A lake surrounded by trees and a dock.

Our Mission

The Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region is a cooperative made up of 4 counties – Erie, Crawford, Mercer, and Venango, to market the area for tourism and promote its economic growth.

Waldemeer Park - Erie County
Clear Creek State Forest - Venango County
A lake surrounded by trees and a dock. Justus Lake - Venango County
Pier 6 Rooftop Restaurant - Erie County

Our initiatives and goals:

  • Promote and encourage tourism travel and convention activities.
  • Attract activities, lodging accommodations, restaurants, state parks, museums and places of historical interest to further draw visitors to Northwest Pennsylvania.
  • Create and assist in producing and disseminating promotional literature and information designed to inspire visits to our region.
  • Increase the scope and intensity of tourist development and promotion in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
  • Connect interested parties with the individual destination marketing organizations in Erie, Crawford, Venango and Mercer counties.

About Each County

Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region is a vacation destination for individuals, families and groups seeking the rich culture, heritage, leisure and adventure experiences in the four counties of Erie, Crawford, Venango and Mercer. Our organization provides user-friendly websites, visitor guides and other materials to help you plan where to stay, what to do and where eat on your next visit. There is so much to explore and enjoy in Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region!

Crawford County

Crawford County is a place to escape from big cities, traffic and long lines. With an abundance of outdoor activities, eight lakes, Pymatuning State Park, and tons of events and attraction to please all ages.

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Crawford County Fair - Crawford County
A boat docked in a body of water. Conneaut Lake - Crawford County
Party At The Pines - Crawford County

Erie County

In Erie County you’ll find so much to do, and time to do it all. Pennsylvania’s only port on the Great Lakes is home to miles of sandy beaches, access to Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay, a diverse culinary scene, extensive boutique and chain shopping, and the largest grape-growing region east of the Rocky Mountains.

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Frontier Park - Erie County
Johnson Estate Winery - Erie County
A large indoor water park with lots of slides. Splash Lagoon - Erie County

Mercer County

In addition to great shopping, Mercer County is known for its outstanding golf packages, relaxing weekends on the wine & brew trail and kayaking or canoeing on the scenic 23 mile Shenango River Water Trail.

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Grove City Premium Outlet - Mercer County
Shenago River Water Trail - Mercer County
Sharon State Street Bridge - Mercer County

Venango County

With more than 65 miles of paved trails and tremendous waterways for boating and fishing, Venango County has so much outdoor recreation to offer. As a National Heritage Area, there is also plenty of history and culture to explore, too.

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Rockland Tunnel - Venango County
Kennerdell Overlook - Venango County
Transit Building Lobby - Venango County