Another adventure in the books….This experience led us to Conneaut Lake, located in Pennsylvania. Conneaut was only an hour and a half drive from Pittsburgh and the drive was beautiful! Bob actually has been here before as a kid and we thought it would be a great day to check it out many years later. Conneaut Lake is connected to Conneaut Lake Park, the historic Hotel Conneaut, and the beaches touching the boardwalk. We spent the day doing a little bit of each main attraction. This was a fast, easy, almost priceless trip and something you could do all in one day.
When we first got there, we parked at the beginning of Conneaut Lake Park, which has free parking. We wanted to scope everything out but got distracted by the view on the boardwalk. We walked the boardwalk all the way to the end where you could see boats, beaches, and the hotel. It was a great scene and you could hear all the laughter from the roller coasters behind us. The beach was crowded with people, the marina was filled with boats, and a sunset wedding being prepared in the yard of the hotel. When first getting to Conneaut it was a breathtaking experience that something so beautiful was so close to Pittsburgh!
After doing some research, the original boardwalk was taken down and this boardwalk was just newly built and still smelled like new wood. When we got to the end of the boardwalk we saw a little tiki bar which we stopped at for a drink. The bar was called Hotel Downunder Tiki Bar. It was a small bar that is owned by the hotel. They had all kinds of drinks but we got frozen daiquiris, which were delicious and great for the hot day! After sitting at the tables provided by the bar for a little while, we decided to walk around again and enjoy the scenery. We ended up walking back up to the park.
When we got to the park, we decided to play mini golf, where Kayla lost tremendously. The mini golf area was secluded from the rest of the park and the old train tracks were actually right in the center. The mini golf course looked rustic and old which gave it such a good feeling of old memories and amusement park vibes. I think there were 18 holes and it took about an hour to complete. It was plenty of fun and I think it was only $3 a person.
After getting beat at mini golf, we decided to get something to eat. There actually was not much to chose out of since most of the places were not open for the day since most places are only open on the weekends. We decided to get a bucket of fries and a large lemonade. They both were fantastic but we decided to eat them before going on the famous Historic Blue Streak Wooden Roller Coaster. We bought one ticket for this single ride since it was the most popular and I think it only cost us a few dollars. This roller coast is actually one of the top historical coasters in the United States and making the top 50 to ride in America.
We loved the roller coaster! To most readers, you will find that we take many pictures off of cliffs, borders, waterfalls, and high ledges, but what you don’t know that Bob is extremely scared of heights. So this experience was not as fun for him but fun for Kayla to see (sorry babe). The roller coaster is made out of wood and is extremely “jerky”. Most roller coasters are smooth due to the metal but this coaster still has some remaining wood from the early 1900’s. This roller coaster is still one of the only roller coasters still ran in the traditional coaster manner.
After being beat up by the roller coaster and getting stomach aches, we decided to walk and explore the hotel. The yard of the hotel is beautiful itself. There were about 50 chairs set up for a romantic sunset wedding and decorated with flowers. We went to the front of the hotel, which found a fountain unlike any we have ever seen. The fountain had flowers and plants all around it and the fountain itself had elegant statues incorporated into it. This area was very peaceful and we got some good photography here. The fountain leads to old stairs that lead up to the porch of the hotel. The hotel porch was decorated in flowers and rustic pieces like rocking chairs and old tea kettles.
Following our adventure of the hotel, we decided to walk around the park one last time and walk the beach. We decided to leave and get some dinner on the water. We found a place called Silver Shores. Silver Shores was only about 20 minutes away from Conneaut Lake Park and the restaurant itself is on the water. The scene from where we sat was absolutely gorgeous! We actually got to watch the sun setting and the waters coming into the marina for the night. They had a huge menu and they had daily specials. We both got a lot of food and it the prices were great. The view was for sure our favorite part of the restaurant.
Altogether, this trip was full of joy, new goals to beat Bob at mini golf, full of new experiences and fear of heights conquered. Holding hands through an amusement park made us feel like we were in the early 1900’s and smelling all the carnival food and the beach in the air felt like a mini vacation. We both recommend this trip for the entire family or as a couple to just get away for a day. We feel that experiencing emotions as a couple like happiness, excitement, joy, hope, and inspiration is necessary for anyone who wants to lead a happy and healthy life. Doing these little trips made us cherish little moments like this and makes us stronger everyday. Each trip keeps bringing us closer and closer, hand in hand, and ready to go onto the next adventure…
Conneaut Lake Photo Gallery
