Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is the largest freshwater lake located entirely within the United States, and the third largest on the list of the Great American Lakes. The giant body of water has an area of 57,750 km², and the Lake Michigan shoreline belongs to four states at once.

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The Michigan Coast is a must-see destination for all beach vacationers as well as avid fishermen. Climb to the top of one of the numerous dunes, meet the dawn, watching the waves lapping at each other, catch a giant trout – this is a short list of what every traveler who begins to get acquainted with Lake Michigan and its surroundings should try. Fans of sightseeing tourism can also find here entertainment to their liking. The ancient lighthouses, national reserve and traditional museums will leave a lot of pleasant memories, which will be enough for more than one photo album.

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Geographic location

Lake Michigan is located just south of Lake Superior. This huge body of water, created by the collision of tectonic plates and the melting of a glacier, is connected by a strait to Lake Huron, forming a single hydrosystem with it. Michigan also communicates with the great American river Mississippi. This occurs through an artificial canal Chicago-Lockport.

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Lake Michigan has had its sonorous name since pre-Columbian times. The literal translation of the word from the language of the Ojibwe Indian tribe sounds like “big water”. Lake Michigan can not be attributed to the warmest lakes. Four months a year it is covered with a layer of ice, while the depth of the reservoir can reach 281 meters. Because of this natural feature, navigation on the lake is seasonal.

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Lake Michigan is the water boundary for four states, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. To appreciate the beautiful views of one of the greatest lakes in North America, you don’t have to choose a special itinerary at all. The trip can be combined with visits to cities such as Evanston, Chicago, Highland Park, Milwaukee, and Hammond, as they are all located on the Michigan coast.

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Where to vacation and what to see

The entertainment available to visitors to Lake Michigan is directly related to the time of year. For example, the summer season is the best period for active beach vacations. Two and a half thousand kilometers of Michigan’s shoreline has enough space not only for locals, but also for the many tourists who come to splash around in the clean, clear water of the great lake.

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Beaches

The main advantages of local beaches are the coarse white sand and the absence of coastal coral, which is so rich in the sea coast. In total, Lake Michigan has 30 areas adapted for recreation.

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Travelers who prefer popular and crowded places, it is better to rent a sunbed on the main beach of Chicago, Oak Street Beach or on the sprawling near the Navy Pier Ohio Street Beach. Both places have developed infrastructure and are ready to offer visitors the widest range of entertainment, from traditional volleyball to water scooter rides.

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Among owners of four-legged pets, Montrose Beach is especially popular. It is practically the only beach in Chicago that can be visited with a dog. However, this requires a special permit. But parking is completely free.

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Those tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, as well as families with children should go to Fullerton Beach. Here, of course, you will have to sacrifice a little personal comfort, because, unlike Oak Street Beach, there are no additional amenities on the beach. But there is plenty of silence and coarse white sand. For Milwaukee visitors who want to watch the sun set over Lake Michigan, Badfort Beach is the best place to do it.

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Fishing

Thanks to the timely passage of legislation to protect the lake from chemical and industrial pollution, Michigan’s waters have remained clean, which has had a positive effect on its inhabitants as well. Today, there are so many fish in the lake that not only U.S. citizens, but also foreign tourists can afford the pleasure of sitting with a fishing rod. Salmon, trout, pike, carp, whitefish, pikeperch – the species diversity of local fish can amaze even the richest imagination! To enjoy the “Michigan delicacies”, you will have to get a license for fishing. The document is usually sold in shops selling fishing equipment, and has certain restrictions.

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Interesting places

An alternative to fishing can be a tour of the Shipping Museum. The local exposition is aimed at tourists and familiarizes visitors with the history of shipbuilding, as well as the development of the fishing industry in the region.

Another calling card of Lake Michigan is lighthouses. The mere sight of the lone towers scattered along the shoreline evokes rather mixed feelings. The most famous structure is the Old Mission Lighthouse. The dilapidated structure is involuntarily associated with the favorite plot of American thrillers, in which the old tower necessarily becomes the abode of otherworldly forces and the repository of dark secrets.

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To wander the sand dunes, try to conquer their shaky peaks, and admire the views from them you can in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. In cases when you want to deviate from the usual tourist routes and get acquainted with the wild corners of the local nature, it is better to order a boat and go to the largest islands of Lake Michigan: South and North Manitou.

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Lake Michigan is an attraction with character

Despite the fact that Michigan’s waters are not home to relatives of the Loch Ness Monster, the body of water has plenty of dangerous secrets. The most important of them is unpredictable underwater currents that appear “out of nowhere”. Both an overconfident swimmer and a small vessel can become a prisoner of the crazy whirlpool. Lake Michigan demonstrates its character especially brightly in the fall. It is at this time on its surface there are huge waves, in height and destructive power that can argue with ocean waves. Adding to the apocalyptic picture of strong gusts of wind.

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Among the local population there is a legend about the Michigan Triangle: this is the name of a separate part of the lake, which is associated with the mysterious disappearance of ships. In 1950, for example, Northwest Airlines Flight 2501 disappeared here without a trace. Researchers had to be satisfied with only a few fragments of the hull of the airliner, while neither on the bottom of the reservoir, nor on its surface, no traces of the crash was not found.

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The coast is also fond of unbelievable tales, like the story of the Michigan werewolf. The attack of a creature unknown to science was recorded on video back in 1977. Although the film has never been officially recognized as authentic, the legend of the blue-eyed monster continues to stir the imagination of local residents. Over time, the story has been fleshed out and turned into a great tourist attraction.

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How to get there

You can get to Lake Michigan from one of the major cities along its shores. Regular flights are available for travelers to Chicago, Evanston and Highland Park (Illinois), Milwaukee and Green Bay (Wisconsin), and Gary and Hammond (Indiana).

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