Lake Erie Island lodging advice needed

[TinkOhio]

We only live a little over an hour from Cedar Point and the islands, and we are looking for a clean place to spend a night or two this summer that won't break the bank. In our opinion, the hotels on CP property are very overpriced and not too clean. Trip advisor shows properties in the area with high rates and low quality.

Can anyone recommend a clean place on the water that won't cost what we expect to pay for a Disney deluxe? We plan on taking a ferry over to the islands for a day if we can't find a suitable place on the islands. We have CP AP's, so we might go there, too. A pool would be a nice perk. Marblehead and Catawba would be fine. We wouldn't mind a house rental, but I'm not sure we would find a good one that will let us rent for only a couple of nights.

Any suggestions?

 

[dawson5]

I am pretty sure you can camp there (you are talking about Put In Bay correct?) If you are taking kids, I wouldn't stay. It used to be a big drunk-fest when we used to go.

Sawmill Creek is east of CP (Huron). It's been years since I was there, but it used to be clean and nice. Had indoor and outdoor pool, restaurant and a golf course.

 

[scbelleatheart]

The Commodore Perry in Port Clinton is nice. Good rates, great food, indoor pool, across the street from the lake and they own the place across the street so you can use the beach. Very close to the island ferrys. CP is about 20 minutes away. Reservations on the PIB are hard to get and costly and it is still a drunk fest! On weekends you have to book 2 nights on PIB and there isn't much to see if you don't do the bar scene.
Oh yeah, you can't take a car across on the ferry unless you have a hotel reservation so that means you have to rent a golf cart or hoof it.

 

[RachaelA]

There are a couple hotels (Comfort Inn and Best Value Inn) along 163 in Port Clinton right by the Jet Ferry. They are pretty cheap. I'm sure they have pools. There is the public beach along 163 where you can rent wave runners as well. There are also a ton of condos along 163 that you can rent as well. I don't know if they have a minimum on the number of nights you need to stay.

PIB is expensive plus I don't think its more than a day trip anyways. When we go, we leave by 8 or so because I have no patience for the drunk people and the bachelorette and bachelor parties.

 

[cristielf]

I am in Port Clinton right now! There is a Fairfield inn on Catawba/Marblehead that is nice. There is also a holiday inn express that would be really convenient if you are taking the ferry to Kellys Island. Pib has things for kids too. We spent summers there as a kid and we would go to the winery and drink grape juice, go to the monument and also to the cave there.

 

[TinkOhio]

Thanks for the replies. We're still tossing ideas around. We only have a few days in a row off this summer and are trying to come up with a nice road trip. We've done the Amish country thing many times and are just looking for something different. Our kids are 13 and 20 and won't want to be away from their friends very long anyways. We're also considering going down to Cinci to check out Kings Island and the ATP. I think our problem is that everything looks weak compared to our WDW trips!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If you go to cinni check out this place. It is a cool place to stop

http://www.junglejims.com/

Here is another place worth exploring. We went here and had a good time.

http://newportaquarium.org/