market and local vendor market. On this trip, we found quite a few booths that interested us. We looked around a farmers market stand from Legacy Hydroponics with fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs, jams, maple syrup, and honey. We visited a lovely handmade solar light stand customized for various interests from cows to fairies. We got snow cones from a food truck. We bought some beautiful handmade bracelets from Wild Luna Co. and listened to live music while eating delicious cheese and potato pierogis.

Wild Luna Co.

It’s also important to know that there are more vendors than just what we checked out, including Stuffed Pierogi Co., Tater Tater Erie, Knockerball of Linesville for the kids (or adults), flowers from Growing Strong farm, Luminary Distilling, and more. This is an open air farmers market, so there is a lot to do and check out while still being outside. If you’re looking for outdoor eating or drinks, this could be a good stop!

Who Can Go:

Anyone can enjoy this pop-up market. It is on grass, so pushing a stroller might be a little difficult.

Realize that you are in a field out on a farm, not on a cement path or parking lot; we recommend paying attention to what’s in front of you on the ground while walking, because we did have a cute baby frog that we had to do a quick stop for as it crossed our path as we were trotting from booth to booth.

Fresh Flowers

Final Thoughts:

We really enjoyed this experience and thought it was pretty cool to see vendors from around the area at this farmers market in Erie, PA. We love shopping locally and supporting small businesses. Unknown to us, they have been having these once a month since the spring. If you’re interested in checking this out, there is one more planned for the season, on September 12, 2021. Keep up with the Legacy Hydroponics Facebook page for more information such as vendors and timing of the event.

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

Creamland

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Creamland

In our last post, we were “Wandering Beyond Erie” in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, but now we’re back in Erie and wandering our hometown once again!

On a summer evening when temperatures just don’t seem to be dropping, one of our favorite things to do is search for the best ice cream in Erie, PA! And this time, our search led us to Creamland for some tasty treats!

Location:

Creamland is located at 6221 West Ridge Road, Erie, PA 16506. Being on the west side of Erie, it’s a in a great spot for those located in or planning on heading out to West Millcreek, Fairview, Girard, and Lake City.

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Property Description:

This ice cream stand is outdoor only for patrons. It has a decently sized parking lot, with room to hang out as you’re enjoying your ice cream treat. There are benches on the side of the building so you can relax while you eat, if you’d like.

What to Do:

Creamland is typically known for it’s delicious Perry’s Ice Cream! When we went, they had 22 different flavors to choose from! We opted for Graham Canyon, Toasted Coconut, Vanilla, and Cotton Candy, all in cones. Perry’s Ice Cream seems to be a winner every time, and we all enjoyed our cones! To go along with their ice cream, they offer sundaes, floats, and banana splits.

Graham Canyon and Toasted Coconut, each one scoop
Vanilla Kid Sized Cone

If you’re looking for something less sweet and of more substance, they do offer hot dogs, french fries, chicken strips, pizza burgers, and more.

Who Can Go:

This space is open to everyone. It is easily accessible. You can bring your dog with you if you’d like; and we actually saw two pups hanging out with their families.

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Final Thoughts:

Overall, we really enjoyed our experience at Creamland, and we thought the ice cream was delicious. If you’re looking for a place to get Perry’s Ice Cream in Erie, PA, and you’re on the west side of town, Creamland could be just the spot you’re looking for!

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

The Original Popcorn House Erie, PA

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The Original Popcorn House Erie, PA

When looking for great snacks in Erie, PA, we wouldn’t be able to create a list without including The Original Popcorn House! If you’re looking for a popcorn place in Erie to call your go-to, your search may be over with this family owned and operated business!

Location:

The Original Popcorn House is located at 2660 W 8th St, Erie, PA 16505, in the Shops at the Colony. It’s conveniently close to Presque Isle, so it’s become a tradition in our family to eat some popcorn while watching the waves. When leaving the Original Popcorn House in Erie, Pa, you head west on 8th Street and then make a right onto Peninsula Drive. You will arrive at Presque Isle State Park in roughly 5 minutes, if that. This is certainly a place to eat by the beach.

Property Description:

The setup is very similar to a quick service restaurant and a store. You walk in, and enter the roped line to check out what’s on their menu for the day. It’s important to note that they do rotate some flavors in and out, which means you really never know what type of popcorn is available at The Original Popcorn house, so popping in never hurts!

Menu Boards

After checking out the menu, a staff member will take your order and begin bagging your popcorn; that’s right, you are getting freshly bagged popcorn! You continue through the line to check out, where you will find merchandise, drinks, and more yummy treats. And while you’re checking out, a jar encourages donations to a local animal rescue, which is something we love to see in places of business.

What to Do:

Buy popcorn; you can’t walk into the Original Popcorn House without grabbing at least one bag! The bags come in four sizes; mini, small, medium, and large. You can also purchase tins and small pre-made sample bags. With so many flavors of popcorn to choose from, there is bound to be a treat for everyone in the family.

A few of the many gourmet classic flavors

Their popcorn is not all priced equally, and that’s because of the extra love they put into their gourmet specialty. It usually has some sort of extra glaze on it, whether it be white chocolate, peanut butter, or maple, just to name a few. The gourmet classic is just as wonderful, but contains more savory flavors (butter garlic parmesan, mac & cheese, cheddar beer) along with a few sweet concoctions (cotton candy, lemonade). They even offer vegan flavors, and more than just a couple at that!

Peanut Butter Jelly Popcorn
Ice Cream Menu

They even serve ice cream, and that includes popcorn sundaes! Who would have thought one of the best places for ice cream in Erie, PA was at The Original Popcorn House? With a variety of flavors, choose a flavor swirl cone or you have the option to go big with that popcorn sundae, stacked with your favorite flavor (mine is peanut butter chocolate drizzle, just saying).

Who Can Go:

This is a great place for anyone. The staff is wonderful and provides excellent service to all who enter; they will even help you choose some flavors, if you need the help. This is definitely a family friendly environment and an overall positive place to be.

The building is handicap accessible and friendly, and you enter off of a sidewalk.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re looking for a huge variety of popcorn, head to The Original Popcorn House. You’re bound to find a flavor you love, and that popcorn (and the friendly staff) will keep you coming back.

Although we personally have never done this, you can order on GrubHub and have your popcorn delivered right to your door, which is very convenient in these times. If you’re not able to go out or just don’t want to, check out the popcorn through delivery.

You’re not going to want to miss out on this, it just might be the best popcorn in Erie, PA!

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Some Gourmet Specialty Flavors, Popcorn Tins, Mugs

[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Original Popcorn House 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 can be hard.]

5 Places to Watch the Sunset in Erie, PA

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­We know that going to the same spot over and over again to watch the sunset may not be fun to some of you, which is why we’ve decided to bring you 5 different locations in the Erie area that have “instaworthy” sunsets, at least almost all of the time. Keep in mind while reading and checking out the photos that these sunsets were viewed by us in early January. And if you’re looking for even more places to watch the sunset in Erie, PA, here are 5 more locations to check out!

After spending time enjoying the holidays like looking at Christmas lights and staying in around the end of the year, this is unfortunately the slow time in Erie, Pa. After any vacation time has been used up, you are home from traveling or the house is empty, and you don’t know what to do with your time, most people start waiting for spring or summer. Let’s be honest, the snow is great and provides an excellent addition to winter, but many people quickly get tired of the cold and ice that come along with it. For that reason, we have been capturing some of the best sunsets in Erie and want to show you a few of the favorites. If nothing else, remember any location in Erie, PA we show today and hopefully these will help keep you warm and inspire you to check these out yourself (now or in the future).

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Presque Isle State Park

Presque Isle State Park is not just a well-known place, but even within the park itself you will find multiple popular points. This one can be slightly tricky because if you are trying to have a romantic moment or just enjoy the peaceful nature, there can be a decent crowd to deal with. This obviously depends on the time of the year. Mid-summer sunsets are going to be much different than cooler weather in the spring or fall. However, there are also multiple pockets along the miles of beaches. Many people will take one of the first few turns just to get in (and the parking lots show that). However, back towards kite beach or near the lighthouse, for example, you can find great sunsets with very few spectators. Because of the way Presque Isle jets out, virtually anywhere along the beach you will be able to capture an amazing view.

Shades Beach

Heading out to the east side of town, you can quickly find Shades Beach Park, just north of Route 5. We actually have a new post coming out on this one shortly, so be on the lookout! The important thing to note about Shades Beach is that it is a small beach (certainly smaller than Presque Isle), but it is also a major viewing area. It has a lot of space with a simple beach and not a lot of spectators, so you can certainly get the peace you are looking for. It also has ample parking, and a space to launch boats, so you can get right up on the water. The views are similar to Presque isle as the natural geography of the beach faces west. Make sure to bring your camera for this one.

Walnut Creek Marina

Heading back out to the west side of town, you can check out Walnut Creek Marina for a sunset. As we have shown previously, Walnut Creek Marina is another large space to enjoy the beach. There is actually sand and a number of spaces to sit down and enjoy the sunset. Because there is usually tremendous space for parking and for boat launching, you might be able to see a number of boats on the water, people flying kites, and dogs being walked. It’s a fairly popular place, but in no way should you feel crowded. This would be an ideal location for watching the sunset either out and on the beach, or even comfortably seated in your car if you can find the right parking spot.

Avonia Beach

Just a short drive from Walnut Creek Marina (in fact, we checked out this one once because Walnut Creek Marina was too busy) is Avonia Beach. We have been to Avonia Beach on multiple occasions and love it. It is usually a quiet beach without a great deal of people. It seems in all of the times we have been there most of the people who are there are just enjoying the water or are hunting for beach glass, but there isn’t a tremendous amount of hustle and bustle. For that reason, you can enjoy the short stretch of beach, sit on the benches or blocks, and be able to just relax on the water. The beach isn’t deep, which means you can literally be a few feet from the water and listen to the waves the entire time.

Lakeside Boat Launch

The lakeside boat launch is a decent view and easy to access. Though there isn’t a perfectly clear skyline view, you actually get a unique view compared to the other locations. Instead of looking at the sun over the water, you actually see the sun disappearing behind the sliver of Presque Isle behind the water. This is a very uncrowded site, as we were the only people there. There are also multiple benches, and this spot is adjacent to both the lakeside recreation area and not far from the Lake Cliff playground. This is another easy one to get to if you are in the city, on the east side of Erie, or even just in the GE vicinity. It’s a great spot to watch as well as stretch your legs as there is a walking path – and you don’t get many of those within the city.

Final Thoughts:

As you can see, regardless of where you are there are a great deal of places to see the best sunsets in Erie, PA. There are more than enough places right on the water where you have a great view, and ones that most people won’t be able to see at all – but you have access to them right in your own backyard and almost any day of the week. As long as there are clear skies scheduled, any of these locations will work. And if you are checking these out while it’s still cold and gray outside, you should be able to watch these and hopefully buy yourself some time until you can get out and check out these sunsets in person.

Again, if you’re looking for even more places to enjoy a Lake Erie sunset, we’ve got you covered! Click the picture below.

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[Disclaimer: We went to see the sunset on random nights, and all of these sunsets were recorded in January. No sunset in Erie is ever the same. We may have caught the most awesome sunsets or the less dramatic kind. Either way, it’s always a beautiful sunset in Erie, PA.]

Barber Center Home for the Holidays Christmas Lights Contest

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Sticking with the theme of checking out Christmas Lights, such as the previous walk through Asbury Woods’ Winter Wonderland (which is still ongoing!) … we decided to check out the popular “Home for the Holidays” 2020 Barber Christmas Lights Contest. And while this one is a great event if you and your family are looking for something to do in order to get into the holiday spirit, a fair warning is that this event is huge! There are houses all around Erie county, and it could easily take you multiple nights!

Location

We strongly recommend you check out the Barber contest website for the rules of the contest as well as the map. The great benefit is that you could literally be driving from one side of town to the other and back again, and still not hit all of the lights. This includes the fact that you will probably see lights and displays up that aren’t officially part of the contest as well, but we recommend the map as these homes are more likely to be on and have the effort necessary to participate in the contest. These homes are ones that take the competition seriously!

Property Description

The property descriptions will vary. These homes might not just be homes – they can be businesses as well. The locations can be on busy streets, in the middle of subdivisions, or even down what looks like more private or less traveled roads. And while some places are probably closer to where you live, you can set up a list of addresses in advance so you can be sure to take as many of these houses in as possible. You might just be surprised at some of the displays, as we saw one that covered the full house and yard, one that had more figures than we could count, and even a set that you drive through as it was between two houses across the street from one another!

Another point to make is that according to the rules this contest technically covers Erie, Crawford, and Warren counties, so regardless of where you are there are probably some lights near you!

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What to Do & Who Can Go:

All you need to do to participate in this event is check out the map and drive to some of the competitor’s displays. We want to note that you can also go back to the website and vote for your favorite. It’s also important to note that this is sponsored by the Barber National Institute, so if you feel the event is worth it and one you hope to continue seeing, consider making a donation to the nonprofit (which you can do right through the website).

As long as you, your significant other, your little one (or ones), or anybody else who is tired of being couped up can see out the windows of the car, this is a great event. You can get out of the house and take a drive. The common theme is to play some Christmas music if you would like, possibly grab some hot cocoa before you go, and just enjoy. You will want to plan ahead. And be aware that some of the busier streets may be a little bit harder to slow down, so have a plan. It is easy to pull over to the side of the road and park, and it’s a lot easier to slow down on side streets or in neighborhoods. Also, be sure to watch traffic because chances are there will be other people doing the same thing!

Final Thoughts:

With a fun event like this, you really are going to have a surprise at every home. The reality is every house is unique in some way. Because this is up to the individual home owners you never know what they are going to display or what you are going to get. That’s why you should make a plan to at least see a few, and then if you have fun you can either keep going or hit other houses on the other side of town the next time out. With only a few days left until Christmas, there is still time to get into the holiday spirit. With the ongoing pandemic, however, people are looking for reasons and activities to get out of the house. This even runs from December 12th, all the way through January 2nd, so you will definitely have time to check out the lights at least for a few nights!

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Asbury Woods Winter Wonderland

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In order to remain in the holiday spirit, we followed up our trip with the Presque Isle Lights by heading to the Asbury Woods Winter Wonderland. This event was a solid opportunity to actually get out onto the boardwalk of Asbury Woods and see the staged lights they have set up for the crowd.

Location

The location of this event is right inside of Asbury Woods. The address is 4015 Asbury Road in Erie, and the walk itself is entirely outside on the property. The good news is that this entire trip is only about 1/3 of a mile for the path, so this is a simple walk that anyone of any age can enjoy.

Property Description

If you’ve never been to Asbury Woods before, this is a perfect time to go. Winter Wonderland continues at Asbury Woods from December 4th until December 31st (please note, there will be no program on December 24th, or December 25th). It runs from 5:00PM – 8:00PM nightly, and is a very nice walk which is open to the public. The event is free, but donations are accepted on-site. When we went, there was just a bit of snow on the ground and on the boardwalk. However, it was fairly well shoveled which meant we even had the ability to take our stroller through with us.

It is important to note that in most seasons Asbury Woods has more activities going on for their Winter Wonderland, but despite the restrictions of COVID-19, the viewing area is a perfect walk. It’s also important to note that in addition to the social distancing aspect, this event allows individuals to walk around entirely outdoors. You can enjoy the sights while the event continues to follow the guidelines as given by the government.  Currently those guidelines are under than 50 people at one time. However, they are subject to change and the officials at Asbury Woods continue to monitor the number of people on the trail at any time.

What to Do & Who Can Go:

These lights are a great walk through the woods and enjoy nature while also being able to see the lights. It’s a simple walk, but can really be part of the holiday spirit. In a year where not everything has been “normal,” this event is something anyone can enjoy. It’s a great opportunity for couples, individuals, or the whole family. The fact that it’s all on a boardwalk versus on a dirt trail means you can be sure of your footing in the winter elements. Let’s be honest, Erie, PA gets snow and inclement weather, and that means if you want to enjoy the outside you at least will have sure footing.

Final Thoughts:

This is a fun event for the family. The best way to enjoy this holiday is to try and get outside, but the number of opportunities in the winter can be few and far between. That’s all of the more reason for looking at this event as a must-do. You will be outdoors so it might be a great opportunity to meet others from outside of your household while maintaining the social distancing aspect. Or you might just want to take your children or parents out yourself.

One other point to note is that this event can be popular. When we went, we arrived at the Asbury Woods parking lot right as the event was starting, and the lot was full. In fact, some individuals were parking across the street and we were able to pull into one of the last spots. The entire walk only took us about 30 to 40 minutes with little ones who took their time and wanted to see everything, however. And when we left, the parking lot was almost half-way open, which means you shouldn’t have a problem getting into this event quickly and enjoying it before little ones (or you yourself) start to get cold. Bring your camera and enjoy these, because if you enjoy looking at Christmas lights then this is a great opportunity to not only go, but to possibly go multiple times.

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Presque Isle Lights

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After heading to the Festival of Trees event at Fairview Business Park, we were excited to hear about the light event down on Presque Isle, sponsored by the Presque Isle Partnership. While the Festival of Trees was about the lights, this event was actually scaled back a lot more to focus on the nature and wildlife of Presque Isle.

In fact, Presque Isle Partnership even listed some information as a caution for those expecting this event to be full of lights, and they even say “if you’re expecting a Chevy Chase style Christmas show and all 3,000 acres lit up, your expectations are a little high. None-the-less, we’re hoping you choose to take an evening drive around Presque Isle throughout the month and appreciate all the hard work many groups and organizations have put into the event. Think of it as a nighttime scavenger hunt for lights and displays around the park.”

Location

This event begins on Presque Isle, and the hours are from 6-9PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until January 1st-3rd weekend. As you enter the park there will be signs, and individuals can use the right-hand lane for the distribution of programs as well as accepting donations at the 2nd parking lot. In addition, the 4th parking lot will have hot cocoa for individuals, and you should also use the right-hand lane. This is a popular event and the traffic can get pretty backed up, so if you don’t want either of these items you can stay in the left lane and continue to drive. Also, be sure to turn in to 95.5 FM for the holiday music.

Property Description:

If you’re from Erie, you’ve been to Presque Isle. Seriously. But, because of the nature of this being a state park, have you ever been down around the peninsula in the dark? There may be some wildlife (hence the reason for too many lights – as not to disturb them). In addition, there are some great views so have your camera ready. As you make your way out the peninsula you actually get great views of the bay. And on the way back you can see some excellent shots of the sky, as well as the famous lighthouse being lit up. Along the way you will also find the occasional light display, and think of this as a “scavenger hunt” where you can slow down and get a quick photo at any point.

Things to do:

With a combination of hot chocolate as well as the music, this can be a fun drive. In these times if you are looking to just get out of the house, then it certainly is a great way to break the monotony.

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We want to emphasize this so that you are aware and we set the right expectation. This is not a lights fest. Rather, this is a drive through the scenery of Presque Isle with the Christmas and holiday spirit, and expect to see some lights along the way. But this is not a “lights fest.” The only reason we point this out is because there have already been some complaints online about how this wasn’t a lights event and there weren’t enough displays, but that’s not what the event is supposed to be. If you are looking for just bright lights, you may want to go to check out some lights in local neighborhoods (in fact, that may be one of our upcoming posts … )

Who Can Go:

In addition to the music and the hot chocolate, this can be a good event for children to either look for some of the lights, or you may even let young ones fall asleep before bedtime! It could also be a great idea for a date, as there is ample time to talk. We waited in the program line, and also waited in the hot chocolate line for about half of the way before we decided to skip the drinks for taking too long. From the time we were coming down the hill (right under the Waldameer roller coaster), until the time we were heading out (again, right under the roller coaster heading up the hill), we were there for 1 hour and 15 minutes. We took our time with the lines and could have bypassed those, but it still can be a scenic drive. Other recommendations some have pointed are to bring some snacks or cookies, and even go to the McDonalds right outside of Presque Isle and get a coffee drink or Hot Chocolate there if you want to skip that time. But, all in all this could be done in as little as a half of an hour or 45 minutes, or possibly even longer if you want to park and eat, drink, or talk.  

Final Thoughts:

As long as you know what you are getting into, this really is a fun event. In fact, the fact that this is being done specifically due to COVID reasons and this is the first year they are doing it, it is a great way to enjoy something outdoors in Erie in the evening. We strongly recommend you have a plan and are prepared to be patient as this is a very popular event. We also recommend you know your time limits, as we arrived slightly before 6 and the traffic was already backed up the hill. When we were leaving, incoming traffic was backed up to almost the intersection with more cars trying to turn in. But, as long as you are prepared and have realistic expectations, this was a great event to break up the monotony and get into the holiday spirit. 

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The Festival of Trees 2020

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This fall, and all of life during the current COVID pandemic, has been a little busier than anticipated. The good news is we were able to get out and record as well as take a handful of trips. The bad news is we are slightly behind on those, but they will start to open up now that we are getting into the cooler weather. And besides, maybe the best time to talk about the late summer and early fall sun would be when we are seeing near freezing days over the coming weeks! Speaking of near freezing days, the event we were able to go to and highly recommend you check out was the festival of trees.

Location

The festival of trees is a fundraiser for Allegheny Health Network. Typically, this is an indoor event where individuals can actually bid on decorated Christmas trees. However, this year is obviously a different one. In fact, it’s a drive-through event in Fairview Business Park where you can stay in your car and practice being socially distant the entire time.

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Fairview Business Park is located just off of Route 98, just north of the I-90 exit. Or, you can take U.S. route 20 and then head south onto Avonia Road, just a short drive past the Fairview Elementary, Middle and High Schools. The event itself starts inside of the park, so just turning in and following Klier drive will take you where you need to go.

Property Description:

The property itself is a business park with a main road that heads back and circles around a pond. There are multiple commercial and office buildings built around the park, and one side of the road is closed so you don’t need to worry about oncoming traffic. Basically, all that you need to do is drive up and slowly drive through to see the lights, scenes and other characters at the event.

Things to do:

This is a great combination of characters, individual scenes (both fixed in place and with moving characters who are dressed up), and light displays. There are some very festive scenes, some princesses and heroes that the kids will love, and even a Santa and Mrs. Claus. While you are there, they even suggest you listen to 99.1 FM on your radio to hear the Christmas music as you drive through. The entire event will vary slightly depending on how quickly you drive (or the speed of the car in front of you), but all in all, this was about a 20-minute drive through.

Who Can Go:

Because the speed was reasonably slow (less than 20 mph), you are able to see most all of the sites. This means it’s great for children or the elderly as well. And while it may be a little bit colder, the weather allows for individuals to roll their windows down and interact with the characters who are present.

One point to note, because this event is only offered for this weekend (November 27th – 29th, 2020) from 5:00-9:00PM, it is crucially important to get there early. We pulled into the park at about 4:45, and were probably around 15 to 20 cars deep from the first car to go through. They allow the next car to go every 20-30 seconds or so, so it meant we were able to “start” at about ten minutes after 5:00, and were exiting the display area by about 5:30PM. However, as we were exiting, we saw cars more than a mile down the road to the entrance of the park.

Santa!

Final Thoughts:

Because this is a charity event, the cost is displayed on the website, but for a car with 10 or less passengers, the total cost is $20.00. It is going towards helping Allegheny Health Network build a Healthy Food Center for nutritional support. Also, it is nice to see different participants involved and sponsoring different displays, and there is even a contest to vote for which one was your favorite. This certainly is a short event for the fact it is only running three days total. But if you consider the ability to get out and let your children have fun while doing something new for the holidays, this is an event to try.

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https://youtu.be/CL-6YLn7YCw
Check out our YouTube video for some great visuals from the event! Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re there!

Lake Erie Community Park

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After taking the time to wander Brown’s Farm, we needed a simpler plan. It’s one thing to enjoy the summer heat, the sun, and longer trails, but when fall starts to creep around the corner it is important to enjoy the summer before they’re gone for the year. That’s why we headed down to Lake Erie Community Park.

Location

Lake Erie Community Park is a small park in Lake City, PA. It is located at 10192 West Lake Road in Lake City, PA 16423. It has recently been renovated. It used to be full of campers and seasonal living, but those have been removed which makes this an ideal location to enjoy peace and quiet, events, using the baseball field, or just taking a walk. It is also conveniently located right on the water, so many people enjoy ice cream from the also conveniently located Dairy Oasis right at the entrance to the park.

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Property Description:

The property itself is a simple one, but has ample space. In addition to the already mentioned items, there are benches facing the water with a beautiful view from the cliffs to the lake down below. There is also a pavilion for events. Technically there are 4 pavilions, each with grills, electrical outlets, water, etc. – but only one pavilion has walls and can hold more than 180 people.  

Things to do:

In addition to the baseball field, there is a lot of walking space. This location technically has a west side to the park, with some trails and the ability to actually get down to the water. All in all, the park is 125 acres. Dogs are welcome (but as always, you are responsible for them and any cleanup you may need to do). Besides hosting parties, weddings, graduations, and more, there is also a playground for children to play. This is also another popular destination for photography, as the views of the trees and nature, combined with the cliffs and the lake, make for a photogenic location.  

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Who Can Go:

If you are looking for an opportunity to get out to an area of privacy, this is a location for anyone. It’s a simple park, but the views and opportunity to find a quiet location are enough to bring anyone down to relax.

Final Thoughts:

Whether you grab ice cream, have an event to celebrate, want to play on the baseball field or at the playground, or just want to see nature, this is a simple location. In times where social distancing is the norm, this is a great location because it’s not often overcrowded, and it tends to be a little more hidden compared to some of the parks and playgrounds where children can usually go. But, whatever your purpose, this is definitely a spot to check out and bring your friends or family, whether younger or older. 

Interested in finding out about more parks in Erie? Click here.

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