Spring Break in Sandusky

Winter is coming to an end…HELLOOO SPRING! I don’t know about you, but I am excited for warmer weather. Warmer weather means being outdoors, taking trips, cocktails on outdoor patios, pool and beach visits, beautiful blooms, and most of all great times! Now that it’s Spring, you know what that means – SPRING BREAK!! WHOOO HOO! I am back with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you a fun Spring Break destination right here in Ohio. The words “Spring Break” mean just as much to me now as they did in my younger days or in college. A time to get away, relax, and enjoy friends. Except now, it’s a time to get away, relax, and create my own memories with my husband and two daughters. I love to travel and explore, so I do make it a point to plan a trip every Spring Break. This year the family and I decided to explore the cool city of Sandusky. You may have heard of Sandusky in relation to Cedar Point, an awesome amusement park. However, let me tell you, Sandusky and the surrounding areas are a hidden gem! Get your note pad and pen ready, or better yet just save this post for later and don’t forget to share. Now let’s get into Spring Break in Sandusky.

WHERE WE STAYED

Castaway Bay

Day 1 – Waterworks

Castaway Bay is a ball of fun! If you are unfamiliar with Castaway Bay, it is an indoor water park resort located in Sandusky. We choose to stay here to get the best of both worlds, experiencing the water park as well as partaking in the other activities Sandusky has to offer. Castaway Bay is just a short drive to most locations. My girls absolutely loved staying at Castaway Bay. From the time you arrive to the time you leave, it is so welcoming and kid friendly. The theme of the hotel is kid-friendly pirate-bay like, hence the name. The entire resort is decorated to resemble being on boat or on a cool tropical island. The way the rooms and hotel are decorated is very well done. It attracts a kid’s attention immediately. They even have a game room with a wide selection of games. Think Dave & Busters but on a smaller scale. We checked into our room, put our things down, changed our clothes, and headed straight to the waterpark.

The water park is fun for adults and kids. The areas of play are sectioned off by age-appropriate activities. Any age can go in most area but some areas require an adult to be present. Also, most areas require kids under a certain height to wear a life jacket. They have life jackets on site. The areas of play consisted of a kiddie pool/area, a wave pool, a free swim pool, an open free water play area, slides, a hot tube, and an area to walk across water blocks using a net to hold onto. There is literally something for everyone. My family and I had a great time at the water park. They also have a snack bar inside the water park called Surfside Beach Bar & Grill. It’s perfect for a quick snack. We got two pretzels and cheese from here to share. During our stay, we also spent time in the arcade room.

We arrived at Sandusky on a Thursday morning ready to celebrate the warm weather and enjoy the start to our Spring Break. Castaway Bay opens at either 9AM or 10 AM depending on the day of the week. We arrived right at 9 AM to be able to be one of the first families to experience the park this day. As you can tell from our experience shared above, we had a ball at Castaway Bay’s indoor waterpark. You would think after 3 hours of waterpark fun, my kids would be tired of the water – but NOOOO! These children are like little fish. They would play all day in the water if I let them. After the water park, we went to Cedar Point’s Boardwalk & Beach. We did a quick swimsuit change and headed for more fun in the water, but this time outside.

THE ACTIVITIES

Cedar Point Boardwalk & Beach

We kicked off our Spring Break with a day full of water. Just a short drive from Castaway Bay, go and experience a fun beach afternoon at Cedar Point’s Boardwalk & Beach. Cedar Point is most known for their amusement Park. However, on the property behind the amusement park, is their own private beach. This beach sits on Lake Erie. It is smaller because it’s a private beach, but the fun you will have is amazing. My kids love the water, so this was perfect for them. I brought some beach chairs and snacks, and it was the perfect afternoon beach day. The sun was shining and bright, and the weather was amazing. I also brought rubber beach toys from Amazon as well as ring floats for the girls to play with. They built sandcastles and played in the water. This was time well spent as a family. We soaked up the sun, laughed, played in the water and sand, ate finger foods, and enjoyed one another’s company.

TIP: We did not stay at one of Cedar Point’s resorts, so we did have to bring a lot of our own beach supplies. The Boardwalk does not have seating at the beach, so you will need to bring your own beach chairs. I would also suggest bringing other beach supplies such as toys and towels. Bring snacks and of course sunscreen! We entered the Boardwalk & Beach through the same entrance as Cedar Park. There will be a path you take that takes you to the beach. You also do have to pay a small fee to enter the beach. Remember it is a private beach.

THE FOOD

Jim’s Pizza Box Restaurant

After a day full of waterworks, you can imagine we were now hungry. Pizza is always the answer especially for a hungry party of 4 that includes 2 kids. Plus, pizza is always a pleaser when it comes to children. We stopped by Jim’s Pizza Box for some tasty pizza, pasta, and salad. Jim’s Pizza reminded me of that local neighborhood pizza joint that everyone goes to when they want pizza. It certainly gave a family, cozy ambience. The staff was very nice and treated us like family. We ordered a Caesar Side Salad, a Garden Side Salad, a Pepperoni & Sausage Pizza and Baked Spaghetti and Meatball for dinner. This was plenty of food to share. The pizza came out hot and loaded with cheese and meat. The baked spaghetti came out with a blanket of cheese covering the top with a cute little meatball in the center. Everyone was happy and left full.

Toft’s Dairy

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Of course, after dinner is dessert! We are an ice cream eating family, so it was a must we stopped by Toft’s Dairy. Toft is Ohio’s Oldest Dairy. WOWWW, right! To say we’ve been to Ohio’s Oldest Dairy was pretty cool. We waited in line, got our ice cream, and sat outside at the family tables. My kids love pizza and ice cream, so this was a hit! My oldest daughter got Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough on a cake cone. I got one scoop of Cookie Monster Ice and one scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough on a waffle cone. I know this sounds like a lot – but don’t worry I did share it with my husband. LOL! My youngest daughter sticks to the basics, so Vanilla in a cup it was for her! This was the perfect stop and end to our first night in Sandusky. It was a long one, but it was well worth every minute.

Day 2 – Supporting Cast

While Sandusky is a cool city on its own, the great finds I share from day two are certainly the supporting cast to help make Sandusky the main character. Day 1 was just the introduction; Day 2 is now time to get out and explore. We had a fun, full, packed day so we started early. Believe it or not my family is coffee drinkers, including the 6-year-old. We started off our morning with an on-the-go coffee run to R Coffee Corner. We are a Latte drinking family, so everyone got Lattes except the 3-year-old. Now that we had a little morning fuel, we were ready to start our day!

THE ACTIVITIES

African Safari Wildlife Park

Talk about a unique experience. Our first stop for the day was the African Safari Wildlife Park. The ASWP is a drive-through and walk-through wildlife park. You can do both or one or the other. We wanted the full experience, so we did both. We started with the drive-through. This was certainly an experience to remember. At the entrance you drive up and purchase the type of feed you want to give the animals. After that you start driving through the park. Animals come up to your car and you roll the window down and feed them. As an adult, I enjoyed myself as well. I had never experienced anything like this and it was fun. It made us laugh the entire time. I sat in the back and helped feed the animals with the girls while my husband drove us all through. You will see animals such as Cows, Llamas, Bull Cows, Bongos, Bison, Giraffe, and more. I must saw feeding the Giraffe was pretty cool! Their tongues are super long and slimy.

The walk-through was fun as well but a lot less intense. You don’t have animals coming right up to you at face level. Haha! The girls enjoyed walking around seeing the different animals. They even got to ride a camel. They also played for a few minutes on the mini playground. If you have never had a feeding big-game wild animals experience, I would certainly recommend visiting the Safari Wildlife Park. It’s also a hit with the kiddos!

After the wildlife park, we stopped for a mid-day snack and yes it was another coffee shop. ;p  We had a Banana Foster Frappe and Chocolate Pecan Cookie from Victory Café. Now onto the next adventure!

Marblehead Lighthouse

Have you ever been inside an active lighthouse? If your answer is no, you need to check out Marblehead Lighthouse. Marblehead Lighthouse is located in Marblehead, Ohio, and is one of Lake Erie’s best-known landmarks. It is the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the American side of the Great Lakes. It has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores for years and continues to be an active aid to navigation. The lighthouse also just turned 200 years last year in 2022. This was a cool experience for me because I had never been inside a lighthouse. Because I had never been inside a lighthouse, what I loved was that they offer tours to the top of the lighthouse. It’s not like you come across a lighthouse every day, so of course my daughters and I took the tour. We climbed 77 steps on a winding staircase to the top of the lighthouse. I will say I was a little nervous with my 3-year-old, but we got in the back of the line and took our time. LOL! Once we made it to the top, it was a cool memory for the girls and me. The views are awesome! You can even see the amusement park, Cedar Point. This was a neat experience and the girls loved being able to go up the lighthouse.

TIP: The tour to the top of the lighthouse is CASH ONLY. It is $3 per person. Children 5 and under are free.

Rock Point Winery

Rock Point Winery – they had me at winery. LOL! I’m a girl who loves her wine. Pair it with a charcuterie board and I am sold! Rock Point is just a 3-minute drive away from Marblehead Lighthouse. Rock Point Winery has a cute outdoor area perfect for enjoying the warmer weather. Enjoy a wine tasting with a charcuterie plate. My husband and I did the Wine Flight. I love doing flights from wineries as it’s a good way to try different types of wine at once. It comes with 6 different tastings. The tasting consisted of the following wine selections: Pink Catawba, Concord, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoying their outdoor area with wine and a charcuterie plate was the perfect way to unwind and relax for a small portion of the day.

TIP: Rock Point Winery is kid friendly.

Watering Hole at Monsoon Lagoon

Who doesn’t love a good family round of Putt-Putt Golf? I’ve always enjoyed Putt-Putt Golf, even as a kid. Now that I am a mom, it’s fun to take the kids Putt-Putting. We are a very competitive family so it’s fun to compete and see who wins. To be very honest, my 3-year-old had no interest in following the rules. LOL! When it was her turn to hit the ball, she would just push the ball with the club into the hole. My 6-year-old did pretty good, but as most children towards the end she loss focus. Then it became a competition between my husband and I. He likes to cheat, so I won! HAHAHA! Could you imagine all the craziness that pursued? One not following any directions, one kind of trying, dad who’s cheating, and mom beating everyone?! CHEESEEE! Yes, a lot! However, we had a blast! Putt-Putt golf is something we like to do when we are in areas that have it. It brings the silliness out of everyone!

TIP: Watering Hole at Monsoon Lagoon is also known as Watering Hole Safari & Waterpark

THE FOOD

The Patio Restaurant

You can’t come to Lakeside Marblehead and not stop by The Patio Restaurant. The Patio is known for their donuts which are all made with cake batter and fried to perfection. The tasty donuts are made fresh daily. They offer a variety of toppings such as chocolate glaze, vanilla glaze, cinnamon sugar, powered sugar, sprinkles, and coconut. These donuts are delicious and fun. You can tell from the look and taste that they are homemade. My girls and I love a chocolate glazed donut with sprinkles, so we got two for the family to share. We also ordered a side of Superman Ice Cream. Can’t you tell our kids love us – dessert before dinner! ;p  They were the best donuts I have had in a while. If you are in the area, don’t miss out on checking out The Patio.

TIP: Check the hours of operation. Hours of operation vary by season. They are also located in a small community like neighborhood. There is someone sitting in a small building upon entry. You will have to park your car by this building. During certain times of the year, you cannot drive in the community unless you live or are staying there. You park at the entrance and walk. That’s what we had to do. It’s like this cool island neighborhood. It’s not truly on an island but that is the vibe it has.

J Bistro Downtown

Well after a full day of activities, it is time to unwind and have dinner. We stopped at J Bistro located in downtown Sandusky, OH. J Bistro is an upscale American restaurant. You will find American classics like fish dishes or a burger, but with a slightly evaluated twist. The ambience of the inside of J Bistro was nice. However, during warmer weather months, we enjoy sitting outside on the patio. We asked for a table on the patio and enjoyed the rest of the evening. Of course, you can never have too much wine, so my husband and I each had another glass of wine. We started with bread for the table because we needed more carbs from all the moving around, we did during the day! HAHA! My husband and I each ordered different fish dishes and the girls ordered Mac & Cheese and Burger & Fries. This was the perfect end to an activity filled day!

Day 3 – Put-In-Bay

Splash and Play along the Shores of Ohio’s Great Lakes. Did you know Ohio has Islands? It’s true! Put-In-Bay is one of the coolest places in the state. The gem of the Lake Erie Islands. To get there you must take a ferry, Miller Boat Line. Once you get on the island, you get around by golf carts. It was truly an awesome experience. I’m not sure what I thought was more cool, getting around by golf carts all day or the luxury of so many different activities being in one location. The island has so many things to see and do such as multiple bars, monuments, butterfly garden, eateries, wineries, crystal cave, jet skis, and a boardwalk. This place has something for everyone! My family and I went and enjoyed an entire day full of laughs, riding golf carts, eating, drinking, and family time.

HOW WE GOT AROUND

Miller’s Boat Line

Remember, Put-In-Bay is an island. As mentioned above, you must get there by a ferry. We used Miller’s Boat Line. Miller’s Boat Line is about a 30-minute drive away from Castaway Bay or any other lodging located in Sandusky. You can make accommodations to stay overnight on the island. However, we just did a day trip to the island. We arrived at Miller’s Ferry around 11 AM. Once we arrived, we purchased tickets to get to and from the island. After the ticket purchase, we waited until it was time to load the ferry. We loaded the ferry and rode about a 20–30-minute ride to Put-In-Bay. Once there, we off loaded the ferry and walked onto the island.

TIP: We did not plan a certain time to arrive. We honestly got up, got ready and got to the Ferry when we were ready. There is no specific time. Plan time according to what all you want to experience on the island. I would suggest the earlier the better. A schedule of the ferry arrival and departure times along with pricing can be found here. 

Island Bike & Cart Rental

One of the coolest experiences about the island is being able to ride around everywhere on a golf cart. When you get off the ferry, you will walk a short distance to the golf cart rental area. You can then choose to rent a golf cart or continue walking the island by foot. To be very transparent, the island is big. While you can walk, it will take you a while to get from the ferry drop-off and pick-up point to the main center of the island. The center of the island is where most of the attractions are located. You do have one winery and the children’s area that is located off to the side before you get to the center, but again you will do a lot of walking. We rented a gold cart, and it was worth every penny. I loved being able to park the golf cart and just hop on and off at different locations.

THE ACTIVITIES

Heinemans Winery

You can never have too much wine! Our experience at Heineman’s was fun. While they have an inside seating area, we choose to sit outside on the back patio. We love enjoying the warm weather. My husband and I did samples of a few different wines that ranged from sweet to dry. We also had a cheese plate that we shared with the kids.

Tip: Kid Friendly

The Boardwalk

The Boardwalk sits right on the harbor of Put-In-Bay. Boats can dock here. The Boardwalk also has different shops and eateries if you get hungry. It’s a cool place to just walk around and explore.

Perry’s Monument

We stopped by Perry’s Monument – the world’s most massive Doric column. Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie that took place near Ohio’s South Bass Island. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry led a fleet to victory in one of the most decisive naval battles to occur in the War of 1812. As you see, this monument holds a lot of history and has become a well-known landmark in Put-In-Bay. There are also tours offered to be able to go up to the top of the monument. Of course, the family and I took advantage of this. We took the tour to the top. At the top, you receive amazing views of the island. If you are a history worm, this is certainly a good stop for you.

Put-In-Bay Winery

You aren’t escaping the wine on this trip. LOL! After the monument, we stopped by another winery called Put-In-Bay Winery. At this winery, all of the seating is outside in front. I loved this! My husband and I each tried a wine flight that consisted of 3 wines each. He tried dry wines, and I tried the sweeter wines. We also shared chocolate covered strawberries. This was the perfect afternoon snack and sips. It was also nice to sit down, people watch, talk, and enjoy the warmth. My favorite wine was their chocolate wine. It was creamy with the right amount of alcohol! A beautiful combination. I liked it so much that I bought a bottle to bring back home. Put-In-Bay Winery makes some delicious wines, make sure to check them out!

Tip: Kid Friendly

Butterfly House

You might have been wondering if Put-In-Bay has anything for the kids to explore. Yes, they do! They have a family fun center right across from Heineman’s Winery called Perry’s Cave. Here you will find kid activities such as the Butterfly House, War of 18 Holes, Gemstone Mining, Fort aMaze’n, Rock Wall, Antique Car Museum, and Dan Dee’s Snack Shack. The girls wanted to go to the Butterfly House. It was interesting to see butterflies in an indoor house made to mimic their outdoor natural environment. At the butterfly house, you will find 50 different types of exotic butterflies from all over the world. Its relaxing and soothing to listen to the music and have butterflies fluttering all around you. The girls enjoyed being able to get up close and personal with the butterflies in their natural habitat.

THE FOOD

Frosty Pizza

While on the island, you will realize there are a ton of drink and food eateries to choose from. We of course went with our kids, so of course pizza was the best choice for us. You can never go wrong with pizza. We stopped by Frosty’s for a quick bite. We ordered one medium size pizza and we all shared. We also wanted to try other places, so we didn’t want to over indulge. Frosty is good if you want something quick and easy. It also pleases everyone in the group. We had a Pepperoni & Sausage Pizza. It was CHEESSYY!!

Chicken Patio

The Chicken Patio is known for their Wine Basted BBQ Chicken. They cook the chickens on an outdoor open grill. It smells and looks so delicious. We ordered a BBQ Chicken plate which consisted of Wine Basted BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, and a Roll. Talk about delicious. Needless to say, this was gone in minutes. Who doesn’t love BBQ Chicken on a hot day?!

The Boardwalk

I hope you came hungry because the Boardwalk has quite a bit to choose from. We decided to enjoy lunch at The Upper Deck Restaurant & Bar. We ate outside on a covered patio. This was so delightful. We enjoyed the weather and overlooked the harbor. The Upper Deck gives great views of the Harbor of Put-In-Bay. The Boardwalk is called the Lobster Bisque Capital of Ohio. With a title like this, we certainly had to try the Lobster Bisque. To make it a little fancy, we had it put in a bread bowl ;p. It was creamy and rich. We also ordered a Fried Fish & Fries basket. This fish basket was delicious and hit the spot on a warm spring day. Make sure to wash it all down with a PB&J Cocktail.

Put-in-Bay certainly showed us a good time. We came, we saw, and we loved this amazing and beautiful island. If you are looking for a Spring Break destination, Put-In-Bay CERTAINLY needs to be in your plans.

Spring Break is always a good time to find a new place to visit, we always do! After reading this fun Spring Break guide of Sandusky, I hope you are starting to plan your trip here. This city and its surrounding cast certainly will show you a good time. There is a lot to do and see. I love that Sandusky and surrounding areas showed me and my family so many hidden gems. I had no idea these amazing places were here until I started planning our Spring Break trip. Sandusky is certainly an amazing and fun place to visit. Pack your bags and head on the next family getaway. Happy Exploring Ohio!