Lake Erie - Lake County

Lake Erie – is one of the 5 Great Lakes and borders four states: Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York as well as the Canadian Province of Ontario. The water at Lake Erie provides waterborne commerce, navigation, manufacturing and power production that has led to extensive industrial development along the 812 miles of shoreline (312 is in Ohio) however, the moderate temperatures of the lake has encouraged a great deal of agriculture and recreation. Lake Erie is the warmest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes and being the shallowest of the 5 has led it to have more consumable fish than the other Great Lakes combined. The lake’s fishery supports over 10,000 jobs per year and the lake has become the Walleye capital of the world. The lakefront living lifestyle is embodied at Lake Erie as it has everything residents could ask for. With its immense size, Lake Erie is unrivaled by any other lake in the state when it comes to breath-taking and awe inspiring panoramic lake views!

Lake / Beaches / Marinas – Lake Erie is an amazing lake with 9,910 square miles of surface area, an average depth of 60 ft., a maximum depth of 210 ft., and 871 miles of shoreline. Lake Erie is the 4^th largest of the Great Lakes in surface volume and the smallest by water volume but it is the 12^th largest lake in the world by surface area. Most of the lake’s inflow comes from the Detroit River water from the upper Great Lakes; the rest of the water comes from smaller tributaries including the St. Clair River and precipitation. Boaters, anglers and every other lakefront residents can experience lakefront living at its finest as the lake has no regulations on boat size, horsepower or speed limit, except in specified areas. For anglers, the lake is abundant with walleye but is abundant with other ‘superstar’ fish including steelhead and pickerel. The lake also holds smallmouth bass, rainbow and brown trout, salmon, whitefish, smelt, alewife, white perch, yellow perch and white bass. Reportedly the longest fish in the lake is the sturgeon, which can grow up to 10 ft. and 300 lbs., although they are endangered and live on the bottom of the lake. There is also a mythological creature sometimes known as the Lake Erie Monster that some fisherman will occasionally swear to see! The Lake is also popular for shipwreck diving, biking and hiking trails, and lighthouses. The lake offers 191 places to access the water in Ohio as well as 37 public beaches which offer swimming, volleyball, picnic areas and all other activities you could think of. The lake is also the host of dozens of marinas that offer boat and wave-runner rentals, supplies, boat repair services and fuel.     

Lake County – is known as a getaway oasis with an abundance of shopping, historical sites, golf, wineries and all the lakefront activity you could dream of. Lake County is known for its beautiful beaches including Headlands Beach State Park that has Ohio’s largest natural sand beach of 1 mile, a hiking trail, picnic areas and playground equipment; also, the Lake Erie Bluffs, a wooded parcel of natural beach with a 50 ft. observation tower, and the Lake Metro Parks Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park. This section of Lake Erie also hosts the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse, containing natural artifacts and great views of the lake. History enthusiasts will also enjoy Lake County as it is the home of several historical sites including the Finnish Heritage Museum, Historic Kirtland Village, a restored 19^th century village open to tourists, the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, the home of the 20^th president, and the Indian Museum which has a collection of pre-historic Native American relics. Besides Lake Erie itself, residents can also experience a wide array of nature and outdoor wonders such as the Blue Haven Alpaca Farm, The Holden Arboretum which has over 20 miles of hiking trails, themed gardens and tree collections, and the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve, an award winning 450-acre recreation area with water trails, hiking trails and a wild beach. Lake County also contains several art-related wonders such as Gallery One, America’s largest art gallery with over 30,000 original paintings, the Rabbit Run Theatre which produces excellent live theatre, and the Village Peddler Festival, an outdoor American marketplace with over 175 artisans and craftsman. The area also hosts dozens of wineries, microbreweries and the Lake County Captains, a class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians Baseball Team! Lake County has no shortage of activities and provides residents with everything from live theatre to wild sandy beaches!