A Summer's Day In Sandusky

Fresh off an island hopping tour of Ohio's Lake Erie Islands, I felt pulled to the shoreline city of Sandusky. For three straight days, as I rode the various ferries to Kelleys Island, Put-In-Bay, and Middle Bass, I found myself staring at the mainland cluster of gigantic roller coasters constituting one of America's oldest amusement parks. Rather than catch a few thrills and then drive back home, a local's glowing recommendation set my sights on Sandusky itself. As a Canadian visitor, I had this unfounded presupposition of Sandusky as a "whatever" Midwest city. But after a day at Cedar Point, dinner and secretive drinks by the water, and a morning exploring its stately, yet quirky downtown, I realized that Sandusky might be one of the best small towns the Great Lakes has to offer.

Conquering Cedar Point

Cedar Point by Six Flags sprawls across the apex of a slim peninsula stretching into Sandusky Bay, right where it meets the waters of Lake Erie. Its 18 roller coasters (i.e. one of the densest concentrations in the world) dominate Sandusky's skyline, and can even be seen from Kelleys Island and the ferry-town of Marblehead. Established in 1870, Cedar Point enjoys a long-standing American history. But I have something of a personal history with this amusement park too. Unfinished business, if you will. For you see, I attended Cedar Point as a child. And though I was generally a fan of roller coasters, the sheer size of these (some of the largest in the world) overwhelmed me. Eleven, and even 16-year-old me chickened out of the biggest, coolest rides. And I never forgave myself.

Thus, as I drifted back from Middle Bass Island, courage in my blood courtesy of Lonz Winery, I was determined to ride the 300-foot, 93 m.p.h Millennium Force, the largest traditional coaster in the park. $42 USD for parking and another $66 for a day-pass later (conquering fears, it seems, exacts a number of tolls), and I was strutting, palms sweating with trepidation, toward my teenage Everest.

I should have just ripped the band-aid off by beelining straight for the towering blue coaster, but my nerves convinced me I should ride a few "warm up" coasters first. Passing The Raptor, I noted its modest drop and minimal line, and popped straight on. What I failed to account for was all of its loops, barrel rolls, and hairpin turns. For you see, as a youngster, I never suffered from queasiness, merely the fear of heights (or rather, dropping from said heights). 20 years on and it seems these traits have flipped. Exacerbated by my lunch wine, mac n' cheese, and the intense mid-afternoon sun, I walked off The Raptor feeling quite sick to my stomach.

Now even more hesitant, I puttered toward the Millennium Force... and turned into Blue Streak instead, a classic wooden coaster. Blue Streak allowed me to postpone my fate a bit longer, and I figured a standard, hip-secured roller coaster would put me back on track (pardon the pun). Wrong again! The hard jolts of this antique machine only worsened my nausea.

It was time to stop delaying the inevitable, lest I lose my nerve (and my lunch) entirely. For whatever reason, on this Thursday afternoon, the only ride with a significant line was in fact the Millennium Force. The designers of this record-setting coaster definitely had a hint of sadism, as each go-round, screaming passengers came whooshing past the queue, leaving more than a few 30 and 40-somethings second-guessing their life decisions. Kids these days are completely unfazed!

After about 25 minutes of nail-biting, I took my seat, an awkward teenager checked my safety bar, and the chain began pulling the train higher and higher, and higher above Lake Erie, until I could clearly see Perry's Victory Memorial way over on Put-In-Bay. Finally, the decades-delayed moment of truth came... and it was amazing! The 300-foot free fall felt infinite, but I made it through. After that, each subsequent drop along this sinusoidal track was a welcomed bonus.

The thrill of a well-designed roller coaster is matched only by the relief of returning to the station and unbuckling. I had finally conquered my childhood fear, and now I could just enjoy the rest of the park. I ended up riding three more coasters that day, and then quelled the cumulative queasiness with a ride back to the entrance on Cedar Point's scenic chairlift.

Sushi & Speakeasy

By the time I got back to my car, the middle-aged nausea was supplanted by fairly significant hunger pangs. So after a quick motel shower, I continued into downtown Sandusky to try out a recommended sushi & whiskey bar called Sora & Oak. The atmosphere was precisely what I needed after a full day in the sun (i.e. cool and dimly lit), and the chef's-choice sushi tray and salad were exactly what the doctor ordered. Satiated, I walked up to aptly-named Water Street to enjoy the glow of sunset striking the colorful patio at Paddle Bar. As inviting as this place looked, I was more curious about the speakeasy cocktail bar across the street.

Volstead Bar hides within a non-descript legal office. If the little front light bulb is green, go through the right-hand door and cross the curtain. When it switches to red (i.e. after 10 p.m. or when the stools are all full), the mixology session has ended. Prohibition-era quirks aside, Volstead was a slick place to hang out, and the bartender, John, made me a mean sazerac. What more could you want from an underground cocktail bar?

Downtown Morning Wander

Step 1: Restorative Breakfast

After an afternoon/evening of indulgence, I needed to give my system something healthy to work with. So the next morning I found myself right back on Water Street, tending my wounds at The Maca Root Juice Bar & Eatery. A freshly-made breakfast wrap and some natural electrolytes down the hatch; I was feeling pretty darn good again. So with renewed pep in my step, I strolled west on Water Street and then up Columbus Avenue, into the heart of historic Sandusky.

Step 2: Coffee Bank

Downtown Sandusky is filled with stately structures and classic red-brick buildings. But far from weathered shells, many of these places have been converted into unique establishments. For instance, I took my coffee re-up at a place called Vita. Once a 1920s bank, then a church, it now operates as the highest-ceilinged cafe & bistro I've ever seen.

Step 3: Jackson Pier

Coffee in hand, I did a lap of Washington Park, before doubling back toward the water, this time Jackson Pier. Here, I shared wide pedestrian paths with some fellow morning walkers and cyclists, before exiting toward the additional murals and art fixtures of Shoreline Avenue. Judging by the tourism promos, Jackson Pier gets absolutely packed come some summertime festivals, but on this day, it was settled into its quieter role as public waterside park. For those of you curious about the Lake Erie Islands, including Ontario's Pelee Island, this is where Sandusky's ferries depart from.

Step 4: Merry-Go-Round Museum

My downtown Sandusky tour was rather unsystematic. But hey, that's the best way to get a feel for a city and allow for happy accidents. Had I planned better, I could have gone straight over to the Merry-Go-Round Museum, but my expired parking spot demanded a disparate course of action.

One of the many things I loved about downtown Sandusky was its ample free parking. The only kicker, and this is fair, is that the spots were only valid for two hours at a time. So first it was back to The Maca Root to recover my Jeep, and then I proceeded to the rotund and retired United States Post Office that now houses an impressive homage to everything carousel related. As per the outside banner, it also featured an extended exhibit covering the artifacts and history of Cedar Point.

Neither a merry-go-round nor museum enthusiast, I found this facility perfectly suitable for casual attendees. The $10 ticket grants a free ride on the working carousel, and the hundreds of peripheral, hand-crafted horses are unexpectedly impressive for anyone with an artistic eye. If you do happen to be a museum buff, then this, along with the Maritime Museum of Sandusky, and the Sandusky History Museum (housed within a Greek Revival mansion) will keep you thoroughly engaged for a day.

Signing Off On Sandusky

I came to shoreline Ohio for the Lake Erie Islands, but am grateful to have extended my trip into Sandusky. What I initially thought was a forgettable city centered around a popular theme park turned out to be an attractive, welcoming, satiating, thrilling, and diverse lakeside town. Sandusky easily goes toe-to-toe with places like St. Joseph, Michigan, Port Stanley, Ontario, and other classic small-towns around the Great Lakes. So for your last summer bash of 2026, or first spring vacation of '27, don't overlook this social sliver of Ohio.