How to Plan a Ladies Weekend in Erie’s Lake Erie Wine Country [2026]

Is it your turn to plan the annual ladies’ weekend getaway or bachelorette weekend?

South Shore Wine Company’s historic cavern

You want to plan a memorable weekend, but it can be difficult to find just the right place to stay and something entertaining to do. After 15 years of hosting ladies’ groups like yours, I am going to try to answer all of your questions about planning a ladies’ weekend in Lake Erie Wine Country. If you have additional questions, reach out to me Lynne Clement, at 814-566-4722.

The trail of over 20 wineries known as Lake Erie Wine Country begins 10 miles east of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, and extends into nearby New York State. A large concentration of wineries is located in the town of North East, Pennsylvania. North East offers 12 wineries, a quaint shopping district, miles of Lake Erie shoreline, and scenic vineyards, making it an ideal place to stay for your wine-tasting getaway.

Once you stay in a vacation rental home with your girlfriends, you may never want to stay in a hotel again. There’s something to be said for sitting around a campfire with a glass of wine, hanging out family-style in your pajamas, sharing a cup of coffee in the morning, and making meals together. These rituals, in the comfort and privacy of a home, allow maximum bonding time when you are not out exploring.

Bed-and-breakfasts and hotels may make more financial sense for small groups that only need one room. There are plenty of lodging options for smaller groups in Lake Erie Wine Country. But when your group needs more than one room, the economics of a vacation rental home are attractive, and the comfort cannot be matched.

When you’re the planner, you’ll want to suggest some things to do for your weekend and get the input of others in your group. That can be a challenge if you’re starting from scratch. While every group has different interests and ultimately a different itinerary, many of our groups have a similar plan. Here’s what a typical weekend can look like.

Arrive late Friday afternoon and use Friday evening to stay in and catch-up. Many groups are happy to just be together. Dinner can be as simple as each person bringing an appetizer to share, or ordering pizza and salads delivered from Michael’s.

You don’t need to go anywhere to watch our fabulous sunsets. The lake entrance is just 30 to 100 steps from our rental homes. Take some wine to the picnic area at the lake and build a campfire as you watch the sunset. Once the sun dips below the horizon, stay a little longer and enjoy the “afterglow” of the colorful sky and linger around the campfire at the beach.

Or, you can head to the main shopping area of North East and hit up Yori Wine Cellars and Driftwood Wine Cellars for wine tasting.
Both wineries are open until 8pm on Fridays. These two wineries are located about a block apart and both are open until 8pm on Fridays. For dinner, Michael’s is adjacent to Yori Wine Cellars.

Saturday is winery touring day (or spa or thrift shopping day). The early risers in your group can take a long walk on our scenic country roads. Or, schedule a private morning yoga class for your group at the cottage. Then, hang out together with morning coffee while getting ready for a day of wine tasting/shopping. A quick and fun breakfast can include an assortment of custom donuts from the Little Shop of Donuts or grab and go with coffee and breakfast from The Bean Coffee House.

Wineries generally open for tasting at 10 or 11 am. Many close between 4 and 5 pm. The opening and closing times vary for each winery and by the season. As you create your itinerary, be sure to check the opening time for your first winery and the closing time for your last winery. Pick a handful of wineries to visit and think about where to stop for lunch during your tour. You don’t want to go wine tasting on an empty stomach. All those little samples add up.

For a convenient lunch, try The Bean Coffee House or Toast, a newer restaurant in North East.

Many of my ladies’ groups love the eclectic Skunk & Goat Tavern for dinner. I also like Brazill’s on Main, in Westfield, NY. After dinner, gather at the lake for the sunset, relax around a campfire at the cottage, lounge around in your pajamas, or watch chick flicks on our 55″ smart TV.

Ice cream is good any day, any time, any season. I strongly recommend The Straw Hat Ice Cream and Sundae Shoppe, which is open year-round. You don’t have to be a Nittany Lion to appreciate the Penn State Berkey ice cream sold here.  But for Penn Staters, “the Creamery” ice cream will take you back down memory lane. 

Local tip: The Straw Hat is pet-friendly. Do take your pup for free ice cream.

The Skunk and Goat Tavern offers Sunday brunch. The Bean offers coffee, bagels and hot foods, to go or dine in and gluten-free options are available.  Toast is another local favorite for breakfast and lunch.

Fun ideas for your weekend can also include private events offered to you in-home.  The instructors listed below are familiar with my rental homes.

A yoga instructor can customize a class to your needs and location: in the home, in the yard, or at the beach. You can choose from a gentle Restorative, Yin, or traditional Hatha. If you have always wanted to try yoga and need a beginner class, our instructor can accommodate your level or a mixed level class. Talk to the instructor, Michelle Bielanin, 814-602-2470 (cell) who can meet your needs. Approximate rate:  $75 per class for your group.

For masseuse recommendations, please ask me (Lynne Clement at lakeeriecottages@gmail.com).

Looking for some pampering? Studio M and Bella Day Spa are two options, just 3 miles from our rentals.  Unlike many destinations, the pricing of spa services here is very reasonable. So go ahead and treat yourself.  Studio M is amazing for individuals. In the summer, ask about Studio M’s lakeside outdoor massages.  Bella has a larger set-up for groups, offering a party room for groups and multiple services at one time.

A ladies weekend wouldn’t be complete without shopping.  We have a bunch of thrift shops in our area. Make a day out of shopping, wine tasting, and eating. A couple shops I like that are off the beaten path are LaRocca’s Men’s Shop and The House of the Potter.

If your group enjoys thrift shopping, check out our guide to thrift shopping.

Lake Erie Wine Country wineries are open year-round except for major holidays. Would you prefer to visit on a quieter weekend to get more personalized attention or a festive event weekend?

North East Annual WineFest 
WineFest is our biggest wine event of the year consists of three days filled with wine tasting, live music, food, and vendors. WineFest is typically the last full weekend of September. Two insider tips for this event:  book lodging as early as possible and buy your tickets online prior to the event. Not only will you pay less for online tickets, but you’ll avoid lines and delays once you arrive at the event.

The Lake Erie Wine Country Events calendar details events throughout the year. Some ticketed events include wine and food pairings at 20+ Lake Erie Wine Country member wineries.

Many local wineries host their own events throughout the year, such as vineyard walks and live music. See the Lake Erie Wine Country calendar for events on the weekend of your stay.

The North East Chamber of Commerce also offers events.

If you do not have a designated driver, consider hiring a driver. Negotiate a rate for an Uber driver to take you around for the day. One local driver who has expressed interest in this is Brian Holler at 814.923.7515.

Limousine service is also available through La Grand Elite.

While many bachelorettes are breaking the bank for their pre-wedding weekend, a visit to Lake Erie Wine Country can be memorable and affordable.

Transportation — Our location is a two-hour or less drive from Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland. Avoiding airfare can go a long way to reducing the cost of your ladies’ weekend.

Lodging — Please check our website for the current rates or text Lynne Clement at 814-566-4722 for a quote.
Our off-season rates provide a great value. We offer two night stays in October through April. The rate includes exit cleaning, bed linens, towels, WiFi, and a fully-stocked kitchen (you bring the food and beverages). We provide the large and small appliances including dishwasher, oven, cooktop/range, refrigerator/freezer/ice maker, two coffee makers (Keurig and carafe-style ), crockpot, mixer, blender, microwave, pots, pans, dishes, serving pieces, utensils, dish detergent, dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, one roll of paper towels. Our goal is to minimize the number of items you need to pack. The cost, split over your group, is very reasonable. Staying in a home can also help you cut down on your food costs, coffee, and entertainment.

Food — Food costs will depend on whether you eat in or out. But generally, the restaurants in a small town like North East, Pennsylvania are reasonably priced compared to larger cities. Planning for a few meals at home can help keep costs down.  Dining out in a small town also helps keep costs down compared to big cities.

Wine Tasting — Touring the wineries is a super fun and affordable experience. To offer an example of tasting rates, at the three Mazza Wineries, the base rate of wine tasting is $7 per flight (four samples).  For your budgeting purposes, consider that you may find a great bottle of wine, or a few, that you must buy. The most recent bottles I purchased at Lake Erie wineries were $14 and $18. Find some bottles you love. Stock up for entertaining, gifts, and the holidays.

Driver — If you hire a driver or limo service for your tour, you’ll need to factor that cost in as well.

Check out the exact distance from your location to ours using this address: 136 3rd Ave, North East, PA 16428.

If you have any additional questions about your ladies’ weekend, feel free to contact me.  Lynne Clement at lakeeriecottages@gmail.com or text/call me (Lynne) at 814-566-4722.

My availability calendars are on my website at www.ClementsLakeErieCottages.com. Scroll through each listing to see the pricing and the calendars. Feel free to ask any questions.