Great Lakes

Introduction

Sunset on Lake Superior

© Rhombus

The Great Lakes, consisting of Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, are some of the most amazing features of North America and are located on the Canada - United States border. These giant bodies of freshwater seem like oceans and offer great opportunities for relaxation and adventure. If you want to hang out on the beach at Union Pier, hike the Superior Trail or explore the wilderness of Isle Royale National Park there is plenty to do along the shoreline or in the water. With a total surface of 208,610 km², and a total volume of 22,560 km3 together they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, together holding over 20% of the world's fresh water.

Geography

The Great Lakes region also contains numerous minor lakes and rivers, as well as approximately 35,000 islands. Lake Superior is about 31,700 sq miles, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan follow with 23,010 and 22,400 square miles respectively. Lake Erie is about 9,940 square miles and the smallest is Lake Ontario with 7,540 square miles. The latter is also located about 100 metres lower than the other four lakes. Lake Superior is the deepst of them all, averaging 150 metres deep with a maximum drop over 400 metres.

Cities

These are the most important cities around each lake:

Lake Erie

• Buffalo, New York
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Erie, Pennsylvania
• Toledo, Ohio

Lake Huron

• Detroit, Michigan
• Alpena, Michigan
• Bay City, Michigan
• Owen Sound, Ontario
• Port Huron, Michigan
• Sarnia, Ontario

Day 17 - Iron River joining Lake Superior

© jl98584

Lake Michigan

• Chicago, Illinois
• Gary, Indiana
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Michigan City, Indiana
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Muskegon, Michigan
• Traverse City, Michigan

Lake Ontario

• Hamilton, Ontario
• Kingston, Ontario
• Mississauga, Ontario
• Oshawa, Ontario
• Rochester, New York State
• Toronto, Ontario
• Pickering, Ontario

Lake Superior

• Duluth, Minnesota
• Marquette, Michigan
• Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
• Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Superior, Wisconsin
• Thunder Bay, Ontario

Diving into beautiful Lake Superior

© Rhombus

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
• St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
• Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
• Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
• Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
• Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
• Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
• Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

• Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
• The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.

Weather

Temperatures can range from 40 °C in summer (June to early September) -40 °C during cold winter nights. Rain is mostly in the form of heavy downpours (thunderstorms) in summer and can be persistent throughout spring and fall. Snow and frost is common in winter, especially in Canada and the northern half of the USA, occasionally even in Texas. The Great Lakes generally are not prone to extreme heath or cold and are outside the hurricane area or "Tornado Alley", though tornadoes can reach it southern parts sometimes.

Getting There

By Train

There are possibilities to reach the specific states or provinces by train. Check Canada's ViaRail website or Amtrak for routes in the USA.

By Bus

Check Greyhound US and Greyhound Canada for details about routes, prices and schedules.

Getting Around

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National.

Sleep