If you’re looking for a trip on a tankful that really has something for everyone, look no further than Presque Isle, Pennsylvania. Whether it’s the gorgeous beaches, water sports, the biking and nature trails or the history, the two-hour drive from Buffalo is well worth it. Hop off the 90 at Erie and head toward the water.
Brian Gula is an environmental educator with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He’s worked at Presque Isle for nearly 20 years. He says if you really want to understand what makes this place so special, you have to go back to how it was created. Thousands of years ago, the receding glaciers that created the Great Lakes left the peninsula behind.
“It’s constantly changing. It’s constantly moving,” said Gula.
Over the centuries, Presque Isle has moved miles down the shore and even become an island several times. That’s why there have been dozens of engineering projects — like breakwaters — to keep it together, and where it is.
That engineering all started after the War of 1812 because at the time, the shallow waters were actually a tactical advantage and where Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry chose to build the fleet for the Battle of Lake Erie.
“The British couldn’t get in. It was too shallow. They didn’t think we could get out. They tricked them. They built camels. They got the boats out,” said Gula.
All of this history is memorialized today at the Perry Monument. And while Gula can barely contain his excitement about the history, he’s even more enthusiastic about what Presque Isle has to offer for the nature lovers. And one of the best ways to experience that is kayaking through the lagoons or around the bay.
“We’ve had deer swimming right across the lagoon right in front of folks, Great Blue Heron snatching a fish right out of the water. Beavers splashing their tail and getting kayakers wet. That is why it is so valuable to be outdoors and have those experiences and having places like this to come and go,” said Gula.
But if you’re in for a little more adventure, you can rent kayaks, paddle boards and canoes or pontoons and power boats for an hour or seven. Or just explore the 11 miles of hiking trails or 13 miles on the bike path. But the biggest attraction though is the many beaches, each one unique.
Gula says he feels lucky to get to be at Presque Isle every day because no two are the same.
“It changes minute by minute,” he said. “And that’s really the essence of Presque Isle. When you’re on the peninsula, it’s changing all the time, so you might just encounter one of those changes that will stick with you forever.”
And the best part of this trip on a tankful is that it’s absolutely free to get into the park.
TOP 5 for History Lovers
1. Tom Ridge Center
2. Perry Monument
3. Pine Tree Trail - Fog Whistle Foundation, built in 1899
4. Light House
5. North Pier
TOP 3 for Nature Loves
1. Interior Trails
2. Climax Forest
3. Ancient Sand Dunes
TOP 3 for Adventure Lovers
1. Bicycling
2. Boating, Fishing
3. Kayaking
TOP 3 for Families
1. Tom Ridge
2. Beaches
3. Beach Glass Hunting