Put-in-Bay isn’t just for weekend partiers. There are also opportunities to learn more about nature and the science surrounding the marine environment. The Aquatic Visitors Center, run by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, is located in a former fish hatchery built in 1907.
The upgraded facility, which reopened in 2025 after more than $6 million in renovations, provides family-oriented, hands-on opportunities to learn about Lake Erie’s aquatic inhabitants, as well as insects, snakes and the ecosystem of the lakeshore area and find out more about what is being done to protect the health of the lake. In addition, children under 16 can borrow fishing gear and bait and fish from the center’s pier. It’s a great way to get up close and personal with the region’s greatest natural asset. It’s free. It’s open Tuesday-Sunday June through August from 10am-5pm, from early June through the end of September.
878 Bayview Avenue, Put-in-Bay
419-285-1800
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