Don’t Worry About Big Airports, Fly to Erie, PA!

Landmarks and the Technical Part

Erie, Pennsylvania, (IATA: ERI, ICAO: KERI, FAA LID: ERI)Erie International Airport at Tom Ridge Field has an elevation of 733′ and is 5 miles SW of Erie in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It’s a towered public field owned by the Erie Regional Airport Authority with two runways. Runway 2/20 is asphalt at a length of 3,508′ x 150′ while 6/24 is a combination of asphalt and cement at 8,420′ x 150′.

North Coast Air is the FBO listed and there is both AVGas and JetA on the field but I could find no self service listed. They do list a courtesy car but according to one review it depends on who you ask. It also lists general maintenance, GPU, oxygen, snooze room, showers, WiFi and internet.

Currently the only commercial traffic is provided by American Eagle with direct service to Charlotte. Because Charlotte has become such a busy airport you can connect from there to almost anywhere in the U.S. and many overseas destinations.

Transport

Make your trip seamless with pre-booked transfer service from JAYRIDE. Various local hotels, along with the locally owned Hansen’s Errand Service and Rupp Limousine, also provide shuttle services to and from the airport but as with JAYRIDE they require prearranged rides. Drivers for Uber and Lyft are available but extremely limited later in the evening or at night.

At present, Erie has no taxi service but there is the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority with fixed routes throughout town. However, while it’s a cheap and reliable source for general in town travel they don’t operate on Sundays or holidays.

Alamo, Avis, Hertz, National, Enterprise and Budget car rentals are available in the Terminal near baggage claim

Places to Stay in Erie

If you want to stay right on the waterfront The Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel, home of the Bayfront Grille, is probably your best choice. In addition, fairly near the water is the Glass House Inn. A little farther out is Homewood Suites and SpringHill Suites Erie (Marriott). Other choices would be the Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Sleep Inn, Baymont by Wyndham or the Redroof Inn in case you brought your dog.

Erie Places to Eat (couldn’t resist-it’s almost Halloween!)

The closest place is going to be the Presque Isle Bar & Grill right inside the terminal. It is past security check, however, terminal visitors can still order via touch screen and pick up at the delivery window in the lobby. Their hours vary with scheduled commercial flights.

For a blast from the past go to the Lawrence Park Dinor. It’s on the National Registry of Historic Places and full of homemade pies, soups, and their famous Greek Sauce. It would look right at home on American Graffiti.

For Italian there is Mi Scuzi Ristorante Italiano known for good food and a nice atmosphere. This place also had occasional special events listed like a Spanish Wine Tasting class. I did see several revues that leave me to believe there are better places in town for steaks.

Steaks and Seafood

Which segues nicely into… you might try Oliver’s Rooftop for steaks. It’s pricey but the view that’s included is worth a little extra, especially at night. They do seem to have a delay with the parking vouchers. Apparently, it’s not advisable to park in the lot if you’re in a hurry. Try to find something on East Front or State Street. The other place in town with a great view is the Bayfront Grille for seafood and decent steaks. Sit outside if weather permits.

Another recommended place for steaks and seafood is the Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. I haven’t eaten at this particular one but if it’s like the rest of them the French onion soup and ribs are great. I read a lot of reviews for this place and the chief complaint seems to be that it’s too noisy, so don’t go here looking for a quiet romantic dinner for two.

Top billing for pizza is a toss up between Virgil’s Plate and Pizza Pete’s Pizzeria with Stevo’s Pizza right around the corner.

Popular Pubs and Drinking Establishments

Oasis Pub & Tiki Bar isn’t far from the water with live bands on the weekends and casual dining. Rum Runners looks like a fun place where you can watch the sunset over the water. There’s also McCoy’s Barrelhouse & Grill which many claim is the best bar in Erie.

Things to do in and Around Erie

The cultural center of Erie is the Warner Theatre . Your downtown place for concerts and Broadway plays, home to the Erie Philharmonic and the Lake Erie Ballet. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places this beautiful Art Deco building certainly catches the eye.

Add the Erie Zoo, Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park or Waldameer & Water World for an outing with the kids and you’re set for a good time. Since it’s close to Lake Erie, as you can imagine, Water World may not be open year around. However, on the plus side there are grills in the picnic area and you can bring your dog.

The Erie Maritime Museum, the Erie Art Museum, and the Hagen History Center are all a good day trips. The Erie Maritime Museum has a 9/11 memorial in front of it and one of the World Trade Center beams on display.

The beautiful Asbury Park or Presque Isle State Park are wonderful outdoor experiences for the nature lovers. The Tom Ridge Environmental Center with interactive exhibits for the kids is at the entrance to Presque Isle State Park. Take your camera up the tower of the Presque Isle Lighthouse or the Bicentennial Tower for some great panoramic shots.

Wanting something a little different? There’s the unusual Schaefer’s Auto Art with a collection of sculptures made from recycled metal and automobiles.

Fishing

Large and Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, as well as, Freshwater Drum and Steelhead abound at Presque Isle Bay! Getting into the spirit, nearby is Misery Bay which is close to Graveyard Pond. I’m just assuming there’s good fishing there but it’s impossible to leave those titles out this close to Halloween! Book a fishing charter with Viator!

In contrast, If you want to go inland to somewhere a little less populated I’ve been told Elk Creek is a great place for Steelhead fishing. Struchen Flats Park provides access to beautiful hiking along the banks of this wide, clear water creek.

A Thank You!

A shout out to Samantha for the destination suggestion and best local fishing tip! If anyone else has somewhere they’d like us to check out please let us know.

Please note: If there is no link for a listed establishment it simply means their website is not secure or it redirects you to another site. You can still look them up.

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As Always, Safe Flight,

jo@jettreks.com