Sort of like how the saying goes that pork is the other white meat, Erie Bluffs State Park is very…read moremuch the "other one" in the local vicinity compared to Presque Isle. Where as Presque gets millions of visits annually, Erie Bluffs is still fairly new only having joined the PA state park system in 2004. The benefit is that the bulk of the coastline along Lake Erie is developed and this 500+ acre parcel represented the last large acreage that was still untouched. The basic premise is that the park is about 12 miles south of Erie proper in Lake City, PA. There is a small single sign along West Lake Road and there is only a single parking lot/entrance for the park (technically there is a small secondary entrance and parking area if you're going to be fishing/kayaking Elk Creek which is slightly up the road from the aforementioned main entrance). You've got some fishing/boating/off-season hunting allowed and about five miles of walking trails. I'm not going to say hiking because in reality none of the trails here that we saw should be thought of as hiking. We did a box loop by walking the start of the Transition Trail - turned left to the Black Oak Savanna Trail - right to the other half of the Transition Trail - right to the Lookout Trail - over to the Fisherman's foot path - up Wildflower Way which leads back to the Transition Trail. Now there are three points with this park worth noting: 1. The trails are not marked. Is that a big issue? Not really as everything loops/links into each other and if you have any sense of direction you should be able to figure it out although in principal you could take a wrong turn and go a few miles over to the other side of the park by accident. 2. Maybe the western side of the park further away from the parking lot has better views, but the side we (and most of the people visiting the day we were there) were on doesn't offer much. Very heavy foliage and tree cover with only limited vantage points where you can appreciate the bluffs/view of Lake Erie. 3. Another reason that it's hard to appreciate the bluffs is that part of the trail nearest them (Bluffs Edge Trail) is gone due to erosion. Supposedly the bluffs are being gobbled up at the rate of a few feet per year by Lake Erie and even though the official park map lists that trail, it's very much not fully there. With all this said, parks like these are my favorites within the PA system. Meaning I enjoy the smaller C-List places without all of the touristy junk attached to them. Just give me some solid trails with good views and especially here where it means more open space versus homes or condos and I'm all in. www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_20032316.pdf

Great selection of fishing gear and a knowledgeable owner who is happy to talk local fishing…read more Helped us to select lures and went above and beyond to help with a reel.

From the owner: Elk Creek Sports Store Inc in Lake City, PA serves customers. Get all your fishing, hunting,…read moreskateboarding, and camping supplies here. Notary service with T-tags, lottery, UPS, dog licenses, dvd rentals, Propane, Gasoline, Guns, Ammunition & More. please check out our online store as well. Check Out Our New & Improved Online Store. Thousands of Hunting And Fishing Needs

If you're looking for a classy, peaceful nature outing turn back now. But if you want to witness an…read moreabsolutely chaotic aquatic circus fueled by stale carbs and bad decisions, welcome to the Pymatuning Spillway. First of all, BYOB here doesn't mean Bring Your Own Booze. Bring Your Own Bread. White bread. Wheat bread. That one bun that's been in your freezer since 2019. Heck, I saw a guy chucking chunks of fruitcake like he was loading a t-shirt cannon. The fish don't care. The ducks don't care. You might care... until the feeding frenzy begins. The moment the bread hits the water, it's like Shark Week met a Black Friday sale at Walmart. Giant carp--literal underwater linebackers--erupt from the depths like they haven't seen a carb since the Reagan administration. And on top of that? Ducks just walking on them. Not swimming. Not paddling. Walking. On. The. Fish. Like Jesus on water if He were a mallard with zero manners. Kids scream. Parents laugh. One guy had a bag of Wonder Bread in a baby carrier like it was an heirloom. I'm pretty sure a seagull mugged someone for a slice of rye. There's no such thing as dignity here--just breadcrumbs and mayhem. Pro Tips: * Don't wear nice shoes. The bread goo gets everywhere. * Hold your bread tight unless you want to be mugged by a gang of pigeons with nothing to lose. * Bring extra, because once you start--you won't want to stop. It's that addictive. The Pymatuning Spillway is a beautiful mess. A masterpiece of Midwest chaos. A place where nature, gluttony, and old bakery products collide. 10/10, will return with Costco-sized loaves.

Great place to take the kiddos to see all the carp. Can purchase loaves of day old bread to feed…read moreall the carp. Concession stand is reasonably priced and the food was good.

We have come dozens of times from out of state and really enjoy our visits every time…read more We enjoyed this years Discover Presque Isle event. Lots of activities to keep people engaged and show off the great asset that PI is to Erie. One thing they could do a bit better with this festival is communicating when events are changed/postponed/cancelled. The park itself is amazing and looks like the visitors and the staff take every good care of it.

I've been going to Presque Isle for as long as I can remember. Whether splashing around in the…read morewater, biking the multi-purpose trail, or looking for beach glass along the shore, there is always something fun to do.

This park is absolutely beautiful! And it adds so much to the cute little town of St. Thomas…read more I visited on a sunny day in May with my family, and we had a great time. Parking is free, the park itself is beautiful - there were bridges, a mini waterfall, lakes, a playground and a splash pad! Little critters are everywhere - turtles, snails (big ones too!), and lots of squirrels and birds! Waterworks Park seems like the perfect place for a picnic, a mini day trip, or just a place to relax. I can't wait to visit this place again! The drive from London to St. Thomas to go here is definitely worth it.

I saw this park pop up on my list for St Thomas and normally I dont do reviews on places, but this…read morepark is special. I've gone to all the different parks in St Thomas and most of them are REALLY NICE, but this one and Pinafore Park are truly great. You want a playground? check. You need a splashpad? check. Want a nice paved path to push a stroller around for a walk? check. You want nice gardens and just nice pleasant landscaping. check. Heck i even heard/saw people fishing in the river that's nearby? I don't even fish and that sounds like a awesome bonus! And i used to do the Pokemon thing and there's a TON of stops and gyms or whatever there so you can literally walk around a beautiful park playing your game or taking a seat on one of the benches, maybe have a coffee with you and chill. It's great... there's bathrooms and change rooms, its never too busy. I have zero bad to say about this place. Bring your kids.... enjoy it, we are lucky to have this.

Wonderful kayaking and birding here at the park. If you want to see Osprey, this is the place to…read morego. This park is most lake, but Lake Wilhelm is quite extraordinary. The facilities are well maintained, but the stars here are the wildlife. There is a 12 mile paved bike trail that circumnavigates the lake. The trail has nice views of the lake, depending on the season.

A very nice park and lake area. I was in the area for a high school crew meet (octuple scull…read morerowing). Ran into a very polite ranger, the area we were at was very clean and well kept, and the boat launches were in great shape (Launch area 2).

Highly recommended. I've been on four trips this year and there are days that you don't catch fish…read morebut that's not because the crew isn't working for you. I've had a lot of fun and they taught me a lot that I used elsewhere.

Booked charter. 2 days later my daughter committed suicide. I called for a refund. Was told by…read morecaptain if boat filled, he would give a refund. I called back. Was told boat filled but I wasn't entitled to a refund even though he said he would. I asked about rescheduling, he wouldn't do that. He is a total liar. Please don't give him your business. P.o.s. Hopefully he never loses a child and learns some honesty.

Purchased a brand new Cortland Euro Rod. Literally broke first hook set. Will no offer a refund…read morewhat so ever. First and last time buying from them. I recommend buying from a retailer that stands up for there customer like https://www.flyfishfood.com/

FishUSA is hands-down one of the best places to order fishing gear, especially for ice fishing…read more They've got everything you could ever need and then some. When the useless post office lost my shipment (no surprise there), FishUSA didn't hesitate -- they replaced it right away and made it right without any runaround. Excellent selection, great prices, and customer service that actually cares. I'll definitely keep buying from them!

We took our first trip to Erie for my grandsons 8th birthday. Mark was a very good guide…read more He was informative and made sure my boy caught some large mouth bass. We were concerned due to the quick changing weather at times in Erie but he assured our safety and we all had a great time. We hope to return and will use Mark Rose again.