August '09 - Michigan (Day 3)

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Day 3 - 8/17/09

Put in Bay, Ohio

As we were leaving Ann Arbor, we were trying to decide where to stop on the way home for the day. We decided to head towards Put in Bay since we would be driving right past there.

Once we arrived in Port Clinton, OH, we decided to take the Jet Express to South Bass Island. The Jet Express is a passenger only ferry that runs from Port Clinton to the various Lake Erie islands around South Bass Island. After parking in the lot for the Jet Express, we got hit with a pretty significant thunderstorm. The storm lasted about twenty minutes and cleared just as the shuttle was docking. The narrated twenty minute shuttle ride to the island was very entertaining. Upon docking at Put in Bay, we decided to eat lunch at the Boathouse Bar & Grille. The atmosphere was undescribable. Cozy, yet open enough to let you know your on an island. There was a guy who was playing his guitar and singing some classic rock songs. The food and service was wonderful. Our waitress was the daughter of one of the ferry owners and she was able to give us such a great background on the island and the lifestyle.

After lunch we decided to rent a golf cart so we could navigate the whole island. The island does allow automobiles, mainly for the residents of the island, but most of the traffic on the roads are golf carts. We spent the next hour exploring every corner of the island. Eventually we made it over to the Perry's Victory and International Peace Monument which is located on the south side of the island. The monument is named after Oliver Hazard Perry who was a US Naval Commander during the War of 1812. The monument is 352 feet high, one of the tallest monuments in the country. There is an observation deck at the top which you can take an elevator to. The day we were there, we didn't get to the monument until it had already closed for the day. We continued to explore the island on our golf cart, doing some shopping along the way.

Once it was dinner time, we went to the Boardwalk which contains restaurants and some small specialty shops. We opted to eat at the Upper Deck which has a 360 degree view of the island and Lake Erie. We both had a great seafood dinner and followed that up with some drinks. After dinner, we returned the golf cart and made our way back to the dock for the Jet Express. Another twenty minute ride back to Port Clinton and we were on our way home. Put in Bay is definitely a place I would like to return to when I have more than a day to spend there.

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