I plan to visit Lorain, Cleveland, Fairport, Ashtabula and Conneaut this weekend. Most of these are at the end of breakwaters that you can walk out. The breakwaters look VERY long. Question: Since I probably can't manage to walk out all of them due to time and old legs , which are easier to walk? ...or which will I be glad that I did? Has anyone walked out these breakwaters?
I will be traveling with 2 non-lighthouse people, so I am not sure just how far we can get...might get to PA!

You cannot reach Ashtabula or Cleveland lights on their breakwaters since the breakwaters are not connected to the land. There is also a break in the walk out to Conneaut. Fairport Harbor can be done, but be very careful. The riprap is not level and the walking can be tricky. I couldn't see were Lorain reached the shore. The easiest to reach, if you go that far west, is Huron Harbor light. A wide concreate breakwater for most of the way to the light.

If you have the time while in Cleveland, take the Goodtime III cruise. It goes right past both breakwater lights and you'll get good views, weather permitting.

If your companions or you are interested in them, Ashtabula County has 17 covered bridges.

Robert

I will start with Ashtabula Harbor Lighthouse it is a very log and dangerous breakwater to walk and it doesn't go all the way, it is best seen by boat. You can get a very long distance view from above, from the Ashtabula Marine Museum on the hill over looking it.

Fairport is a great place to stop as you have basically 3 lights there. Instead of walking the breakwater, when we were last there I just walked out the the pier for a small marina there and got shots of both the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse and the cigar shaped, Fairport Harbor West Pier Light. The Grand River Lighthouse which is overlooking the Harbor has a great museum if you get to it during the hours that they are open.. I would make this your main goal..

Lorain is easy to get (long lens) shots of from shore from a little park; you can walk out to it, but if I remember it is a very long walk. It has been a while since we visited it with our club on a boat (Toledo) and bus trip put together by Dave.

I have not made it to Cleveland Light yet but I believe it is best viewed by boat.. Conneaut is another we haven't made it to yet as the last two times we drove by the area it was pouring..

Trip home from Seaway has some images from land, I didn't walk any breakwaters for them..

It looks like Robert and I tied posting and he posted in front..

Just West of Lorain in Vermillion there is a replica light and a very nice Museum, the Inland Seas Maritime Museum..

Thank you both, that was a great help. The boat trip in Cleveland sounds like a very good idea and I think my husband and his sister would both enjoy that. The two little lighthouses on the Cleveland breakwaters look so intriguing, and it would be great to get a good view of them. I think we can do that and still get to Fairport Harbor while it is open on Saturday. Sounds like I should save any walking out breakwaters for Fairport also. Here's hoping the weather cooperates.

Robert is correct about the Goodtime III . It does give you a nice view of the lights, but it is also an interesting and very informative cruise on the history and goings on in Cleveland. It amazed me to see the freighters that are moored on the river - you have to wonder how they get to where they are. It was an enjoyable cruise, worth the bucks.

And, Paul is correct about the Old Fairport Main - it is a great museum. Most definitely should be on your schedule to visit if at all possible.

And while you are along the coast, don't forget the great Inland Seas Museum om Vermillion.

Don't know how far you plan to travel or if you have already been to Marblehead. If not, well worth the visit. Wonderful setting and always good for pictures. If you do head that way, you may need to go thru Port Clinton - if you do, the Garden at the Lighthouse is a pleasant place to dine.

Well, cancel the Garden at the Lighthouse - going back to read the review I linked to, seems it was burned down and the owner was arrested for arson. Real shame, It was a great place - think it was the original keeper's quarters or the site of the light? Paul might be able to remember - we had dinner there with Stephen (Jakers) many years ago.

Dave, I was in Port Clinton and Marblehead in April with my son and two of the grandkids.

I think their favorite part was climbing all over the rock ledges around Marblehead lighthouse. My granddaughter found a perfect seashell, fossilized into the ledge. She kept trying to pick it up.

Sounds like I missed out on the restaurant. They were really great reviews! We ate somewhere along the peninsula, it was forgettable. The museum at Vermillion looks very good, but I really just have Saturday and a little of Sunday. I have to get my sister-in-law home to Cleveland, and then us back to WV. Always too much to see, too little time.

I just read your second link. That man was in some serious financial trouble. Ohio hasn't been doing well. I'm from Dayton and I can't believe what some parts of it look like now.

Thanks for the info. Esther and I will be in Cleveland in September- the main reasons are music related. We'll be going to the R&RHOF and to a Jackson Browne concert.

I hope to get some lighthousing in while there as well. The Goodtime III boat trip looks interesting. We have seen some of the area LHs on a visit to the area while my brother lived there in 2003.

Here's one of the interesting things I found near the Old Fairfiled LH-



We didn't stop, though.

Dennis

Good thing you didn't stop, Dennis they don't even know how to spell Harbour Lights!! They might have tried new math on your bill...

Paul,

I knew somebody would point that out- again.

Dennis

Just a little info about the Inland Seas Museum in Vermillion. It will be closing later this year and relocating to Toledo for I believe a 2012 re-opening downtown along the Maumee River.

That's quite a move, which will include some real heavy lifting. Thanks for the heads up..

I found an article about it from last year..

Move to Toledo

I'm assuming the lighthouse will move too???

Never assume, having said that... The Vermillion Lighthouse is a replica light so only they would know for sure but..

It was built by them..

The original Vermillion Lighthouse ended up here