Several new attractions open up for tours this week on Put-in-Bay

As if there's not already enough to do when visiting Put-in-Bay, there are a few things opening up to the public for tours this week. Visitors can explore the South Bass Island Lighthouse, the Aquatics Visitors Center, and Gibraltar Island. Read below to learn more about the three attractions.

Lighthouse, aquatics and an island

The South Bass Island Lighthouse grounds are open to the public every day from dusk until dawn.

Free tours of the lighthouse are available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays through July 18. Climb the lighthouse stairs to take in the gorgeous views from the top of the tower. The South Bass Island Lighthouse is located at the southwest tip of Put-in-Bay and was completed all the way back in 1897.

The Aquatic Visitors Center (AVC) is a historic fish hatchery that is operated by The Ohio State University's Stone Lab. The AVC served as the State Fish Hatchery at Put-in-Bay from 1907 through 1988 and still displays artifacts from those days. The center gives island visitors the opportunity to explore Lake Erie’s complex ecosystem through hands-on activities and aquaria containing live Lake Erie fish.

The Aquatic Visitors Center gives free tours to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays through September 9. Children ages 15 and younger are welcome to borrow fishing gear and fish for free off of the 100-foot pier.

For those interested in learning about Gibraltar Island, a science and history tour is available every Wednesday through August 9. The tour group meets at 10:45 a.m. at the Boardwalk Restaurant dock located at 341 Bayview Avenue. The tour will explore Gibraltar as well as Perry’s Lookout and the glacial grooves, and will see the outside of Cooke Castle before learning more about Stone Lab research.

Tours of Gibraltar Island can accommodate up to 70 people and are first-come, first served.

The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12, plus $6 for a round-trip fare to Gibraltar Island.

The Ohio State University

Gibraltar Island and the South Bass Island Lighthouse are owned by The ohio state university, and all three attractions are managed by Ohio Sea Grant & Stone Laboratory. For more information on scheduling your trip, visit go.osu.edu/tours.

Located on the 6.5-acre Gibraltar Island in Put-in-Bay harbor, Stone Lab is Ohio State's Island Campus on Lake Erie and the research, education, and outreach facility of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program.