Destination Erie: 15 Ways to Play

1. Get sand in your toes. Erie’s beaches are its biggest gem. There’s 13 sandy beaches to explore and play on at Presque Isle State Park. Splash in the waves, hunt for beach glass or just relax in a beach chair while the kids create sand castles and you meditate on that magical spot where the sun and water meet at the horizon. Erie, 814-833-7424, presqueisle.org

 2. Swim the bay. Erie’s sparkling Presque Isle Bay was once on the brink of environmental disaster. But the bay has returned, and is now a healthy, balanced, thriving ecosystem. To celebrate its success, 300 athletes will swim the mile from Presque Isle Bay to Erie on June 20 in BaySwim VIII. Erie, 814-838-5138, discoverpi.com

 3. Fish for tall tales. Erie is a fisherman’s paradise, whatever your preference. You can pull on waders and step knee-deep into a stream to search out steelhead, join the bucket fisherman off one of the piers at Presque Isle Bay to catch crappie, or head out in of Erie’s many charter boats for some deep-water fishing to snag a walleye. Want to know what’s biting? There are plenty of bait shops around Erie County that offer advice, including Poor Richard’s Bait and Tackle. Fairview, 814-474-5623, poorrichardserie.com

 4. Indoor water play. A rainy day? Don’t fret. Head up Peach Street, Erie’s main shopping corridor, to Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park. Spend a happy day zipping down nine water slides, playing in the largest indoor wave pool in the eastern United States, or relaxing in the Lazy River. Sure to be a whole family pleaser. Erie, 814-217-1111, splashlagoon.com

 5. Outdoor water play. Waldameer & Water World’s gigantic new wave pool is expected to open at the beginning of its 2015 season. The 500,000-gallon wave pool will hold up to 1,000 people. Along with the chance to get wet, the 119-year-old amusement park offers plenty of other thrills, with more than 75 amusement park rides. The favorite is the scream-inducing Ravine Flyer II. Coaster aficionados come from all over the world to ride the wooden coaster. Erie, 814-838-3591, waldameer.com

 6. Roar with the cats. Come nose-to-nose with an Amur leopard and two Canadian lynx at the Erie Zoo’s new $1.2 million cat exhibit, which opens this spring. Just a glass panel will separate the cats from their admirers. The beautiful zoo grounds, on which thousands of bulbs are planted every year, are home to more than 400 animals. At just 15 acres, the zoo is a walkable family favorite. 814-864-4091, eriezoo.org

 7. Train as a deckhand. The U.S. Brig Niagara, a replica of the flagship used by Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, will offer educational day sails throughout the spring and summer. Expect to be asked to help raise its beautiful sails, but also plan to have plenty of time to explore the ship and hear a fascinating history lesson while enjoying the view from your one-of-a-kind vantage point. One day not enough? The ship’s staff is accepting applications for its multi-week live-aboard sail training programs. Erie, 814-452-2744, flagshipniagara.org

 8. Bike wine country. Take part in a progressive dinner tour that also includes stops at a few of the 25 boutique wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country, a picturesque stretch from Harborcreek, Pennsylvania, to Silver Creek, New York. Along with wineries, cyclists will dine at local restaurants, and end the ride at a spot with live music. Scheduled June 20, July 11, July 25 and Aug. 8. North East, 814-725-1338, lakecountrybike.com

 9. Stampede the field. The Erie SeaWolves, a Detroit Lions minor-league team, offers charming family-friendly touches like allowing children (and their kid-at-heart parents) to run across the field in the sixth inning in a promotion called the Kids Stampede. Kids also are invited to trot around the bases after the games are over. In town on a Monday night? That means it’s Buck Night at the SeaWolves’ field, called Jerry Uht Park, when beers and hot dogs are just $1. 814-456-1300, seawolves.com.

 10. Get above the water. Ride Port Erie Sports’ Jetovator, which attaches a dirt-bike-type watercraft to a fire hose and then uses water pressure to shoot its passenger 25 feet in the air. Sound a little too daring for you? There’s plenty of other ways to get on the water in Erie: You can rent Jet Skis and speedboats, also from Port Erie Sports (814-452-2628, porteriesports.com), kayaks and canoes from the Yellow Bike Rental Co. on Presque Isle (814-835-8900), or enjoy a dinner cruise on the Victorian Princess (814-459-9696, victorianprincess.com). You can catch a fish on one of the many charter boats (try the Edward John, 814-881-7611, edwardjohnperchfishing.com) or learn to talk like a pirate on the mighty ship Scallywags (814-453-2627, scallywagspirateadventures.com). No budget? No problem. Take a free educational pontoon boat ride at Presque Isle (814-833-7424).

 11. Cheer on your favorite filly. Horse races at Presque Isle Downs and Casino take place Sunday through Thursday nights throughout the summer. Make a bet and then cheer on your favorite as they stretch for a win. The family-friendly venue is a perfect spot for kids to get up close to the extraordinary animals that race with impressive speed toward the finish line. Erie, 866-374-3386, presqueisledowns.com

 12. Tower over Erie. The 187-foot-high Bicentennial Tower at the foot of Dobbins Landing was completed in 1996 to signify the city’s bicentennial year. It offers panoramic views of the City of Erie, Presque Isle State Park, and Lake Erie from its observation deck and is a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike. 814-455-6055, www.porterie.org

 13. Watch the sky turn to gold. Erie is famous for its gorgeous sunsets on the water, and with good reason. A perfect time to catch a sunset is a Wednesday night between June 10 and July 15, when locals gather at Beach 1 on Presque Isle for the popular Sunset Concert Series. Music starts at 5:30. The sun goes down a few hours later. 814-838-5138, discoverpi.com

 14. Roar on the shore. More than 80,000 bikers and the people who love them attend the annual motorcycle rally called Roar on the Shore each year. The weekend of fun includes organized rides to the area’s vineyards and through Presque Isle State Park, as well as free concerts by big-name artists on an outdoor stage every evening. July 15-18. roarontheshore.com

 15. Compete like the beast you are. Run, climb and crawl along a grueling, 10-mile obstacle course at Presque Isle State Park called Beast on the Bay on Sept. 12. You’ll not only have to maneuver through sand, but mud and water too. Expect to get dirty and feel exhilarated by the end of the day. The race is a fundraiser for Erie’s Barber National Institute, which works with children and adults with disabilities. To support that work, the Beast on the Bay also includes a 1.2-mile adapted course for participants with physical or developmental disabilities. 814-480-6810, barberbeast.org