Sample Itinerary

Please allow approximately six - seven hours for your All-Day Excursion

Whether you choose the Jet Express or the Miller Ferry, please instruct your Group Escort to go to the Ferry Ticket Window and advise them they have a tour booked with Island Transportation. They will then give your group round-trip ferry tickets for South Bass-Island, Put-in-Bay. Your island adventure is about to begin!

If you have chosen the Miller Ferry, your group will walk down the hill to board the auto and passenger ferry. On the Miller Ferry, seating is upstairs and you can choose to sit inside the cabin or on deck. Please let us know if you need seating downstairs we will make every effort to accommodate. When you arrive, your private Tour Train will be waiting for your group at the top of the hill. If you feel any of your group may have difficulty walking up the hill, please ask the Miller Ferry staff onboard the boat to arrange golf cart transportation to the top of the hill.

If you have chosen the Jet Express, you can choose first-level seating or any of the other decks on the boat. Your private Tour Train and Guide will be waiting for you when you arrive right on the dock.

Both trips take twenty minutes to get to the island, but the Jet Express docks in downtown Put-in-Bay while the Miller Ferry docks at the Lime Kiln Dock on the south side of the island. You will be able to identify your Tour Train Guide by their red or white shirts with our Tour Train Logo on them.

Once you are settled on the Tour Train, your Guide will take you on the first half of your narrated island tour. You will have an opportunity for a photo opportunity at the South Bass Island Lighthouse or Perry’s International Peace Memorial Visitor Center. Your Guide will point out lots of interesting sites on the island and you will hear of the rich island history of the early settlers of Put-in-Bay and their agriculture, as well as the importance of the island during the War of 1812 and the Battle of Lake Erie. You will learn about the booming tourism industry on the island in the 19th century, not unlike today’s busy season.

Now it is time to stop at your first attraction. Most groups choose the Butterfly House and Antique Car Museum. Your Guide will take you to the door of the Butterfly House and escort you in. There, you will be able to walk among the lush foliage and hundreds of butterflies from Malaysia and Costa Rica.

After your tour, you can take some time to shop in the Gift Shop and explore their vast selection of everything from candles to specialty food items, jewelry to garden items, and many fun, entertaining and educational toys.  The Gift Shop also sells, Fenton Glass, Belleek Irish Gift ware and other collectibles.

Then stroll over to the Antique Car Museum for a trip down Memory Lane. Put-in-Bay has the highest per capita number of antique cars in the world, and many of them are on display in the Car Barn. Be sure to look for the island’s oldest vehicle: a 1915 Model T Speedster.

If your group has opted for a guided tour of Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (upon availability), you will have an opportunity to see the beautiful stained glass windows and learn about the history of either church. Mother of Sorrows is a Romanesque copy of a church in Lombardy, Italy. The limestone church was dedicated in 1928. St. Paul’s, a Gothic Style church, has been in continuous use since 1865 and also has a lift for those who prefer not to climb the stairs. Visitors are also invited to walk the Chartres Labyrinth.

By now, your group is probably getting hungry, so your Guide will take your group to the restaurant you have chosen for your group lunch. For Tipper's Buffet, your Guide will escort you into the restaurant and will tell you when and where they will pick your group up. For the Lunch Vouchers, your Guide will drop you off close to the restaurants of your choice.  Time and pickup spot will also be decided.  Usually, we allow two hours for lunch and shopping. If you prefer more or less time to shop, please let us know and we will adjust your itinerary.

Once back on the Tour Train, your Guide will continue the second half of the Tour with more history of the island. It is now time for your second attraction. Most groups choose to tour Heineman Winery and Crystal Cave. The Crystal Cave is famous for being the world’s largest geode and Heineman Winery is the oldest family owned/operated winery in the State of Ohio.  It was established in 1888.  On the tour, you will learn how grapes are harvested, pressed and bottled. At the end of the tour, each member of the group will receive a token for a one sample of wine or grape juice.  Take time to enjoy your sample inside the winery tasting room or in the lovely outdoor garden.

If your group has chosen to visit Perry’s Monument Visitors Center, the train will take your group there. If some of the group are more interested in the unique shops across the street, it is an easy walk from the train. Once inside the Visitors Center, your group can find a wealth of information on the Battle of Lake Erie, the War of 1812, and the construction of Perry’s International Peace Memorial. Videos and replicas of battleships and flags from the war illustrate the dedication of the monument to the peace between Great Britain, Canada and the United States. 

Your island day is almost over.  Your Guide will take your group back to the ferry of your choice. If you have chosen the Jet Express, you will taken directly to the Jet Dock. If your group is scheduled to return on the Miller Ferry, please ask your Group Escort to tell your Guide if they feel they will need any golf cart transportation down the hill to the ferry. If so, he will arrange that with the Miller Ferry.

Time to bid goodbye to Put-in-Bay and the fond memories and new friends your group has made. We hope you enjoyed your experience and decide to come visit us again for another island adventure!

We can customize any tour to meet your needs!