Flying into Erie, Pa. during an early November weekend, I was struck by three things: the size of the city, the amount of industry in the city, and the blazing fall foliage. This was, of course, after the awe I felt soaring over the Great Lakes. Being from the southwest, I had never seen lakes that seemed like oceans to me with such ripples and waves.
After landing at the small Erie International Airport (it only has one baggage claim, nice!), I took an Uber to Erie's newest hotel, the Courtyard Marriot. It had opened only six months earlier and still carried the smell of fresh paint and new carpet. I stayed in a magnificent corner suite on the fourth floor, with glass walls overlooking the bay and the distant curve of Presque Isle. The service staff there are very gracious and accommodating.
The hotel is connected to the Bayfront Convention Center, which is also linked to the nearby Sheraton. You can walk from one hotel to the other without stepping foot outside. I walked around the lakefront, observing the maritime-themed convention center design and three simultaneous events inside the expansive space, including a wedding. Read complete travel story at OurTribune.com.