Lakeside Ohio

Earlier this Summer, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon at a Chautauqua in Ohio.

Lakeside is known as the "Chautauqua on Lake Erie" and is a lovely community where families (and guests) can come together over the Summer.

The Lakeside website is proud that, "Since 1873, Lakeside has provided a Chautauqua summer experience dedicated to spiritual growth and renewal, educational and cultural enrichment and recreational pursuits."

To enter the community, you must check in at the visitor center and purchase a day pass. At that time I asked the woman at guest services to recommend a nice place for lunch, "somewhere I would take my Mother-In-Law." She thought that was a funny way to describe a lunch spot, but said she knew exactly what I meant and sent me to The Hotel Lakeside.

I had a quiet table for one at the window (with this view) overlooking Lake Erie. You can see the fountain, the stack of white hulls from the sailboat fleet and the swim pier beyond. What a nice place to spend a Summer vacation with kids. The whole atmosphere reminded me of the movie, Dirty Dancing.

After a nice lunch, I started chatting with the hotel receptionist and got quite a history lesson. Built in 1875, the hotel was celebrating its 135th anniversary this year! Some of the hotel's famous guests have been Rutherford B. Hayes (our 19th President), First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Erhart. If they visited on a gorgeous Summer day like I did, I bet they just loved it.