Erie was made for family moments. Here, the simple things are the best things: fresh air, toes in the sand, space to splash, and time to pause. You’ll spend less time in traffic, and more time playing. Less time in lines, and more time laughing. Come with a plan, or let the moments guide you, and discover why Erie is known as a place for effortless family fun.
Erie’s family traditions come alive at Waldameer Park & Water World, where the vintage charm of one-of-a-kind rides like the Whacky Shack and Pirate’s Cove spark nostalgia, laughter, and new memories. Free admission, parking, and ongoing updates keep the park fresh. When the heat rises, Water World cools things off with Battle of Lake Erie splash zones and the tri-state’s largest wave pool.
Explore the Erie Zoo, where every path leads to something new and exciting. From curious orangutans and playful otters to vibrant gardens and seasonal events, adventure awaits at every turn. The habitats will bring you closer than you imagine to animals from around the world, creating wondrous and truly unforgettable moments. Your visit isn't about seeing wildlife —it's about connecting with nature, discovering the unexpected, and making memories you'll treasure for years to come.
Minor League Baseball screams summer fun, and at UPMC Park, every seat feels close to the game as you root for Erie’s back-to-back Eastern League champs, the Erie SeaWolves. The AA-affiliate of the Detroit Tigers bring the action while beloved mascot C. Wolf hands out high fives and hugs. Check out the SeaWolves’ promotional calendar for some epic theme nights.
Consistently ranked as one of the top indoor water parks by USA Today’s 10Best, Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort is a year-round tropical escape where families race down thrilling slides, catch waves in a giant pool, or get soaked under a giant tipping coconut. It’s a water park escape that can turn a quiet day into a lively party.
At Erie Insurance Arena, the roar of the crowd rises as the Ontario Hockey League Erie Otters take the ice. Many current NHL stars got their start in Erie (including NHL All-Star and MVP Connor McDavid), and a night at an Otters game gives families the chance to see future stars up close. The season starts in September and runs through spring.
ASCEND Erie turns climbing into a shared adventure where every handhold sparks confidence and every climb builds connection. Multiple climbing walls and routes provide opportunities for all skill levels.
At the expERIEnce Children’s Museum, creativity and curiosity take center stage in a fresh, three-story space designed for kids to play their way through Erie- themed exhibits. Central to the renovated space is “Lake Life,” a massive water table dotted with mini versions of Erie landmarks, like the Bicentennial Tower and North Pier Light. On the top floor, kids will want to spend all day at “My Town,” a miniature community featuring a grocery store, auto shop, restaurant, theater, veterinary office, and so much more.
Just a short drive away in Jamestown, NY, the National Comedy Center brings laughter to life with cutting-edge tech and personalized exhibits. Visitors create custom “Sense of Humor” profiles that shape interactive experiences tailored to their tastes, ensuring fun that’s both clever and age-appropriate.
Asbury Woods offers a peaceful escape into nature’s classroom. Wander trails that weave through forests, wetlands, and meadows, then step inside the nature center to explore live animal exhibits and interactive displays.
School's out for summer! Let this playlist guide your family vacation in Erie County. For all of VisitErie's playlists, click here.
814-835-5356
4105 Asbury Road
Pet friendly (outside trails only)
Erie, PA 16506
582-228-9035
426 State Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-455-6055
1 State Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-725-0747
9210 Sidehill Road
North East, PA 16428
814-315-9694
2061 West 8th Street
Erie , PA 16505
716-736-4418
5811 Welch Hill Road
Ripley, NY 14775
814-459-5477
20 East 5th Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-392-4785
Home field is Erie Sports Center
8159 Oliver Road
Erie, PA 16509
814-453-7117
809 French Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-572-1407
Meets in front of Like My Thai 827 State Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-452-2744
150 East Front Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-455-7779
Erie Insurance Arena
809 French St
Erie, PA 16501
814-455-1375
23 West 10th Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-454-2852
12 West 10th Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-456-1300
Home games - UPMC Park/110 East 10 Street
Business Office - 831 French Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-864-2022
4940 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-864-4091
423 West 38th Street
Erie, PA 16508
814-580-9905
4838 West Ridge Road
Erie, PA 16506
814-580-9905
23 W 10th Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-453-3743
420 French Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-402-4653
1000 State Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-440-2435
9000 West Lake Road
Lake City, PA 16423
724-316-2529
35 State Street
Erie , PA 16507
814-454-1813
356 West 6th Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-746-8953
419 State Street
2nd Floor
Erie, PA 16507
814-461-0911
1402 State Street
Erie, PA 16501
814-453-5323
1501 West 6th Street
Erie, PA 16505
814-725-3303
10700 Delmas Drive
North East, PA 16428
1200 Lighthouse Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-823-6706
8159 Oliver Road
Erie, PA 16509
814-449-9012
150 East Front Street - Erie Maritime Museum
Erie, PA 16507
716-484-2222
203 W. Second Street
Jamestown, NY 14701
814-920-9666
130 E Front Street
Erie , PA 16507
716-355-4141
1405 Olde Road
Clymer, NY 14724
814-528-5257
2730 West 12th Street
Erie, PA 16505
814-452-2628
402 West Bayfront Parkway
Erie, PA 16507
814-796-4500
2055 Stone Quarry Road
Waterford, PA 16441
814-838-3938
Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle Canoe & Boat Livery
Erie, PA 16505
814-836-0201
Perry Monument at Presque Isle
Erie, PA 16501
814-833-3604
Presque Isle State Park, east of Beach 6
Erie, PA 16505
814-833-7424
Foot of Peninsula Drive
Erie, PA 16505
814-835-8900
Waterworks Beach area
Presque Isle State Park
Erie, PA 16505
814-217-1140
8071 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509
814-453-2627
2 State Street
Erie, PA 16507
814-384-8184
318 West Plum Street
Suite B
Edinboro, PA 16412
866-3SPLASH (77-5274)
8091 Peach Street
Erie, PA 16509
814-734-5098
12270 Edinboro Road
Edinboro, PA 16412
814-833-7424
E Fisher Drive
Erie, PA 16507
724-880-1283
Captain John E. Lampe Marina, Foot of Port Access Road
Erie, PA 16507
814-833-7424
301 Peninsula Drive
Erie, PA 16505
814-459-9696
Foot of State Street/Dobbins Landing
Erie, PA 16507
877-817-1009
220 Peninsula Drive
Erie, PA 16505
Wolverine Park Marina
34 State Street
Erie, PA 16507
Welcome to The Cove Bay-Side Restaurant and Tavern. We invite you to enjoy a unique dining experience on Erie’s Bayfront with our nautically inspired decor, a carefully crafted menu, and an unbelievable view of Presque Isle Bay. With both indoor and outdoor seating right next to the bay, we want to be your destination of choice when you “just want to get away from it all” but without having to go far.
Discover Erie’s favorite dining destinations with the John Russell Hospitality app—bringing all six of our locations together in one place. Make reservations, order online, earn rewards, and stay up to date on events across every venue. Whether you're planning a waterfront dinner or a casual night out, everything you need is right at your fingertips.
Stop by Port Farms to check out our on-site brewery, Poverty Knob! We offer hand-crafted beers and delicious sharable food year-round. The brewery is family and dog friendly with both indoor and outdoor spaces. We offer games, music and entertainment for all ages!
Located at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel, Two45 pays homage to the precisde moment in history that Oliver Hazard Perry bravely led the US Navy on the path to victory during the Battle of Lake Erie. As a tribute to our fair city, the restaurant offers upscale, traditional American cuisines with a focus on seafood and coastal fare. Chef's specialities include macadmania-crusted grouper filet and bone in tomahawk pork chop. Private dining room available.
Tia Book Cellar is an independent bookstore offering new books, unique gifts, puzzles, and games for all interests and ages. Located across from Gibson Park in North East, their brand embodies the local business model and the local grape heritage. Tia believes that “there is always…local, an alternative, and a story.” They look forward to helping you discover your next read or gift.
Edinboro Community and Economic Development is a regional Edinboro area non-profit committed to fostering positive community-wide growth. Through economic and civic initiatives, the ECED seeks to empower the Edinboro community to effectuate targeted change to meet current needs and build regional resilience. Edinboro is a unique area where rural and urban values intersect, and the best "small town America" qualities shine.
Explore the Erie Zoo, where every path leads to something new and exciting. From curious orangutans and playful otters to vibrant gardens and seasonal events, adventure awaits at every turn. Our habitats will bring you closer than you imagine to animals from around the world, creating wondrous and truly unforgettable moments. Your visit isn't about seeing wildlife —it's about connecting with nature, discovering the unexpected, and making memories you'll treasure for years to come.
Blissful Meads is an award-winning winery and restaurant in Meadville, PA, specializing in the production of excellent meads, wines, and ciders in small batches. We sell by the bottle, flight, or glass. We also offer imaginative cocktails & mocktails, local beer & spirits, and unique food. We're located at 847 Market Street in downtown Meadville. We offer catering options and you can rent our tasting room for events.
The Field at DICK’S Sporting Goods is where passions come to life. Designed to inspire movement and connection, The Field offers opportunities to try new experiences, demo the latest gear from top brands, and bring people together. Host your next event with us. Also, offering a wide range of community programming, including fitness and yoga classes, youth sports camps and clinics, and more. Community partnerships are at the core of everything they do, and they take pride in supporting teams, athletes, and organizations in meaningful ways.
If you live more than 50 miles from Millcreek Mall, stop by the Customer Service Center to register. You’ll receive a Guest Rewards Tourism Program Luggage Tag. Scanning the QR Code on it will reveal special offers from participating mall merchants. If you spend $200 or more that day, take your receipts back to the Customer Service Center and you’ll get a FREE $20 Mall Gift Card. You get rewarded just for shopping!
Take a quick ride up to the observation deck to enjoy the stunning 360° veiws of Presque Isle Bay, Lake Erie, downtown Erie, and even Long Point, Ontario on clear days – all from 138 feet up at Erie’s iconic Bayfront Tower.
UPMC Hamot is a 445-bed hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a regional hub for specialized health care, including advanced surgical services, private intensive care suites, and the area’s only accredited trauma center.
Whether you're planning a weekend escape or a full vacation, unforgettable live entertainment is waiting for you in Erie. Set along the scenic shores of Lake Erie, the Rebich Investments Amphitheater comes alive every summer with the “8 Great Tuesdays” free community concert series- taking place every Tuesday in July and August. Recently, voted Erie’s Choice for Best Local Event. Relax by the water, enjoy the view, and experience incredible live music under the open sky. Erie Events, the driving force behind downtown Erie’s vibrant entertainment scene, brings excitement year-round across five unique venues in Erie, PA. Come for the music, stay for the experience. Erie is where every show comes with a waterfront view.
Five Iron Golf is Erie’s premier indoor golf and entertainment destination, blending top-tier technology with a vibrant, social atmosphere. Featuring state-of-the-art TrackMan simulators, a full bar and kitchen, and Duckpin Bowling, it’s the perfect spot to play, practice, or just hang out. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or swinging for fun, Five Iron Golf brings people together through golf, food, and great times.
Presenting SiriusXM host, pianist, conductor, writer, and performer Seth Rudetsky in “Divas by the Decade” on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. Blending humor and insider insight, Rudetsky celebrates Broadway’s legendary leading ladies with stories, rare audio, and video from shows like “Hamilton,” “Gypsy,” and “West Side Story.”
Join us at Oliver’s Rooftop, located on the eighth floor of the Hampton Inn & Suites on Erie’s scenic Bayfront. Open daily, with Sunday brunch from 10 AM–2 PM, featuring chef-inspired specialties. Enjoy inventive cuisine paired with stunning views, unforgettable sunsets, and unique nature watching. Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows provide incredible vantage points overlooking Presque Isle Bay. Award-winning and recently recognized as Erie’s Choice Community Choice Awards Best Fine Dining Restaurant (2025). Reservations are recommended.
From tailgating and birthday parties to travel sports and family reunions, Donatos is here to feed your whole crew! Right now, get four large 1-topping pizzas and three 2-liter bottles of Pepsi products for just $74.99! Use code 262 when ordering online or mention at our Harborcreek on Buffalo Road!
The Mazza family welcomes you to explore 3 unique locations in Lake Erie Wine Country. Sip and savor award-winning wines at Mazza Vineyards and the historic South Shore Wine Company, both located in North East, PA, and be sure to visit their combination winery, distillery and brewery, Mazza Chautauqua Cellars/Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing, in nearby Westfield, NY.
Experience 84 degrees all year at one of the top water parks in the country.
Operating five unique venues right in the heart of downtown Erie’s entertainment and cultural district, there’s something for everyone.
Voted Erie’s Choice Best Hospital for eight years in a row
Experience family summer fun on more than 100 great rides, slides and attractions at Waldameer!
Find true action with slots, table games, sports book, and horse racing.
VisitErie – 208 East Bayfront Parkway – Erie PA 16507 – (814) 454-1000 – info@visiterie.com
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