Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center {Review}

Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center {Review}

The next time you’re in the Put-in-Bay area, be sure to check out the Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center! They have all sorts of activities for the family to do together, from cave exploring and mini golf to gem mining and an antique car museum.

When my family is with me while we travel, I really like to find a place that offers multiple activities for us to enjoy. Whether we do them all together or split into groups, it certainly makes it easier to check out one place than to go here and there! And that’s the case with Perry’s Cave; they offer a number of activities all in the same place.

Here is a list of the awesome activities they offer:

• Perry’s Cave: Perry’s Cave, registered as an Ohio Natural Landmark, is a natural limestone cave steeped in historical tradition. 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. There’s also an underground lake to see!
• Butterfly House at Put-in-Bay: With over 50 different types of exotic butterflies from all over the world, the Butterfly House is the place to be. 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. A 15-minute educational presentation is also included at no extra charge. Stay as long as your heart desires. Be sure to also check out the awesome gift shop!
• Wars of 18 Holes Miniature Golf: Miniature Golf has never been so historical! 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. Open late until dark!
• Fort aMAZE’n: Take the challenge! 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. 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 Wall: Be the first to the top! Be the first to climb to the top of our 25-ft. tall rock wall and ring the bell. Our trained staff will make sure you are securely attached into the harness and safety rope. There are 4 sides with varying degrees of difficulty. Try them all and get a birds-eye view of the park.
• Antique Car Museum:  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.
• Gemstone Mining and Geode Cutting: 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! Or purchase an uncut geode at The Shop at the Top, and then take it outside to our Geode Cutting Station. Our trained staff will cut the geode in two with our special diamond-bladed saw, revealing to you for the first time the inner beauty of this rough-exteriored gemstone. Every stone is a unique experience to see.
• DanDee’s Snack Shack and Picnic Pavilion: Enjoy great hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs or ice cream treats at DanDee’s Snack Shack, our on-site concession area. Fresh french fries, onion rings, mini corn dogs, chicken tenders, mac & cheese bites, veggie burgers and cheese sticks offer tantalizing choices for hungry visitors of all ages. Round out your lunch or snack with a red, white & blue bomb pop, a creamy Big Bear ice cream sandwich or a chocolaty fudge bar. Proudly serving Pepsi products. Our convenient picnic pavilion allows you and your family to enjoy your food and refreshments in the shade and get right back to your mini-golf game, rock climbing, caving or whatever tickles your fancy at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center. Just like our Fun Center, DanDee’s Snack Shack offers something for everyone!!

We loved our afternoon at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center. We got lost in the maze, but it was still a bunch of fun! Plus if you get all four letter punches, you can pick a prize at the end! We didn’t get a prize, but we still laughed and had a fun time together, standing up on the platforms and directing our family members around.

We also mined for gems in the running water troughs and found a ton of pretty stones. They also had an area set up to sort and compare your stones so you can identify them before you leave. The miniature golf seemed to be a big hit too, and it was definitely a busy place!

Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center is a great place to check out, whether you’re in a large or small group, as a family or even as adults looking for something different to do. Plenty of places for great pictures as well for those shutterbugs like us. Be sure to check out their combo tickets for deals as well as finding out the latest news on their Facebook page.

Disclaimer: While we were visiting the area on a media tour, this particular stop was not sponsored in any way. We’d love to work with Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center in the future though!