7 Places to Visit This Summer

For many schools, summer vacation ends in just over a month. If the kids are getting restless at home, a day trip might add some fun to the summer and create some family memories.

You can head to Presque Isle, the Erie Zoo, or Waldameer, but if you want to explore a little further from Erie, there are also several attractions and institutions just a few miles away in the area.

Below is a selection of some fun activities to consider if you’re heading out of town for the day:

Drake Well Museum and Park

Address: 202 Museumlaan, Titusville

Telephone: 814-827-2797

Website: drakewell.org

Drake Well is operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is the heart of Pennsylvania’s Oil Region National Heritage Area. It is located about 46 miles from Erie, or a 70-minute drive.

The museum has preserved the site of Drake’s Well for more than 80 years and tells the story of the origins of the petroleum industry.

Visitors can enjoy a 240-hectare site with 12,000 square meters of exhibitions and much more.

Drake Well offers biking trails, fly fishing routes, hiking trails and much more.

What to do this summer: Festivals, movie nights and more

Geneva-on-the-Lake

Address: 5540 Lake Road E., Geneva, Ohio

Telephone: 800-862-9948

Website: visitgenevaonthelake.com

Located 63 miles from Erie, Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ashtabula County, Ohio, is a destination that offers something for everyone.

From family attractions to live music, Geneva-on-the-Lake has plenty to offer in the way of entertainment right on Lake Erie.

Some of the activities offered include: mini golf, axe throwing, arcade games, fishing, historical ghost walks, spa treatments, zip lining and much more.

More: Try the zipline at Geneva-on-the-Lake

National Comedy Center

Address: 203 W. 2nd St., Jamestown, New York

Telephone: 716-484-2222

Website: comedycenter.org

More: Nate Bargatze, Jeff Ross and many more comedians to perform at the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

Just under an hour’s drive away is the cultural institution dedicated to preserving and telling the story of comedy.

The National Comedy Center is a 36,000-square-foot building filled with comedy collections, educational exhibits, interactive technology, and more.

Families can walk through more than 50 immersive experiences and take a journey through comedy history, all while laughing.

More: At the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, witness the joke with interactive, personalized exhibits

Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad

Address: 49 S. Perry St., Titusville

Telephone: 814-677-2192

Website: Octrr.org

All aboard! Along with Drake Well, the Oil Creek Valley is famous for its history and people.

The Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad takes passengers back in time, over 150 years, on an old-fashioned train ride through the oil fields.

During the 3-hour tour of Oil Creek State Park, passengers discover the history of oil in Pennsylvania.

Panama Rocks

Address: 11 Rock Hill Rd., Panama, New York

Telephone: 716-703-0021

Website: panamarocks.com

Take the family for a hike. Panama Rocks is just 38 miles from Erie and was voted the #1 nature and hiking trail in New York by iloveny.com.

Visitors can enjoy towering rocks, deep crevices, passages, small hidden caves and much more.

Pymatuning Deer Park

Address: 804 East Jamestown Road, Jamestown, PA.

Telephone: 724-932-3200

Website: pymatuningdeerpark.com

This deer park is home to more than 250 animals and birds from all over the world.

In the park, families can get up close and personal with farm animals, both domestic and exotic.

More: Otters at Erie Zoo get larger, updated space. How much did it cost?

Roger Tory Peterson Institute

Address: 311 Curtis St. Exd., Jamestown, New York

Telephone: 716-665-2473

Website: rtpi.org

Why not take a trip with some enrichment and artistic inspiration?

The Roger Tory Peterson Institution, 49 miles from Erie, is the largest collection of Roger Peterson’s work. The art institution includes works that illustrate the beauty of nature and challenge viewers to confront environmental issues.

The institute serves as a gateway to the natural wonders that inspired Peterson throughout his career.

Contact Nicholas Sorensen at [email protected].