Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the warmest and shallowest of the Great Lakes, stretching about 240 miles from Buffalo, New York, past Erie, Pennsylvania, to Toledo, Ohio, with Michigan and Ontario on its western and northern shores. Sandy beaches, sheltered bays and island harbors make it one of the best big-water playgrounds in the country for jet skiing, tubing and wakeboarding. We offer the best boats, jet skis and water toys at Lake Erie, ready and waiting for you right at the lake.

Lake Erie Boat Rentals

On calm days the open lake is a blast for skiing and wakeboarding, and sheltered spots like Presque Isle Bay in Erie and the harbors around the Lake Erie Islands give you smoother water when the wind picks up. Our Lake Erie boat rentals include:

• MasterCraft wakesurf and wakeboard boats for family and friends
• Ski boat rentals for water skiing, slalom and tubing
• Tubes, wakeboards and wakesurf boards for every age
• Paddle boards and water trampolines for a beach day along the shore

Rather have someone else drive? Book a private boat charter and our captain will handle the boat. Damage waiver coverage is available on every rental.

Lake Erie Jet Ski Rentals

Riding a jet ski on Lake Erie means wide-open water, long sandy shorelines and lighthouses to cruise past, from the beaches of Presque Isle to the islands off Sandusky. Most of our jet ski rentals can pull a tube, depending on the model, and guided rides are available. See our jet ski models to pick your ride.

Pontoons, Marinas and Boat Service

Lake Erie has dozens of marinas and public launches along its New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio shores, from Buffalo and Dunkirk to Erie, Sandusky and Port Clinton. We don't rent pontoons or service boats, but we offer surf boats, jet skis and water toys to go with your pontoon day or lake house stay.

Erie and Presque Isle

In Erie, Pennsylvania, Presque Isle State Park curves about seven miles out into the lake, sheltering Presque Isle Bay and lining the open-lake side with sandy beaches. It is one of the most popular spots on Lake Erie for swimming, paddling and a day on the water, and the bay offers calmer water when the open lake gets choppy.

The Lake Erie Islands

On the Ohio side, Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island are a classic summer boating trip, with busy harbors, waterfront restaurants and island hopping all within a short run of Sandusky, Port Clinton and Catawba. Cedar Point in Sandusky adds roller coasters to a lake weekend.

Buffalo and the New York Shore

In New York, Lake Erie runs from the Buffalo waterfront south past Hamburg and Dunkirk to Barcelona Harbor near the Pennsylvania line, with Evangola State Park and Lake Erie State Park along the way. It is a quick trip from Buffalo to sandy beaches and big-lake sunsets.

Fishing on Lake Erie

Lake Erie is famous for walleye and smallmouth bass, and its warm, shallow water makes it one of the most productive fisheries in the Great Lakes. Port Clinton, Ohio, calls itself the Walleye Capital of the World.

Getting to Lake Erie

Lake Erie is easy to reach from Buffalo, Erie, Cleveland, Sandusky and Toledo, and I-90 follows much of the southern shore from New York through Pennsylvania into Ohio. Erie is about an hour and a half from Buffalo and a little more from Cleveland, and Sandusky and the islands are about an hour west of Cleveland. See all of our New York lakes lakes.

Good to Know Before You Go

• New York boating rules: since January 1, 2025, New York requires a boating safety certificate for every boat and jet ski driver, whatever their age. Jet ski drivers must be at least 14, jet skis can only be ridden between sunrise and sunset, and our rental drivers must be 18 or older.
• Pennsylvania and Ohio: Pennsylvania requires a boating safety certificate for every jet ski driver and for anyone born on or after January 1, 1982, driving a boat over 25 horsepower. Ohio requires one for anyone born on or after January 1, 1982, driving a boat over 10 horsepower.
• Life jackets: everyone on a jet ski and anyone being towed must wear a life jacket, and so must children under 12 while the boat is underway.
• Great Lakes weather: Lake Erie is shallow, so wind can kick up steep, choppy waves fast. Check the marine forecast and head back toward a harbor or bay if it gets rough.
• Slow down near shore: keep to no-wake speed near harbors, piers, docks, swimmers and anchored boats.
• Book early: summer weekends and holidays fill up fast.

Lakes Near Lake Erie

Looking for more lakes near Lake Erie? Chautauqua Lake sits just inland from the New York shore, Pymatuning Reservoir straddles the Pennsylvania-Ohio line about an hour south of Erie, and Lake Arthur is north of Pittsburgh. For more big water, Lake Ontario is a short drive north of Buffalo past Niagara Falls, and Lake St. Clair sits just upriver from Lake Erie's western end near Detroit. See all our New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio lakes.

Lake Erie Map