If you didn’t know it was there, you’d not easily come across Presque Isle State Park in Erie PA.
As part of our road trip in May of 2022, we decided to take a detour from our route to Niagara Falls. It’s a short trip off Interstate 90 just before Erie PA. Since we were traveling during the off-season, there were relatively few people at the park, and we were able to find a beach for the dogs to run.
But, before you get to the beaches, there is a pleasant, long drive along Presque Isle. My advice here is, to take your time. We seem to be in a rush to get to the destination, in this case, a beach, where we miss some of the more beautiful sites along the way. We drove well under the speed limit and were able to see some nice views of the water and the inland side of the park. So, take the time, stop at the turnouts and enjoy the sites.
When we arrived at the beach, a few things were apparent. First, Presque Isle State Park is well suited to accommodate a lot of people. There was plenty of parking, the facilities were in good shape, and the beach access was easy. Second, we were very glad to be there in the off-season with the dogs. If you travel with your pets and want to visit the park during the high season, be ready to keep them leashed and have to pay attention to a lot of other people (not everyone knows your dog is friendly.)
Our shelties had a blast running along the beach. While it wasn’t necessary, we kept the leashes attached; but there were virtually no other people at the beach. As the two ran their momentum took them over a small hill in the sand (but big enough that they couldn’t see over the top… they’re short), and they plunged right into Lake Erie on the other side.
After their bath in Lake Erie, and the dogs finding a couple of dead seagulls, we decided they were ready to get back on the road. It was a nice, off-season visit.
If you are driving through north PA, take some time to visit Presque Isle State Park. While our time there was short, you can easily spend a day or more.