aranpura
Pre-Flight
Some of you will know that our first flight with the kid (16 months) was last week to Put-In-Bay (3W2). I posted a note about that in an earlier thread about traveling with toddlers, but thought I'd summarize those notes, and add new details about our trip to Kelley's Island (89D) yesterday.
It's still pre-season on both of these islands, so we managed to avoid any crowds. A lot of the restaurants and bars were still closed, but we enjoy hiking more than drinking anyway.
First, Put-In-Bay. The airport is unattended, and there are no tie-down ropes at the parking spots. We brought our own chocks. There is a $10 landing fee paid on the honor system, and out front there is a guy who rents golf carts at $25 per day. I've heard that a taxi to town is about $3 per person -- it's 2 miles, an easy but slightly boring walk. In town, we ate at Pasquale's café which was great. If you take a golf cart from the airport it's worth driving around the residential areas of the island, very pretty. But if you just want to walk around the town, it's simpler to take a taxi from the airport.
Kelley's Island has a very small, unattended airport with no transportation available. There are transient parking spots with ground anchors, but again no tie-down ropes. It's about a 1.5 mile walk into town, and halfway there you can stop at the Kelley's Island Winery for a glass of cold white wine and some bread and cheese on a beautiful rural property. Do note that what they call "dry" wine is sweet, and what they call "semi-dry" tastes like grape juice! In town you can rent a golf cart ($12 plus tax per hour) or bicycles. On the north shore of the island you can see the glacial grooves (not really worth a special trip), or go to the State Park beach. But a much better beach is near an area called North Pond -- you'll need a map or a local to direct you. On the way there you'll walk out over a beautiful set of boardwalks across a picturesque marsh, which open out onto a really lovely secluded beach. We had a fantastic time there, and will definitely go back!
-Ash.
It's still pre-season on both of these islands, so we managed to avoid any crowds. A lot of the restaurants and bars were still closed, but we enjoy hiking more than drinking anyway.
First, Put-In-Bay. The airport is unattended, and there are no tie-down ropes at the parking spots. We brought our own chocks. There is a $10 landing fee paid on the honor system, and out front there is a guy who rents golf carts at $25 per day. I've heard that a taxi to town is about $3 per person -- it's 2 miles, an easy but slightly boring walk. In town, we ate at Pasquale's café which was great. If you take a golf cart from the airport it's worth driving around the residential areas of the island, very pretty. But if you just want to walk around the town, it's simpler to take a taxi from the airport.
Kelley's Island has a very small, unattended airport with no transportation available. There are transient parking spots with ground anchors, but again no tie-down ropes. It's about a 1.5 mile walk into town, and halfway there you can stop at the Kelley's Island Winery for a glass of cold white wine and some bread and cheese on a beautiful rural property. Do note that what they call "dry" wine is sweet, and what they call "semi-dry" tastes like grape juice! In town you can rent a golf cart ($12 plus tax per hour) or bicycles. On the north shore of the island you can see the glacial grooves (not really worth a special trip), or go to the State Park beach. But a much better beach is near an area called North Pond -- you'll need a map or a local to direct you. On the way there you'll walk out over a beautiful set of boardwalks across a picturesque marsh, which open out onto a really lovely secluded beach. We had a fantastic time there, and will definitely go back!
-Ash.
