Build a castle with the kids at Presque Isle, ride the Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer Park and make a splash at Splash Lagoon!

There’s so much to do in Erie, Pennsylvania, with your family!

The perfect family getaway is in Erie.

Going for the weekend, a few days or the week? Here are some of the must-do family getaway activities!

Go beaching, biking and build a sandcastle at Presque Isle

No family summer trip to Erie is complete without a trip to Preque (pres-k) Isle. It’s almost an island (literally, presque in French means almost and isle in French means island.)

Here are the top family-friendly things to do at Presque Isle!

Hang out at the beach!

Seriously, beaching is the biggest draw to Presque Isle. The state park offers miles and miles of Lake Erie beaches.

There are several guarded beaches where visitors can swim during guard hours. Visitors are not permitted to swim at unguarded beaches or outside of guard hours.

Pack food, stop at Wegmans or Sheetz for hoagies, pick up snacks at Beach Zero and spend several hours under an umbrella and on a towel. The kids can play in the sand, and you can walk the beach or read a book.

If you don’t want to waste the day being a beach bum, Presque Isle offers so many other activities.

You can rent bikes, water trikes, surreys and rollerblades from the Yellow Bike rental company inside Presque Isle.

Presque Isle offers an array of hiking trails — ranging from 0.2 miles to 13.5 miles. Take a hike to Gull Point for the wildlife and serenity!

Go fish! Literally. There are many great spots along Presque Isle to cast a reel. Have a boat? Even better.

Go kayaking! Drop the kayaks in the water from a number of locations throughout the park.

Go birding! Presque is home to many bird species. And many more use the peninsula as a rest stop during migration season.

Tour the Presque Isle Lighthouse!

Plan ahead and take part in programming offered by the state Department of Natural Resources. Find events on this page — nearly all events are free but many require registration.

You could spend two hours or all day at Presque Isle!