When people ask me about my favorite part about Ohio, I never have to think about my answer. While I obviously love Cleveland and our national park a lot, I think my favorite part about my home state is the 850 miles of shoreline along Lake Erie.
Us northeast Ohioans are very well-acquainted with Lake Erie and all the fun things to do along its shores. And, to add to the beaches and islands and water activities you can enjoy in the warmer months, Shores & Islands Ohio has come up with several “trails” to promote all sorts of cool things you can do along the lakeshore.
There’s the Thrills Trail that includes spots like Cedar Point (the best amusement park in the world), zip lining, parasailing, and more. There’s a Sweet Treats Trail, an Antiques Trail, and a Golf Trail, too. And there’s also the Shores & Islands Ohio Cheers Trail.
What is the Cheers Trail?
The Shores & Islands Ohio Cheers Trail is a trail covering 20 different wineries, breweries, distilleries, and more across northern Ohio. You may not know this, but not only do we brew beer up here, we also grow wine grapes!
The Cheers Trail, like all the other trails, comes with a mobile “passport” of all the stops so you can check them off along the way! The more spots you visit, the more prizes you can win.
Whether you’ve never been to Ohio before, or have lived here all your life and are looking for some last-minute summer trip ideas, the Cheers Trail is worth checking out.
Note: I traveled part of the Cheers Trail in partnership with Shores & Islands Ohio and Tourism Ohio. As always, though, all opinions (and photos of giant pretzels) are my own!
Reasons to travel the Cheers Trail
So why bother to download that digital passport and make it a point to travel the Cheers Trail? Well here are just a few reasons:
1. Support local businesses
All the stops along the Cheers Trail are locally owned business, sometimes generations-old. On top of this, many of them are using local ingredients, whether it’s local grapes for their wines or local produce in their restaurants.
If you want to buy local in this part of Ohio, you really can’t go wrong with any of the stops along the Cheers Trail.
2. Visit places the whole family can enjoy
I think what struck me the most about traveling the Cheers Trail was how family-friendly most of the stops are. Whether it’s lawn games for the kids or dog-friendly outdoor spaces, this isn’t something that’s reserved just for adults (though of course the actual drinking is; please drink responsibly).
Even as someone who doesn’t drink very much, I was able to find something at all the stops we visited that I liked, whether it was an iced coffee or a giant pretzel the size of my head.
3. There’s so much to do
The Cheers Trail is spread out across northern Ohio, from Avon Lake to Helena. It covers destinations along the lake like Vermillion and Sandusky, as well as several island spots on Kelleys Island and South Bass.
Because the trail is so diverse, there are lots of other things you can do while traveling it, too. Spend a day at Cedar Point or Kalahari, rent bikes on Kelleys Island, visit the Marblehead Lighthouse, kayak through a coastal state park, and much more.
Cool spots on the Shores & Islands Ohio Cheers Trail
I haven’t visited all 20 of the spots on the Cheers Trail yet, but the ones I’ve been to have been great! Here are a few of my personal favorites so far:
Twin Oast Brewing
3630 NE Catawba Rd., Catawba
Located on Catawba Island (not far from where the Miller Ferry travels over to Put-in-Bay), Twin Oast Brewing sits on a 60-acre farm. They craft unique beers, using local ingredients when they can – they call this their “Farm-to-Fermenter mission,” and even grow their own hops.
Along with craft beers, Twin Oast also has a full-service kitchen that serves up a mix of German-inspired and Lake Erie fare, from giant pretzels to perch tacos. I was also a fan of their homemade root beer.
What really makes Twin Oast shine, though, is the outdoor space. Along with a large indoor bar/seating area, they also have a second outdoor bar with seating, fire pits, a water feature, and a huge lawn for kids to run around on.
If I lived nearby, this would probably be my go-to weekend spot.
They are open year-round, too, and even put up cozy outdoor igloos in the winter months.
Rocky Point Winery
111 W. Main St., Marblehead
Just a couple minutes up the road from the Marblehead Lighthouse, Rocky Point Winery is a great summer spot for enjoying Ohio wines in a green outdoor space.
Along with an indoor bar and small seating area, Rocky Point also has a second outdoor bar and a lawn with bright red chairs where you can enjoy live music several nights a week.
The wine at Rocky Point is made using almost all Midwest grapes, including a lot that are grown on Isle St. George in Lake Erie. If you like sweeter, fruity wines, their Concord and Pink Catawba varieties will be right up your alley. Pick up a container of chocolates inside the shop to have with your tasting.
We visited this winery on a Sunday afternoon, assuming it would be quiet. Yet the parking lot was full, and the outdoor area was thrumming with people. This is clearly a local favorite.
Kelley’s Island Wine Co
418 Woodford Rd., Kelleys Island
Head over to Kelleys Island for the day to see the Glacial Grooves and beautiful Lake Erie views, and also be sure to stop in at Kelley’s Island Wine Co. This boutique winery is family-run, and has been making wine on the island since the 1980s.
The wines here are all a blend, blended in house and using mostly local grapes. They also offer pizzas and small plates the whole family will love, along with outdoor space and live music during the summer months.
Other spots on the Cheers Trail
The other destinations currently on the Cheers Trail include:
- Klingshirn Winery, Avon Lake
- Quarry Hill Winery & Orchard, Berlin Heights
- Redhead Ciderhouse, Berlin Heights
- Gideon Owen Wine Company, Catwaba
- Chateau Tebeau, Helena
- Mulberry Creek Winery, Huron
- Crooked Tree Vineyard, Kelleys Island
- Monarch Winery, Kelleys Island
- Sandy Ridge Vineyards and Mercantile, Norwalk
- Heineman’s Winery and Crystal Cave, Put-in-Bay
- Put-in-Bay Winery, Put-in-Bay
- Bait House Brewery, Sandusky
- CLAG Brewing Company, Sandusky
- Firelands Winery, Sandusky
- Saucy Brew Works, Sandusky
- Paper Moon Vineyards, Vermillion
- Heron Creek Wine and Brady Vineyards of Ohio, Wellington
The Cheers Trail isn’t something that’s meant to be traveled within a day or even a weekend. Rather, it’s something to keep in mind as you visit all the craft creators scattered across northern Ohio. (After all, make sure you can still drive responsibly, even if it’s just a golf cart or bike on one of the islands!)
There are plenty of events happening at many of these locations throughout the year, so pick up your brochure and start planning some adventures!
Download the Cheers Trail PDF here, or visit the Shores & Islands Ohio website to learn more about this fun trail!
Who’s ready to travel the Cheers Trail?
Amanda was born and raised in northeast Ohio, and has always been a fangirl of her home state. Now, she’s sharing her love of the Cleveland area, highlighting all the best things to do, see, and eat in the CLE. She’s been running Cleveland Traveler since January 2019.
Great overview of the Cheers Trail! Quick question—are these places open year-round or mostly seasonal? Planning a trip and wondering what’s best.
Some of them are open year-round, but not all! For example, Twin Oast is open all year, but most of the spots on Kelleys Island are only open seasonally. Visiting between Memorial Day and Labor Day, everything will be open. Outside of those dates, you’d probably need to check on the spots you really want to visit to see if they will be open.