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Features Beat the winter blues
By Ray Horton Contributing writer After a long, hard winter, springtime in Erie is great for enjoying the outdoors. As the past couple weeks have confirmed, sunny days do come to Erie and, when they do, don’t get caught unprepared. For those students who plan to stay in the Erie area over the summer, they should be aware of all Erie has to offer. There are many ways to spend a nice Erie day. Erie’s most popular attraction is free: Presque Isle, a picturesque state park on Lake Erie. "When the weather’s nice, I like to go to Presque Isle," sophomore Patrick Campbell said. "There’s a lot to do there like bike riding, rollerblading or just hanging out on the beach." The park features miles of sandy beaches, which are wonderful for swimming, sunbathing and relaxing with friends. There are nature trails and 15 miles of paved trails for hiking, skating and biking. For something more active, try the sand volleyball courts at Beach 6. After a day at the beach, don’t forget to stop at Sara’s Diner. Sophomore Alicia Rankin summed up the best part of Sara’s. "The food is really good and inexpensive, and it’s a fun environment," she said. There are plenty of tables outside and once in a while, a live band. At the edge of the state park is Waldameer Park & Water World, a fun amusement park overlooking the Presque Isle peninsula. It is open weekends starting May 10 and daily starting Memorial Day weekend. Parking and admission are free and visitors pay for rides individually or can buy an all-day pass for about $20. This year Ravine Flyer II will make its debut as the park’s newest ride. It’s a world-class wooden roller coaster with a 120-foot drop and a bridge crossing Peninsula Drive. If you’re not headed over to the beach area, there are still plenty of attractions downtown, as well. The Erie Seawolves, a Detroit Tigers affiliate, offers first-class baseball at a low price. It’s exciting to see players who may become major league stars someday. Several names that have passed through Erie on their way to the majors include Aramis Ramirez, Justin Verlander and Curtis Granderson. Other downtown events include "8 Great Tuesdays," which are live music nights at the Pepsi Ampitheatre, "Celebrate Erie" and block parties. Junior Kyle Hicks enjoys the downtown block parties because "they hire some great cover bands, have decent drink specials and occasionally get amusing people like Vanilla Ice to show up." Don’t listen to the cynics who claim there is "nothing good to do" in Erie. They just haven’t been paying attention. Is it nice out right now? Then put down that X-Box controller, grab some friends and enjoy Erie’s many attractions. Don’t squander an opportunity to get some fresh air and enjoy a sunny day.
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