Last week, we had the opportunity to enjoy a two night getaway at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge in Oregon, Ohio (just outside Toledo). In the interest of full disclosure we were given two nights of lodging in exchange for this review. The thoughts and opinions that follow are my own, however.
Maumee Bay State Park is located on the Shore of Lake Erie just a short drive from Interstate 280 in Toledo. Despite living my entire life in the Cleveland and Detroit metro areas, I had never visited Maumee Bay, or any of the Ohio state park lodges. What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!
Less than a 90 minute drive from most of metro Detroit, Maumee Bay offers a convenient location for a relaxing retreat with a wide variety of available activities and accommodation options to please just about anyone.
The Maumee Bay State Park LodgeĀ features 120 guest rooms withĀ a balcony or patio, many with views of Lake Erie. The rooms were clean and comfortable. I would compare the room quality with most 2.5 star hotels where I have stayed in the past. The room included a small coffee maker (which is very important to me in the morning) and mini-fridge with small freezer. Our first floor room had a king bedĀ andĀ a walk-out patio with a view of the lake and the outdoor pool. The lodge also offers rooms with two double beds, as well as loft rooms that sleep up to six. Groups looking for a little more space may consider reserving one of the 2 or 4 bedroom cottages, which sleep 6 and 11 respectively.
The activities available are almost too many to mention. Swimmers have the choice of indoor or outdoor pools. The outdoor pool includes a diving board and a kiddie pool; the indoor pool area hasĀ a childrenās splash pad and two hot tubs for the adults. If you prefer a natural body of water for your swimming, you can choose between swimming in Lake Erie itself, or hitting the sandy beach on the nearby inland lake. Guests may make use of tennis, basketball, shuffleboard and beach volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, as well as indoor wallyball and racquetball courts, ping pong and pool tables. Equipment for each of these activities is available at the front desk. Almost every hour during the day, a new childrenās activity begins ranging from arts and crafts to contests to a family movie with free popcorn. Bicycles, paddle boats and canoes are available to rent for a small fee. The resort also features a 18 hole Scottish links style golf course. According to their literature, winter visitors are treated to a top-rated sledding hill and cross country skiing.
The grounds of the lodge are also a great place to reconnect with nature. The park has its own nature center and butterfly gazebo. Behind the nature center you’ll findĀ a system of over two miles of boardwalk paths that rise above the marshes, so you can check out the flora and fauna of the swampy area without needing to bring your hip waders. Whitetail deer sightings are common on the grounds, including one I was able to walk within ten feet of before it started to scamper away. Both nights of our visitĀ we took time out to watch the beautiful sunsets from a bench swing onĀ the beach. The resort is also a major destination for bird watchers, especially in the spring.
We enjoyed lunch at the Waterās Edge restaurant, located right off of the lobby. The restaurant offers great views of the lake from nearly every table. The lunch menu consisted mostly of salads and sandwiches. The Lake Perch sandwich I ordered consisted of three pieces of crispy fried lake perch on soft bun, with a generous portion of french fries. It was delicious and plenty of food for a good lunch. The dinner menu offers a variety of entrees ranging in price from $16.95 to $26.95 for the New York strip steak. They also offer a full pizza menu for dine in or carry out. Full menu and prices can be found on their website.
In short, we found Maumee Bay State Park Lodge to be a great place for a fun, refreshing getaway. We are looking forward to coming back (and perhaps even bringing the kids)!
About the Author: Mark is the unbelievably supportive husband behind Bargains to Bounty. An Ohio native, heās a teacher who loves the endless potential of summer vacation. Mark is a self-made pro when it comes to researching, planning and working out all of the details ofĀ frugal adventures.
JamieV says
This is an awesome review! Thanks for the honest opinion and for recommending such a fun (and close to home) vacation spot! I love this website! š