At the Meister House we traditionally make a visit to Geneva on the Lake, Ohio during the Memorial Day weekend to mark the yearly opening of Eddie’s Grill.
Geneva on the Lake has been something of a hidden getaway spot in northeast Ohio for nearly a century, providing a number of cabins and inns located right next to Lake Erie in a small town atmosphere. The area feels like a seaside resort in some ways that just happens to be just under an hour away from downtown Cleveland.
In the center of the lakeside area there is a long strip of road which is pretty much the place to cruise in your classic car or motorcycle. There are open-air arcades, novelty and souvenir shops, restaurants and nightclubs all along the main drag, but our favorite destination is always Eddie’s Grill.
Eddie’s Grill has been around since the mid-40s, and going there is like taking a trip back to the 50s. It’s an open-air burger joint, where you can grab a booth or sit at the roadside stools and partake in exactly the kind of burgers and chili dogs you would imagine such a place would serve.
It’s a great place to visit during Memorial Day to celebrate the arrival of decent, if not always warm, northeast Ohio weather. It’s also just far enough away from the bigger cities and suburbs of Ohio that driving the twenty-five miles seems like a real trip away from all your worries at home.
GOOGLE image search for Geneva-on-the-Lake Ohio results this photo. Searching for images to send to out-of-town brother as memories from our youth. Our family vacation spot, I think, forever. Thank you.