About the Area

If you’ve not watched the sunset over Lake Erie after a day of fishing, swimming, or boating, then it is time to visit Ashtabula County and our twenty-seven miles of shoreline. A mecca for birders and fishermen, Conneaut is a migration route for hundreds of bird species and the home of America’s #1 steelhead trout stream. Kayak to the lighthouse, paddleboard with your puppy or catch a fresh walleye for dinner – the rivers and lakes are full of water recreation. Several lodging and camping options are right on the water.

We get excited about our great lake turning trash into treasure in the form of beach glass and celebrate at an annual festival.  Ask where you can see the largest piece of beach glass in the world!

Beaches aren’t all that we have to offer in the area. Ohio’s northeast corner offers the greatest concentration of covered bridges, with 17 of the 19 fully operational. Be sure to visit the longest covered bridge in the United States… and while you’re at it, visit the shortest one, too!  Drive through history itself.  The Annual Covered Bridge Festival takes place every October during the second weekend of the month.  A perfect fall drive with picturesque changing leaves as a backdrop.  

Vineyards = Grapes and Grapes = Wine. Lake Erie’s micro-climate and the land formation of the Grand River Valley provide perfect conditions for growing grapes. 50% of the grapes grown in Ohio are found in Ashtabula County. The region boasts 31 wineries of every shape and size.  

Think you’re not a wine drinker?  Let us change your mind!  The Grand River Valley and the Conneaut Creek wine-growing areas have something for everyone.  Visitors will find large estate wineries and small boutique wineries serving sweet, dry, and everything in between.  You’ll find more than wine: vodka, whiskey, bourbon, and rye are produced at our local distillery.  Craft beers, hard apple cider and more can all be found in some of our local wineries. Don’t forget to ask about ice wine, made from frozen grapes harvested by hand at night. Ice Wine Weekends take place on Saturdays in March.

More than 100 stops can be found on the Barn Quilt Trail. Two state parks and 15 Metropark locations showcase the natural resources of the area with accessible trails and grounds.

Several museums unlike any others include Perambulators, Antique Engines, Railroads and so many more. The calendar is full of unique events and festivals through the year; some of the largest being the D-Day Living History Re-Enactment (2nd largest in the world), the Grape Jamboree, and Thunder on the Strip Motorcycle Rally. Hundreds of athletes play and compete at SPIRE Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.