Lake Erie’s southernmost port is a welcoming small town with a splendid boat basin and a wealth of options for waterfront entertainment and experiences.
Saturday afternoon, midsummer, Huron, Ohio. Runabouts crowd the dock behind the local watering holes clustered at the mouth of the Huron River. Nearest to Lake Erie is the Old Fish House, an eminently boater-friendly place where conversations flow as freely as draft beers and baskets of perch; the dockside seating features a recycled hull; and anyone sporting a new pair of Sperrys runs the risk of being overdressed.
While the Old Fish House’s bar is notoriously small, its second-story deck affords customers a mighty view that stretches from Lake Erie upriver toward downtown Huron. To the north, the Huron Lighthouse is a pure white piece of Art Deco eye candy that’s anchored to Main Street by a mile-long concrete pier where people are fishing, jogging, walking dogs, pushing strollers and pausing on its observation deck to drink in the wide variety of birds — and boats — that frequent the Huron River.
Many of those boats are headed to the Huron Boat Basin for one of its “Boppin’ on the Basin” concerts. A municipal facility situated in a park-like cove, the Boat Basin is the centerpiece of downtown Huron’s riverfront, and it lures boaters from near and far with its 125-slip marina and community festivals and events such as the annual Huron River Fest, July Fourth fireworks, movie nights and live entertainment at the hillside amphitheater overlooking its docks.
“Huron is a popular destination for boaters because of its quick access to Lake Erie and small-town feel,” says Doug Steinwart, Huron’s parks and recreation operations manager. “It’s very welcoming toward boaters and the boating lifestyle.”
Ohio fever
Numerous historical markers dot the Boat Basin and mile-long pier, touting Huron’s rich history as an 1800s shipbuilding center and a 1900s port for fishing fleets and freighters — including the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald — carrying iron ore, coal and grain. As those maritime industries faded, the town of 7,000 began transitioning to a recreational port by creating the Boat Basin in 1971. Huron’s Vision 2020 master plan now aims to redevelop a former ConAgra site on a riverfront peninsula, where two improvements for boaters and anglers have already been built: The four-lane Huron River Boat Ramp and a state-of the-art fish cleaning station equipped with sinks and a waste disposal system.
Opened in 2001, the Boat Basin’s handsome, nautical-looking marina building faces Main Street and houses the dockmaster’s office on its upper level and modern showers and restrooms on the lower level. A classic widow’s walk — complete with a cupola that’s lighted at night and visible from Lake Erie — crowns the building, appropriately echoing the New England-style architecture of houses and churches in the adjoining Old Plat historic district where Huron was first mapped out in 1824. Although a Native American tribe that inhabited the Great Lakes gave Huron its name, and the area’s first permanent white resident was a French-Canadian named Jean Baptiste Flemmond who operated a trading post, Huron’s Yankee character came from Connecticut.
During the American Revolution, the British burned several Connecticut towns during devastating raids in which the infamous turncoat, Benedict Arnold, participated. Families that lost property in the fires later were compensated with 500,000 acres of land that Connecticut claimed along Lake Erie in the Ohio territory. Those “Firelands” included the future site of Huron, and after the War of 1812 finally ended attacks by the British and their Indigenous allies, New Englanders caught “Ohio fever” and headed for Lake Erie in droves.
Dock, dine and shop
Located halfway between Cleveland and Toledo, Huron sits on the “bottom of the bowl” along the southernmost curve of Lake Erie. Thanks to its geography, Sandusky, Cedar Point amusement park and Kelleys Island are all only a short cruise away, and the town boasts two sandy beaches ensconced in lakeside parks. With super-soft sand, volleyball courts and a Paddle Shack that rents kayaks and beach gear, Nickel Plate Beach is all about fun and games, while Lake Front Beach offers scenic sunsets and views of Cedar Point’s world-class roller coasters.
South of the Boat Basin, the Huron Yacht Club extends guest dockage and clubhouse privileges to Inter-Lake Yachting Association members, and Huron Lagoons Marina gives a discount to BoatUS members. A full-service marina with 350 slips for seasonal and transient boaters, Huron Lagoons has amenities ranging from a swimming pool to the Viking’s Den waterfront restaurant and bar. It’s also in the same neighborhood as Thunderbird Hills, a public golf course and driving range.
Navigating Huron is a breeze because it has Uber, Lyft and taxi services, as well as Bike Share and Scooter Ding Ding, a local business that rents electric scooters via a smartphone app. The Boat Basin serves as a hub for the ride-and-park scooters, and its location is especially convenient for boaters because, as Steinwart explains, “From our marina, you can easily walk to lots of restaurants and shops.”
The assortment of nearby establishments includes the Old Fish House, which hosts a Bloody Mary bar on Sundays; the Pier Pub, whose elevated bar food (think walleye tacos and lobster rolls) is as satisfying as its river views; the Harbor House Bar & Grill where you can bring your pup on the patio while enjoying American fare and live music in the summer months; and the Main Street Tavern, known for its burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. In addition, Gathering Grounds Coffee House carries uniquely northern Ohio baked goods like Snoolges (Polish puff pastry with sweetened cream cheese), and Jim’s Pizza Box not only makes tasty pizzas and calzones but also delivers to the Boat Basin and marinas.
Photo Courtesy of City of Huron
Photo Courtesy of Shores & Islands Ohio
Photo Courtesy of Huron River Fest Facebook
For many Huron residents, summer doesn’t really arrive until the 70-year-old Pied Piper Drive-In opens for the season. It’s the town’s hands-down favorite ice cream stand, and its signature treat — the sweet-and-salty Wechter — combines vanilla soft serve with chocolate and toasted pecans. Equally iconic are Berardi’s, a family-owned restaurant whose hand-cut french fries are legendary, and Marconi’s, where homemade lasagna and manicotti accent an extensive menu of classic Italian dishes and fine wines.
The Old Plat encompasses much of Huron’s up-and-coming downtown, lending a distinct sense of place to its indie shops and small businesses. When Pigs Fly is an upscale resale and retail shop where sales of its tasteful home décor, clothing and accessories assist regional families in need. Next door, Beagle Bay Knot Works is a “knotical boat-ique” chock-a-block with items expertly made from hand-tied knots. Channeling Huron’s maritime heritage, its clever product line includes everything from Monkey’s Fist door stops to colorful Turk’s Head bracelets.
On the west end of Huron, Sawmill Creek Marina is a part of Sawmill Creek By Cedar Point Resorts, a long-standing Lake Erie retreat that the amusement park’s parent company acquired and reopened after a $25 million renovation. The resort’s contemporary, nature-themed lodge and Tom Fazio-designed golf course are secluded on 200 lushly landscaped acres with nary any sight — or sound — of a roller coaster.
“Sawmill Creek Marina gives boaters a no-hubbub option,” notes Manager Michael Young. “It’s got a nice, quiet setting that’s away from traffic but has direct access to fishing hot spots, the Lake Erie islands and Cedar Point.”
Ten of the lakeside marina’s 176 slips are reserved for transient boaters, and power, water and a pump-out are available. The marina’s big fringe benefit, however, is entrée to the resort’s facilities for a good meal, a round of golf, or taking a break from the lake with an overnight stay in the lodge. Mulligan’s Pub on the golf course specializes in hearty sandwiches garnished with house-made pickles and aioli, and the lodge’s culinary experiences include craft cocktails in The Hideout and fine dining at The Miller’s Table.
Explore nature
In contrast to the meticulously developed Sawmill Creek complex, its next-door neighbor, Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve, is an undisturbed marsh and prime layover for migrating birds, not to mention the serious birdwatchers who literally flock there to see them. East of Huron lies another coastal nature preserve with a barrier beach, Old Woman Creek, which is also a national reserve for freshwater estuary research. Sheldon Marsh and Old Woman Creek give Huron bragging rights to two of Lake Erie’s best-remaining wetlands and barrier beaches.
Besides their abundant shorebirds, songbirds, waterfowl and raptors, Sheldon Marsh and Old Woman Creek provide habitats for rare plants and animals. Though trails and observation decks make them easy to explore, it’s wise to stop first and learn about the wonders of the wetlands at Old Woman Creek’s visitor center. It has interactive exhibits, live animals and excellent summer programming highlighted by guided canoe tours of the estuary.
For up-close-and-personal trips to coves, beaches and other places on the river and lake where motorized boats can’t go, the Huron’s Lake Erie Adventure Company sells and rents paddleboards, kayaks and paddling gear. It also offers paddleboard yoga, as well as sunset paddles, moonlight paddles and Old Woman Creek paddles that Lisa Brady, who co-owns the company with husband Justin Brady, often leads herself. A Huron resident, Lisa delights in spending time in its great outdoors and acquainting people with her town, whether she’s pointing out eagles in the trees at Old Woman Creek or telling them about Huron’s heritage as a deepwater port.
“Huron has a laid-back vibe and a slower pace than many Lake Erie destinations,” Lisa says. “It’s a wonderful place to hang out and enjoy the waterfront scenery and beautiful beaches and parks.”
Photo Courtesy of Lake Erie Adventure Co.
