Top 15 Places To Tour In Lake County
Where To Start Your Tour?
Planning a trip can be a daunting task and we want to make your visit to Lake County, OH the smoothest one yet! We went ahead and put together some of our top recommendations of some of our most popular attractions and destinations in our area; this way you can get to the beach, the wineries, the museums, and the trails that much quicker! Start your Tour of Lake County with some of our favorite spots below and get ready to share some unique memories with family and friends in an unpretentious paradise! Your Tour Starts Here!
Fairport Harbor Museum and Lighthouse
1) Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse
Get a breathtaking view from the very top of the thirty-foot Fairport Harbor Lighthouse and explore the museum’s rich local history. The museum was founded in 1945 by the Fairport Harbor Historical Society, which is devoted to preserving and continuing the historic tradition of Fairport Harbor and the Great Lakes area. The original lighthouse was completed in 1825!
Some notable events near the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse include their 2024 Live at the Lighthouse summer concert series!
2) Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park
Catch some rays at the 21-acre Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park, featuring a spacious beachfront, summer programming, paved trails, a playground and volleyball court! Concessions and paddle rentals are also available.
For a full list of hours and updated beach rules, review the Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park website.
Cask 307
3) Grand River Valley
Tour the Grand River Valley wine region and find the best patio, charcuterie board, and wine tasting tray! You could spend an entire week touring the 30+ wineries in the region. Enjoy three different winery experiences and visit Signature Wineries, Artisan Wineries, and Casual Wineries! Looking to dine in? Visit Laurentia Vineyard and Winery, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Debonne Vineyards, or Vincent William Wine.
Request your winery guide today!
Emergent Tower at Holden Arboretum
4) The Holden Arboretum
Visit Holden Arboretum and climb the 120-foot Emergent Tower and experience new heights, walk along the 500-foot Canopy Walk among the trees, or stroll through 3500 acres of lush woodlands and cultivated gardens. Save the dates! Pollinator Express is coming to the Holden Arboretum, featuring miniature trains and larger-than-life botanical sculptures!
5) Rabbit Run Theater
Enjoy a show at the Rabbit Run Theater, one of Ohio’s last barn theaters! The barn is located near the shoes of scenic Lake Erie in Madison, OH and welcomes crowds each season as it runs its live theater performances June through the end of August. Don’t forget to bring a picnic dinner to enjoy on the theater’s beautiful landscape and witness! A few of their upcoming performances include Spamalot, Tuesdays With Morrie, The Music Man and Clue: On Stage.
To learn more, check out their 2024 Summer Season.
6) Classic Park- The Lake County Captains
Enjoy a minor league baseball game with the Lake County Captains! Grab some popcorn, nachos during a night out at the stadium and “ooh” and “ahh” over the evening fireworks display! Looking to take the family to the ballgame? Review the 2024 schedule here!
The 2024 Annual Celebrity Softball Game is back at Classic Auto Group Park, hosted by Cleveland Browns All-Pro tight end, David Njoku! For more information for tickets, read here!
Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Center
7)Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Center
Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Center features forest, fields, wetlands and 8.5 miles of hiking trails! Additionally, it has been determined as a “Watchable Wildlife” site, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Explore an incredible display of nature featuring 424 acres of forest, fields, and wetlands as well as seasonal art shows and an annual amateur photography show.
8) The James A. Garfield Historic Site
Experience a tour through the James A. Garfield National Historic Site. Learn about Lanwfield, and how the 20th President of the United States and his family lived before his assassination in 1881.
The James A. Garfield Historic Site hosts numerous events inside and outside Lawnfield including musical performances, The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival presenting “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and an “Evening with Edgar Allen Poe.” Read here for a full list of 2024 Special Events and Programs!
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
9) Lake Metroparks Farmpark
Experience the animals at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark. The working and educational farm is located on 235 acres filled with gardens, fields and farm structures all devoted to agriculture and farming.
Daily activities include demonstrations and educational programs related to farming and gardening. Special events occurring on a monthly basis include: Ice Festival, Maple Sugaring Weekends, HorseFest, Vintage Ohio Wine Festival, Fall Harvest Weekends and more! Review their event’s page here.
10) Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Marina
Hike, go birding, or kayak at the 203-acre Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve. The Mentor Lagoons Marina offers the perfect place to launch your boat and has direct access to Lake Erie.
For kayak and paddleboard rental pricing and hours of operation, visit here.
11) Squire’s Castle
Have a picnic on the lawn of Squire’s Castle, an old gatehouse from the 1890’s that’s modeled after German and English baronial castles! Be sure to hike several of the surrounding trails too!
Save the date for two upcoming Family Campouts at Squire’s Castle this summer!
Squire’s Castle
12) Historic Kirtland
Take a step back int time in Historic Kirtland and experience one of the seven historic structures including the N.K. Whitney & Co. Store, the Newell and Ann Whitney Home, the Johnson Inn, a schoolhouse, sawmill, and ashery, plus the newly restored Joseph and Emma Smith Home.
Additionally, visit the Kirtland Temple, now known as a National Historic Landmark. The temple was dedicated in 1836 as a House of Prayer, Learning, and Order and visitors come to worship and learn about the history of the first Latter Day Saint Temple.
Headlands Beach State Park
13) Headlands Beach State Park
Relax, play, and spend the day at Headlands Beach State Park, the longest beach in the State of Ohio. Headlands is known for its 35-acre Lake Erie beach and provides beach glass hunting, ideal sunset viewing, picnicking and biking along the paved hiking trail along the park’s back dunes.
Headlands Beach hosts a variety of events throughout the year including beach clean-up days, Soaring Hearts 2024, and the Lakeside Flea and Mystic Market!
14) Lake County History Center
Take a guided lantern tour through the Lake County History Center, one of the many haunted, historical destinations in Lake County.
The Lake County History Center is located in the historic former Lake County Home. The Italianate structure, a landmark in the area, houses the society’s changing museum exhibits, rare 1900’s music boxes, and gallery rooms with Lake County history.
Painesville Railroad Museum
15) Painesville Railroad museum
Explore the Painesville Railroad Museum and its preservation of the railroad history, promotion of model railroading and its dedicated restoration of the NYC Painesville Depot.
The Painesville Railroad Museum is located in the Historic NYC Painesville Depot and has many artifacts from the first railroad to serve Painesville, Cleveland, and Ashtabula Railroad in 1851.
Are you interested in joining our list of attractions in Lake County, OH? Email elyse@tourlakecounty.com to learn more about how to partner with the Lake County Ohio Visitors Bureau!