Explore Refresh

May 26, 2025 by Kate Gray

Our friends go to Kelleys Island every summer to camp with a group of friends and their kids at the Kelleys Island State Park. They love it and told us we should check it out, so we took their advice!

Apparently, you have to book way in advance for peak season to stay anywhere on the island, so we decided to take a day trip instead. The drive was about 1 1/2 hours from Cleveland and then a 30 minute ferry ride. We got up early on a gorgeous spring day, still chilly in the morning, but sunny and would be warm midday. Once we were in Marblehead, Ohio we parked at the Kelleys Island Ferry Vehicle and Passenger Service. It cost $15 to park and then about $22 for each of us to walk on the ferry to ride it round trip. It was really fun to be on Lake Erie, watching the seagulls riding the breeze, feeling the sun on our faces and wind in our hair. Once we docked, we walked right off the boat to the golf cart rental at the Seaway Marina. A 4-seater golf cart was $16 per hour, so we went with that. They gave us the keys and we were off!

Kelleys Island is the largest American island in the Great Lakes. It takes a couple of hours to get around it in a golf cart, which is what a lot of people do. There are also bicycles and cars. The island has hiking trails, beaches, shops and restaurants. We realized the first thing we wanted to do was eat. So, we parked our little buggy and immediately saw the Captains Corner restaurant with a patio and lake views. Done. We were seated quickly and the service was great. We enjoyed our lunches very much. There is nothing better than eating a good meal alfresco. Feeling content, we hopped back in the cart and made our way to the Glacial Grooves. No, it’s not a rock and roll band, but a geological wonder! Mom joke. The Glacial Grooves were formed by a large glacier that also made the Great Lakes and Lake Erie Islands. The massive ice sheet dragged slowly across the earth scraping it into these grooves. This happened about 12,000-18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. It is now a National Natural Landmark that attracts visitors from around the world. We parked, and followed the paved paths around the mammoth rock formation reading the educational signs as we went.

There was a gravely hiking trail that lead into the trees and we saw some other explorers go that way, so we decided to see where it took us. The trail was flat and easy and the day was warming up. We came upon the ruins of an abandoned limestone quarry building, and just beyond that a couple of park benches. We wandered over to sit down and the view from above Lake Erie was beautiful. As we looked out over the edge of the island we realized there was a small beach down below. There was a rope that you had to rappel down to gain access. My son loves to rock climb and so he was totally into it! We all decided to make our way down. It wasn’t a far decent, but mildly challenging and rewarding at the same time. Once we were on the smooth rocky beach which was warmed by the sun, we shed layers, kicked off shoes and enjoyed.

The view was exquisite, the water so blue, so vast and it was very peaceful there. There were just a couple of other people exploring quietly, maybe looking for sea glass. I could feel myself relaxing on the warm rocks, just the sounds of the water lapping at the shore and a gentle breeze. We lost track of time. I did not want to go. Don’t make me! We stayed like that until a boisterous group showed up, so that was our cue to leave. Plus, we wanted to make our way around the rest of the island. We hiked back, got in the golf cart and cruised the rest of the way around. It was so beautiful with old characterful houses and lake homes with large deciduous trees, Adirondack chairs and hammocks in the shade. We stopped at the shops to look around and get ice creams before returning the golf cart. Time flies when you’re having fun.

Once we were back on the ferry, we soaked up the last moments of the adventure. I just wanted to savor and squeeze out every last drop. It was an in between time too, a sort of limbo to reflect on the day, on life, and transition from island time to the real world. And that’s how it goes. All of the feelings of an amazing day of exploring and feeling refreshed.