It’s hard to resist the nostalgic feel of main street Geneva-on-the-Lake as you drive through it on a quiet weekend afternoon after school is back in session. Questions arisse. What kinds of burritos does Effin Burrito serve? What’s the magic show about? When is Eddie’s Grill going to open? Should we play miniature golf at Adventure Zone? Will local bands play at a venue on Tuesday? How old is the Ferris Wheel behind the Old Firehouse winery? Can we get donuts from Madsen Donuts on a Wednesday morning?
We didn’t even go to GOTL for fun on the strip. We were looking for a weekend of relaxation: the calming waves of Lake Erie with its sunsets and sunrises, tasting Lake Erie Wine, and hiking in nearby metropark. Friday through Sunday would be a better time for fun that Monday through Wednesday. We usually visit GOTL in November or April, also bad timing.
On Tuesday morning at the end of August, breakfast at Mary’s Kitchen, which has been open for 75 years, was bustling and there was no line to get in. On a side street a few lots from the beach, it serves up eggs, omelets, French toast, cinnamon rolls and chicken-fried steak with huge glasses of orange juice. It was entertaining to see the kitchen activity when the swinging saloon doors opened, and we chuckled when we read the reprinted opinion newsclip from the 1970s that complained about the debauchery at the Lake Erie beach community where young people made out in public. At Mary’s Kitchen 60 years later, delicious homemade food is served with a cheerful smile by the Krause family and its employees.
The July 1965 riot and partying motorcyclists didn’t help the reputation or the business of the hamlet on the lake over the years, but today, there’s a great balance of family activities, good music and iconic places. Clearly, there’s a lot going on. The sheer number of bars and stages promise a party atmosphere like Nashville and New Orleans but on a much smaller scale. Music goes on and on.
We waited until Wednesday to take our walk of discovery. Madsen Donuts was open, and the glazed cinnamon stick raised donut melted in my mouth; the plain glazed donuts may have been as good. Pucker Up Candy Shoppe was awesomely colorful with “penny candy” from days of yore and saltwater taffy and cotton candy like what is sold in tourist locations all along the East Coast. Earth’s Natural Treasures delights shoppers with jewelry, clothing, stones and shells, and gifts to take home. Ruff Life on the Lake had a delightful collection of things for dogs and about dogs, and dogs can visit the store.
I’ve never eaten at Fast Eddies, but there it was, all boarded up, waiting for the weekend. I remember having a good breakfast at the Sunset Café and watching waterspouts on the lake at the location where the brewing company is today. We usually rely on the exceptional locally sourced and innovative food at Crosswinds at the Lakehouse Inn. Vera’s Pizza with a bottle of M Cellars Meritage that we dined on Tuesday evening was much better than the overpriced burgers and $17 Manhattans in the lounge at Geneva Lake Park Lodge on Wednesday evening.
But I digress. Geneva-on-the-Lake is a lakefront summer vacation destination with lots of history. The history placards with stories and vintage photographs gave us a good feel for the town as we walked the strip. We learned that a real gun shooting gallery had to be shut down because it was dangerous (really?) The 1927 pier ballroom dancing hall, which was later known as The Breakers, was the finest of its kind between Cleveland and Buffalo and big-band acts like Glenn Miller and Ozzie Nelson performed there. The New Inn had 21 guest rooms, a gas station, a restaurant that offered chicken dinners; it eventually became the Swiss Chalet, which remains today. On my list for next time: The Geneva History Museum.
The town will be open for visitors over the next several weekends. This coming weekend (September 5-7) is a big one, when the Thunder on the Strip livens things up beginning on Thursday. Considered the largest motorcycle rally in northeastern Ohio, music will be at all the venues. Visitors can enjoy the Strip Bar Crawl and the music of 25 bands every day. As you walk along, it will be like checking out boats at a marina as you look at all the motorcycles parked along the streets.
You may also want to visit GOTL during the Geneva Grape Jamboree during the last weekend in September, Spooky on the Lake on October 18, or Holidays in the Village, December 5-14. As the kids are looking for things on the passport scavenger hunt, don’t forget to stop at the history signs as you stroll along. The more times I visit Geneva-on-the-Lake, the more enduring I find it to be, much of that because of what it represents.
