Top 10 Family-Friendly Activities Near Sandusky, Ohio

Planning a family vacation that keeps everyone happy can feel like a challenging puzzle. But nestled along the shores of Lake Erie, Sandusky, Ohio, offers the perfect combination of water adventures, thrilling attractions, and educational experiences that ensure family-friendly fun for all ages. 

Whether you’re planning a week-long summer getaway or a quick weekend escape, Sandusky delivers an impressive array of family-friendly activities that create lasting memories. In this post, we’ll explore the top 10 family activities in the Sandusky area that showcase why this Lake Erie gem has become a favorite destination for families seeking both excitement and relaxation.

1. Lake Erie’s Beautiful Beaches

Lake Erie’s shoreline offers families a classic summer experience with several beautiful beaches perfect for building sandcastles, swimming, and soaking up the sun. The shallow, warm waters make it ideal for families with young children, and the amazing views are a bonus for everyone.

Shores & Islands Ohio features numerous beach options where you can relax on the sand or get active with water sports. Many beaches offer kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals, allowing your family to explore the coastline from a different perspective. 

Pack a picnic lunch and make a full day of enjoying the natural beauty of Lake Erie’s shores. Many of these beaches also provide picnic tables. This makes it easy to enjoy a day at the beach!.

Sandusky is known as the indoor waterpark capital of the Midwest, with three exceptional options that make it the perfect family vacation destination regardless of the weather or season:

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions boasts the largest indoor waterpark in the Midwest, heated to a comfortable 84 degrees. Beyond the water attractions, families can enjoy an arcade, indoor surfing, and bodyboarding. During warmer months, their outdoor water park opens on weekends with additional pools and slides. For extra adventure, check out their outdoor park featuring zip lines, a ropes course, a climbing wall, and mini-golf. The indoor waterpark also features a wave pool, adding to the excitement and fun for families.

Great Wolf Lodge offers a 30,000-square-foot indoor water park and themed rooms like the “wolf den” that younger children will especially love. The immersive theming creates a magical forest experience that extends beyond just water play. Additionally, Great Wolf Lodge provides special activities that engage families, making it a comprehensive family-friendly destination.

Castaway Bay provides another excellent indoor waterpark option with tropical theming and water attractions for all ages, plus the convenience of having a Quaker Steak & Lube restaurant attached for family meals.

3. Visit the Islands: Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island

A Lake Erie vacation isn’t complete without exploring the islands. There are a few options for getting to the island. The Jet Express runs from downtown Sandusky to both Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island, offering two distinct island experiences. 

The Miller Ferry runs from Catawba Island to Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island from March through November. Riding the ferry to the islands is an adventure in itself, providing scenic views and a fun start to your trip.

Kelleys Island is perfect for families seeking a laid-back atmosphere with multiple playgrounds, public parks, beaches, and nature preserves. Rent bikes or golf carts to explore the island at your own pace. The island’s relaxed vibe encourages families to slow down and enjoy quality time together while discovering natural wonders like the glacial grooves and beautiful shoreline.

Put-in-Bay offers a more activity-filled experience with attractions like Perry’s Monument, Kimberly’s Carousel (a hand-crafted carousel from 1917), the Butterfly House with hundreds of exotic butterflies, and the Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center. Golf cart rentals make it easy to navigate the island with kids in tow. The Wildlife Center even offers a FREE Wild Tuesday event every Tuesday from 1-3 pm during the summer months.

4. Fascinating Museums

Sandusky’s museums offer educational fun that kids actually enjoy:

The Maritime Museum of Sandusky provides an interactive look at the city’s rich maritime history, including its role in shipping, ice production, and the Underground Railroad. Kids love the interactive pirate ship exhibit, learning about Lake Erie’s own pirate history. The family admission price of $19 makes it an affordable outing. The museum also features hands-on activities that engage visitors and enhance their learning experience.

The Merry-Go-Round Museum celebrates carousel history with beautiful displays and includes a ride on their unique carousel, built in-house using parts from at least 20 historic carousels. The craftsmanship and artistry on display fascinate visitors of all ages.

5. Family Entertainment Centers

When you need a break from outdoor activities, Sandusky offers excellent indoor entertainment options:

Ghostly Manor may look intimidating from the outside with its giant dragon decoration, but inside it’s a family paradise featuring a roller skating rink, escape rooms, a haunted house (for your brave family members), blacklight golf, jungle gym, and arcade games. It’s versatile enough that you could visit multiple times during your stay.

Noble Axes downtown offers family-friendly axe throwing for a unique indoor experience that older kids and teens especially enjoy.

6. Parks and Nature Areas

Connect with nature at these family-friendly outdoor spaces:

Osborn MetroPark near Huron is a short drive from downtown Sandusky and features large play equipment and the Children’s Forest, a shaded play area designed with natural elements. The park recently opened a Discovery Trail with educational panels about bees, butterflies, trees, and fungi.

The Jane Coates Wildflower Trail & Ladd Carr Woods in Put-in-Bay offers families a peaceful nature walk with beautiful seasonal wildflowers.

7. Scenic Boat Cruise

See Sandusky from the water aboard the Goodtime I, which offers scenic cruises with gorgeous views of Cedar Point and the Lake Erie shoreline. A sunset cruise provides a wonderful way to end a day of adventures. Food and beverages are available onboard, including kid-friendly pizza options and a full bar for the adults.

These cruises give families a new perspective on the area while creating a memorable shared experience on the water.

8. Historic Sites

History comes alive at these family-friendly historic attractions:

The Rutherford B. Hayes Home and Museum in nearby Fremont offers guided tours of the beautiful mansion where the 19th president lived. The grounds and exhibits are designed to engage visitors of all ages.

The Edison House and Museum celebrates the birthplace of Thomas Edison with interactive exhibits that inspire young inventors.

Another historic site to visit is the Marblehead Lighthouse, which stands as one of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes.

9. Cedar Point

If you have a family of thrill-seekers, your Lake Erie vacation requires a day at Cedar Point. Nicknamed “Ohio’s Roller Coast,” Cedar Point boasts 18 roller coasters, and with more than 65 rides and several dedicated kids’ areas, there is something for everyone. 

The mile of sandy beach right next to the park is also open to park guests and offers swimming, volleyball, watersport rentals, and live entertainment.

Cedar Point operates from early May through the end of October, when the park gets spooky for the annual Halloweekend event. 

10. Family-Friendly Dining

No family vacation is complete without delicious food experiences:

Toft’s Dairy is a Sandusky institution famous for its ice cream. Visit their parlor on Venice Road to try their many flavors made with milk from farms within a 50-mile radius. Their generous scoops are considered by many to be the best ice cream in Northern Ohio.

Dockside Cafe offers seasonal lakefront dining with gorgeous views and casual, kid-friendly food. The open-air, walk-up counter service makes it perfect for families, and the picnic table seating lets you enjoy breathtaking views of Sandusky Bay while dining.

Berardi’s Family Kitchen has been serving generations of families with comforting American and Italian dishes. Run by the fourth generation of the family, it’s known for beef brisket, Lake Erie yellow perch, and their famous fries dating back to 1939.

Closing

Sandusky, Ohio offers an exceptional variety of activities for family-friendly fun that make it the perfect Lake Erie vacation destination. From the natural beauty of beaches and islands to the excitement of waterparks and museums, there’s something for every member of your family. The best part about Sandusky is how these diverse attractions come together to create a complete vacation experience where families can bond, learn, play, and relax together.

What makes these activities special isn’t just the fun they provide in the moment, but the lasting memories they create. Years from now, your children might still talk about spotting exotic butterflies at the Butterfly House, racing across the lake on a ferry to the islands, or the massive ice cream cones at Toft’s Dairy.

Ready to start planning your family’s Lake Erie adventure? Book your stay at Explorer Rest & Recreation, Sandusky’s family-friendly boutique lodge. Our spacious family suites accommodate groups of all sizes, and our convenient location puts you minutes away from all these amazing activities. Visit our website at explorerlodge.com or call (419) 718-0324 to book your room today and give your family the Lake Erie vacation they’ll never forget!