Adventures on a Tiny Island in Ohio

Lake Erie has a tiny two by four mile island — “Put-in-Bay“, known as Ohio’s premier summer-time party spot, located only 20 minutes by ferry from mainland.  Every year my friends and I organize a long weekend away that usually includes relaxation, hiking, good food, fun, and a hot tub!  We enjoyed our trip to Put-in-Bay so much last year, we decided to return for this year’s annual get-away.

This shot was taken early Saturday morning just as the sun was rising…

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Friday morning we drove from Cincinnati and caught the 12:30pm Miller Ferry ride (during high season they conveniently leave every 30 minutes) to the island.  We left our car parked (it’s free) in their lot and carried our bags on board.

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Once on the island, having reserved a golf cart (the preferred method of transport on the island) through Miller Marina, we were able to fit six women and all of our stuff on it!  Yes…it was only for the weekend!

Miller Marina in Put-in-Bay offers public transient dockage with a private club atmosphere and family friendly setting. It is located one block West of downtown Put-in-Bay, close to island attractions, yet far enough away from all the distractions. Miller Marina offers grills and picnic area, pavilion, modern restrooms/showers, WiFi and golf carts are available for rental.
 

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We stayed at the Island Club Condos aka Put-in-Bay Condos at a beautiful end unit with a view of the pool and Lake Erie to the left.  Our two-bedroom/two-bath condo was perfect!

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Put-in-Bay’s split personality ensures that everyone has an unforgettable time…think Gatlinburg and Key West on steroids! While exploring the island with your fun mobile, make frequent stops for shopping, dining at one of the colorful outdoor cafes while listening to live music, and cooling off at a swim-up bar with a frozen tropical beverage in hand. When or if your senses become overloaded from the people watching and intoxicating excitement, hop back on your cart to experience the other side of Put-in-Bay, where you’ll find serene and tranquil spots to gaze at the sailboats gliding by on the glistening blue lake.

When we weren’t out exploring, you could usually find us out on the patio enjoying nature…

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Nightlife at Put-in-Bay

Feeling like Cinderella with less than an hour or two left, our day at Put-in-Bay was going to end at 9:30pm (our Jet Express ferry return time) so we knew we had to squeeze out every bit of fun we could in the time remaining.  Walking down the street, the sound of a musician belting out a foot tapping tune from an outdoor lakeside venue, led us to take a rest and listen for a while.

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The colorful umbrellas and people up ahead were incentive enough for me!

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While my friends relaxed, I did my thing…take photographs.

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There’s more to Put-in-Bay than Partying

Exploring South Bass Island on our golf cart, my girlfriends and I discovered the other side of Put-in-Bay.  The side that makes you want to pull up a comfy lounge chair and let the world go by.  We admired the lakeside homes with the glittering water shining through their windows…

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Sailboats gliding quietly through the blue waters…

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First Stop on the Girls’ Weekend…Butler Winery

When I prepared the itinerary for my annual girls’ weekend this year, I included a stop at two of Indiana’s beautiful wineries.

After driving three hours from Cincinnati and getting lost a few times on the back country roads, we were ready for a glass of wine!  I had Google map directions and my friends had smart phones, but some of the streets didn’t have signs and we lost signal with the phones.  Butler Winery, located just five minutes from the Vacation Rental By Owner, was a convenient and fun stop!  They offer six complimentary tastings.

Notice the reflected vineyards in the window…

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Thurman’s Cafe in Columbus, Ohio

 

My annual Girl’s Weekend was in Columbus, Ohio this year.  It’s only one and one-half  hours drive there from Cincinnati, but I had a great time…as usual!  For the past five years we’ve been going to Cities…Nashville, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Lexington!  Anyway, this Cafe was made famous on the travel channel show–“Man vs. Food“.  They’re known for their huge hamburgers!

Every square inch of the interior was filled with an interesting mix of signs, games, art, and photos!

The four of us split two burgers and they were deeelicious!

We stayed at “The Residence Inn by Marriott” in a two bedroom suite in the heart of downtown and loved it!

The decor was modern, stylish and functional…

Although we only used the kitchen to make coffee and to make sandwiches for lunch one day, it’s nice to have!

Let the games begin!!