Erie: the peninsula that shields the lake

On the shores of Lake Erie in northern Pennsylvania, the city holds a long sandy peninsula that naturally protects its important natural harbor.

The downtown, protected by a natural peninsula on Lake Erie, is comfortably walkable.

The Presque Isle State Park, a long sandy peninsula extending deep into Lake Erie, preserves beaches, nature trails and one of Pennsylvania's richest biodiversity reserves.

A few minutes away, the Erie Maritime Museum houses the replica of Commodore Perry's flagship, protagonist of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

Continuing along the lakefront, you walk the wide Bayfront Parkway, with fine views of the port and recreational vessels.

Towards evening, the downtown neighbourhood comes alive with various restaurants in historic buildings from the city's industrial port era.

The famous Battle of Lake Erie in 1813, won by the American fleet personally led by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, remains a decisive naval engagement of the War of 1812, commemorated today in the city's maritime museum.

Presque Isle, a peninsula formed naturally by the slow accumulation of sand in the lake, shields Erie's harbor from storms, making it one of the few safe natural harbors along all of Lake Erie.