Vermilion, Ohio

There may be a million reasons to visit Vermilion, and Lake Erie boating should be at the top of this list. This small town is Ohio's water playground. In 1953, the Great Lakes Historical Society opened the Inland Sea Maritime Museum. The nickname of Vermilion High School sports teams is the Sailors, and many prominent sailboat racers of the Great Lakes have lived here. Vermilion was once known as the Village of Lake Captains, and no other place in Ohio has so many beautifully maintained captains’ homes as can be found in its Harbour Town Historic District. The Vermilion River endows marina facilities with more than 3,000 boat slips and ramps for easy access to the Lake, earning Vermilion the title of the Largest Small Boat Harbour on the Great Lakes. The area is noted for its many orchards, wineries, and roadside fruit and vegetable stands. In 1847 the Congress of the United States built the Vermilion Lighthouse to aid navigation on Lake Erie. The Woollybear Festival is a one-day gathering that draws over 150,000 visitors to Vermilion and includes the longest parade in the State of Ohio. The Mystic Belle, a small paddle wheeler, offering rides on the Vermilion River. The Festival of the Fish, held each June, is a three-day event, drawing people from Vermilion and the neighboring communities to take part in the Queen and Princess pageant.