Marblehead Peninsula

Coast Guard Station

Marblehead is a village in Ohio Erie shore west. It is on the Marblehead Peninsula, which divides Lake Erie from the Sandusky Bay.

Get in

Marblehead is about an hour east of Toledo and 1½ hours west of Cleveland. From Sandusky it takes about 20 minutes.

By boat

• 1 Kelleys Island Ferry, 510 W Main Street, ☏ +1 419 798-9763, fax: +1 419-798-8009, kifbl@verizon.net. The schedule varies depending on the season, but generally a ferry runs once an hour. Check website for current prices. 

Boat launch

• Dempsey's Access, CR 136 (Bayshore Rd.) at CR 140.
• East Harbor State Park, N. Buck Rd. (off SR 269) +1 419-734-4424
• Mazurik Access, Northshore Blvd. (off SR 163)

Marinas

• Anchors Away, 5925 Saylor Rd. +1 419-734-1395
• Bay Point Marina, 10948 E. Bayshore Rd. +1 419-798-4434
• Marina Del Isle, 6801 E. Harbor Rd. +1 419-732-2587
• South Beach Resort Marina, 8620 E. Bayshore Rd. +1 419-798-5503
• Tibbels Marina, 6365 East Harbor Rd. (SR 163), +1 419-734-1143

By car

From OH 2, exit at OH 269 and head north. The northern terminus of OH 269 is at the exit of East Harbor State Park.

From Port Clinton, follow OH 163 east. OH 163 circles the peninsula.

By plane

• Toledo Express Airport (TOL ^IATA)
• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE ^IATA)

See

Lighthouse & Keepers House

• 1 Johnson's Island Prison Cemetery (Off Gaydos Rd.). Important Civil War officers prison was on-site. It is only the cemetery has been preserved, but it is worth a visit particularly for those interested in history. (updated May 2017)
• The Keepers House, 9999 E. Bayshore Dr. Built in 1822, it was the residence of the first three lighthouse keepers. 
• 2 Marblehead Lighthouse, 110 Lighthouse Drive, ☏ +1 419 734-4424. May 29-Aug 31: M-F 1-4:45PM; June-Oct: Second Sa of the month 10AM-3PM. Climb to the top for a great view. There is also a mini-museum in the Keeper's House  
• 3 Train-O-Rama, 6732 E Harbor Rd, ☏ +1 419 734-5856, fax: +1 419-660-0133, mail@trainorama.com. Memorial Day-Labor Day: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1-6PM; Labor Day-Memorial Day M-Sa 11AM-5PM, Su 1-5PM. Large display of an operating multi-gauge model railroad. $6/5/4 (Adults/Seniors/Children 4-11). (updated Jan 2018)
• 4 Fort Firelands. Replica frontier fort. Houses the Museum of Flint and Stone (updated Nov 2018)

Do

• Monsoon Lagoon Water Park & Family Fun Center, 1530 N. Danbury Rd, ☏ +1 419 732-6671. (SR 269). Call for hours. Seasonal. 

Beaches

• East Harbor State Park Beach, 1169 N. Buck Rd. (off SR 269) 

Fishing charters

• Sportsman Charter Services, East Harbor State Park Marina, +1 419 798-4720
• Tibbels Charter Service, 6965 East Harbor Rd, ☏ +1 419 734-1143. 

Lakeside Chautauqua

The village of Lakeside is a gated community (June-Sept) on the north shore Marblehead Peninsula. It is one of three remaining Chautauqua communities in the United States. Chautauqua was a movement started in the 1800s to provide adult education on important issues as well as entertainment. Today Lakeside is a vibrant community which offers family-oriented entertainment, concerts, and recreation, lectures and clubs throughout the summer. The village has a number of restaurants, shops, churches, parks and businesses within. Visitors are welcome to purchase a day pass. Others choose to stay longer - the village has cabins, houses, and a hotel with rooms for rent for a day, week or even the entire summer.

Buy

St. Marys - in front of Light House

• Just for Ewe, St Rt 163, ☏ +1 419 798-5151. Yarn shop, clothing, gifts, souvenirs, and gifts (updated Jan 2019)
• Furry Paws & Fancy Stuff, ☏ +1 419 635-6369. Grooming and pet products. (updated Jan 2019)

• 1 Marblehead Lighthouse State Park Gift Shop, 110 Lighthouse Dr (At Marblehead Lighthouse State Park), marbleheadlighthousehsep@gmail.com. noon - 4pm Memorial Day to Labor Day. Gift shop with lighthouse and local gifts. Also available online all year. (updated May 2022)

Eat

• Mels Crows Nest Restaurant and Lounge, 2170 N. Buck Rd, ☏ +1 419 734-1742. 
• 1 Bruno's Pizzeria, 726 W Main St, ☏ +1 419 798-1000. (updated Jan 2018)

Drink

• 1 Canoe Club Wine Bar, 5831 E Harbor Rd, ☏ +1 419 960-7030, mark@canoeclubwinebar.com. (updated Jan 2018)
• Hidden Beach Bar, 530 Hidden Beach, ☏ +1 419 798-4635. (updated Nov 2018)
• 2 Jamestown Tavern. (updated Jan 2019)

Sleep

Hotels

• Hotel Lakeside & Fountain Inn, 236 Walnut Ave, ☏ +1 419 798-4461. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 
• Majestic Motel, 8629 E Northshore Blvd, ☏ +1 419 798-4921, aroom4me.com@aol.com. 
• South Beach Resorts Hotel, 8620 E Bayshore Rd, ☏ +1 419 798-4900. 
• Surf Motel, 230 E Main St, ☏ +1 419 798-4823, service@surfmotelohio.com. 

Campgrounds

• East Harbor State Park, Northeast part of Ottawa County on the north part of Catawba Island, off of Route 63, on the shores of Lake Erie. 365 electric sites, 205 non-electric sites, showers, flush toilets, dump station, launch ramp, camp store, pet camping, two Rent-A-RV units on full-service sites, two deluxe camper cabins, dock rentals, restaurant, marina, fishing, hunting, 7-mile trail, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe courts, playground equipment and a 1,500-foot sand beach.

Connect

• 1 Marblehead Peninsula Branch Library, 710 W Main St, ☏ +1 419-798-0477. (updated Nov 2018)
• Post Office, 1306 W Main St, ☏ +1-419-798-4153, toll-free: +1-800-275-8777. M-F 7:30AM-4:30PM, Sa 7:30AM-4PM. (updated Sep 2019)

Go next

Marblehead Ferry

• Johnsons Island. The island is accessible by car from Marblehead. During the American Civil War Johnson's island was used as a POW camp. The cemetery is the only part of the island open to the public, and there is a $2 charge to use the causeway.
• Cedar Point Amusement Park is just across the bay from the eastern part of Marblehead. If possible, take a private boat to one of the marinas on the island and bypass all of the traffic.
• Kelleys Island is a 20-minute ferry ride from Marblehead.
• Huron
• Sandusky
• Port Clinton

Routes through Marblehead

Port Clinton ← Lakeside ←

W  E

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