12 Nicest Small Towns In The Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, situated along the border between Canada and the United States, consist of five interconnected lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. While Lake Michigan is the only one to lie completely within the United States, all five have a plethora of small towns that are worth the drive or plane trip to visit. From Grand Marais in Michigan on Lake Superior to Sackets Harbor in New York on Lake Ontario, there is something for every age along the banks of these phenomenal Great Lakes. Discover a dozen of the nicest small towns worth checking out in the Great Lakes region.
Alpena, Michigan
Located along the western banks of Lake Huron, the quaint town of Alpena is best known for being home to “Shipwreck Alley” and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (NMS). Thunder Bay NMS is responsible for the protection and preservation of almost 100 historic shipwrecks. Guests can even take a glass-bottomed boat tour out onto “Shipwreck Alley” and see some of these historic shipwrecks in person.
A couple of other attractions worth seeing in Alpena include Rockport State Park, 20 minutes north of downtown, and Starlite Beach, five minutes to the south. Starlight Beach offers three playground structures, as well as the beach. Rockport State Park has some great natural aspects, including Rockport Quarry and Sinkhole Loop, hunting for fossils, and even exploring the ghost village of Bell.
Sodus Point, New York
Less than an hour east of Rochester, the tiny town of Sodus Point is home to Sodus Point Beach Park. In itself, home to Sodus Point Lighthouse, first built in 1858, and Sodus Point Beach, Sodus Point Beach Park is situated along the tip of Sodus Point, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. The Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum is also worth a visit, with exhibits on the maritime history of the bay.
Beechwood State Park is also located in Sodus Point, only a few minutes from Sodus Point Beach Park. Beechwood State Park offers visitors the option to view a former Girl Scout Camp that operated from 1929 to 1996. Some of its buildings are still standing as sentinels to this day.
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
The town of Sturgeon Bay, along the banks of Lake Michigan, 40 minutes from Green Bay, is home to several awesome outdoor experiences. Cave Point County Park offers everything from exploring underwater caves in kayaks to cliff-jumping into Lake Michigan itself. There are also great trails in Cave Point, including Cave Point Lakeside Trail and Black Trail.
Sturgeon Bay is also home to the Door County Maritime Museum, The Farm, and the Garden Door. While the museum has exhibits on shipwrecks in the area, as well as ice-fishing artifacts, The Farm and Garden Door both present a chance to interact with nature. The Farm has a variety of animals for children to learn about, while the Garden Door has twenty unique sections, including a fairy garden and a double kaleidoscope.
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Along the northern edge of Lake Superior, the quaint town of Grand Marais has a wealth of natural and historic attributes. From the Grand Portage State Forest, 30 miles east of town, to Judge C.R. Magney State Park, less than 20 minutes to the north, there are a vast number of outdoor attractions available. The state park is even home to Devil’s Kettle Falls and Upper Falls.
There are some other outstanding attributes in Grand Marais. Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center hones in on the history of Gunflint Trail, an almost 60-mile trail from Grand Marais to Saganaga Lake. Artists’ Point Trail is less than a mile away and offers great views of Lake Superior. South Lake Trail, approximately two miles out and back, begins at Poplar Lake and ends at Birch Lake.
Charlevoix, Michigan
Sandwiched between Lake Michigan and Lake Charlevoix, the picturesque town of Charlevoix has several awesome natural attractions. Fisherman’s Island State Park, situated just four miles west of downtown, is home to five miles of shoreline along the bank of Lake Michigan and a rustic campground. Even though Fisherman’s Island is closed to the public, several great trails are in Fisherman's Island State Park on the mainland, like the Fisherman’s Island Nature Trail.
Castle Farms and Boulder Park also call Charlevoix home. Boulder Park consists of 85 uniquely shaped house lots designed by Earl Young. Green Mortar House, was the first building to be constructed by Young. He built the last, the Pagoda House, a decade later. Castle Farms, ten miles to the south of town, was first constructed in 1918 by Albert Loeb, the vice president of Sears-Roebuck at the time.
Sackets Harbor, New York
Around 90 miles northeast of the tiny town of Sodus Point, the small town of Sackets Harbor, New York, along the eastern edge of Lake Ontario, is home to a plethora of awesome natural attractions. Along with swimming, boating, fishing, and kayaking in Lake Ontario, you can also find (for a price) pleasure cruises and fishing charters.
Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, also located on the banks of Lake Ontario, provides guests a stunning peek into the War of 1812, between the British and America. There are also, during summer months, reenactments of how it felt to live the life of a soldier back then. Visitors can also check out the Navy Yard and the Commandant’s House.
Ashland, Wisconsin
Along the southern shore of Chequamegon Bay, which feeds into Lake Superior, the small town of Ashland is home to some great historic attractions. The Soo Line 950 Locomotive is in Ashland. It was built in 1900, retired in 1954, and was given to Ashland in 1956.
Some natural attractions also call Ashland home. Maslowski Beach, with over 1,400 feet of sandy shoreline, offers swimming, sun-tanning, and an excellent view of the bay area. Plus, two miles from downtown, the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center has several awesome exhibits, including information on the history and heritage of Lake Superior.
Fairport Harbor, Ohio
About 30 minutes east of Cleveland, the picturesque town of Fairport Harbor, on Ohio’s stretch of Lake Erie’s shoreline, is home to Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park. Including a public beach, with a concession stand and lifeguards during the summer, Lakefront Park is also close to several fine restaurants, including Sunset Harbor Bar and Grille, serving burgers and sandwiches with an emphasis on seafood.
Another great attraction of Fairport Harbor, the Fairport Harbor Marine Museum and Lighthouse, is located on the opposite end of Lakefront Park. The first lighthouse was completed in 1825 and rebuilt in 1871, while the museum was first opened in 1945. With artifacts and exhibits featuring the Great Lakes, there is something for everyone who chooses to visit.
Dunkirk, New York
Less than an hour west of Buffalo, the phenomenal town of Dunkirk, with its own share of natural attractions, is home to Kosciuszko Park, Hazelton Dog Park, Point Gratiot Park, and Memorial Park, all of which present a wonderful taste of nature for those missing it. Point Gratiot Park also has awe-inspiring views of Lake Erie, as well as a great beach.
Some other attractions in Dunkirk include the Dunkirk Lighthouse and the Dunkirk City Pier, the latter offering fishing in Lake Erie, a boardwalk market, picnicking opportunities, and a boat and kayak launch. The lighthouse, also known as the Point Gratiot Light, was first established in 1826 and first lit in 1875. It became automated in 1960 and is still in operation today. The attached museum has several military artifacts on display.
Munising, Michigan
Home of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Miners Castle Rock, the tiny town of Munising is situated at the southern end of South Bay, along the top of what the locals call the Upper Peninsula. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, located around six minutes east of downtown, offers guests excellent views of sandstone cliffs and sandy beaches. Miners Castle Rock, the most popular of the cliff formations, is the only cliff area in the park accessible by vehicle.
There are also several beaches and waterfalls in the area of Munising. Miners Falls, Wagner Falls, and Au Train Falls, while Sand Point Beach, Miners Beach, and Twelvemile Beach are a few of the beaches. All of these attractions are within a short distance of town.
Chesterton, Indiana
About an hour around the southern edge of Lake Michigan from Chicago, the small town of Chesterton is home to awesome attractions, including Indiana Dunes State Park, which is inside the much larger Indiana Dunes National Park. Some amenities of the state park include three miles of shoreline and 16-plus miles of nature trails. Indiana Dunes National Park has 20 miles of shoreline and over 50 miles of nature trails.
Other attributes of the town of Chesterton and the surrounding area include Chesterton’s European Market, the Lustron House, and several antique stores, like Schoolhouse Shops and Yesterday’s Treasures. This particular Lustron House, also called the Coambs-Morrow House, constructed in 1950, was the last of these houses to be built.
Albion, Pennsylvania
Half an hour away from the city of Erie, along the banks of Lake Erie, the tiny town, or perhaps borough, of Albion is home to Albion Borough Park, which houses a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, a disc golf course, and a carousel. The carousel was first constructed in 1890, featuring animals that don’t move up and down, and it is said to be the third-oldest in the United States.
The picturesque town of Albion, Pennsylvania, is also renowned for its vibrant local food scene. From the Albion Farmers Market, situated on East State Street with fresh local produce, to Our Wee Farm Market, on Pont Road with farm-to-market products, to Albion Area Fair, in Albion Borough Park, there are a plethora of fine options in the town to eat with health and community in mind.
The Great Lakes, from Lake Ontario in the east, to Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Michigan, to Lake Superior in the west, have some phenomenally nice small towns lining its five interconnected bodies of water. Whether it is sharing the beauty of nature at a park in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, or joining in with the community of a great farmers market in Albion, Pennsylvania, these twelve relaxing, nice small towns in the Great Lakes region of the United States are well worth the trip.
