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It's interesting to note that the lakes are only 10,000 years old - they came into their present state after a process of glacial "rebound" following the retreat of the ice sheet after the last ice age.
That's very young in geologic terms. For example, Lake Baikal in Russia is estimated to be around 25 million years old. There aren't many lakes of any significance which are younger than the Great Lakes. There are some places where volcanoes blew their lids then filled up with rainwater (like Crater Lake in Oregon), but nothing even close in scale or size.
You can just barely see Canada descend into the horizon from the other side of Lake St. Clair. And it's not even a Great Lake (though there are proposals on whether it should be one).
It's ok, the Midwest doesn't don't mind if you guys stay on your overly expensive coasts.
It really is not a great lake, its part of the Detroit/Saint Clair river system. Its actually a uniqe body of water, hard to classify.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Best Great Lakes Vacation?
What do you all think would be the best Great Lakes Vacation? I was thinking perhaps Northern Michigan (Traverse City/Makinac Island/UP). Suggestions, ideas?
What do you all think would be the best Great Lakes Vacation? I was thinking perhaps Northern Michigan (Traverse City/Makinac Island/UP). Suggestions, ideas?
Perhaps Sackets Harbor, Sandy Pond and Cape Vincent, among a few other places on the eastern end of Lake Ontario. You can sneak over to the 1000 Islands, if you want to as well.
completely underrated... yes the great lakes freshwater system is one of if not the largest freshwater system of lakes in the world according to the us epa... it spans 750 miles or so from east lake ontario to west lake superior by minnesota. wikipedia has an article referring to this area as the premeire mega-region in North America with almost 30 metro regions, 25 of them with over 1 million metro, all around the midwest and the great lakes including canadian cities like toronto and montreal. from wikipedia - "The Great Lakes Megalopolis, is one of the world's largest economies. The Great Lakes contain one-fifth of the world's surface fresh water and have a combined shoreline of 10,210 miles (17,017 km). About 200 million tons of cargo are shipped by way of the Great Lakes each year." so basically its quietly supports the 55+ million people that share its water and use it.
if i were to reccommend a cool vacation go to "the dells" in wisconsin and take the tour on the "duck boats" - from what i remember as a kid, the tour takes you along a scenic route some including driving on roads, some in water. my fave was when we'd drive down real fast entering the water and make a huge splash! lol so fun i remember... even in winter ripping around on snowmobiles comin in smelling like 2 stroke! lol and then cruising the sand dunes in michigan riding atvs - its a really nice place to go to as well, i think its a state park... many friends of mine have gone and visited the michigan UP or stayed there an entire summer for vacation. my friends landlord had a boat and a lakehouse in Michigan and many good memories i remember from parties/late nights/summer skinny dippin there. the econmy has since forced them to sell but thats another story...
its predicted great megalopolis will reach some 60 million by 2025, chicago supposedly gaining the most, but toronto gowing the fastest...
the more i travel, the more amazed and lucky i feel to have lived here my home in the chi, the midwest.
What do you all think would be the best Great Lakes Vacation? I was thinking perhaps Northern Michigan (Traverse City/Makinac Island/UP). Suggestions, ideas?
Personally, if I were going to take a trip based around the Great Lakes it would be to either Lake Superior in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or the Upper Peninsula. Also, the Northern part of the Lower Peninsula on Lake Huron or Lake Michigan. I like the area because it is Northwoods which Ontario, Erie, and parts of Michigan and Huron aren't.
Mackinac Island is a great place to visit so I would suggest it.
What do you all think would be the best Great Lakes Vacation? I was thinking perhaps Northern Michigan (Traverse City/Makinac Island/UP). Suggestions, ideas?
What are you looking for - nice, sandy beaches, shopping, watersports, peace and quiet?
It's interesting to note that the lakes are only 10,000 years old - they came into their present state after a process of glacial "rebound" following the retreat of the ice sheet after the last ice age.
That's very young in geologic terms. For example, Lake Baikal in Russia is estimated to be around 25 million years old. There aren't many lakes of any significance which are younger than the Great Lakes. There are some places where volcanoes blew their lids then filled up with rainwater (like Crater Lake in Oregon), but nothing even close in scale or size.
Not all of them. Lake Superior was formed when a volcanic mountain erupted and collapsed, creating a giant crator that filled in with water from the glaciers.
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Best Great Lakes Vacation?
