9 Perfect Destinations for a Long Weekend in The Great Lakes Region

As the largest chain of freshwater lakes in the world with shorelines in eight states and one province in Canada, the Great Lakes certainly live up to their name. Each year they lure in around 70 million people who collectively spend around $15 billion on leisure activities to enjoy the beaches and water. From the quiet car-free streets of Mackinac Island to Grand Marais’ arts community, the small towns scattered around the shore of the Great Lakes appeal to all kinds of people. Even better, many destinations around the Great Lakes are accessible from larger cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto, making them the perfect destination to whizz off to for a long weekend.

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Mackinac Island is a quintessential Great Lakes destination on Lake Huron that is often regarded as the jewel of the Great Lakes. Fort Holmes is a historic site combined with a charming viewpoint. At 325 feet above the water, it is the highest point on the island and an ideal picnic spot. Inside the former military post, visitors can read interpretive panels detailing the history of the site.

The most authentic way to experience Mackinac Island is by hailing a carriage with Mackinac Island Carriage Tours. Sightseeing tours run seasonally between early May and late October, lasting roughly one hour and 45 minutes. Mackinac Island is renowned for its downtown fudge shops, so after you make your way down from Fort Holmes or hop off a horse-drawn carriage tour of the island, stop by Original Murdick's Fudge, the island’s first fudge maker to sample their handmade fudge and brittle.

Regardless of what you do on your long weekend in Mackinac Island, make sure you book a room at the Grand Hotel which offers 397 guest rooms, each one different from the last. After a day spent around the island, take a seat on the hotel’s 660 foot long porch, the longest in the world.

Kewaunee, Wisconsin

On the eastern side of Wisconsin’s Door County Peninsula, Kewaunee is right on the edge of Lake Michigan. If you decide to spend your long weekend here, you can stay right by the water at the Harbor Lights Lodge, equipped with modern in-room amenities and private balconies with views of the water.

Kewaunee has historical landmarks distributed throughout town such as the World’s Tallest Grandfather Clock which towers more than 35 feet in height and even more astoundingly it actually functions, chiming on the quarter, half and full hours. Tour the entire Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse which takes you from pier-level up the stairs to the lantern at 45 feet above the lake to take in the views of Lake Michigan and the Kewaunee harbor.

Alternatively, simply spend an afternoon soaking up the sun at Selner Park Beach. The park is equipped with restrooms, shaded picnic areas, a spacious sandy beach with plenty of room to sunbathe, and grants beachgoers a different kind of view of Lake Michigan with the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse included.

Kelleys Island, Ohio

Yet another Great Lakes island destination, Kelleys Island is the largest of Ohio’s Lake Erie islands. With its rocky shorelines and expansive dense forests, it is the perfect place to spend a long weekend for those who want to immerse themselves in nature. View the largest and most easily accessible glacier grooves in the world at the Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve. Via a walkway, footbridge, and stairs you can look down at the grooves from multiple different angles. Kelleys Island State Park Beach is nearby the grooves and is known for its shallow water which is perfect for wading in and cooling off on warm summer days. Additionally, there is a fishing pier, picnic shelter, and hiking trails.

For an experience like no other, make your way to the Monarch Winery and select a fruit wine or wine slushy and take it with you as you enter their greenhouse and walk amongst butterflies fluttering above your head. Kelleys Island Venture Resort is a great basecamp for exploring the island but also full of comforting amenities on-site such as a heated outdoor pool and a two-tiered wooden deck right on the water’s edge.

Michigan City, Indiana

Michigan City grants visitors to Indiana’s south shore of Lake Michigan access to a town with a rich maritime history and sprawling sand dunes. The Old Lighthouse Museum has seven exhibit rooms available detailing maritime life, local history and information on shipwrecks in the area, as well as belongings of lighthouse keepers which help visitors imagine what a day in their life would look like.

West of town, Indiana Dunes National Park stretches 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and has a varied terrain of savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests. Inland from the beach, the sand dunes rise close to 200 feet high to form ridges and valleys. In town, Washington Park and Beach has less dramatic scenery than sand dunes and instead gives visitors the chance to sunbathe on two miles of beach, rest on benches by wooden walkways, and have an alfresco lunch on one of the picnic tables.

The Bridge Inn consists of two separate guest houses: the Yellow House which has eight suites; and the Blue House which has six suites. Regardless of which house you stay in over the long weekend, each suite comes with a living room, dining area, and kitchenette. The Inn’s location is optimal for getting around town.

Grand Marais, Minnesota

Grand Marais is home to a thriving arts community on the north shore of Minnesota's Lake Superior. Part of its allure is that there is lots to do and see, but you can also do nothing at all and just relax. The choice is yours. Find out why there is so much lore around art in Grand Marais by visiting Artist’s Point. This flat rock peninsula extends out onto the water and is a favored spot in town to watch the sunset, snap great phots, and if you are lucky, observe an artist at work.

For a taste of the Great Lakes, spend some time in town and stop at the Fisherman’s Daughter at Dockside Fish Market for lunch. Highlights of their menu include fish and chips or smoked fish that have been caught fresh out of Lake Superior. After lunch, sip on locally brewed beer at the Voyageur Brewery by the warmth of their wood-burning fire while views of the lake open up on the horizon. Better yet, book a room at the Shoreline Inn and stay in a lakeside inn for the weekend which comes with in-room cable television and a free continental breakfast.

Oswego, New York

Oswego, on the south shore of Lake Ontario, is often referred to as a the port city of central New York. This is attributed to its appealing waterfront and maritime theme throughout town in places such as Breitbeck Park. The park is a focal point of town overlooking the harbor and providing visitors a moment of quiet retreat in town during their stay.

The H. Lee White Marine Museum has preserved 400 years of maritime heritage from the area including a collection of Native American artifacts, shipbuilding tools, boat models, and maritime-themed artwork. Make sure you stop by the Woodchuck Saloon to enjoy their daily happy hour, order a cold beer and enjoy it with some chicken wings. The Belvedere Inn at Merriam House is a historic hotel that pairs Victorian-era charm with modern day amenities such as luxury bathroom products and comfortable bed sheets and linens, ensuring you will be well rested on your long weekend.

Waterford, Pennsylvania

Although not directly on the shore of Lake Erie, Waterford is a quieter alternatively that is away from major Great Lakes cities in Pennsylvania like Erie. The Waterford Hotel has everything you need for a long weekend. It has an on-site restaurant and bar, and its central location on the town square makes everything you need in town is within close range. Outside of the hotel, Gazebo Park is a green space with shaded trees and a covered gazebo in the center. It is the ideal place to enjoy the tranquility of town.

Learn about the history of the area at the Fort LeBoeuf Museum which narrates the story of Native Americans who once lived on the land, and that of the French and British fur trade. At 20 miles south of Lake Erie, you cannot exactly step out the door of your hotel and get on the beach. However, LeBoeuf Lake is just outside of Waterford and a promising alternative that allows for a multitude of water-based activities.

Winthrop Harbor, Illinois

Winthrop Harbor is the most northeastern point of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan and is home to the largest freshwater marina in the United States, North Point Marina which has ample opportunities to fish from the pier, as well as an adjacent beach, which is prime for relaxation, and places to eat such as The Tropics. Its patio is the ideal place to sit back and sip on cocktails while you watch boats sail in and out of the marina.

Illinois Beach State Park is adjacent to Winthrop Harbor and its 4,160 acres are divided into two separate areas, both of which permit for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, and camping. It gives visitors the best of both worlds whether they want to get out amongst the sand dunes and marshes to appreciate nature or simply sit on the sand while the water ebbs at the shore. La Villa Motel is conveniently located within close proximity to the marina and Illinois Beach State Park so you can go and see them but also retreat back for a midday nap after you have spent the morning sightseeing.

Goderich, Ontario

Across the border in Ontario on the turquoise shoreline of Lake Huron, Goderich may be a small town, but it has a lot that attracts visitors. Goderich Main Beach is suitable for families spending a long weekend in town. Children will be occupied the whole afternoon on the playground equipment and you won’t even have to change locations for lunch as there are concessions on-site.

If you are in town during the summer, Courthouse Square hosts outdoor concerts and a weekly farmers market. Its central location also means you can easily discover the rest of town as there are many restaurants, cafes, and bars encircling the square such as Cait’s Café which specializes in light fare such as freshly brewed coffee and espresso, flaky pastries, and handmade sandwiches.

As well as places to eat, the square also has places to stay. Hotel Bedford, although a century old, has preserved its historic charm, and peppered in a few modern touches to make for a luxurious stay. Guests are often in awe from the moment they step into the lobby and the spacious staircase opens up above them.

A Long Weekend on the Great Lakes

Perhaps part of the Great Lakes’ appeal is the versatility of each destination and the different experiences you can have. From sipping wine with butterflies on Kelleys Island to walking among 200 foot high sand dunes that make you feel like you’re on another planet, the Great Lakes will surprise you no matter where you end up for a long weekend. Even better, many of the destinations dotted around the Great Lakes are so compact and small, you will be able to see them all over the weekend.