2024 Best of Lake Erie: Kids' Night Out

It’s a throwback arcade-curio shop mixed with a hearty helping of patio suds and grapes. But since we’re doing Ohio’s Geneva-on-the-Lake family style, we’ll leave the wineries and bar joints out. They’re aplenty, but equally balanced with old-time games (putt-putt), newfound thrills (ziplines), idyllic state park camping, and quaint bed-and-breakfasts dotting the landscape. Here’s how an outing with middle-school-aged children rolled out.

First Stop, Adventure Zone: After an obligatory selfie in front of the GOTL public art piece in front of the tourism bureau with plenty of free street parking along the strip, we footed it to Adventure Zone, essentially the strip’s gateway. If you can pass this place without hearing “Stop!” from your young passengers, then they must be asleep. Prepare for 18 holes of mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats, batting cages, climbing walls, ziplines, escape rooms, an arcade and all the associated snacks and prizes. For toddlers and up, a kids’ crawl soft play center helps empty the adrenaline. You can also rent a golf cart here.

Highlights: Bumper boats with onboard squirters keep the party going. Even better, a dockside water blaster to spray the kids costs 25 cents per minute. So worth it. No one lost an eye during golf, and the course is chock full of Lake Erie-isms, including a lighthouse hole. Tip: Buy a bracelet for three or five attractions to punch along the way.

Let’s Eat: Eddie’s Grill is a generations-long tradition. Where else do you get a tiny jukebox at your table (accepts quarters), steakburgers, footlongs, crispy fries and Dairy Queen? The open-air carport-like dining environment feels like a drive-in without the vehicles. Apparently, the homemade chili is a recipe from Eddie’s mother, Mary. (Eddie still flips burgers sometimes.) We sunk a few quarters into the mini-juke, sipped on real lemonade and noshed on the usual that brings people back year after year. (Cash only.)

Shop Stops: Frank’s Toy Box is a treasure trove of old-timey nostalgia from signage to records to action figures to furniture pieces. (Bring cash.) My daughter eyed up a collector’s Marilyn Monroe doll. Her older brother was hunting for sports memorabilia. We gawked at a corpse-like mannequin in a wooden phone booth. It was good-weird. (We ran out of cash. Otherwise …)

For the Dogs: If your pooch is on the family plan at GOTL, then Ruff Life is the spot. Our springer spaniel was at home, much to her dismay. We did add the Nerf gun that shoots tennis balls to her Santa list. I’d call this an upscale-casual-beachfront dog lover’s eatery with counter seating, a dogs-welcome ’tude, some tables and a boutique of creative goodies for dogs and the people who love them. We had another selfie moment at Ruff Life in front of the namesake backdrop.

Advice for Families: Hit the ATM because some of the arcades are cash only. Collect your quarters. You can dispense those throughout GOTL, from Eddie’s jukeboxes to pinball machines. Sport Center arcade is set up like Dave & Buster’s with the play card, prizes, etc. And be sure to take home donuts from Madsen’s, established in 1938.

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