Lakeside Chautauqua: The Most Charming Lakefront Town
What to Do, Where to Eat, Where to Stay, and Why My Family Returns Year After Year
Hello, travelers!
Sometimes the best thing to do on a trip is . . . well, nothing! Having a travel location that accommodates a loose and open schedule can be the best way to spend summer vacation, especially when organizing big groups or little ones. Lakeside Chautauqua in Ohio is the most magical and charming summer destination for just that. It sits right on Lake Erie, and my family and I have been traveling there every summer since before I was even born! (There are literally photos of my mom there while she was pregnant with me!) Aside from being right on a Great Lake, it also has many components that make it a great place to unwind. Let me go through some of those reasons with you, along with some travel insights for you to fully assess whether Lakeside, Ohio is your next summer vacation.
WHAT TO DO
During the day, you have a variety of choices when it comes to summertime fun. Lakeside sits right on Lake Erie where you can swim and play in the sand, and there are also many sailboats or kayaks you can rent for the day. But if you prefer a pool day, there’s a large pool with water slides right next to their fitness facility. For those who don’t want to swim but still want outdoor activity, there are tennis and pickleball courts near the lake, and walking paths line the circumference of the gated community.
If you have young kids who are looking for activities to keep them occupied and busy, the Rhein Center is an arts building that offers art, music, dance, theater, and craft classes for all ages. I remember taking several classes as a child like rock painting, tie-dying, and even duct tape wallets when they were all the rage in 2014! You usually can find the list of activities on Lakeside’s events calendar, which I’ll link here: https://lakesideohio.com/events/month/
One of my favorite things my family and friends partake in every year is miniature golf. They have a course with (if my memory serves me right) 18 holes and all sorts of obstacles to prevent you from getting a hole in one. It’s about $4 per game with kids five and under being able to play for free. It’s the perfect activity for a group to do, and I’ve often seen families all play on the course together, each taking their turns to put.
Miniature golf is also very close to the shuffleboard courts, one of the most popular activities to do at Lakeside. I’m not exaggerating: there are shuffleboard tournaments that happen there annually! There are 26 courts total, and free use of equipment is included with your gate ticket. You don’t have to worry about shielding yourself from the sun as courts are covered where players stand, and benches and bleachers are offered at certain court numbers providing seating while you play. This is something my family has to do at least once, if not twice, when we visit, and we get very competitive!
At night, there’s always the movie theater, but there’s also entertainment offered in their outdoor gazebo or Hoover Auditorium, with touring bands, dance companies, magic acts, and even the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra performing. I’ve seen some amazing performances at Lakeside over the years, one of my favorite memories being when Little River Band came through Hoover on their 40th anniversary tour. Cost for these events is included in your gate ticket, and you can find who is playing on their events calendar. It’s totally optional too! There have been some nights where we’ve said, “I’d rather play another game of shuffleboard” or “let’s go down to the pier and watch the sunset,” and that’s cool too! You can make your own rules at Lakeside :)
(And trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss the sunsets on the pier. They truly are some of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen!)
WHERE TO EAT
When you first enter Lakeside’s gates, you are surrounded by beautiful, colored cottages and people riding around on bikes and golf carts. After you unpack your things, you can walk to the main road lined with shops, small businesses, places to eat, and, most importantly, ice cream! Getting ice cream nightly is always on the list when I visit, making sure to stop at one of their four main ice cream spots at least once. My personal favorite is Whistle Stop with their hand dip (they have the best Moose Tracks ever), but there’s also soft serve options at Coffee and Cream, all sorts of ice cream delights like cones, cups, milkshakes, and slushies at The Patio, and gelato at Ooh La La.
Ooh La La also offers lunch options, and is one of several spots where you can grab a sandwich, soup, or salad. Some of my family’s favorite places to go are Bluebird for their paninis, Smoothieside for their blended fruit smoothies, and Poolside Cafe for their nachos and hot dogs. If you’re looking for pizza, WB Pizza is on the corner, but at the time I’m writing this, WB Pizza is new and I have yet to try it. When I was a kid, it was Sloopy’s Sports Cafe (R.I.P. Sloopy’s, your pizza lives in my heart forever), but it closed down after the pandemic and since then, the business model has changed a few times. Regardless, the pizza is always good!
WHERE TO STAY
Ever since we’ve been going to Lakeside as a family, we’ve stayed in bed and breakfasts or boarding houses, owned and run by people who live in Lakeside either year round or during the summer season. Our favorites are the Idlewyld and Rainbow House, but there are many others, some simply offering lodging, others offering a full breakfast spread in the morning. There are also cottage rentals, another popular way people choose to stay at Lakeside. These properties are great for those who want more space, or have a large family to house on vacation.
If you want to stay in a hotel, the Hotel Lakeside is available with breathtaking views of the water, a wrap-around screened in porch, and historic architecture. I’ve only had family who stayed there one time, and they enjoyed their experience! Even if we don’t stay at the Hotel Lakeside, we tend to dine there at least once, as they have a lovely restaurant on their main floor.
For the outdoorsy travelers, a campground where you can reserve spots is open from mid-May to mid-October. Wi-Fi is provided, along with a shower house, playground, laundromat, firepits, and full access to Chautauqua summer programming. There are also cabin rentals for those who wish to be a little outdoorsy but still having full furnishings like bunk beds and restrooms.
All of the information on lodging in Lakeside can be found at this link: https://lakesideohio.com/stay/
PROS
One of the best things about Lakeside is how family oriented it is. Whether you have little kids who want to have a pool day, grandparents who want to walk the paths by the lake, or friends with you who want to see a concert, there is something for everyone to enjoy. It also is a gated community with certain areas blocked off for cars, so it's relatively quiet and secluded. All other forms of transportation are highly encouraged, with bikes and golf carts available to rent, and many streets are close to one another, providing walkability. If you need a place to store your car, there are several lots available to park in with cost included in your gate ticket.
CONS
While being a gated community and family oriented can be nice, it also is a dry community at Lakeside, with no restaurants or businesses serving alcohol and no alcohol permitted on the premises. This might be a con for some, so I thought I ought to include it, although it’s never been a huge issue for my family. Also, while being away from the hustle and bustle, Lakeside is quite secluded, the closest airport being in Cleveland (72 miles away). If you live within the Midwest, you can make it by car! We’ve always driven since it’s two hours away for us, but if you live farther away, that is something you may want to consider. Lastly, my family has always had dogs, and unfortunately many of the places to stay, including cottages to rent, don’t allow pets. That’s something to consider if you want to bring your furry friend along with you!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Okay, maybe I’m biased because this is my annual family vacation, but it’s an annual vacation for a reason! It’s a place that encourages relaxation, being offline, and truly luxuriating in doing nothing. If Lakeside, Ohio sounds like the perfect vacation to you, then maybe you should check it out! The goal that Ryan and I have is to make your travel plans a little easier by writing these blog posts. Hopefully, this post can help you when making your summer plans determine if Lakeside Chautauqua is your next stop.