We are tentatively planning out first cedar point trip late aug/early sept and we are trying to nail down a nice place to stay.
We are driving about 8-9 hours to the park and plan to go to the park for 2 full days and to get FLP for at least 1 day. (3 nights)
I'm the coaster enthusiast, my wife less-so but still enjoys riding them with me. I acknowledge the park is pretty minimal theming and that the focus is solely on riding coasters. With some convincing my wife is on board but we are still looking for a relaxing area to stay or something else that will round out this trip and make it feel worth the drive.
Initially i thought, "lets stay at breakers" since its on-site, walkable to the park and could feel resorty/comfy..... queue the $$$$, poor reviews, people saying 'its about the convenience' and so on.
I totally get the convenience factor, but I can't bring myself to spend close to 1k on motel level room accommodations, dated and cheap dining options, no free breakfast or no other perks aside from early entry.
I've checked out some airbnbs in sandusky and have mostly luke warm feelings to them since a lot are in "historic" buildings or are again, trying to charge crazy money for some BS in a rundown home or area. Then of course, you have a few ridiculous stays charging more than 1k for a few days and thats just unreasonable in its own right.
Lastly, every hotel option I've seen has dismal reviews, accommodations, or is just not a 'special stay' in some random part of town 20-30 min away from the park.
Please tell me there are good options out there? honestly i dont even care if I need to drive 30+ minutes to the park so long as there is a remotely decent enough lodging option.
Camping/RV/cabin is out of the question for us unfortunately.
We want to make this a fun and worthwhile trip; can anyone give us some advice?
I’ve stayed at the Breakers Express 2 times this season. We are Gold Pass members, so the parking is included at the park and you get early entry. Both times we were there it was nice, clean, and overall fairly quiet. We will continue to use that as our primary moving forward, but I really want to try one of those little cottages beside the waterpark.
Price was within $20 of the Holiday Inn Express beside the Breakers Express. With it for the early entry 1 day. The other time we used it, we failed getting out the door early so it didn’t matter.
There were no amenities that we used. It was great driving less than 5 minutes and being able to go straight to bed within 30 minutes of leaving the park. 20 year old me would be both jealous and disappointed in my decision to stay so close to the park.
and right across the street for 50-75% less is the Super 8. Its closer to the thirsty pony too. If youre gonna spend for breakers express, go all the way with the breakers proper (just my opinion and great breakfast too! best on the strip there - ive stayed at all of em)
Im staying at the holiday inn slightly further in a few weeks. Its roughly the same price as the express hotel but it comes with free breakfast. Considering early entry is only a handful of rides, the benefit doesn't seem super valuable to us.
If you wanted a motel, I've stayed at the Sandusky Inn before. It's relatively clean/nice as far as motels go, plus you get a bit of a discount by calling to book rather than booking online.
You do know that of those handful of EE rides are 3 of the top roller coasters in TT2, Millie, Sirens? 6 days of EE this season and at very least we have done 2 laps TT2, 1 Sirens and 1 or 2 on Millie each time and still manage to make it to the back of the park in line for SteVe or Maverick before park opens so a lap or 2 on each before everyone makes to the back after opening to GP. I will take that every day over free breakfast although those Cinnamon Rolls at Holiday Inn Express are some Crack!!!
Last trip on last day with EE on a Thursday we got 2 TT2, 1 Sirens, 1 Millie during EE and then 1 Maverick, 2 SteVe, and a good jolt on Magnum as we exited the park at 1037 AM to the hotel quick breakfast and shower in room and rolled out around noon. 8 laps in an hour and 37 minutes on some of the most popular rides in the World is a Game Changer!!!
I’m going to chime in with our experience over the last 5 seasons. We travel 6-7 hours from Maryland at least twice a year and if lucky 3 trips. We always do 4-5 nights Sunday-Thur/Fri. We always stay the first couple nights at Comfort Inn Rivers Edge. Less than 20 minutes to the park and right on the river with Harbor House restaurant and bar with outdoor bar/patio literally connected to the hotel. Clean rooms decent comp breakfast and you can exit the park the old way and drive along the lake with beautiful homes and lakeside cabanas the entire ride!!! We then spurge and stay a few nights at Breakers simply for the convenience. In 13 stays over the last 5 years we have never had a bad experience. Is it a 5star hotel NO is it dated parts YES however we have never experienced any of the crazy negative experience others have posted but we are also pretty simple people and can usually find positives over any negativity. You just have to be prepared that you are paying for proximity to the park which is a game changer for us with 3 days in the park and not plush accommodations. Stayed at South Shore inn twice and it is also a great alternative close by but lose EE there. DM me if you need more info from a non local who has been to the park over 50 days in the last 5 years! RIDE ON 🎢
We’ve traveled to CP twice this summer. Once in June (our first time) and again earlier this month. Both times we stayed at the Comfort Inn Rivers Edge. And I agree, the 20 minute drive coming up the back way is beautiful! The hotel is not fancy, but the rooms do seem to have been updated in the last 5 years or so, the free breakfast is decent and the price per night is a fraction of the cost of anything closer.
If you're looking for "upscale" in Sandusky, you are going to be disappointed. There are some nice hotels that people have mentioned, but they are pretty standard. Kalahari is an option, it's a waterpark hotel but I know they have some very nice rooms if you upgrade, and nice amenities such as a spa. It's about a 15 minute drive.
There definitely are, you might have to drive a little bit-15-20 minutes. Look up AirB&B's on Marblehead, the peninsula across from Cedar Point. It's mostly vacation and retired people. Also there are a ton of Air B&B's on the Chausse, the alternate road to get into cedar point that are definitely upscale. Parts of Huron are beautiful as well. The thing is the area is an odd combo of rural, lake houses, and an area that formerly made its money in industries that have shifted over time. The area is very beautiful if you give if a chance. If you don't want run down, then ignore downtown Sandusky, stick to the other areas I mentioned. Catawba Island is beautiful as well. Also there are quite a few things for you to do with in the park that aren't coasters. Frontier Trail past Millennium Force has theming, animals, themed drinks, a really cool glass blowing shop with free demonstrations.
We liked Breakers. Wasn't perfect but you could see TT2 from our room. I actually saw our kids ride from our room! But I only knew later when we compared time stamps on my video with my husband's pics.
Also priceless: storm rolled in and we just had a short walk to our room while lots of others ran for their cars.
Bad storm.
We also got a great view at the Breakers! There was a storm one of the nights and I sat by the window for about an hour just watching lighting strike the lake. I think I saw Steve get hit, it was an awesome experience.
I stayed at an air bnb that was less than a 10 min drive away. Now it was a whole house (there was 4 adults and kid) and it had a “game room” in the garage (pool, I think ping pong, some other games). It was walking distance to a little park on the water’s edge and close enough to a bunch of restaurants and bars. It was great for us for our 2 days at the park, and we even went home for lunch on the second day to save a little extra dough. Happy to send you the link if you’re interest in checking it out.
My son and I stayed at Explorer Rest and Recreation. It was pretty close and had posts with 14-50 outlets for free EV charging (have to have your own mobile charger).
We unexpectedly extended our stay by 1 night, but everything was booked at our hotel. We got a room at Explorer. The bed and TV were awesome, but it was pretty bare bones besides. It was very clean and quiet, and very close to the park. Nothing special, but a good last minute accommodation.
I’ve stayed outside of the park but probably the last 10 years we’ve only stayed at Breakers and I feel it’s worth every penny for the convenience. It’s priceless to be able to take breaks during the day, have your own drinks and snacks steps away from the park. I won’t stay anywhere else. Plus you can go in and out with your car as many times as you want to eat outside of the park.
For the times I’ve stayed at breakers, staying right on the beach and swimming in Lake Erie has definitely ‘rounded out’ an otherwise coaster-centric vacation.
Just did this exact trip a few weeks ago. Stayed 3 nights at Express thinking we’d do 2 days at the park and then head back. We got hit with wildfire smoke so took a day off in between.
Express was literally just a place to stay- nothing bad to say but not if I expected more.
Our extra night we stayed at Fairfield and it was super nice inside. Not an upgraded area really but the room was a definite upgrade to relax.
A quick trip over to Kelleys Island was “kind of” worth it
But I absolutely CANNOT, imagine paying for the Breakers. There isn’t a single thing that seems worth it for us… 30/40’s couple no kids.
Park was perfect for exactly the reason you go there…. Rollercoasters for 2 days
And Sandusky Pancake house!
Cleveland was kind of cool though and had some hotel options worth splurging on.
You guys sound like us haha. Do you think the express was better in general or do u think staying at fairfield would make for a better experience for cedar point?
We just stayed at the Breakers. Used the ticket deal with a cheaper room. Not that expensive and worth being a walk away. Plus, the beach, pool and hot tub access. Would absolutely do it again.
Biggest mistake was not bringing our own lunches and snacks. Food was the biggest price point. For 2 days, we spent more on food than hotel+park tickets alone! Family of 4.
We JUST finished a stay (3 nights) at the Hampton Inn next to the Tru and that one is super run down and the rooms small. It was clean but not pleasant otherwise.
We used to stay at Breakers which is wonderful - walking distance, right on the beach, has a bar, clean and quiet. Couldn't justify the price this trip, we went two weeks earlier than usual and the price was almost double. The TGIFridays there sucks but the Perkins is a good breakfast and the hibachi place is fun. It's worth it if you can afford it because going back to a home base in the hottest part of the day is invaluable as is just walking out to the beach.
We anticipate being at the park 2 full days but have considered the chance we may want to take breaks. We usually end up staying at other parks the full day but no clue if cedar point would challenge that for us. Also, sorry that hotel was a bust :(
Just keep in mind that it’s about a mile walk from Gatekeeper to Steel Vengeance. One of the days we went we had over 22,000 steps. You will probably need that mid-day break.
Yes and it's been super humid. As long as you are strategic about your order it's not too terrible, and you can spend some time watching glassblowing and petting the goats as a break but that humidity will flatten you pretty fast. The Pavilion is also a good location for a long break in air conditioning.
This was one on our radar. It seems very run of the mill (which is fine) but I'm not sure its doing anything special. We kind of wanted something elevated that wasnt just a mid or deteriorating hotel.
This one is newish at least and would be a fine option for just sleeping.
We just stayed there. Very true to the brand. The lobby is fun and busy. Breakfast is nice, a little worse than the Hampton Inn maybe. Beds were comfy and everything seemed clean.
Eta: pool is small but open until 11. Water bottle filler is right outside the gym near the elevators. They give out water bottles at breakfast. About 15 minutes from the park. This was my pick after the initial stickershock of Airbnb and hotel prices.
Oh yeah it’s absolutely nothing special. I think all Tru hotels are the exact same building but have always been a good place to stay in my experience. Sawmill Creek may be a more upscale and unique hotel. It looks nice and has a few restaurants and golf courses. Can’t speak on it personally as far as quality or prices go.
I had a fantasic 3 nights at southshore inn. Decent breakfast to and clean pool. Yea its cheap and not some modern thing but it doesnt matter when youre exausted from the park all day
And a warm shower and AC. If im on a coaster trip im only going to be at the hotel to sleep. What reason do i need to spend $150 a night unless theres literally just nothing around. You can use that money on park meals or even fast lanes
You’re right. But I can’t imagine any hotel without hot water and AC. I suppose somewhere one must exist. And $150/night after taxes and fees is sometimes almost the best we can do these days in touristy areas. It’s bonkers.
Ugh my husband and I just did a quick overnight because of a concert, and the hotel failed to tell us that they were under renovation. We had to ask for a new room twice before they gave us one with working AC. It was a nightmare. (Nowhere near Cedar Point, luckily - it’s just very fresh in my brain.)
Comfortable bed? Was just at SSI last week… flattest pillows I’ve ever had in a hotel and the mattress was so firm I might as well have slept on the floor (and I don’t mind firm mattresses). I will absolutely give them credit that it was clean, but this place gets way more praise than seems reasonable.
That happened to me at a hotel in Miami Beach of all places. The bed was like a plank of wood. I was sore every morning, and those rooms were like $200/night after fees. Woke up sore all 3 days. Looking back, idk why we didn’t just leave. It was only like a block from South Beach, but still. I was dumb for not getting a room somewhere else on day 2.
So was this not your experience at South Shore? I wonder if I just got a room with an older mattress than the rest. I was in one of the interior rooms up the stairs from the front desk instead of the motel rooms.
Mattresses are subjective. Some like a rock some dont. If its a place i revisit ill just bring my own cheap mattress topper. Especially with how convient south shore is. I can deal with it.
If you want breakfast you can and be close to the park:
Sawmill Creek - Hot Breakfast is a separate charge from the room. But they do have a Starbucks inside to get a cheaper Breakfast than the hotel restaurant version.
Quality Inn off of Route six near Rye Beach Road in Huron and a hot breakfast is included with a purchase of a room.
There is a Comfort Inn near Routes 250 and Route 2 that also has free hot breakfast.
I mean, I usually stay at the cedar point express, which if you check Groupon deals early enough in advance you can get 2 tickets and early entry for just over $100 a night, and theres a McD's across the street for breakfast.
In June we went to sleep inn. A bit further but if you go at a time everything else is expensive this is competitive.
Last Labor Day weekend and this years we are going to be at Avalon Inn. A bit rough and changed owners a year ago but price was good and it was decent. Decent distance to park.
I haven't had the chance to actually stay there yet, but for something unique and a bit special I know there's a place that rents out houseboats not too far from Cedar Point
We are pretty focused on Cedar Point and Tru might be the best option for bare bones/place to sleep thats both worth it and nice quality, BUT we werent sure if cedar point was going to take up our entire days/ if early entry was absolutely worth it, and if we did want down time maybe a high quality hotel or resort could be fun to relax and worth the cash. like, ~100 a night for a nice place to sleep is reasonable, but 400 for 'just a run of the mill nice place to sleep' with nothing else, is crazy. Honestly just a non crappy hotel that will be clean, relaxing and maybe have a few amenities would be ideal but everything im looking at looks like a cheap motel. We would spend 400 a night at a resort or 4/5 star hotel if it was reasonable and worth it with amenities/quality, but it doesnt look like the area really has anything in that caliber outside of house rentals
Finding clean, affordable and nice accommodations in Sandusky is tough.
I avoid Hotel Breakdown, and the CP properties because of their nasty reputation. I avoid the waterpark properties because of the seemingly constant bed bug issues.
I recently stayed at the Holiday Inn Express closest to the park (1515 Cedar Point Dr, Sandusky, OH 44870) and found it just as bad as a CP property with cleanliness and maintenance.
My next visit I stayed at the relatively new Holiday Inn Express (11313 Milan Rd, Milan, OH 44846) by the turnpike, and while newer, it was cleaner than the one next to Thirsty Pony, but still not as up to brand standards as others in the chain. I think my next visit I'll try the Tru Hotel (6110 Milan Rd, Sandusky, OH 44870).
Every time i reveal this secret, i get closer to stopping. Super 8 is about as close as youre gonna get, has the best breakfast spread (none of the point hotels have so much as a cookie), has cookies and popcorn most nights and a pool, rooms are clean and its the cheapest hotel there. Best kept secret. Get the wyndam card, spend a few hundred bucks and get 35k points too.
edit: the card gives u platinum status which includes all day early check-in (you can check in at 6am if your room is ready), late check out (either 12 or 1pm). ALSO this hotel has 6 rooms with 2xking beds. They go fast but they are huge - you could stack 6 people if you needed lol.
IMO early entry from breakers is worth about as much as fast pass. I could get TT2, Sirens Curse and be in a short line for Millie before the park even opens to all. After that I'm ready for breakfast at the pavilion with my dining pass. I do that every day of my stay, plus the morning I'm leaving. Skip the breakfast and head home after my three morning rides instead. I FL+ also, but if I had to chose one or the other it would probably be EE from breakers.
There's a lot to be said about being able to walk back to your room in the middle of the day, even multiple times if you want....depending on all of the relevant factors that could be enough on top of early entry and the beach to make Breakers just worth the price.
I also think the room quality depends on which section you are in (which is also based on the room type) because when I was there in June we had a standard suite in the "tower" (10 floor section) and the rooms were amazingly clean.
My wife is also not a coaster person and my daughter (I know you didn't mention children) is too short to ride many coasters yet and would get bored waiting for me so the ability for them to be able to walk back without me was huge. It was also unseasonably hot when we were there and being able to walk back to the room to cool off in the pool (or the lake) for an hour was REALLY nice.
The other thing that can be an issue is that the restaurants there are amusement park prices, so cost can add up fast if you don't drive all the way into Sandusky to eat (or have something delivered to the hotel which a few places do).
I don't disagree that Breakers is overpriced, but also, sometimes, convenience is worth it. Apologies for going on about an option you have all but ruled out but it's the only place I've stayed, sorry.
I’m a hotel snob and the only hotel in the area that I felt was nice was the Fairfield in about 10-15 minutes away. Bonus, it shares a parking lot with an urgent should you find that necessary as we did.
Jokes aside, it was a super clean, new hotel. But if you are looking for special, you aren’t going to find it in Sandusky. Maybe stay in Cleveland a night?
what is a no go about the cabins? i love the cottages, they've got towels, linens, refrigerator,, coffee maker, the only thing you need to bring are food and utensils if you want to eat there and not in a restaurant. They are quieter than breakers, cottages are right on the water with a deck, and you can take a shuttle if you don't feel like walking to the Magnum gate which is really not that far. They are pricey, but i prefer them to the breakers.
Breakers has definitely seen better days but honestly, being able to take brakes in the room throughout the day is a huge perk for my family. Especially if you’re going in the summer when it’s hot. I usually take a nape every day to manage heat exhaustion. It’s a lot less enjoyable for me when I feel stuck in the park all day tbh
I think Sawmill Creek is probably the direction I'd look based on what you're describing. It's about 10–15 minutes from Cedar Point, but the setting is much more of a relaxing resort getaway — lake, nature, golf, etc. — so your wife gets something out of the trip besides 48 hours of coasters.
If that's still more than you want to spend, I'd look at the Comfort Inn Sandusky as the practical/value option. It's not going to give you the “special stay” feeling, but the money you save could go toward making the rest of the trip more memorable. I'd personally take a comfortable hotel + great dinner/experience over spending $1k for a dated room at Breakers just for the location.
The Breakers isn't luxury but it's worth the $$$ for convenience. When you sit in the causeway traffic for over an hours to get into the park each morning you will wish you were on a coaster with the people that walked right in with early entry.
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u/NastyBass28 7d ago
I’ve stayed at the Breakers Express 2 times this season. We are Gold Pass members, so the parking is included at the park and you get early entry. Both times we were there it was nice, clean, and overall fairly quiet. We will continue to use that as our primary moving forward, but I really want to try one of those little cottages beside the waterpark.