Mr. Shivers scoops out Perry’s Ice Cream, boasting 30 flavor choices on our last trip there! We love that this stand also has a menu that’s fit for lunch or dinner, so if you want to enjoy a meal and then go back and get some ice cream for dessert, this may be a great location for you!
This is a great place to get ice cream in Erie, PA! They serve Perry’s Ice Cream, and when we visited they had 14 different flavors, so there’s bound to be a flavor for everyone to enjoy! Along with Perry’s Ice Cream, The Double Dipper offers milkshakes, soft serve cones, dippers, build your own sundae, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats, and slushies.
They serve fantastic soft serve ice cream! If you enjoy soft serve, this is an awesome location for you to visit. They also have shakes, snowstorms, slushies, and bakery items. And cold desserts are not their only forte, Whippy Dip also serves several savory items!
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with any of these businesses 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.]
Getting ice cream at a stand in the summer is great, but pair it with putt putt and we think that’s even better! We recently enjoyed an evening at Castle Ice Cream and Castle Mini Golf in Fairview, PA!
Location:
Castle Ice Cream and Castle Mini Golf are located at 7334 W Lake Rd, Fairview, PA 16415 and 7354 W Lake Rd, Fairview, PA 16415. We wanted to provide both addresses, but please know that these are literally right next to each other and basically connected by the picnic tables and giant dragon (for kids to play on) in between.
Castle Ice Cream
Property Description:
Castle Ice Cream is an ice cream stand that also has a drive through! There is parking available right in front of the stand. There are picnic tables located in between Castle Ice Cream and Castle Mini Golf that you can enjoy your tasty treats at.
Seating Area
There is ample parking, and you can find it in the front of both the ice cream and mini golf locations.
Ice cream parking area
Castle Mini Golf is a putt putt course with 18 holes. It’s landscaped beautifully, with lots of greenery, flowers, and water features. There are many Instagram worthy photo locations throughout the course.
A great spot on the course to take a photo
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What to Do:
Castle Ice Cream offers several different flavors of ice cream, as well as sundaes, ice cream cookie sandwiches, soft serve, and smoothies. If you’re looking for something less sweet, they do offer hot pretzels, hot dogs, and chips. We really enjoyed our ice cream cones, someone went big this time and got a triple scoop! Their pricing for their ice cream is 1 scoop for $2.60, 2 scoops for $3.50, and 3 scoops for $4.10, in either a cone or a bowl. Soft serve is different, in size small, medium, and large ranging from $2.39-$3.49.
Orange Milk Shake
Castle Mini Golf is a professionally designed 18 hole course that allows you to have a friendly game or a major challenge with anyone you bring. The pricing is $8.00 for adults and $7.00 for kids (ages 5-12). Please note that adult supervision is required for kids to play. A fun fact about pricing is that the 2nd consecutive game of mini golf is 1/2 of a regular priced game! They will give you a pencil and a scorecard, so you can decide whether or not you’d like to keep track.
Practice green at the beginning of the course
Who Can Go:
Anyone can enjoy ice cream but there is a step up to get to the window in front to place your order. Also, keep in mind that you can order through the drive through if you would like.
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Castle Mini Golf is actually one of the handicap accessible putt putt courses in Erie, PA, giving anyone the ability to enjoy a round of golf. The course gives a challenge to any age; we had people age ranged in our group from toddlers to 60’s. The course was played well by both, and someone even got a hole in one!
We also want to mention that because this course is handicap accessible, it’s also very easy to push a stroller through if you have a little who’s not quite ready to play yet.
Accessible Pathways between holes
Final Thoughts:
We had a lot of fun playing putt putt and getting ice cream in Fairview, PA. The course wasn’t too crowded when we went, but there were consistently people behind us coming in as we played. We would recommend splitting up your group if it’s very large to avoid backing up the course.
If you’re looking for mini golf and ice cream in Fairview, this is the place to be!
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Castle Ice Cream and Castle Mini Golf 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.]
We’re coming to find that there are many different lake access points in the Erie area, such as Shorewood Park and Walnut Creek Marina. Elk Creek Access is not only one of these Lake Erie access points, but a great spot to visit!
Location:
You’ll find Elk Creek Access at the end of Elk Creek Road, Lake City, PA 16423. We’ve included a map below to help you figure out where the destination is.
Brought to you by Google Maps
Property Description:
This is beach and water access, near homes and summer cottages. There’s not a ton of space to park, but you should be able to find a spot being that this is a pretty unfilled area when it comes to outside traffic. You’ll find a little sand, but it is mostly rocks and pebbles on the beach.
What to Do:
There is no lifeguard available, so we would advise staying out of the water for swimming purposes. We did dip our feet in, walk along the edge, and look for beach glass, and we found so many pieces! This beach was full of it, so we highly recommend coming here if collecting beach glass is something you like to do. We heard the best time to pan for beach glass is after a storm, so this may be the perfect place to come the morning after one of Erie’s nighttime thunderstorms.
Beach glass among rocks and pebbles
Our beach glass haul
We are sometimes lucky enough to view things that we wouldn’t even think of, and our trip to Elk Creek Access was one of those times. A couple of guys had brought their dog, who they were teaching how to retrieve in the water. The kids loved watching him run back and forth, and it got us thinking that this beach in particular is probably a great place to bring your dog to play because it is definitely not a busy as some of the other beaches in Erie, such as Presque Isle.
If you’re looking for the best place to watch the sunset in Erie, add this to your list of options. We did come to this beach at sunset, and noticed that although there were still people there, the actual beach itself wasn’t very busy. The people who live in the area were watching, but mainly from their own property; we saw roughly 3 groups besides ourselves on the beach.
Who Can Go:
All are welcome at this beach and creek access point in Lake City. This is definitely a cozy place for a date night in Erie, but it’s also a great place to hang out with your family and friends or bring your dog to run and play. You do have to walk across rocks, so it’s not most easily accessible place to visit if you want to get close to the water.
Be aware that there is some private property in this area, so not all points are accessible to the public.
Final Thoughts:
We really enjoyed our evening at Elk Creek Access. We highly recommend this beach if you are looking for beach glass in Erie, PA and the area surrounding the lake.
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[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Elk Creek Access 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 behard.]
We’re on a hunt for the best ice cream place in Erie, PA, and The Double Dipper has us wondering if we found it! If you’re looking for great atmosphere, table seating, visual appeal, and yummy ice cream and other treats, this place has you covered! It’s nice enough to make a great spot for a quick dessert or even a great date in Erie, PA. However, it’s also a casual location for quick snacks, specializing in ice cream.
Location:
The Double Dipper is located at 5320 Buffalo Road, Erie, PA 16510. You will see the modern white and stone building from the road, along with another building that looks very similar to it. Whether you live on the eastern side of the Erie area or you’re heading over there, this is a great place to stop!
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Property Description:
This ice cream stand is decorated to perfection. Featuring fresh, simple decor, the outdoor dining area was wonderful to sit in. We honestly didn’t feel like we were eating beside such a busy road (Buffalo Road) because of the atmosphere. It’s also set back far enough that this is a quiet spot to enjoy dessert. We went just before sunset, but we look forward to visiting after the sun goes down. We’re sure the string lights bring a different ambiance in the evening as the sun disappears over the horizon. Open from 1-9 p.m. daily, you’ll be able to check it out in whichever light you’d like.
What to Do:
This is a great place to get ice cream in Erie, PA! They serve Perry’s Ice Cream, and when we visited they had 14 different flavors, so there’s bound to be a flavor for everyone to enjoy!
Along with Perry’s Ice Cream, The Double Dipper offers milkshakes, soft serve cones, dippers, build your own sundae, ice cream sandwiches, root beer floats, and slushies.
Not all of us enjoyed an ice cream cone on this visit, as we got a slushie and a swirlie as well. It was great to mix it up, and we appreciated the various options on the menu.
Dirt Sundae and Butter Pecan
Mint-Ting-A-Ling
Slushie
Swirlie
Who Can Go:
The Double Dipper is a great place for the whole family to enjoy! They have outdoor seating (and a pup cup on the menu, with a water bowl sitting outside), so you can feel free to bring your dog! The counter and the seating area are both easily accessible.
With its atmosphere, we love that this is a great spot for families to have a seat together and enjoy a tasty treat. And with its hours and lighting ability, we also think this is a great stop if you’re looking for places to go on a date in Erie. And, make sure to get your Instagram worthy photo with the ice cream Yeti!
While you’re there, take a picture with this guy
Final Thoughts:
Although we aren’t here to review anything, we have to say that this place was pretty darn great. The atmosphere was so charming, and the ice cream was delicious. We really enjoyed our visit and look forward to another one soon!
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[Editor’s Note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Double Dipper 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.]
On our mission to bring you several locations to enjoy the beauty of the sunset in Erie, PA (click here for more locations), we were lucky enough to stumble across Shorewood Beach in Harborcreek, PA.
Unedited. Unfiltered. The beauty of a sunset on Shorewood Beach.
Location:
Shorewood Park is located along Lake Erie at the intersection of East Lake Road and Moorheadville Road.
Property Description:
Shorewood Park has over 14 acres of land. 12 Mile Creek intersects with the property, and we saw some great views from the beach. The park has over 1,200 feet of shoreline, which is known as Shorewood Beach.
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Be aware that the park and the beach both close at 10:00 p.m. daily.
What to Do:
Shorewood Park is beautiful, with many stunning views of nature. You can enjoy some time staring at beautiful Lake Erie on the rocky beach, or enjoy the lush, vivid greens of the leaves on the trees on the land surrounding.
You will see a playground when driving towards the beach, and alongside is a picnic table with a charcoal grill, making this a great place to enjoy a meal with your family.
One of the things we would highly recommend doing here is watching the sunset. We have only visited Shorewood Beach once, so we’re not sure if we got super lucky, but the sunset was absolutely phenomenal from this location.
We were also very fortunate on our trip to see a helicopter flying over the water as the sun set. It got extremely close to the water, and seemed like it was coming in right over our heads! It was honestly one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen, and we’re not sure if it was a one time thing or not, but you just might see it for yourself if you decide to visit!
Who Can Go:
Anyone is welcome at this park, but please be aware that accessibility to the shore isn’t necessarily easy. The shore is surrounded by rocks, making it very hard for anything to wheel near the water. Before the rocks, there is a sand and concrete parking area with ledges that reach out towards the water, and those ledges allow anyone who is unable to get into the rocks the ability to look out over the water. The good thing is between the creek and the countless feet of beach, you won’t ever feel cramped or shoved up against other people if you decide to come here. And while this might not be the beach most think of if they are searching for the best beach in Erie, PA, this is certainly one of the calmer beaches we have been to.
Final Thoughts:
We really appreciated the simplicity of this Shorewood Beach. The park was not crowded at all, and we only saw about 3 other groups of people besides us. This is highly desirable compared to a place like Presque Isle that is a high traffic area.
We really enjoyed our time at Shorewood Park. The views were stunning, and the waves rolling in made for the perfect soundtrack to our evening.
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[Editor’s Note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with Shorewood Park 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.]
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.]
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.]
There are times when we wander a bit farther than normal, and today’s blog post is a prime example of that! Welcome to our first post in a series we entitled “Wandering Beyond Erie!” And, even though most of what we want to show you is about what to do in Erie, PA, we know sometimes it’s important to answer the question what’s close to Erie, PA?
On a beautiful summer day when you’re looking for fun and adventure, sometimes there’s nothing better than taking a drive on the highway to spend the day walking around a beautiful zoo! We decided to do just that as we went on a trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo!
Location:
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium is located at 7370 Baker Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, which is roughly two hours from Erie, PA. The zoo has a couple entrances, so when you’re coming in it can be a bit tricky to navigate. However, there are signs posted! The zoo boasts a HUGE parking lot, with enough access for strollers or wheelchairs.
Property Description:
This is a rather large zoo in Pennsylvania at 77 acres, especially when in comparison to the Erie Zoo at 15 acres. There are cement paths to walk on, and every exhibit is accessible by wheelchair or stroller, whether there are stairs going up to the exhibit or not. There are many different animal enclosures with various forms of fencing, be it natural or man-made, to keep you separate from your animal friends. Different buildings are located throughout the property, giving the choice to take a peek inside or continue on your way. The zoo features beautiful greenery, where you will see mammals and reptiles from all over the globe. The aquarium boasts brilliantly colored aquatic life from around the world, along with a lush rainforest and waterfalls.
Things to do:
There is so much fun to be had walking around the zoo! With over 4,000 animals at the Pittsburgh Zoo representing 475 species, there is bound to be interest for the whole family! We had a few favorites on our trip; which included the lemurs, big cats, komodo dragons, otters, and sea lions!
Not only are there exhibits to look at, but the zoo features a lot of interaction between guest and animal. We were lucky enough to get up close and personal with a bearded dragon and his keeper as we were walking along! You can also go on a “Wild Encounter” to learn more about specific exhibits, and go behind the scenes with animals such as elephants, giraffes, red pandas, and even sharks! This is something that will cost you a little extra ($250 per group), but may be well worth the experience. We did not try one of these encounters, but might consider it for a future trip.
If you need a break and the kids want to play, the zoo features a play area called “Kids Kingdom.” Kids can run, climb, and slide in the playground.
You’re going to want to pack a snack to bring with you, or you can visit one of the many locations for food and beverage throughout the zoo! Village Market, Arctic Express, Swahili Pizza, and Swahili Ice Cream are all great quick service counters, while the Jambo Grill (located in the exact middle of the zoo) offers a great made-to-order menu with a beautiful seating area surrounding the building. We opted for Dippin’ Dots, and I must say they were pretty delicious.
There are three gift shops located in the zoo; two in the front of the zoo where you enter and exit, and one in the PPG Aquarium. You’ll find everything from plushies to animal figures, t-shirts and tank tops, mugs and jewelry. The selection is expansive, allowing everyone in the family to find a souvenir they will cherish.
Who Can Go:
The zoo is a great place for anyone, young and old! We saw everyone from tiny babies to great-grandparents enjoying their day at the zoo. It’s wonderful for families, dates, school trips, and visits with friends.
The zoo is very inclusive and offers sensory bags and weighted lap pads available to check out while you’re on your zoo adventure. There is also an app you can download from their website to further enhance your visit.
Final Thoughts:
This zoo is a great place to go to if you’re looking for an all day activity that you’re willing to take a little bit of a lengthy drive from Erie to get to. We spent about four hours there during our trip, and I honestly think we could’ve stayed even longer. It was a nice experience for the little ones, and we will definitely be returning in the future.
If you’re on the search for zoos in Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Zoo would be a great stop on your quest to find the best zoo in PA!
I also want to point out that they were setting up for a really cool event, The Asian Lantern Festival, while we were there. This year (2021), it runs on select nights from August 14 until October 30. As it gets darker, the lanterns will glow and new entertainment will be provided. The lanterns will be on display at all hours, but the actual festival is a ticketed event separate from regular daytime admission.
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Display from the Asian Lantern Festival
Check out the link below to find out more information and to plan your visit to the zoo!
[Editor’s note: Please be aware that we are not affiliated with The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium 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.]
Wander Erie 