I have been visiting the Watson-curtze mansion for many years from when I was young till now…read more one great place to learn about loads of local history + they always have something history related when I visit there. I remember when I was younger they had a room with robots dressed as historic figures talking about all the historic battles going on like the war of 1812 I would tell anybody who hasn't been there you have to visit there lots of great history inside there

Nice quick stop to see Lake Erie. The tower has limited parking and we did have to park at the…read morestreet since it was a busy time but it is only a quarter for 30 minutes. We were in and out in 17 minutes. It cost $6 per adult and they only accept cards. They do sell small snacks and waters as well and clothing. The top view was very nice and the wind felt great with it be July. There were very interesting information posted throughout the tower and on the observation deck. The staff were very friendly as well.

We enjoyed the visit there. They had informative plaques about the history of. Erie and how it…read morehas changed. The view was amazing! They have steps as well as an elevator and a man up the top who answered questions.

The first lighthouse to be commissioned on any of the Great Lakes in the United States, the…read morelocation was chosen at the entrance of what was then a challenging entrance to the bay and the Port of Erie. The original structure was replaced and then that one was replaced with what we see today in 1867. Well constructed with a 20 foot deep foundation, it is 49 feet high and is mostly conical with a 19' bottom base and a 14' top base. When it's open to the public (free on the first Tuesday of the month), there are 69 steps to the top. It does have a light but it is not an active aid to navigation. The trees at the cliffside mostly block the view of the harbor. The lighthouse is surrounded by a small park that is open dawn to dusk. It is now a residential neighborhood but there is some parking. A webcam of the view from the lighthouse is linked from https://www.presqueislelighthouse.org/learn/erie-land-lighthouse [Review 1385 of 2024 - 662 in Pennsylvania - 22408 overall]

Pretty neutral as we didn't get a chance to even tour. Upon arrival we were warned a large crowds…read morebusload of children were about to arrive and in so many words please leave because they were overwhelmed. Apologetically as if we had popped up on the doorstep of a relative's home who was inconvenienced by our arrival, we moved on to read the plaques outside at a more rapid pace than I preferred. Another couple who followed us did the same. Sadly they lost out on 4 people's fares to take a quick tour simply because they were bracing themselves for the onslaught of children. They could have been more gracious or welcoming. Even a quick looksee would have been sufficient. Or an appointment. But we are from out of state and never had time to return.

Okay, so technically this is the Waterworks Steel Intake Tower but the locals call it the…read moreWaterworks Lighthouse. It dates back to when Lake Erie was used as a municipal water source. Since Lake Erie was also the output for sewage and factory waste, it wasn't a good scene. Thousands of people were sick with typhoid and worse as a result. To combat this sickness, a 60 inch pipe was laid from the waterworks plant in Erie, across Erie Harbor under Presque Isle to a distance offshore. And this tower was built in 1906 to house a steel chain and gears. That equipment was designed to lift a large lid to gain access to the municipal water intake pipe. More recently moved to its current location and renovated as a lighthouse replica, it is visible from all along the Erie shore especially the Waterworks district. And here on Presque Isle, it is near Building 12 which has a public restroom, covered picnic tables and parking. If you're headed to the actual Presque Isle lighthouse, stop by here and check this one out too! [Round number 22400 overall - review 1377 of 2024 - 654 in Pennsylvania]

I was last in Erie in November - extreme cold and 5 feet of snow. Came back for summer and found a…read more95 degree day with never ending sun. This city is built on grit. Nothing closer is better. You have Waldameer Amusement Park, Peninsula with Beaches, downtown with restaurant, shopping, 2 water parks, custard stands everywhere and a Max and Erma's. What more do you need? Hotels everywhere and a chocolate called sponge candy. Get a bag of Smith hotdogs to take home - Erie thing- and enjoy your visit.

Erie, Pennsylvania is a wonderful city. Home to my favorite State Park, Presque Isle, the Tom…read moreRidge Environmental Center, Erie Art Museum, Erie Film Society/Film Office, Waldameer Park, Splash Lagoon, the Whole Foods Co-op, Perry Square, Erie Zoo, numerous breweries, restaurants, food trucks, and attractions, U.S.S. Flagship Brig Niagara, the observation tower, and so much more . . . I love Erie . . . It's on the move, and going upwards, and onwards . . . Cheers Erie!

I stopped at the Hagen History Center on my way through Erie since I wanted to check out the Frank…read moreLloyd Wright office that they have on exhibit. The Hagen is located in a couple of buildings near Gannon University. Fairly recently the Hagen acquired the FLW office that he used in San Fransico near the end of his career; the Hagen built a special building to house the office along with other exhibits. While the FLW office has been on display other places, at the Hagen you are actually able to go into the office and look around, which is a real treat. To start the Hagen has a number of displays before you enter the office giving information on Frank Lloyd Wright, his designs and even identifies the buildings in the region that you can tour. The office itself is relatively small, just a compact reception area, 3 workstations and a small office that Wright used to meet with clients. The office has the feeling of being a Wright design, clean lines, natural materials, and innovation. An interesting element of the installation is that the Hagen has placed photos of what the office looked out to in the windows so you get an idea of how it looked in San Francisco. The Wright office is less spectacular than most Wright designs, it had to fit into a commercial building and was more of a satellite office for work in California. It is a nice visit if you are in the area or are a Wright completist. I did check out some of the Erie history exhibits on the second floor of the building, they seemed to be well presented and a nice look at various elements of Erie history. I was happy I stopped and checked out the Wright office at the Hagen, but it is not worth a special trip and there are much better examples of Wright buildings in the Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York that I would recommend you tour. This might be a great start if you are taking a trip through Erie to see Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob or doing the Buffalo Wright tour.

OH what fun ! stumbled upon this place right next to the Erie Art Museum - the place i never got…read moreinto beyond the front door( -see my other reviews ) The historical Society is on the top floor and looks a bit like a cluttered library stuffed full of books and, well, stuff ! The people inside saw me browsing and quickly came to ask if they could help and explained their hours etc they were very nice to me ! the Cashier's House is also in this building and even though it was in the middle of "moving within the building" they let me tour on my own anyways LOL it is a three story house and i accidentally went to the third floor unattended to have a look around no one seemed bothered by that even tho sightseers were supposedly not to go there the elevator took me right up there so...why not look around LOL ! ? not that security is lax cause there appeared to be cameras all about and on each floor - i wonder if anyone noticed me ? LOL LOTS of fun artifacts in the Cashier's House Victorian stuff to make is appear like a lived in home of that time period .... beside that there is a small Maritime museum of shipwrecks and an interesting but small room of Telephone history in Erie LOL LOTS of stuff in there it seemed well organised lots of old phones and phone books switchboards and wires and cables and insulators what a delight ! all in all a great visit for me even if i was the only one there for a good hour and oh yes .... the front desk guy let me in for free cause they were renovating the Cashier's House - i bet i never get THAT price again ! LOL !

You might be surprised to know that even though my husband and I are well into our forties, the…read morehighlight of our visit here was actually the playground area. They have these amazing slides and my very adult husband fully embraced his childish side and had to try them out. Was he waiting in line with small children for the experience? Yes. Did he go down one of the slides too fast and take a spill? Yes to that too! Did we still have a really fun time? Absolutely. It was pretty busy when we visited but once you start walking around you understand why. It's a great place to spend some time. There's an open green space and we saw lots of paths and trails that you could walk on. There's plenty of room for people to spread out and just enjoy their day. We didn't even know that the slide area would be there, but it definitely brought out our inner child and gave us a good laugh. This location is great for kids, families, couples or anyone that wants to enjoy a nice day outside and I definitely recommend trying the slides, but don't go down it like a water slide with your hands crossed in front of you or you'll pick up to much momentum and have a hard time stopping (or so I've heard lol) and make sure to hold on to the rail so you can slow yourself down at the bottom!

We had an amazing afternoon exploring LEAF, the Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park. All I can…read morereally say is what a treasure. Was in town for the day and decided to check it out and ended up spending about 2 hours here. My partner and I enjoyed the views, scenery, paths, and layout. It is October 12, 2023 and the weather was nice with added to a wonderful fall experience. Highly recommend checking it out.

Super fun, kind of hidden and out of the way, well worth a stop especially if you want fun…read morepictures. Some friends and fellow pinups came to explore and take pictures.

This is a fun Roadside attraction that is worth a detour and it is indeed a long route off of the…read moreinterstate. We love places like this though this one has a few less art pieces then others but it still was very creative.