Shore to Please

Last week, I accidentally drove through a part of Ohio that I have never seen before. I was on my way to The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake when, out of curiosity, I decided to follow the bend in St. Rte. 534. Almost immediately, I found myself on the small section of Lake Road that comprises Geneva-on-the-Lake. It’s still early spring, so the restaurants and attractions of this beach community were shuttered for the season, but it was a beautiful sunny day and I could practically see “The Strip” come alive with families and couples spending a day or weekend at the beach.

Since moving to Ohio from New Jersey more than 15 years ago, I have been trying to find a good, kitschy substitute for the Jersey Shore (pre-MTV days). Some of my favorite childhood memories took place between Memorial Day and Labor Day, during days and weekends away at various beaches along the New Jersey coastline. As children, we rode down with our parents and our friends’ parents, crammed three and four to the backseat, singing songs and inhaling the salt air as we traveled farther south. It’s where I made my first sandcastle, lost my first battle to waves, won my first stuffed animal on the boardwalk and got my first heart-shaped key chain from my first real boyfriend.

Part of the fond memories, of course, has to do with childhood nostalgia, but part of me also misses the regular — and frequently unplanned — weekends away. It was a vacation without much travel stress.

Although I try to make it out to the Jersey Shore at least once a year, I am hoping that Geneva-on-the-Lake can be my new home away from home, where my husband and I can enjoy burgers at Eddie’s followed by a round of miniature golf at Adventure Zone. And, if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll win a stuffed animal or two.

Help send me on my way: Share your favorite attractions, activities and restaurants in Geneva-on-the-Lake.