Put-In-Bay With Kids + FREE Things to Do!

Is Put-In-Bay Kid Friendly?

I’ve heard it many times, “Put-In-Bay is a party island”. Unfortunately, if you think it’s just for adults, you are missing out… and so are your kids! Put-In-Bay offers so much to do for the whole family all summer long. I can attest, that my family has visited Put-In-Bay both on the weekend and during the weekend day time and we had a great time!

A couple of weeks ago, we planned a fun day out at Put-in-Bay. With so much to see and do, we left as early as I could drag my boys out of bed. Now that my boys are teens and pre-teens we bought along some of their friends. I was happy that it was a first-time event for some of them!

Put-In-Bay is the crown jewel amongst the Bass Islands and is just far enough away to make you feel like you are on vacation but close enough to home to make it a one day trip. Once on the island, you can enjoy a wide variety of dining options, shopping and adventure.

Getting to Put-In-Bay

The most family-friendly way to get to the islands is the Miller Ferry. They have the lowest prices which are perfect for the family. Kids 5 and under are FREE, while kids 6 – 11 are only $1.50 each way. Adults only pay $7.50.

You can catch the Miller Ferry at the Catawba Dock in Port Clinton which is an easy drive from just about anywhere. During the summer months, ferries leave every 30 minutes. You can choose inside seating, but we love sitting outside with the breeze in our hair.

Taking the ferry is part of the experience, for the kids! Mine loved the boat ride and looked forward to it as part of our day! Miller Ferries generally run every half hour during the summer season. You can see the schedule here.

Getting Around Put-In-Bay

When you get to the island you’ll probably want to take some form of transportation (besides walking) to get to downtown Put-in-Bay. Options include a taxi, golf cart, bikes or the Lime Kiln bus ($2.50/person and children under 6 are free – cash only). Our personal favorite are golf carts!

E’s Put-In-Bay Golf Carts is located at the top of the hill as soon as you step off the ferry. They 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 reserved online, you can use a $5.00 coupon! Got to love that!

If you aren’t familiar with the island, E’s can give you a map before you leave. While South Bass Island, is only approximately 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, this map makes it so much easier to get around.

Fun at Perry’s Cave and Family Fun Center

If you are looking for family fun on the island, Perry’s Cave and Family Fun Center has it all. This area is perfect for kids of all ages, even my teens that I brought along! Options for activities here include Perry’s Cave, Gemstone Mining, The Butterfly House at Put-in-Bay, War of 1812 Holes Miniature Golf, Gotcha Laser Tag, Fort aMAZE’n, Rock Climbing Wall, Antique Car Museum, gift shops and DanDee’s Snack Shack. You can choose one activity or grab the punch card where you can choose a few and save a bit of money!

This visit, we went deep into Perry’s Cave which is 52 feet below the surface of South Bass Island where we saw a rare underground lake, stalactites, stalagmites and cave pearls. This cave stays a cool 50 degrees year-round.

The kids also tried out Fort aMaze’n and the War of 18 Holes Mini Golf while us mamas sat nearby and relaxed. I loved seeing them laughing and having a great day out and about (and without electronics!).

FREE Things To Do in Put-In-Bay with Kids

Not only is Put-In-Bay family-friendly but there are a lot of things to do that are free on the island! Here are just a few of our favorites.

The DeRivera Park downtown Put-In-Bay is named after the founding father of the town, Jose DeRivera and is free to visitors. The park features two large play areas, picnic tables, BBQ grills as well as public bathrooms. My boys and their friends love this park as it offers an area for smaller kids and a separate area for older ones. We packed a lunch and enjoyed it under the shade of the trees before we explored the rest of the island. If your kiddos are little you may not want to make this the first stop or they may not want to leave.

The Aquatic Visitors Center is opening back up on July 8th. You can visit Wednesday – Saturdays through August 22nd and is free to visit. Inside you’ll learn about lake Erie’s rich history while you peer through microscopes, observe fish species and see some original fish hatchery equipment. Best of all, kids under the age of sixteen can borrow fishing gear and fish for free from the pier. Most Saturdays in the summer the visitors center hosts children programs at 2pm on the dock. 

South Bass Island State Park is one of two Put-In-Bay campgrounds. We found this area by accident a few years ago while we were exploring the island by golf cart but now we stop by every visit. It offers a boat launch ramp, picnic areas, a fishing pier and a small stone beach area. It was a warm day, when we visited which allowed us all to put our feet in the water… a few of the kids even jumped in! This area is FREE to visit!

The Antique Car Museum is free to visit also. Housed in a large barn at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center, you can see rare Ford Model T’s, a popcorn truck and other auto-related memorabilia. We visited on a Sunday where around 2pm in the summer, an antique car parade tours the entire island. Be sure to wave!

Perry’s Victory and International Peace Monument is iconic to the island with its Doric column rising 352 feet over Lake Erie. It was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie during the war of 1812. The visitor center and any special events on the ground are always free. If you want to travel to the top of the memorial column, kids under 16 can visit for free while there is a small fee for adults (monument viewing deck currently closed because of COVID).

Lastly, Put-In-Bay offers family friendly summer festivals and events which many are free to attend. The popular Music Festival is held in June each year and my family was able to visit during the Pyrate Fest a couple weeks ago. In August there is an Island Green Week which will feature activities centerend on nature, wildlife and exploring the outdoors.

If you’ve heard that Put-In-Bay is too expensive or only for the 21 year old and older crowd, I’d say it’s time to explore the more family friendly, budget side.  Our group had a BLAST exploring this family-friendly island!

Thank you to Miller Ferry who invited me and my family to explore Put-In-Bay. I received ferry tickets, two golf cart rentals and tickets to Perry’s Family Fun Center. Thanks for helping me to create fun content like this for my blog.