The Great Lakes

Since I live only about 60 miles from one of the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan) I have always had an interest in the region and in particular the lakes. I love the rich history of the lakes and the cities around them. I call myself an amateur historian and I find myself very interested in especially the Great Lakes shipping history. Recently, I celebrated my birthday and my family gave me a wonderful gift of a DVD set about the Edmund Fitzgerald. That is the ship that the singer Gordon Lightfoot sang about which sank on November, 1975.

There are five Great Lakes, Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. Some people also consider Georgian Bay of of lake Huron as its own lake and when you look at it’s size you can see why. I have personally been to all the Great Lakes. We love Mackinac Island which is in Lake Hurn and is a must to visit. If you do go to Mackinac, plan on staying on the island to get the real feel of the place. You can’t take your RV there, but you won’t regret your stay should you choose to do so. There are no cars on the island and the modes of transportation are horse drawn carriages, bicycles and good old fashioned walking. You will feel as though you have gone back in time. This is also where the film, Somewhere in Time starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymore was filmed.

When visiting the area of Mackinac Island, you will also see the Mackinac Bridge. This is the bridge that connects upper and lower Michigan in an area called the straits of Mackinac. This bridge is huge and it can only be appreciated once you see it close-up and especially when you drive on it. It is the longest suspension bridge in the United States.

I have a dream of traveling around the Great Lakes with my Travel Trailer and explore the areas. This would be a huge undertaking because the area around the lakes is so huge that as I said before, it would be nearly impossible to see everything around the lakes. I still plan on doing what I can to see all that I can. This summer, we are going to Door County, Wisconsin which is a just of land into Lake Michigan where Green Bay is on one side and Lake Michigan is on the other.

Of course, another destination is a waterway that flows North from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and this is where you will find Niagara Falls. The falls are an amazing thing to see! It is worth all the tourist stuff that is prevalent in the area to visit the falls. The best view is on the Canadian side and well worth the trip over.

Of all the lakes, Lake Superior is my favorite. It is a huge lake! It is also the deepest of the Great Lakes. It is so large that it has its own weather system. Years ago, we visited in July and when we arrived at Superior Wisconsin and when we drove across the border into Duluth Minnesota, the temperature went from about 80 degrees to about 50 degrees. If you go up the scenic route on the West shores of Lake Superior, you will come across Split Rock lighthouse. This is yet another great place to visit. Split Rock lighthouse is a fully restored lighthouse with period actors living the parts. It is very fascinating to hear the story of how the lighthouse came to be.

If you are a scuba diver, the Lakes are a great place to explore, especially in the relatively shallow waters of Lake Michigan. I have a friend that dives wrecks in Lake Michigan and it is supposed to be very fascinating. I have never scuba dived, but the thought has come to me to possibly try that someday.

There really is a lot to see around the lakes. If you’re planning on visiting the great Lakes and do some camping, make sure to call well ahead because many of the campgrounds are booked as much as two years in advance. This is the problem I have encountered as I try to find campgrounds to stay in around the lakes.

One dream I have is to have the opportunity to actually take a cruise aboard a Great Lakes ship, preferably on Lake Superior. Not a passenger cruise ship, but a true great Lakes cargo carrier. So, if you have any pull to help me with that dream, please feel free to contact me via this Blog!

Please share your experiences of camping around the Great Lakes! As usual, I would love to hear from you on your experiences!

Happy Camping and see you next Sunday!