Welcome to the one and only Ashtabula, Ohio
We are excited to have you visit Jennie’s infamous hometown for this very special occasion. On this page you’ll find information and suggestions for lodging as well as recommendations for food, drinks, sight-seeing, and other Bula-shenanigans.
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We highly recommend booking lodging and transportation options as soon as possible. The September 6th weekend is a very popular weekend for tourism in the Ashtabula area. Geneva on the Lake (next town over) hosts it’s annual Thunder on the Strip which brings in thousands of bikers for a very loud and rowdy weekend. We expect most lodging options in the area to be fully booked for our wedding weekend
Lodging
The Ashtabula Harbor neighborhood sits along the Lake Erie shoreline and intersects with the Ashtabula River. The area is home to Bridge Street and will act as our homebase for the wedding weekend. We encourage you book to lodging in this area and have provided several recommendations below.
Riverbend Hotel
Newly opened in 2024, the Riverbend Hotel sits right on the waterfront of the Ashtabula Harbor. Located off of Bridge Street, it’s an easy walk to restaurants, bars, and shops.
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We’ve reserved a block of rooms for the nights of September 5th & 6th.
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Call 440-533-8500 and mention the Pugliese/Guist block of rooms or use the link below.
AirBnBs & VRBO
If the hotels aren’t your thing, there are plenty of accommodations around Bridge Street and the Harbor on both AirBnB and VRBO.
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Click the buttons below to view housing options for AirBnb and VRBO.
Other Lodging Options
There are several 2- and 3- Star hotels located on Route 45 off the I-90 exit.
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Please be aware that these hotel options are not located in the Harbor area. If this option floats your boat, we recommend the following hotel:
Fairfield Inn & Suites
2782 Sidley Ct, Austinburg, OH 44010
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440-880-5500
Transportation
Please be aware that there are no Ubers or Lyfts in the Ashtabula area. Therefore, please make arrangements in advance for getting to and from the venue. Although ride-sharing is not an option, there are taxi and shuttle services in the area that can be booked in advance. Please see below for more information and click on the icons for websites.
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While we are hoping to secure shuttle transportation from the Riverbend Hotel, we can not guarantee this option at this time. We will communicate with our Riverbend guests as we find out more.
Things to Do
Eat
Bridge Street Grub
Bascule Bridge Grille – New American dishes right next to the Riverbend Hotel. We recommend the steak or mussels. Jennie’s family took Mitchell here for dinner the first time he visited Bula.
Rennick Meat Market – Jennie’s personal favorite of the Bridge Street options. Leaning into the history of the building, Rennick’s offers a butcher-heavy menu. Do not sleep on the apps or cocktails.
Harbor Halcyon – casual American with a huge list of fun cocktails.
Briquettes Smokehouse – BBQ and craft beers. Nice brick patio next to the river.
Bridge Street Galley – A favorite of Mitchell’s. Good option for breakfast and lunch.
Eats Beyond the Harbor
Crow’s Nest – casual American Italian. An Ashtabula institution and a lifelong regular gathering place for Jennie’s family and friends. Get the hot cheese balls and the Nester pizza.
Los Compadres – Known as “Los” to locals, check out this classic small-town Mexican joint. The margs here are infamous – you’ve been warned.
Alessandro’s – Cozy, intimate, family-run Italian. Very good people– Alessandro (quite the character) has employed Jennie’s family and friends over the years.
Drink
Cheers on Bridge Street
Harbor Perk Coffeehouse – Damn fine coffee. Please get your morning cup of joe here. Very popular gathering spot in Bula and run by friends. Good beans, good brews, good folks. Tell Steve Jennie sent you.
Cloven Hoof Brewing – edgy brewery with some funky and fun beers.
Bum Boat – It’s a bar on a boat and it’s awesome. Much loved.
Iroquois Lounge – Lookin for a dive? We’ve got you covered. Likely the only place open on Bridge Street past 10pm.
Wineries
Debonne Vineyards – Madison
South River Vineyard – Geneva \\ very cool, in an old church
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante – Geneva
Laurello Vineyards – Geneva
Markko Vineyard – Conneaut \\ incredibly charming and rustic hideaway in the woods, tons of character.
Tarsitano Winery – Conneaut
Be Merry
Fun in the Harbor
Harbor Yak – Rent some kayaks, a pontoon, waterbikes, or paddleboards and explore the river or area behind the breakwall.
Point Park – vista overlooking the harbor, lift bridge, and marina. Also a popular spot for high schoolers to make out.
Walnut Beach – stroll along the beach and look for beach glass, check out the sand dunes, or attempt to walk down the breakwall to the old lighthouse.
Fat Sally’s Warehouse – old warehouse turned into antique store. Large selection of treasures.
Goodwill – the thrift store that started it all. Jennie owes her love of thrifting to this location.
Explore Ashtabula
Red Brook Metro Park – Check out this old golf course turned metro park. Mitchell and Jennie’s preferred spot for birding and Westley roaming.
Covered Bridges – Ashtabula is home to tons of historic covered bridges. The Smolen-Gulf covered bridge is the longest in the U.S.
Brant’s Apple Orchard – a local favorite. An orchard with a small cafe and market. Grab some apple cider donuts and an apple cider slushie and find a nice spot to sit outside.
Geneva-on-the-Lake
On any other weekend we would highly recommend checking out the iconic and historic Geneva-on-the-Lake. However, the September 6th weekend is the planned date for the Thunder on the Strip biker festival. While certainly its own unique experience worth checking out, be aware of the change in atmosphere and high levels of tourism in the area.
If you’re still game to check out the area here are a few recommended spots:
Eddie’s Grill – travel back in time to the 1950s by eating at this historic diner. They say it’s all in the buns. Pro-tip: Get your burgers here and your lemonade from the DQ next door.
The Swiss Chalet – a very beloved bar full of happy memories. Jennie was head-waitress here for a summer. Owned by friends.
Katie’s Korner – the best ice cream. Make sure to ask for extra napkins.
Madsen Donuts – Right next to the ice cream. Grab some of both.
Allison’s Mini Golf – the oldest mini-golf course in the U.S.
