Lake Erie State Park

Point Gratiot Park

When I imagine a trip to the beach, I cannot say that Lake Erie is one of the first things that I picture. What I do imagine, like many central PA natives, is a bustling beach town like Ocean City and Myrtle Beach, or the vast coastline of the Outer Banks. Last winter, when my aunt Shelly told me that I should stay at Lake Erie State Park when she goes, I was excited for the opportunity to spend time with family in a new place. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy it!

My two-week stay at Lake Erie State Park in Brocton, NY was wonderfully peaceful. Each day started with a walk on the beach and ended with a spectacular water sunset. We visited neighboring towns of Fredonia and Dunkirk frequently and ate a LOT of Mexican food in the process. Water and Mexican food... you really can't beat it. Now I'm getting hungry. Moving on!

Lake Erie State Park

During the week, between working and household (camper-hold?) chores, we walked a lot along the rocky beach at the

state park. There, we were able to find plenty of secluded spaces for Opey to run and swim, and for me to relax between throwing sticks for him. One Saturday, we loaded up the innertubes and hung out in an empty space with clear water and large sections of smooth, flat, shale carved out by the waves. We also enjoyed a few local beers, namely the Allegheny IPA from Four Mile Brewing (shout out to my cousin Colleen for recommending) of Olean, NY. So good.

A 15-minute drive away from the state park was Dunkirk, NY. Dunkirk was the home of our favorite morning destination, Point Gratiot Park. Point Gratiot has a beach, walking/biking trail, and recreation areas, but our main draw was the beautiful, dog friendly, beach early each morning. Opey and I enjoyed countless walks and splashes in the water, as did other (leashed) dogs. Many fellow beachgoers meticulously searched for shimmering sea glass, which was plentiful at Point Gratiot.

Lounging at Lake Erie State Park

Our other favorite place in Dunkirk was a fabulous Mexican restaurant called Taqueria Mexicana. I really really like Mexican food, and this place had some of my favorite. The roast pork tacos were to die for, the enchiladas were awesome, and my aunt who was also visiting, said the chile rellenos were fab!

The last day there, my aunt and I briefly traveled north to Irving and stopped for a drink at Sunset Bay. Sunset Bay had an incredibly busy, but GORGEOUS beach. It had some serious coastal vibes. I liked it, and I'd definitely consider checking out Irving in the future.

Super excited to get back to Lake Erie State Park next summer. Next on the list: Staying a little longer with family in Western NY, then heading to Allegheny National Forest for a mountain bike/off-roading trip with my dad!

Happy Friday!