Explore Put-in-Bay History at Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center

Chip Duggan is a fourth-generation islander. He grew up on Put-in-Bay and part of that meant exploring caves across South Bass Island during his youth. So, when the opportunity to buy the island’s most famous cave came about, it was a chance to merge his longtime interest with taking care of a Put-in-Bay landmark he first visited as a boy. 

“The cave has been open to the public since the 1870s,” Duggan says. “It came up for sale, and it was a business opportunity besides the interest I had in caves.”  

Duggan and his sister, Dee Dee Duggan, co-own Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center along Catawba Avenue, just a short golf cart ride from downtown Put-in-Bay. Along with its namesake cave, which is believed to have been used by Oliver Hazard Perry’s men during the War of 1812’s Battle of Lake Erie, the destination spans a butterfly house, a kids maze (with towers where parents can watch), a rock climbing wall, gem mining, an 18-hole miniature golf course and a small antique car museum. There are also a couple gift shops and a burger stand. Visitors can buy individual admission tickets or combination packs that cover a range of experiences for a single price.  

The cave is, naturally, the big draw here, with guided tours leaving regularly throughout the day. The subterranean, dome-shaped space sits about 50 feet below ground and measures around an acre in size. Visitors can see the small natural lake that is believed to have provided drinking water to Perry’s men during the war, as well as stalactites and stalagmites that have formed within the cave. 

“Being in a room underground that’s completely natural, not man-made, is an experience,” Duggan says. “Everyone is generally excited the minute they get down there.” 979 Catawba Ave., Put-in-Bay 43456, 419/284-2283, perryscave.com

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