The five Great Lakes, namely Erie, Ontario, Michigan, Huron, and Superior, form the most extensive freshwater system worldwide. The Great Lakes borders two Canadian provinces and eight US states.
America has been emerging from the haze of the pandemic, which makes travelers explore their backyards and local places.
The Great Lakes is always ready to fill in those spaces for adventures. From shipwreck snorkeling to parasailing, the lakefront towns are everything a traveler can pull off from their vacation.
The place has an unbelievable and beautiful history that the tourists overlook. One of the travels mentioned his cycling journey covering the five lakes.
He says the place is underrated, and that adds to its charm. Some of the best spots surrounding the Great Lakes can be your next vacation destination. Read on to explore these places.
8 Best Places to Visit in the Great Lakes
Niagara River, Canada, and New York
Niagara River is an excellent option to explore. Forget about the falls; the visitors find it beautiful to remain around the waters.
A scenic drive initiates from Fort Niagara in New York, where the river connects with Lake Ontario. From here, it heads down to Lewiston with the river Gorge and then crosses to Canada.
This drive ends at the popular Niagara-on-the-lake in Ontario. The place is peaceful with historic buildings.
From here, you can explore Lake Ontario in Oswego. Oswego can be considered as the place where you can pour out. This happens precisely where the Oswego river blends with Lake Ontario.
You can plan a tour through the Oswego West Lighthouse. The trip revolves around the history of the harbor and the exceptional engineering needed for the Lighthouse to keep its balance amid the extreme conditions of Ontario.
You can never miss Oswego’s sunsets. They are legendary and beautiful.
Duluth, Minn
You must be amazed to know that the largest port of the Great Lakes has reinvented itself to be one of the finest tourist-friendly destinations.
The Lake has made itself heavenly with waterfront parks and some refurbished warehouses comprising restaurants and shops.
The city near the hills beautifully offers lakefront festivals, harbor cruises, aquariums, and museums. The reviews say the town has quite a lot of hustle-bustle all over with an affordable waterfront.
Door County, Wisconsin
You can consider it a ship-building town that presides over Door County. It is a famous Lake in the Michigan Gateway, also known as the Cape Cod of the Midwest.
Michigan is an excellent place to travel to, considering you have flavors of casinos inside of you. The state is one of the best regarding casinos and online wagering.
You can visit traditional casinos or even check for the available Michigan sports betting app online. After sightseeing in the picturesque spaces of Door County, you can entertain yourself with some prolific casino bonuses and incredible odds.
The leftover spaces of these towns and villages are now converted into a tourism sector and a land of beauty.
Returning to Michigan, Lake Huron, Alpena is a place to consider for history buffs.
The area comprises Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where around 200 shipwrecks are submerged on the coast of Michigan. If you want a front-row view of Lake Huron, don’t forget to hit Starlite Beach.
Holland, Michigan
Holland is one of the most prosperous communities near Lake Michigan and a central vacation town. This city comprising around 33,000 population, is popularly particular because of its tulip festival in spring.
The place is filled with dunes, there are beaches, and it is a perfect downtown. The town is an ideal blend of rural and urban livelihood and household. This is the most appealing part of Holland.
Manitoulin Island, Canada
This landmass of Lake Huron is recognized as the world’s most significant island in terms of freshwater bodies. The island is connected to the mainland by a separate one-lane bridge.
This place is considered a perfect fit for hiking and fishing. Travelers visiting Manitoulin Island can also get a chance to meet the First Nation’s people or the indigenous folk of Canada. They call this island their home.
Cleveland
Ohio is a pleasant surprise to the localities and visitors. The largest metropolitan area of Ohio is impressive and comprises museums, old buildings, universities, and renovative shopping centers.
If you are a music addict, you would surely like the Lake Erie waterfront – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sports enthusiasts can tune up with some of the best teams in the nation.
The strange thing is around 300 people reside in the region, but during the summers, the number reaches its epitome.
The Ohio village is situated on South Bass Island. It is not so difficult to get there. You must hop on a 20-minute ferry from Catawba to rent a golf cart and stroll through the 4.5-mile-long isle.
If you want a bird’s eye view, don’t think much and book a parasailing journey with the local operators. One thing you cannot miss about Ohio and the Lake is the multiple availabilities of butterflies fluttering in the Butterfly House.
Port Austin
If you have heard about Michigan from any of your friends or relatives, you must be aware that the locals compare their state to a shape of a mitten.
And this is strange. But Port Austin in Michigan is located on the tip of this thumb. Travelers get charmed by the natural beauty of this historic town, and the Port leaves them in a state of aura.
If you wish to be surprised by the beauty of a mere mitten-shaped village, don’t miss to visit Port Austin.
Long Point National Wildlife Region, Canada
The Northern side of Lake Erie is quite surprising to many tourists. The place has no concept of a minor. It is kind of unexpectedly developed and smoothly breathtaking.
Canada’s National Wildlife Region is the haven for birds migrating from regions. These birds stretch from a sandy peninsula covering nearly 100 miles from the west of Buffalo. No one expects such a scene in Lake Erie.
Kingston, Canada
You know a gem if you are aware of Canada’s gateway to multiple islands. Kingston’s Lake Ontario waterfront town is famous for its prosperous downtown.
It also offers a free ferry trip to Wolfe Island. This includes golfing, bicycling, and visiting beaches. The largest of these thousand Islands is Wolfe’s Island.
This is one of the scenic areas of the US-Canada borderlines. Some of these are the size of rocks, while others are huge. According to the reviews, these islands are unique.
Final Words
Are you ready for a picturesque, exciting, action-packed weekend? But, do you fear moving out to distant places? The Great Lakes have excellent surroundings for you to spend your homely vacations.
You will be amazed about these places cornering the five beautiful lakes. However, never let them go unexplored and undiscovered. Some of these spaces are exquisitely discovered by tourists to spend their vacations in summertime.
The Great Lakes offer so much for travelers. They’re the perfect blend of city life and picturesque nature. If you’re looking for a unique vacation to take, the Great Lakes is a great option.
Not only are the Great Lakes unique, but there’s a lot of history behind them as well. They’re definitely worth a visit.
