Viva Lake Erie Shores and Islands: An Instagram Session.

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Just another beautiful sunset at Kelleys Island.

In my life, I must have been to Sandusky, Ohio, at least half a dozen times. Mostly my time was spent at one of the world’s great amusement parks, Cedar Point. At that time, the Magnum roller coaster was king, in part because of its huge, steep hill that gives you a phenomenal view of Lake Erie. For as many times as I rode that coaster, I can honestly say I had no idea that there was life beyond the seemingly wave less shore. Boy was I wrong!

There’s just not life out there on Lake Erie, which is named after the Erie tribe of Native Americans who lived along its southern shore. there is a whole culture, a renaissance of sorts, brewing on the islands and shores of Lake Erie. There’s a reason it’s nicknamed the Midwest Keywest But the lakes region goes well beyond the good times of island life, this section of the United States is also full of ecological wonders, like glacial groves on Kelley’s
Island, that when put into historical magnitude rival any of Cedar Point’s behemoth coasters.

Since Beth and I are not students of science, we teamed up with Stacy Carpenter, a wetland scientist who owns and operates Blue Lion Training, to help introduce us to some of the unique environmental details of the Lake Erie Shores and Islands region to bring you a look at what makes this Great Lake so special. With her help as well as regional expert, Ryan Whaley, of Green Door Mediaworks, we embarked on a three day late summer adventure to unearth two of America’s greatest hidden gems: downtown Sandusky and the Lake Erie Shores and Islands.

To get things rolling with our upcoming series on our visit to northern Ohio, Beth and I put together a smattering of our favorite Instagram photos from the trip to give you a little taste of why visiting downtown Sandusky and the shores and islands of Lake Erie should be on your list of must-see destinations in 2013.

Who needs Napa and Sonoma, when you got Sandusky!

Glad to see downtown Sandusky’s State Theater is still going strong.

The flowers of Sheldon’s Marsh in Sandusky, Ohio, which hugs the Lake Erie shoreline.

Lake Erie’s wildlife comes in all shapes and sizes.

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the towering masterpiece that is Perry’s Victory and International Peace Monument.

Will the real strawberry shot stand up! Bag the Moon bar on Kelleys Island in Lake has mastered the art of fusing alcohol, strawberries and whip cream into one of the most delicious shots in the world.

There’s more to Sandusky than meets the eye. The burgeoning wine scene is fantastic and a wine tasting tour is a must.

Does anybody really know what time it is? Sandusky does! The city takes some serious pride in keeping its green spaces beautiful.

Cheers! Big thanks to Mr. Whaley, Ms. Carpenter, the Lake Erie Shore and Islands, and downtown Sandusky, you guys are the best!

In addition to being our eco-expert on our adventure through Lake Erie and Sandusky, Stacy also put together a few amazing posts about our time in Ohio own on the Blue Lion Training blog, all of which you can find below:

Ohio EcoAdventure: Transported to Island Time on Put-in-Bay

Ohio EcoAdventures: A Carousel of Dreams

Beers, Beans and Blue…Teaming Up with Beers & Beans Travel Company To Explore Ohio!

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first. Thanks!