Overview
Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” Presque Isle offers its visitors a beautiful coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling, and in-line skating.
Presque Isle is a day-use park that provides year-round recreational opportunities. Overnight accommodations are available nearby.
The neck of the peninsula is attached to the mainland four miles west of downtown Erie. The park creates Presque Isle Bay, a wide and deep harbor for the city of Erie. The bay attracts many pleasure boats and worldwide freighters -- making Erie an important Great Lakes shipping port.
A National Natural Landmark, Presque Isle is a favorite spot for migrating birds. Because of the many unique habitats, Presque Isle contains a greater number of the state's endangered, threatened, and rare species than any other area of comparable size in Pennsylvania.
Whether you come to enjoy the sandy beaches, study ecological diversity, or learn about the historical significance of the peninsula, there is something for everyone at Presque Isle State Park.
Plan Your Visit
301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 1
Erie, PA 16505-2042
814-833-7424
presqueislesp@pa.gov
Tom Ridge Environmental Education Center
Make online reservations for day use and overnight facilities or call toll-free 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757), from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Monday to Saturday.
The park is open every day of the year, 5:00 A.M. to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk. After sunset, only tenants and people engaged in evening driving are permitted in the park.
The Presque Isle State Park Office, located in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M., except for major holidays.
The beaches and other areas are open specific seasons and hours. Contact the park office for facility seasons and hours.
Presque Isle State Park and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center can be reached by PA 832 north. The park can also be reached by boat. The road system within the park forms a loop approximately 13 miles in length.
GPS DD: Lat. 42.10964 Long. -80.15384
Call 911 and contact a park employee to summon medical, fire, or safety professionals.
Call or text 988 to contact a crisis center counselor during a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
Directions to the nearest hospital are posted on bulletin boards and at the park office.
Nearest Hospitals
UPMC Hamot
201 State Street
Erie, PA 16550
814-877-6000
AHN Saint Vincent
232 West 25th Street
Erie, PA 16544
814-452-5000
♿ This symbol indicates facilities and activities that are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible for people with disabilities. Screen reader users will hear this symbol as "wheelchair."
ADA accessible restrooms, picnic tables, fishing areas, swimming areas, and parking spaces have been designated throughout the park. The East Pier and West Pier areas feature spectacular views of Presque Isle Bay and the skyline of Erie. ADA accessible services are:
- Fishing- East Pier, West Pier, North Pier, and Rotary Pavilion
- Swimming - Beach #7 (Waterworks Beach) and Beach #8 (Pettinato Beach)
- Picnicking - Beach #7 (Waterworks Beach), Rotary Pavilion, and Cookhouse Pavilion
- Restrooms - Public Safety Building (Ranger Station), Rotary Pavilion, East Pier, West Pier, Perry Monument, and Presque Isle Lighthouse
- The Tom Ridge Environmental Center also is ADA accessible.
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park you plan to visit.
Cell service is unpredictable in and around many Pennsylvania State Parks. Please download the park map before your visit.
The park offers a wide variety of environmental education programs year round. Through hands-on activities, guided walks, and evening programs, participants gain appreciation, understanding, and develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources.
During the summer, Presque Isle State Park offers programs for young learners explore the outdoors through structured play, reinforced by stories, and crafts.
Older youth participate in educational and recreational activities, and conduct special projects.
The Presque Isle curriculum allows students of all ages to explore the resources of the park.
Curriculum-based environmental education programs are available to schools and organized groups. Call the park office to schedule a group program. A variety of professional development workshops are offered for teachers.
Contact the park office or explore the calendar of events for more information on programs and other learning experiences.
Public Programs
Environmental educators at Presque Isle offer educational and recreational programs throughout the year.
There are programs on history, art, wildlife, plants, and outdoor recreation.
Pontoon boat rides through the interior of the peninsula provide opportunities to view abundant wildlife and scenic views. Kayaking the lagoons is very popular.
Presque Isle Boat Tours
A scenic tour of Lake Erie is offered at the park. A concession is located at the Perry Monument. Contact the park office for prices and a schedule.
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) is the gateway to Presque Isle State Park, and the gateway to discovery.
This 65,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art, green-designed facility encourages visitors to experience the unique history and ever-changing, diverse ecosystems of Presque Isle State Park.
The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is open daily from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., except on major holidays and Sundays and Mondays from November 1 to March 31 when it is closed.
Built to symbolize the peninsula in its architectural design, the TREC opened during 2006 and is the first building in the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks to earn a LEED silver certification rating.
This multi-functional building houses the park office, laboratories, and many opportunities for visitors.
An educational center at heart, TREC is dedicated to teaching visitors about Presque Isle and the many different forms of life that inhabit this unique peninsula. TREC also serves as a center for research, contributing to conservation efforts and promoting environmental awareness, helping to preserve the unparalleled beauty of Presque Isle.
Admission is free to the interactive exhibits and the 75-foot observation tower.
Tom Ridge Environmental Center
Tom Ridge Environmental CenterAs a significant natural asset, additional guidelines have been adopted to protect the park’s archeological, historic, and natural resources during special events:
Presque Isle State Park Special Event Guidelines and Application (PDF)
Two-plug, electric-vehicle charging stations are available for public use in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, Beach 8, and Marina parking lots.
Please move to another parking space once your vehicle has been charged.
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