Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail

Designed by I.M. Pei, the Rock Hall is just as impressive outside as the exhibits inside. Its glass and steel pyramidal shape is flanked by rectangular white walls.

The famous neon guitar of Cleveland's Hard Rock Cafe lights up the night along the Erie Canal.

At night, the glass pyramid of the Rock Hall is all lit up against the white walls of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

While enjoying the all-around scenery, a bird watcher looks for life on the viewing tower at the Magee Trail National Wildlife Refuge.

A hawk displays its impressive wingspan while scouring for prey along Lake Erie.

A pair of Long-billed Dowitchers scour the marshes of the Maggee Trail National Wildlife Refuge for insects.

Knee-deep in Crane Creek, a Great Blue Heron faces the camera.

The sign greets visitors coming to see the Marblehead Lighthouse. As you can see on the sign, the lighthouse was built at the early date of 1821.

The entrance to Jacobs Field is toped with a large sign declaring the field to be the home of the Cleveland Indians.

A bright yellow Baltimore Oriole with a sleek black head perches on a branch.

A young visitor sits on top of a full-sized dinosaur replica at the Natural History Museum.

A fish in the hand is worth one in the ...ear? Two boys hold up their catch of the day on the dock near Marblehead Lighthouse. Lake Erie provides plenty of fun for all ages to try their luck at fishing for yellow perch, walleye, and smallmouth bass.

A shopper enjoys trying on various hats, one of the many wares at the Ohio City Market Square.

The Brown Warbler, common to the Lake Erie region, presents its side profile for the camera.

The distinct Black Swallowtail butterfly flutters above the colorful Penta flower.

Two boaters enjoy the sun while on the open water of Lake Erie.

A crane surveys Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island, which is part of Lake Erie.

A young kayaker takes a break from paddling and enjoys the calmness of Lake Erie.

A bird, a lighthouse, and the words Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail appear on the green and white sign.

The sky and water blend together as a sailboat glides along tranquil Lake Erie.

A girl is silhouetted against the bright orange lights of the Lakeview Park Fountain in Lorain.

A group of bird watchers enjoy the viewing experience on the viewing towers at the Magee Trail National Wildlife Refuge.

Two generations of grape growers take a stroll through some of the lush, green vineyards of the Lake Erie area.

A silhouetted flock of birds flies across the setting sun on Lake Erie.

A couple discusses a Monet painting, one of the many fine features of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

A pristine skyline frames a souvenir photo for two tourists.

Birds off the coast of Lake Erie take flight at sunset on a clear day.

A giant waterfowl takes off from the blue waters of Crane Creek.

The view from the observation tower at the refuge is green as far as the eye can see. Named a Regional Shorebird Reserve Area and one of the top migratory spots in the United States, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and its neighboring Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge are remnants of the Great Black Swamp, a massive swamp that once covered most of northwest Ohio.

Performers steady themselves on stilts at the Puerto Rican Festival.

A visitor inspects the glacial grooves left in the granite at Kelleys Island, near Lake Erie.

A prospective steamship captain gives his hand at the controls.

Eager shoppers peruse produce at the West Side Market.

A young couple enjoys a cold dessert in the Little Italy region along the Lake Erie coast.

Young beachgoers play in the sand and enjoy an easy-going day at Lake Erie.

A stoic crane quietly overlooks Lake Erie.

A group of ducks glide in front of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.

A ranger searches for birds from a viewing tower at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge .

Visitors get a taste of Italy in a one of the many fine Little Italy restaurants along Lake Erie.

Tourists stop to view the birds along the coastline of Ohio. With its diversity of habitat, the Byway offers opportunities to see approximately 350 species.

At the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, an experienced birder focuses closely on the local bird life.

Exhibits at the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in Vermilion trace the history of shipping and sailing on the Great Lakes. This exhibit of a model ship has the attention of a curious young boy.

Today, the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation makes a powerful statement about the restoration of nature and the historical role of the river in shaping Cleveland's history and culture. Interpretive panels like this one explain how the preservation is operated along the canal.

Dressed in clothing of the period, these guides at the Fort Meigs State Memorial prepare to give a tour of the facility on a clear day in the summer.

The glacier that moved here 12,000 years ago dragged the rocks across the land, gouging, leveling, and scarring surfaces along the way. The Kelleys Island Glacial Grooves are perhaps the best example of glacial carving in the world.

Small groups of islands stretch into the horizon in Lake Erie.

The Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, overlooks the Sandusky Bay on a bright summer's day.

The fresh paint gleams on a bright summer's day at the Great Lakes Marine Museum and Coast Guard Memorial Museum Pilot House.

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial stands as a tribute to international peace as it overlooks Lake Erie on a bright summer's day.

Built between 1840 and 1841 by William and Catharine Hubbard, this home was a Northern Terminus on the Underground Railroad, providing refuge for slaves fleeing to the freedom and safety of Canada.

This red and white replica of the original Vermilion Lighthouse looks out over the lake on a summer's day.

Daisies brighten a field on a summer's day. Marblehead Peninsula is home to the only naturally growing population of Lakeside Daisies in the US and one of only four known places worldwide.

Light streams in from the windows of this elaborately furnished room in the James A. Garfield Library.

This young girl is exploring an exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center, which has over 400 hands-on exhibits available for Byway travelers to see, touch, and explore.

The William G. Mather docks peacefully as a museum now that it has been retired from its WWII duties.

A guide at the Western Reserve Historical Society Museum pauses to speak with some visitors to the museum.