Biking in Lake Erie Wine Country

One of my favorite things to do is to bike!  So, I thought I would share with you my favorite route, one that I bike again and again, just because it’s beautiful, not too busy with cars, and ends with ice cream!   What could be a better way to visit Lake Erie Wineries!

Starting from the Grape Arbor Bed and Breakfast, I turn right onto Rte 20, and travel about 1/2 mile to Orchard Beach Road, and turn left.   This follows a nice downhill (you can add some sights and another mile by turning onto all the side streets and the right.   When you get to Middle Road, turn right, but not before taking a look at the lake in front of you.

When I biked this route a week ago, here is where I could really start to smell the ripe grapes in the fields that I was passing by.   Because we are in the middle of harvest season right now the scent is really strong, and you will see the harvesting machines in the fields as well as many trucks with large rectangular bins.

Middle Road is full of rolling hills, grape fields and …an octagonal barn!    There is also a number of orchards, vibrant cherries in the summer, and apples in the all.  Every time I bike through here I see something different.  

Continue until Dewey Road, then turn left.   The scenery continues, and you will go by a house that has dozens of bird houses, bottle trees and some bat barns.  Wow!  This is another nice gradual downhill.   When Dewey Road intersects with Rte 5, turn left.  This is the road that can have the most traffic (which is still not a lot), but there are nice wide areas on the sides of the road.  You can get peeks of the lake here, and if you want to see a Lake Erie beach up close and personal, turn right at the Freeport Restaurant.   You will go by one of my favorite rose gardens on the right, and stop right on the water at Freeport Beach.   Take a minute, drink some water and enjoy the view!

Return back on the same road, and turn right back onto Rt 5.  This is going to be your biggest hill, and it is not all that steep.   Once that climb is over, you will go by horses, and some more orchards.   This is where I actually had a monarch butterfly ride along beside me for almost a quarter of a mile.  Amazing!

Turn left on Cemetery Road (newly repaved and very smooth riding).   You will have grape fields on either side of you!   Enjoy the view, (I had chickens run in front of me) continue until you hit Main Street (Rte 20).  Cross it carefully, and continue on Cemetery Road–across the train tracks until your first left–Ackerman Road.

Follow Ackerman Road until you see the Welch’s plant….ice cream is near!  The Straw Hat has many flavors that change weekly…my current favorite is Coconut Chip…it tastes like a Mounds Bar.  You earned it!  Stop and enjoy!  You can even play a little corn hole if you like.

When you are ready to move on, carefully cross South Lake St (Rt 89) onto Wellington Street.   This is a nice suburban neighborhood to pedal through, (albeit up a gradual hill).  Take a left on Smedley, and go over the train tracks again, and go across Clay St.  

Take a right on Poplar, left on Blaine…and you are back on East Main Street!  A quick left and you are a block from the Inn, on your left.

Come in and have a cookie!