If you're driving through Erie, Pennsylvania, I recommend a stop down at the public dock. I shared a previous post with some beautiful mallard ducks. Apart from the seeing the ducks, there's a lot to see and do at the lake, besides the lake, of course.
A quick glance through my photo album reveals that I have a thing for taking pictures of statues. At the dock you'll find a couple of stone statues of smooth stone seals. They have all day to go nowhere and require zero Lake Erie bass to survive. They do quite well in the four seasons of Pennsylvania.
There is an abundance of seagulls fighting for your attention, and your french fries and bread. In the land of seagulls, size means everything!
If you don't like lots of noise or stepping on things, if you know what I mean, you may want to avoid the area with the gulls.
The best bird wins the floral throne!
Dressing up the place is this beautiful garbage can with artistic fish swathed in a rainbow of colors. A number of years ago an art project called spruce up Erie added many statues and art pieces around Erie funded by local businesses, this garbage can may be part of that project organized up by the local college.
If you feel like dinner on the water, you can hop on the Victorian Princess and tour Lake Erie. I have never had the opportunity to take a ride on this ferry, but it's on my to-do list.
Another angle of the Victorian Princess You know how girls are always posing so you get their best side!
There are several restaurants and lounges on the dock to dine or enjoy a drink in. Smugglers Wharf is a popular place right on the docks edge. Resplendent with hanging plants and an outdoor patio, it's a fun and relaxing choice.
In the late 1970s, to teenagers, the dock was the hot place to go because of the long stretch of pavement down to the water. All the young teenagers with hot rods would drive down to the public dock and park their cars at night. We would sit on the top of the cars and everyone would jack up there stereos to show off who had the best sound system and coolest car.
The daring boys would race. The engines would roar and rubber squeal as the cars went head-to-head down the long stretch peeling rubber. There was always the danger of getting ticketed by the police.
You can fish off the dock, buy bait check out the Marina and all the boats, bird and people watch all day. You can also see the brig Niagara, unfortunately I didn't get a photo of that rig on my visit.
At night, there are an abundance of street lights so you can walk in the peace and quiet by the water's edge along the dock and listen to the gulls cry until your heart is content.
If you make it to Erie, add the public dock to your roster.