Considered by most visitors as one of the main family-friendly and kid approved attractions in Put-In-Bay, Perry’s Family Fun Center features a variety of fun and exciting things to do: Perry’s Cave, the Butterfly House, War of 18 Holes mini-golf, gemstone mining, a rock climbing wall, a fort maze and a small antique car museum. There’s even a snack stand to get refreshments and take a quick break from all the fun.
Families can easily spend half of a day at Perry’s Family Fun Center or make many short trips during their vacation to see each exciting attraction. First things first, make sure you book your Put-in-Bay lodging far in advance to take advantage of early pricing and specials. Second, check your ferry schedules to make sure you get to the island on time. Third, check with Perry’s Family Fun Center and ask about their discount pass to visit multiple attractions at one low price. Lastly… HAVE FUN!!! 🙂
Perry’s Cave – Kid Approved!
Memorial Day till Labor Day Hours: Daily Sunday-Friday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
CAVE TOURS EVERY 30 MINUTES starting at 10:30 am. NO RESERVATIONS FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS
Adults: $8.00
Children – Ages 6 to 12: $5.00
Children age 5 and under: FREE
The cave lies 52 feet below the surface of South Bass Island in Lake Erie. The discovery of the cave, in 1813, is credited to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, hero of the battle of Lake Erie. The cave is 208 feet long by 165 feet wide. View stalactites, stalagmites and cave pearls on the cave’s walls, ceiling and floor created by heavily encrusted calcium carbonate deposits from centuries of water dripping from the ceiling. The temperature remains in the vicinity of 50° year-round.
A rare Underground Lake is also located in the cave. The water level rises and falls with that of Lake Erie, indicating subterranean connections. Recent findings reveal that after Perry’s men became ill, they used the fresh cold water from Perry’s Cave Lake to drink. The luxurious Victory Hotel, once the largest hotel in the world, also used the water from the cave’s lake. The hotel burned in 1919 and its ruins are visible at the South Bass Island State Park.
The tour is $8.00 per adult and it runs every 45 minutes. You have a guide and you go down these steps that are pretty narrow into the underground to see what time has done as far as erosion and what happened in the earlier years. The tour only lasts about a half hour but it is very informative and some of the rocks have cool formations that look like things we all know. It is cool down there, about 62 degrees, but they have spotlights so you can see. You can use your camera but wear decent shoes the floor is wet and slippery as you will get dripped on from the ceiling. The tour guides crack jokes and make the half hour fun. When you are done there is a small gift shop you can browse with reasonable prices. Light wrap and comfortable walking shoes with rubber soles are suggested.
MeghanL
Great natural piece of history
The tour guide was amazing. The cave was a nice 52 degrees. The way they handle setting up tours was organized. Be prepared to have to wait for your tour as they sell out fast.
KatherineC
Love the cave!
The tour guides are kind and I love checking out this little hidden spot every couple of years. It makes me feel like I am a true adventurer with out having to travel far or do anything risky. Plus it’s great with kids.
ChrisM
A worthwhile and fun trip underground
We took a three year old and had a fun time. Not an excessive amount of walking and it’s fun for the kids and a nice diversion for the adults with geology lessons and a little bit of history.
Butterfly House – Kid Approved!
In 2004, we opened The Butterfly House at Put-in-Bay, a 4000 sq. ft. aviary. Relax with soothing music as hundreds of butterflies flit all around you. Breathe in the lovely scents of the butterfly bushes and other beautiful flowers. The kids will enjoy the secret walkways throughout the garden to get up close with the butterflies in their natural environment. Kids of all ages can learn how butterflies are created from our knowledgeable staff. Stay as long as your heart desires.
What types of butterflies will you see? We have over 50 different types of exotic butterflies from all over the world. View the gallery below, or check out our Butterfly ID Chart to see some of the many species you will find in the Butterfly House at Put-in-Bay. But, seeing the butterflies up close and in person is truly magical.
You can purchase a ticket for $8 dollars adult/ $5 for kids or do the Combo – 3 of 5 attractions (Perry’s Cave, The Butterfly House, War of 18 Holes Mini-golf, The Rock Wall, & Fort Amaze’n – a maze for kids) for $21.00 adults/ $13 for kids.
GregoryT250
Wonderful
This Butterfly house was a great experience! It was adorable and the gift shop was amazing. The lolder lady that ran it was such a pleasure to talk to. This is a must see at Put In Bay
Janet
Beautiful Butterflies
Lots and lots of butterflies! We spent at least an hour there just trying to take pictures. It was very relaxing and beautiful.
Zephyr_Travel
Great Butterfly Exhibit, Excellent large gift house
Part of Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center collection of attractions. The house has a medium sized garden area with seating area and a gazebo in the center. You can also see a hatching area for new butterflies in between the store and house.The actually gift store seems larger and could rival the actual butterfly exhibit. It was easy for kids and strollers on the main path around the greenhouse.
War of 18 Holes – Kid Approved!
Along the way learn historical facts about the War of 1812 and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s role in the victory of the Battle of Lake Erie. A great course for all ages. The course is under a canopy of shade trees, surrounded by a garden of azaleas, rhododendrons, hostas and many other flowers. The kids will love exploring the covered bridge, waterfall cave and winding paths throughout the War of 18 Holes putt putt golf course. Open late until dark!
CincinnatiCeleste
Perrys Cave putt putt golf was fun!
We did not go in the cave, but we did do the 18 hole putt putt golf course. It really was a lot of fun. The holes were challenging and different.
Bonnie
Great Fun With A Selection Of Activities At Perry’s Cave & Family Fun Center!
We had fun playing putt-putt golf while listening to the water features strategically placed throughout the course. I managed to get a hole in one!
LisaB
Great history lesson!!! A must see.
Amazing cave. Guide was very knowledgeable. A must do for science and history buffs!!! Friendly staff, great gift shop and fun putt-putt golf on site.
Gemstone Mining – Kid Approved!
Pan for real gemstones and/or fossils! Purchase a bag of rough mix at The Shop at the Top, and then let the water wash over the sand, and experience the fun of panning for REAL GEMSTONES & FOSSILS. Fun for ALL ages – young and old. Located just outside Perry’s Cave. You can spend anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour sifting. Many children will choose this activity over an ice cream cone! Quite a recommendation!
Purchase an uncut geode at The Shop at the Top, and then take it outside to the Geode Cutting Station. The trained staff will cut the geode in two revealing to you for the first time the inner beauty of this rough-exterior gemstone. Every stone is a unique experience to see and is a good companion the gemstone mining itself.
Bettison
Great Fun With A Selection Of Activities At Perry’s Cave & Family Fun Center!
The cashiers in the gift shop were very helpful; our lady even took care to cut the geode we selected the exact way we wanted. It is beautiful and can be displayed even in the formal areas of our home. My husband and I also noticed children really enjoying the gem mining activity close to the gift shop where their parents easily were able to purchase the gem mining bags for a reasonable price.
DavidP
Cool and educational
Well done and maintained… easy access and promptly run. Fun staff and worth the trip. Don’t miss! Also cool playgrounds fro the kids… including putt putt with attack birds! Go here while staying on the island.
JenU
Worth the short tour
This is one of our favorite historical spots on the island – we had a great tour guide who made it enjoyable. Obviously be prepared with good walking shoes. And when you’re finished, the putt putt & gemstone mining is actually fun (kind of pricey too.) We bought a small gem stone bag that filled an entire small plastic bag full of small to medium gems.
Fort aMaze’n – Kid Approved!
Put-in-Bay’s only giant maze challenge. Purchase a maze passport then punch your start time as you race to locate and mark special stops along the way. Continue racing to find the exit and punch your finish time. Try to beat your time with reduced repeat trips through the Fort Maze. Work as a team or race against each other; either way you’ll have fun getting lost and found over and over again. Parents and children will enjoy our observation tower over the maze. Don’t worry! Our friendly staff is there to help!
Rock Climbing Wall – Kid Approved!
Newly upgraded for the 2018 summer season on Put-in-Bay, the Rock Wall at Perry’s Cave and Family Fun Center is even better than before. This 25 ft. wall challenges both beginners and experts alike in their race to the top! Different skill levels are included on the rock climbing wall. Anyone over 50 pounds is allowed to climb up. Climbers are all strapped into harnesses before their ascent. Follow the color coded hand holds for easy or challenging climbs. Three climbs cost only $10 so you can keep improving as you scale this mighty tower.
Antique Car Museum – Kid Approved!
View the island’s oldest automobile, rare Model Ts, vintage snowmobiles, road sign and gasoline memorabilia. A rare FREE ATTRACTION to enjoy with the young and old.
This antique car collection was lovingly gathered by Charles “Skip” Duggan. Skip started the Sunday afternoon antique car parades and welcomed everyone with an antique and/or vintage car to join in the parade and fun. Every Sunday afternoon, island car owners gather at the old Twine Shanty on Langram Rd., just north of the Miller Boat Line Lime Kiln Dock. Around 2:00 p.m., the parade starts and tours the entire island. Children crowd the downtown sidewalks waiting for candy to be shared with the crowd. After the parade, island car owners and/or business owners take turns hosting the post-parade party.
DanDee’s Snack Shack – Kid Approved!
Enjoy great hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, BLT’s or ice cream treats at Dan Dee’s Snack Shack, our on-site concession area. Fresh french fries, onion rings, corn dogs, chicken tenders, mac & cheese bites, mozzarella cheese sticks, and funnel fries offer tantalizing choices for hungry visitors of all ages. Round out your lunch or snack with a red, white & blue bomb pop, an Oreo Klondike Sandwich or a Drumstick! Proudly serving Pepsi products.
Just like the Fun Center, Dan Dee’s Snack Shack offers something for everyone!! Make sure you reserve your Put-in-Bay golf cart before arrival so you can get around the island!
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