🥾 ActiveWeekend · from Columbus, OH
Put-in-Bay & Kelleys Island — The Lake Erie Islands by Bike & Ferry
Two days on the Lake Erie islands, Ohio's improbable freshwater archipelago reached by a short ferry hop from the Marblehead peninsula. Day one is South Bass Island and its village of Put-in-Bay: a car-free island best explored by bicycle or golf cart, crowned by the 352-foot Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial and honeycombed with the largest geode cave in the world. Day two crosses to quieter Kelleys Island to walk the Glacial Grooves — the deepest exposed glacial striations on earth — and hike the North Shore Loop along the limestone lakeshore before the ferry back and the drive home to Columbus. About 150 minutes north to the docks, plus the ferry crossings; check schedules closely, as they govern the whole trip.
Day 1 — South Bass Island / Put-in-Bay: Perry's Monument, caves & island bikingDay 2 — Kelleys Island: Glacial Grooves & North Shore Loop
Day 1 — Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, OH
Day 1 — Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, OH
🚗 2 hr 30 min driving📍 4 stops
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Morning
🚗
Drive
Columbus, OH → Miller Ferry Dock, Catawba Point
2 hr 30 min
Drive to the Catawba Point dock, then take the Miller Ferry (about 18 min) to South Bass Island. Confirm ferry times before departing — schedules are seasonal and the last boats set the day's plan.
Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial
★ Reviews →Rising 352 feet above South Bass Island, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is a massive Doric column of pink granite — one of the tallest monuments in the country — commemorating Oliver Hazard Perry's decisive 1813 naval victory over the British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie, fought in these waters. An elevator carries visitors to an open observation deck with a 360-degree panorama across the island archipelago, the Ohio and Canadian shores, and the open lake where the battle was won. The National Park Service site is the island's defining landmark and the best orientation to the geography of the entire trip. Windy at the top; the deck can close in high winds, so go early when the lake is calm.
~1.5 hrs📍 See location
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Lunch
🍽️ Lunch~1 hr
The Boardwalk / Put-in-Bay Waterfront
Put-in-Bay's compact harbor village is packed with casual waterfront eateries, and the Boardwalk complex on the bay is the classic island lunch — famous for its lobster bisque and a deck looking out over the marina and the passing ferries. Everything in the village is walkable or a short bike ride from the docks, so a midday meal here fits neatly between the monument and an afternoon of island exploring. Expect a lively, resort-town atmosphere in summer. Arrive before the peak lunch rush to beat the crowds off the incoming ferries.
2 options · tap to switch
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Afternoon
Bike the Island & Crystal / Perry's Cave
★ Reviews →South Bass Island is small enough to circle by bicycle in an afternoon — rent bikes near the docks and ride the shoreline roads past vineyards, coves, and the island's state park on the western tip. Along the way, drop underground: Crystal Cave is the largest geode in the world, its walls lined with pale blue celestite crystals, while nearby Perry's Cave is a cool limestone cavern with an underground lake that supplied Perry's fleet with water. The pedaling is easy and flat, the lake views constant, and the caves a genuinely unusual geological detour. Golf carts are the local alternative if you'd rather not bike. Cave tours are seasonal, so confirm hours.
~1 hr📍 See location
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Evening
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Put-in-Bay Island Lodging
Staying on the island lets the evening slow down after the last ferries leave and the day-trip crowds thin — the village turns quieter and the sunsets over the water are superb. Put-in-Bay has a range of options, from waterfront hotels and inns near the harbor to the state park campground on the island's western tip for those with a tent. Book well ahead in summer, as island rooms fill fast on weekends. If the island is full, the mainland town of Port Clinton near the ferry docks has ample hotels and a shorter start to tomorrow's Kelleys Island crossing.
Day 2 — Kelleys Island, OH
Day 2 — Kelleys Island, OH
🚗 3 hr 40 min driving📍 3 stops
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Morning
🚗
Drive
Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island → Kelleys Island (via ferry)
1 hr 50 min
Ferry from South Bass back toward the mainland, then the Kelleys Island Ferry from Marblehead (about 20 min). Inter-island connections are limited — check the day's schedule the night before and allow buffer time.
Glacial Grooves State Memorial
★ Reviews →The Glacial Grooves on the north side of Kelleys Island are the largest easily accessible glacial striations in the world — a 400-foot-long, 35-foot-wide channel gouged into solid limestone by the immense weight of the ice sheets that scoured this region some 18,000 years ago. A walkway and interpretive railing let you look down into the polished, fluted rock, where fossils of ancient sea creatures are visible in the exposed bedrock walls. It is one of the most remarkable geological sites in Ohio, a direct and legible record of the Ice Age forces that shaped the entire Great Lakes basin. Compact but unforgettable; pair it with the adjacent quarry trails.
~1 hr📍 See location
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Lunch
🍽️ Lunch~1 hr
Kelleys Island Brewery / Village Eatery
The small village near the Kelleys Island ferry dock has a cluster of laid-back eateries and a lakeside brewery — the natural midday stop between the Glacial Grooves and the North Shore hike. Casual island fare, local craft beer, and a patio with lake views make for an unhurried lunch on the quieter, more rustic of the two islands. Everything is within walking distance of the dock and downtown. Hours contract sharply outside the summer season, so check ahead if visiting in the shoulder months.
2 options · tap to switch
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Afternoon
North Shore Loop Trail & North Pond
★ Reviews →The North Shore Loop and North Pond trails on Kelleys Island's state nature preserve deliver the island's best hiking — a boardwalk through a rare Great Lakes coastal marsh, a wooded loop, and an observation deck on the open Lake Erie shoreline where the limestone bedrock meets the water. The North Pond is a state-designated natural area, a remnant embayment rich in migratory birds and wetland plants, and the shoreline stretches offer wide views across the lake toward the Canadian islands. It is a peaceful, wild counterpoint to the resort bustle of Put-in-Bay, and the ideal final walk before catching the ferry back to the mainland. Allow ample time to reach the dock for the return crossing.
~1.5 hrs📍 See location
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Evening
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Drive
Kelleys Island / Marblehead, OH → Columbus, OH
1 hr 50 min
Return ferry to Marblehead, then drive south. Build in buffer for the ferry — missing the last boat means an unplanned island night.
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