Winter: When Erie Gets Epic

Just a short drive away, discover a winter outdoor paradise. Erie County is packed with indoor and outdoor fun for the whole family or a cozy winter getaway for two. Make your lake escape to Erie, PA and experience everything from high-energy hockey games and outrageous indoor water slides to charming, cozy restaurants and riveting theatrical performances. Your winter getaway awaits on Erie's snow-white shores.

Outdoor Recreation

Erie takes winter fun seriously. Consider Erie County your outdoor destination for riding the winter waves of downhill skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. The area’s two ski resorts, Mount Pleasant of Edinboro and Peek’n Peak Resort offer a diverse range of amenities for all ages and skill levels, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience. Mount Pleasant of Edinboro is a mix of groomed and natural trails designed for skiers and snowboarders of varying skills from the challenging Chestnut Trail to the more straightforward Upper and Lower Quaker Trails. If you’re new to tubing, this is the perfect place to give it a go. Mount Pleasant’s eight-lane, 600-foot tubing hill is a gradual slope versus a steep descent, and they provide the tubes so all you have to do is choose a lane and launch yourself downhill. The resort also features a convenient chairlift and covered conveyor lift, tubing tow, a renovated clubhouse with food and beverages, equipment rentals, and a tuning shop. Just across the Pennsylvania/New York border in the picturesque foothills of Clymer, NY, Peek’n Peak Ski Resort has been an oasis for winter sports enthusiasts since 1964. In addition to its 26 trails and slopes, the Peek stands apart from other ski resorts, boasting three progressive terrain parks and a dazzling Lunar Lights tubing experience. The terrain parks are transitional, allowing people to try out simpler obstacles, before moving on to the more complex. When the sun goes down, the Peek’s seven-lane snow tube arena becomes “Lunar Lights”, a mesmerizing light display produced by thousands of LED and projection lights. Although Presque Isle State Park is known for its sandy beaches, winter activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking are great ways to experience the Park’s natural beauty, catch a breathtaking winter sunset, and observe some of its winter inhabitants including white-tailed deer, beavers, and snowy owls.

Family Activities 

Planning a family winter getaway is a surefire way to cure those winter blues and create lasting memories. Cheer alongside fellow fans, pound on the plexiglass, and give high-fives to Otto during an Erie Otters home game. The Otters are part of the Ontario Hockey League, a member league of the Canadian Hockey League, known as the world’s premiere player development league for the NHL. Otters alumni include NHL two-time scoring champion and 2017 NHL MVP Connor McDavid, 2020 Stanley Cup Champions Anthony Cirelli and Erik Cernak, and 2019 Stanley Cup Champion and Playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly. Every Otters home game is filled with family fun, promotions, and giveaways. Upcoming promotions include Star Wars Night (Jan 27), and Mascot Mania (Feb 17). If your family is craving more thrills and fewer chills, then a trip to Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort is the place to be. Consistently ranked one of the Top 10 Water Park Resorts in the country by USA Today’s Readers’ Choice, Splash Lagoon is a tropical oasis filled with a variety of attractions for all ages. Spend the entire day enjoying nine thrilling slides, a 200,000-gallon wave pool, FlowRider surf machine, the Tree Tops Ropes Course, arcade, food court, and a newly renovated Tiki Tree House complete with a giant tipping coconut! New this winter is the Froggy Family splash pad featuring a zero-depth pool, fun water sprayers, and colorful frog figures. Pictured, photo by R Frank Media. 

Dining 

It’s that time of year when the days get shorter, coats get longer, and the lure of a warm, inviting dining space provides just the right atmosphere to catch up with family and friends. Enjoy open kitchen vibes and the comforting warmth of authentic wood-fired ovens at the U Pick 6 family of craft beer pubs and restaurants (U Pick 6 Tap House, Public House, Harbor House, and the John Russel Brewing Company). On a chilly day, there’s nothing more comforting than indulging in the warmth of a fresh-baked artisan-style flatbread or pizza, a U Pick specialty. They are available at all locations in several variations from classic pepperoni to specialty pies such as John Russell’s carbonara pizza (pictured), an inventive twist on the classic Italian dish or the Tap House Downtowner pie, piled high with cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and bacon. Now through December 31, guests can dine under the stars but stay nice and toasty inside climate-controlled igloos at the Bayfront Grille at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel.  Complete with twinkling lights, exceptional cuisine, and gorgeous winter views of Presque Isle Bay, it feels like you’re dining inside a big, beautiful snow globe! From its warm color palette of brandied coppers and rich earth tones to the soft lighting and candlelit tables, the lower-level dining room at Pineapple Eddie’s Southern Bistro is a peaceful retreat where patrons can unwind over incredible Southern Caribbean and Southern regional fusion cuisine including a beloved American classic; chicken and waffles. Their version is a heavenly sweet and savory sensation featuring two juicy pieces of golden fried crispy chicken served atop a fluffy, house-made Belgian waffle. Click here for a complete listing of dining, coffee, and dessert options in Erie. 

Save the date: Erie Restaurant Week returns January 19 - 28, 2024!

Arts and Culture

Going to the theater in the winter months is the perfect combination of indoor entertainment and cultural richness that produces rows and rows of smiles for families, couples, and individuals alike. The Erie Playhouse has been entertaining audiences for more than 100 years and is one of the country’s oldest community theaters. Its intimate floor plan gives patrons the best seats in the house for musical extravaganzas, compelling dramas, light-hearted comedies, and inspired youth theater performances. Upcoming Playhouse shows include Tootsie (Jan 26-Feb 11), and Lyle the Crocodile (March 1-10).  Follow the lights on State Street to the historic Warner Theater, a recently restored shining example of an ornate Art Deco and French Renaissance-style theater (pictured, photo by Patrick Grab). The Warner Theater was commissioned in 1929 by the famous Warner Brothers and has been entertaining crowds in grand fashion for more than 90 years. The Warner is a world-class performing arts center while still maintaining the original feel of a historic Warner Theater movie house. It is the home venue for the Erie Philharmonic and hosts national touring productions such as Dancing with the Stars Live (Jan 31), The Guess Who (Feb 2), Annie (Feb 14-15), and Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue (Mar 9).