Sandusky is a city on the southern shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio, situated roughly halfway between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east. It is best known as the home of Cedar Point, one of the most celebrated amusement parks in the world and a pilgrimage site for roller coaster enthusiasts. Cedar Point sits on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, and its skyline of towering steel coasters — Millennium Force is the headline — is visible from miles around. At various times in its history it has held more world records for roller coasters than any other park on earth.
Beyond Cedar Point, Sandusky has a pleasantly low-key lakeside character. The downtown harbour area around the Jackson Street Pier has been redeveloped, with restaurants and bars overlooking the bay, and the small Merry-Go-Round Museum downtown is a quiet counterpoint to the steel of the park. Ferries depart for the Lake Erie Islands — South Bass Island (home of Put-in-Bay, a famously rowdy summer resort) and Kelleys Island (quieter, with glacial grooves carved in the limestone). The lake itself offers fishing for walleye, perch, and smallmouth bass.
Sandusky is a logical base for a Cedar Point visit, with accommodation ranging from the park's own hotels to cheaper options in town. The park runs from May through October.