Erie, PA

June 2, 2008

We had to make a quick trip to Erie for some business and revisited a town that we have not been to for some time. I remembered Erie as a bit of a rundown place with not much to offer. Erie has a long history with its strategic position along the shores of Lake Erie and has had a part to play in American history from the mid 1700’s thru the revolutionary War, the war of 1812 and right up into at least the early 1900’s before its star began to fade.

We found a B&B in the downtown area locally known as millionaire’s row. It was built in the 1870’s by a leading banker of the time. We had not been on this area before and found it quite impressive with restored large homes being used as apartments, B&B’s and office spaces. We also found a small rejuvenated area of the business section with restaurants and shops. The City is also trying to redo its public access areas along the lake with a large convention center under construction and amusements to attract people to the area. We dined in a pleasant restaurant that was housed in a former firehouse.

We then drove thru the Presque Isle State Park located across an inlet from the downtown area. It has numerous recreational activities, mostly associated with the lake with nice beaches, hiking and biking trails and picnic areas. After leaving the park, we stopped at a 50’s spot for some ice cream and people watching.

It turned out to be a much more enjoyable visit than expected.