Sandusky, located halfway between Cleveland and Toledo on Lake Erie, is a popular destination in the Lake Erie Shores area. It’s particularly known as the home of Cedar Point Amusement Park, which has the largest collection of roller coasters in the world. For those looking for a diversion from the park’s thrills and chills, there’s some nice running in the Sandusky and Lake Erie Shores area. There are several attractive routes highlighting Lake Erie, some nice parks and preserves, and some rail trails good for a longer off-road run.
Running right in downtown Sandusky is no great shakes — there’s a decent waterside road, a couple of small parks, and some pleasant residential streets. But the best place to run in Sandusky is across the bridge in Cedar Point, with views of the lake on one side and iconic roller coasters on the other side. There’s also nice lakeshore running in Lakeside Marblehead and Port Clinton. A popular destination is Kelleys Island, which has a pleasant waterside road and a state park with 5 miles of trails. Scenic and easy trail running can be enjoyed in East Harbor State Park, Sheldon Marsh Nature Preserve, and Castalia Quarry MetroPark. The 20-mile North Coast Inland Trail is the best bet for a longer off-road run in the area.
