What’s New!
Learn about all the greatest additions, attractions, exhibits hitting our shores in 2018!
Presque Isle State Park / Lake Erie
USA Today’s Reader’s Choice “Top Pennsylvania Attraction” for 2017 and “#1 Freshwater Beach in the Country 2016”, a National Natural Landmark and Pennsylvania’s most visited state park. Sandy beaches, endless outdoor recreation. Presque Isle (French for “almost an island”) welcomes over 4 million visitors annually.
Come discover Presque Isle’s distinctive blend of natural beauty plus year-round recreation: swimming, boating, biking, surfing, birding and fishing. Explore on foot, wheels, surreys, skis, pontoons or kayaks.
Learn more at: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/presqueisle.aspx
Arts & Culture
Spanning performance stages to exhibit walls, Erie’s cultural diversity blends a metropolitan feel with engaging settings, riveting concerts, Broadway performances, theatrical musicals and dramas, national touring acts and artists. Outstanding experiences await…an evening of live music in our vineyards or at the beach, theatrical performances in the park or a day filled with museum and gallery tours.
Erie provides entertainment found in a larger city with the affordable, easily accessible and convenience of a smaller town. Erie’s extraordinary arts and cultural community provide residents and tourists alike with experiences that deepen the roots of our region, enliven neighborhoods, fuel creativity, and learning and bridge cultural divides.
Our community proudly tells the story of our heritage. It paints a picture of who we are today and our aspirations for an even more vibrant future.
Learn More: https://www.visiterie.com/explore/arts-and-culture/
Explore the Outdoors
Whether your adventurous spirit enjoys swimming, skiing, biking, running, fishing, camping, horseback riding, golfing or simply laying on the beach, we’ve got the place for you!
Erie was recently named the “Best Destination for Sports with Natural Venues” by SportsEvents Magazine. Hike our nature trails, delve into Lake Erie waters, creeks, streams and tributaries or sleep under the stars.
Indulge a Little…Eat AND Drink!
Traditional, non-traditional, casual, fancy, family-friendly, waterfront views, ethnic, diners and grab-n-go…a treasure trove of tastes. For a complete list of our “where to eat” recommendations visit: https://www.visiterie.com/eat-drink/
Lake Erie Wine Country
Pennsylvania's moderate climate and rolling terrain provide some of the best grape growing conditions on the East Coast. Experience the 22 distinct wineries that make up Lake Erie Wine Country which span PA and NY along the southern shores of Lake Erie.
With approximately 14,000 acres of grapes, Pennsylvania ranks 4th nationally in the amount of grapes grown and 8th in wine production. The warm waters of Lake Erie are ideal for grape growing.
Learn more at: www.LakeErieWineCountry.org.
Lake Erie Ale Trail
Pennsylvania’s only Great Lakes City is also known for its port and its porters! The Erie region is home to a variety of breweries that make up the Lake Erie Ale Trail. Each brewery refines their beer from simple ingredients, mixing in a passion for their craft with a personable twist that gives uniqueness to an ever-expanding assortment of flavors, styles and funky names.
Historic Discoveries
Erie County was formed in the 1800’s after Pennsylvania purchased the Erie Triangle from the U.S. Government in 1792 for approximately $151,000. Taken from part of Allegheny County, the new county was then named for Lake Erie and the Eriez Native American Indian tribe, which was destroyed by a combination of pestilence and the Seneca nation under Chief Cornplanter in the mid-seventeenth century.
The first European settlers in the area were the French, who built Fort Presque Isle on the city's site in 1753. The French abandoned the fort to the English, who lost it in 1763 at the start of Pontiac's Rebellion. When General "Mad" Anthony Wayne induced the native tribes to make peace in 1794, the area was opened to settlement.
The city was laid out in 1795 and became a port in 1801. In 1813, in what is often referred to as Erie's proudest historical moment, Commodore Oliver Perry defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. Most of Commodore Perry's ships were built in Erie.
Learn more at: www.visiterie.com/explore/history-and-heritage/
Green Attractions
- Tom Ridge Environmental Center
- Asbury Woods Nature Center
- Presque Isle State Park
- Erie Art Museum
Self-Guided Tours - Driving/Walking
Grab your family or friends and set out for a do-it-yourself outdoor adventure! Here are our suggestions for fun outdoor tours:
- Download the FREE Hello Erie mobile app and check out two GPS-based walking tours: Gems of The City, a walking tour of historic (lower) Downtown Erie (Dickson House, Hamot House, Captain John Richard’s House, St. Patrick’s Church and more) and the West Bayfront Walking Tour which includes the Bicentennial Tower, Dobbins Landing, West Canal Basin and more.
- FOODIES! Eat your way through downtown Erie or the charming town of North East on the Erie Food Tours which includes stops and tastings and a bite of history at the area's most popular restaurants.
- NEW! Erie Mural Arts Tour. Take a self-guide tour of Erie's Mural Arts! Explore 11 murals located throughout Erie's Little Italy district, East 12th Street Corridor and Center City. Download a locator map
View the Interactive Google Map
Thriving Districts
Bayfront
- U.S. Brig Niagara
- Bicentennial Tower
- Liberty Park
- Bayfront Convention Center
Downtown
- Block parties
- Cruise-ins
- Shops
- Galleries
- Warner Theatre
- Restaurants, pubs and clubs
Shopping
- Millcreek Mall
- Village West
- Colony Plaza
- West Erie Plaza
- Relish, Inc.
- Glass Growers Gallery, & more!
