Ashtabula County: Covered Bridges and Lake Erie

Ashtabula County’s distinctive character is especially evident in its covered bridges: discover them on a scenic driving tour through rural communities. The county also offers 26 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, river landscapes, and historically significant buildings. These themes complement one another without limiting your trip to a single attraction. You can explore bridges, nature, and history as different areas of focus.

Covered Bridges and an October Festival

The Smolen-Gulf Bridge is 613 feet long and is considered the longest covered bridge in the United States. Another bridge, the Riverview pedestrian bridge, was built in 2016 and is located beneath the Smolen-Gulf Bridge. This site brings together a covered bridge with a notable length and a pedestrian bridge with its own year of construction.

The Ashtabula County Covered Bridge Festival is also part of the covered-bridge theme. It takes place every year on the second weekend in October. Since the festival is tied to a specific weekend, it’s a good idea to check the exact festival dates before your trip. A driving tour and the festival offer different perspectives: the tour passes through rural communities, while the festival provides an annual date to plan your trip around.

Lake Erie, Rivers, and Activities at the Metropark

Lake Erie’s shoreline stretches for 26 miles in Ashtabula County. The area also features four scenic rivers and two state parks. The Harpersfield Covered Bridge Metropark is a specific destination on the Grand River: it spans 53 acres, and visitors can fish and kayak there. Alongside the broader landscape, visitors can choose between two activities specifically offered at a particular park.

If you’d like to include nature and outdoor activities in your trip, the Metropark offers a different focus from the covered bridge driving tour or the festival. Lake Erie’s shoreline and the rivers shape the natural setting; fishing and kayaking are the activities listed for Harpersfield Covered Bridge Metropark.

Buildings with Distinct Historical Connections

The Joshua Giddings Law Office was originally built in 1823. The Jennie Munger Gregory Memorial Museum was the first half-timbered building constructed along the Lake Erie shoreline in Ashtabula County. The Blakeslee Log Cabin is one of the oldest surviving log cabins in the Western Reserve. Together, these buildings represent distinct historical points of reference: the construction date of a law office, the history of a half-timbered building on the county’s shoreline, and the place of a log cabin within a larger historical region.

Those interested in architectural history will find more than a single date or building type here. The details range from the original construction in 1823 to a building described as the first of its kind along this stretch of shoreline, and a log cabin counted among the oldest surviving examples in the Western Reserve. This gives the county’s cultural history several clearly distinct facets.

Wine Country in Greater Northeast Ohio

Wine tastings may also play a role in planning your trip. The wine country of Northeast Ohio draws visitors for winery tours and wine tastings. This perspective extends beyond Ashtabula County and takes in the broader wine region of Northeast Ohio. This can help you choose a destination that suits your interests before you look for a hotel for your stay.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Austinburg Township, North Kingsville, Geneva-On-The-Lake, Ashtabula, Conneaut, Williams, Summit, Franklin.

For the broader travel overview: Ohio.