Disclosure: I received two round trip ferry tickets on the Jet Express. All opinions are my own.

This year I celebrated a milestone. I turned “40”! While I usually do dinner with family or a night out with my husband, this year I wanted to celebrate on a bit of a larger scale. My sisters and I had talked about a girl’s trip to the beach and my husband and I toyed with the idea of flying somewhere exotic. When it came down to it, time restraints just didn’t allow us to fly anywhere so headed to Ohio’s own tropical island, Put-In-Bay!

In the weeks before my birthday, I called friends and family and asked them to join me for a fun-filled day on the island.  We checked the ferry schedules and knew that the Jet Express would be perfect. The Jet Express offers the fastest ferry service to the islands from both Port Clinton and Sandusky. It drops passengers off right in the heart of Put-In-Bay and is the only ferry to offer late night weekend service from Put-In-Bay (12:15 am or later). Since we weren’t staying overnight on the island, we definitely needed a late night ferry.

On August 5th, most of our group headed out to Port Clinton to grab an afternoon ferry while some took it from Sandusky. To save on time, we ordered our Jet Express ferry tickets online a few days before. This is a great idea to do on busy weekends since ordering online not only keeps you from waiting in line but also keeps your wanted ferry time slot from being sold out.

Before we boarded the Jet Express a few in our party, headed over to JetBar. This full service drink station is located right on the water at the Port Clinton location. The JetBar offers up special concoctions with direct access from the bar to the ferry, great views of the lake, and offers plenty of seating.

We got to Put-In-Bay around 2:00 pm with plans for a fun-filled, kid free day! With some of our friends having arrived on the island earlier and with some arriving a little after us, we decided on grabbing a quick lunch right on the water. There are a ton of delicious restaurants on the island but we choose The Boardwalk with it’s casual concession-style dining, overlooking the Bay.

At The Boardwalk you can choose either the Main Deck downstairs with three different food concessions or the elegant table side service upstairs at the Upper Deck. With our group we chose the quicker option downstairs. With choose-your-own seating picnic tables, we were able to grab a table or two that fit us all. Since everyone could pick their favorite food stands, we all got our food quickly and then were able to enjoy the sweeping views of the lake.

After lunch, our crew walked around Put-In-Bay and enjoyed the island a bit. While I had heard that Put-In-Bay was known as a party scene on weekends, I was pleasantly surprised that while it was crowded, there wasn’t as much as a crazy party atmosphere as I had thought there would be. No worries, if you want that, I’m SURE you can find it but also know that on the weekends, Put-In-Bay can also be relaxing during the day also!

Our first stop after grabbing some food was to Mojito Bay. This unique bar is located on Catawba Avenue in the heart of downtown Put-in-Bay and there isn’t another like it on the island. With swings in the bar area, sand instead of a floor and a live band every weekend it’s a fun place to hang out with friends. In fact there’s even a giant Jenga and cornhole set that a few of us played on.

While Mojito Bay specializes the Mojito drink, they also offer up a ton of other options, even non-alcoholic ones. Yes, the age of customers is a bit closer to the college age than my “celebrating 40” crew but I’d like to think we blended right in. If you are enjoying a sunny day in Put-In-Bay with friends, Mojito bay is a must stop!

My group split up after this to cover a little more ground. Some were hungry as they had just arrived, while others wanted to do a little shopping. I wanted to see more of the island that I usually don’t get to see with our kiddos with us so my husband and I along with a couple of our friends walked up and down a few streets. We really weren’t sure where we were heading but it was great to just walk around and talk. Best of all, I found that everyone we met was extremely friendly. We stopped and chatted more than a few times with people along the streets or who were staying in the rented houses close to the downtown area.

We found ourselves at the the world’s largest swim up bar, Splash located at the Islander Inn.  While it was closing when we got there, I’ve heard it can be a party scene on warmer days so you may want to add it to your list to visit (closes after Labor Day).  As the employees were cleaning up the deck, we up up to the nifty pirate ship bar, Flaming Skull, located on the same property. We easily spent over an hour here, chatting with each other, taking silly pictures and meeting new friends! It wasn’t crowded at all, and I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. On top of this the bartenders were awesome!

As the sun was going down, we met up with the rest of our party goers back on the main strip, at The Round House. Before even walking in the door, I knew this place was hoppin’! The live band had taken the stage and you could hear them from the street outside, which only encouraged us to come inside.

The Round House Bar, which first opened for business in 1873, had wall to wall people but we were still able to find table top seats for our group. The live band turned out hit after hit and even took requests when we were there. Best of all, they gave me a shout-out for my birthday! The Round House bar was so fun and made me feel like I was celebrating a birthday much less than 40!

We ended out night at T & J’s Smokehouse, Put-In-Bay’s only country bar! With delicious food, a live outside band and even a bull a mechanical bull it was the perfect place to end my birthday party! There was more than enough seating outside, even though it was pretty crowded. I loved that the band played outside, since the weather was absolutely gorgeous!

We headed out to catch the Jet’s Express’s last ferry at 12:15am. Since we were already in the downtown area, it was a short walk to the pier and a quick ride back to Port Clinton.

Put-In-Bay provided a PERFECT place for me to celebrate my 40th birthday! I had a great time with friends, sampled delicious food, and “partied like a 40 year old”. What I love most about Put-In-Bay is how versatile it can be! It’s a great place to explore with the family or to enjoy with friends! Planning a day away? You’ll want to head to Put-In-Bay!

Looking for a more low-key family trip? Check out my recent trip to Put-In-Bay, where we explored by golf cart!

Thank you to Miller Ferry who invited me and my family to explore Put-In-Bay. I received ferry tickets and a golf cart rental. Thanks for  allowing me to create fun content like this for my blog, Couponing With Rachel!

Are you ready for an adventure? A trip to Put-In-Bay is the perfect place this summer! My family and I visited Put-In-Bay a few years back and have been itching to get back ever since. Recently, my sister and I brought our kids along and spent the day exploring the island by golf cart! Check out all that we were able to see in just a few hours.

There aren’t many cars on the island of Put-In-Bay and there aren’t too many parking spots so the preferred method of transport is by golf cart. Of course, if you want to bring along your car, Miller Ferry is for you! In fact, it’s the only ferry that will take across your car, truck or camper! Best of all, Miller Ferry is perfect for those on a budget as they offer the lowest fares to Put-in-Bay, five FREE parking lots & the most frequent trips.

To start our day, we boarded the Miller Ferry. While there were already cars onboard, it was easy to navigate to the passenger area upstairs. The ferry has a convenient inside area for passengers to sit, but our crew was way too excited to stay inside. We really enjoyed the ride over taking pictures, enjoying the views, and planning for the rest of our day.

The ride over to Put-In-Bay was easy sailing and only took about 20 minutes. In fact, I’d say that our group was a little sad it ended so quickly! Getting off the ferry was quick and it was just a short walk up the hill to grab our golf cart for the day at E’s Put-In-Bay Golf Carts!

E’s Put-In-Bay Golf Carts offer 2, 4, 6 and 8 person carts and have a limited number of child seats for children who are under 40 pounds (no infant seats available). Keep in mind that you must be at least 18 years old with a valid drivers license in order to rent a cart. Best of all, if reserve online, you can use a $5.00 coupon! Got to love that!

Since we hadn’t driven around Put-In-Bay before by ourselves, E’s gave us a map of the island before we left. While South Bass Island, is only approximately 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, this map made it so much easier to get around. We circled the must-see spots and mapped out our day. We let the kiddos pick our first spot, which they all agreed would be the park!

Located right in the middle of beautiful downtown Put in Bay, is DeRivera Park. It also boasts a several large playground areas which even our biggests kids enjoyed. Even if you don’t have kids, grab lunch to go from one of the island’s fantastic restaurants and eat at one of the picnic tables. This tree covered area is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the view of Lake Erie or people-watch on Delaware Avenue. A public bathhouse is available for use.

After awhile of play, we headed to our next stop, Heineman’s Winery. This winery was founded in 1888 by a German immigrant, named Gustav Heineman. When Volstead Act creating the prohibition of alcohol was passed in 1919 most of the wineries on the island failed and the vineyards fell into disrepair. Thankfully Heineman’s was able to survive under Gustav’s son, Norman, when he started selling unfermented grape juice and providing taxi cab service to and tours of the Winery’s caves.

On top of making delicious wine and grape juice, Heineman’s Winery is also the site of Crystal Cave. This cave, which is the world’s largest geode was discovered by workers in 1897 while digging a well for the winery 40 feet above. While the cave is small, it’s a must-see while in Put-In-Bay. I heard ooh’s and ahh’s while we were down there. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Even our kids were impressed!

Our tour also included a behind the scenes look on how wine is continuing to be made today. Best of all, this tour also includes a sample of your choice of either Heineman’s grape juice or one of their wines. From red to blush wine, there is sure to be one that you will love. If you buy that day, they will even deliver your wine to the ferry for you! Talk about great service! Tours of the cave and Heineman Winery are offered for $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 to 11.

After a bite to eat in town at Frosty’s, we poked around some shops downtown, walked along the piers and checked out the area. It was so convenient to have our golf cart and be able to get in and out where we wanted. Of course, we took lots of pictures too! The weather was warming up and the sun was shinning bright. We were having such a fun afternoon!

While we were all having so much fun exploring town, our kids asked to play putt-putt golf at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center. We played last time we were in Put-In-Bay, and knew it would be a great way to end out our day. The War of 18 Holes Miniature Golf lets you have fun while also learning historical facts about the War of 1812 and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s role in the victory of the Battle of Lake Erie. This beautiful course is under a canopy of shade trees and perfect for all ages. In addition to golfing, our kids loved exploring the covered bridge and waterfall cave.

Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center has many other activities which are perfect for families including a rock wall, giant maze, antique care museum, butterfly house and underground cave. You can easily spend a few hours here is you have little ones, so be sure to add it to your list of things to see.

Once it was time to go home, it was just a quick hop to get back on the Miller Ferry. With their summer schedule offering a ferry every 30 minutes we only waited a short period of time. As my kiddos ran to the ferry, it just warmed my heart to know how many memories were made. In fact, on our ferry trip back, my sister and I planned our next excursion to the island.

Put-In-Bay is the perfect place for a family day trip or even to stay for a few days. With lodging of all types including hotels, bed & breakfasts, cabins and even camping, it’s sure to fit just about everyone’s budget. Need additional savings? Merry’s Ferry has you covered! Check out their website for fabulous Put-In-Bay coupons!

Summer is here but it will go fast. Be sure to plan a visit to Put-In-Bay today!