This blog post may contain affiliate links, which may reward me in the event of a sale. I use these funds to reinvest in my blog and to create more great content like this article to share with you! My stay at Lakeside Chautauqua was hosted, however all thoughts & opinions are my own. Disclaimer here.
Looking for a quintessential summer vacation spot for you and your family within the Midwest? For almost 150 years, Lakeside Chautauqua has been entertaining family vacationers from across the country to experience what President Theodore Roosevelt described is “the most American thing in America.” This caught my eye when planning my family’s summer travel plans so I booked a getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua in Lakeside, Ohio for us to experience it for ourselves.
What is a Chautauqua?
Before this year, I didn’t know what a ‘Chautauqua’ was either. While researching historic, fun, and scenic destinations in the Midwest to book a summer vacation for my family, I stumbled upon Lakeside Chautauqua. Let me help with the definition…
A Chautauqua is an education and social movement in the United States that was most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It started out in Chautauqua, New York in 1874 and expanded formally and informally in the decades since.
Chautauqua’s take a summer camp format and has four main pillars:
- Education and lifelong learning are important. While people come to a Chautauqua to vacation, they’re also nurturing their mind, body and spirit. One way of doing that is by attending lectures or engaging in a structured group conversation regarding current events.
- Religion and worship is another cornerstone of the movement, with either a Methodist or nondenominational undertone.
- Entertainment – especially wholesome family-friendly entertainment.
- Music with many musicians, orchestras, and operas invited to perform.
About Lakeside Chautauqua
Lakeside got its start in 1873 as a tented summer camp owned by the Methodist Church. Shortly after, it picked up on the Chautauqua movement. The concept expanded at Lakeside with many families building cottages within its one square mile gated community.
Today, Lakeside is one of the two largest Chautauqua’s in existence! And it is also on the National Register of Historic Places with its own self guided history walk you can do throughout it. Over the years since its founding, there were many historic performing artists and leaders who’ve lectured at Lakeside.
A getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua is a convenient Midwest summer vacation idea for many Michiganders. Located on the Marblehead Peninsula, right on Lake Erie, Lakeside is less than a two hour drive from Detroit and Ann Arbor. It’s even easier to get t
Where to Stay Within Lakeside Chautauqua
We booked a room with 2 Queen beds at the Fountain Inn, which is a budget friendly hotel with a great location. There is a small parking lot with only a few spots. However, if you can’t find a spot there, unload then park at the Hotel Lakeside’s lot.
The rooms at the Fountain Inn are a bit dated but spacious! Our room was located on the bottom floor which was preferred so Winston could move around after a four hour car ride from West Michigan.
Another lodging option is the historic Hotel Lakeside which was built in the late 1800s and underwent a huge transformation to keep it preserved and meet modern building codes. This hotel offers a waterfront view, restaurant, and a screened in porch.
There are also bed and breakfasts, vacation rental cottages, and a campground to stay at. However, if you want to save on Lakeside’s midweek special summer sale, the offer applies only at the two hotels.
Activities and Attractions at Lakeside Chautauqua
Whether you’re vacationing as a family or with your partner or alone, there are events and activities for all ages. Lakeside has a constantly updating list of events on their website that nurture mind, body, and spirit.
Best Activities at Lakeside Chautauqua Younger Kids and Families will Enjoy
Based on our personal experience at Lakeside, I put together this list of activities younger kids and their families will enjoy at Lakeside:
- Located just by the lakefront is the Splash Park and Kiddie Pool. The Kiddie Pool is for tots 3 and under while the Splash park is for kids 3-12. Both are fully enclosed. Both also offer beautiful views overlooking Lake Erie!
- Check out what art classes or if the open studio is operating at the Rhein Center. Hope on the free shuttle to take you there!
- Play a round of mini golf together! Located by the pier, clubs and balls are available to use for $4 a player. Kids 4 and under are free.
- There are a number of playgrounds to explore and get those wiggles out. One that is a block over from both hotels is the Grindley playground, which is enclosed and has all kinds of fun playground obstacles to enjoy, plus sand box and toys.
- Attend storytime at The Fine Print bookstore, which is offered every Saturday at 11am. This is especially perfect on rainy days.
- Attend concerts or performances at the Hoover Auditorium.
- Walk the pier together out into Lake Erie, bring or buy a kite from The Kite Shop and splash and play at the beach here. There are many beach toys available for little ones to play with. The beach is shallow and sheltered thanks to the pier.
Best Activities at Lakeside Chautauqua Older Kids & Teens Will Enjoy
I also noted the activities and attractions at Lakeside I think older kids and teens will enjoy:
- Bettinger Park is a popular gathering spot for older kids visiting Lakeside with their families. There are basketball courts, beach volleyball, & Gaga ball.
- Also nearby there are the 26 shuffleboard courts which are available to play at whenever tournaments aren’t taking place. Free lessons are available every Tuesday.
- Close to the park and courts is the mini golf course. For $4 a person, they can grab some clubs and a ball and play a round.
- Teens will also love hanging out together at their exclusive Underground, which is located by the waterfront in the Bluebird restaurant building. This is free and available for anyone aged 13-17.
- The Grindley Swimming Pool is fun for all ages, but especially for teens as there are a couple waterslides to enjoy.
- If you kids enjoy fishing, have them bring their equipment and fish from the pier at Lakeside.
- Go shopping and enjoyed the outdoor ‘social district’ with games, patio tables and more! Grab an ice cream from one of the shops nearby to enjoy here.
Perks and Benefits of Vacationing at Lakeside Chautauqua
Here are five perks and benefits I picked up on during our getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua. However, families have been coming here to vacation for generations! I’m sure I’m only scratching the surface of all the perks to enjoy at Lakeside.
- Free swimming lessons – Do you have a child that’s 12 or younger that needs swimming lessons? Take advantage of Lakeside’s free swimming lessons they offer during the weekdays. All kids under 12 permitted to swim in the deep end must undergo a swim test. These free swim lessons may also help your child brush up on their confidence.
- Passes – The Lakeside Passes are what unlocks access to most of Lakeside’s attractions for you. Passes are required whether you’re coming for a day trip, week long stay, or even for those with cottages here. And the passes are available for purchase for a day, week, or season. The cost of the passes vary based on age, with kids 4 and under getting free passes!
- Events – There are so many events offered every day at Lakeside! You will not be bored during a getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua. Check out the list of events here and start planning that vacation you deserve!
- Deals and Specials – If you’re flexible on when you can stay or are looking for a great spot to vacation still and take some time off from work, there’s a great Midweek Special that costs less than $1000 for the whole family! Check that out here.
- Own Orchestra – Finally, while we weren’t able to watch the orchestra, Lakeside has its very own! The orchestra plays concerts from the end of July through the month of August. Learn more here.
Three Day Getaway Itinerary for a Summer Vacation to Lakeside Chautauqua
Check out my family’s three day itinerary for a summer getaway to Lakeside Chautaqua in Lakeside, Ohio. This is a great weekend itinerary to follow for families traveling to Lakeside from Michigan or if you can take a day off Friday to travel. Note, we booked a room at the Fountain Inn hotel.
Day One: Arrival and Getting Acquainted as First Timers
- Arrive at Lakeside around 4:30pm.
- Check into The Fountain Hotel and unpack.
- Walk to the lake front and play at Bettinger Park, Grindley Playground, then to the front of the Hotel Lakeside to see the fountain.
- 7:30 pm – Have dinner at Hotel Lakeside’s Dining Room.
- After dinner, walk the pier, play at the beach, and walk the lakefront trail before heading back to town for ice cream at Whistle Stop.
Day Two: Renewing Mind and Body While Embracing Lakeside
- We slept in because it was raining so I figured everyone could use this to recharge and reset. After all, one of the missions at Lakeside is to renew the mind, body and spirit – what better way than sleeping in?
- For breakfast, we crossed the street to enjoy freshly made donuts, coffee and milk for at The Patio.
- At 11am, we went across the street to the free storytime at The Fine Print. Perfect for little ones, three books were read and then a free book of everyone’s choice was given away at the end.
- Then at 11:30am we hopped on the shuttle to the Rhein Center of Arts for their open studio session where we painted rocks for a small fee. There’s also a variety of other things to paint for purchase.
- 12:30pm: We headed back to The Patio for some fried chicken for lunch.
- 1:30pm: Winston participated in a scavenger hunt for a prize at the Heritage Museum. At the same time, I learned about Lakeside’s history.
- By this time, the rain safely passed so we grabbed the kites we purchased yesterday at The Kite Shop and headed to the pier. When we went to the pavilion, there was a live performance going on so we stopped to watch.
- After a little while longer, we headed down to the pier to fly the kite. It was a windy day so the kites flew effortlessly.
- When Win finished flying his kite, we headed to the Kiddie Pool and Splash pad where Win was content for about 45 minutes just splashing and playing. Later in the day, Winston said the splash pad was his favorite activity.
- Around 3:30pm, we walked to the shuttle stop at The Hotel Lakeside to shuttle over to Grindley Aquatic and Wellness Center. Here there is a large pool with shallow and deep ends, plus 2 water slides. Passes required.
- At 5pm, we shuttled back to our hotel to shower and enjoy downtime.
- 6pm: We ate dinner at Bluebird, a charming waterfront hot sandwich joint with outdoor seating!
- Grindley Playground was the final stop before calling it an evening. Grindley is a spacious enclosed playground. Within it, there is a playground, sand box, swings and more!
Third Day: …And the Spirit Before Saying See You Soon
- We woke up in time to attend the 8:30am Lakefront Worship Service.
- After that, we grabbed a small breakfast of coffee from Coffee & Cream and fresh donuts from The Patio. If you’re looking for something more filling, The Patio serves full breakfast too.
- After checking out at 11am, we walked the lakefront pedestrian trail one more time before leaving Lakeside.
- On the ride back to Michigan, we made a pit stop at the Liberty Aviation Museum, since my son absolutely loves airplanes. This museum is less than a 15 minute drive from Lakeside.
Tips for First Timers Visiting Lakeside Chautauqua
There are a few things we encountered during our getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua we weren’t prepared for or didn’t notice during our research. Definitely note these down in your trip preparation.
- Carry cash! There are a few shops on the premises that don’t accept cards – like The Patio and Whistle Stop. However there are several ATMs – like at the hotels, if you don’t or forget to carry cash.
- There are shuttles! Lakeside Chautauqua is big and has many notable buildings that host activities throughout its premises. So for the visitors, look out for the Shuttle Stops to hop on a golf cart to take you to where you want to go.
- Self guided history tours! I knew downtown Lakeside was on the National Register of Historic places but I didn’t know until I got here there is a self guided tour you can go on throughout it! There are maps all over town with numbers then as you get to each building, a QR code to scan to learn more and see pictures from decades prior to compare with the present day.
- Figuring out where everything is as a first timer can be a little challenging. I didn’t find an easily accessible map on their website and not everything is marked on Google maps. However, staying at either of the hotels will make it easy to find activities and places to eat.
- Cell Service can be a little spotty. Staying at the hotels helps you access free Wifi.
- If you’re planning to swim at the swimming pool, after every hour/hour and a half, there’s a 30 minute ‘rest break’ for kids. Adults are still welcome to continue swimming, but all kids must get out of the pool. The times are posted at the pool entrance.
Map of Lakeside Chautauqua
While I absolutely love all things Michigan and exploring our state, I do like exploring treasures outside of Michigan too. And Lakeside Chautauqua is a gem so close to us! Many Michiganders think Cedar Point as the place in Ohio they’d most like to visit. However, now that I’ve been led onto Lakeside, Ohio, I now know that this is the best place in Ohio to visit. In it’s one square mile, there are generations worth of memories and bonding, countless opportunities to learn and grow, and of course to experience rest and relaxation.
Experience a getaway to Lakeside Chautauqua yourself at lakesideohio.com.
Until the next adventure!
From Michigan with Love,
Jackie
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