How to Plan an Epic Great Lake RV Trip
Plan a Great Lake RV Trip
It was during Covid and we were in the long trudges of homeschooling our kids. Our 4th Grader was learning about the Great Lakes. He found this very interesting and I even learned lots of information about how they formed and their importance! Did you know that the Great Lakes make up the largest freshwater system in the world? I had no idea!
Our family decided this was going to be our first long road trip with the RV, it was far enough away but not too far away! So, our first epic road trip was around Michigan to see 3 of the 5 Great Lakes. This was such a memorable trip that the following summer, we decided to visit the remaining Great Lakes. Here’s our Best to Less Best Ranking of the Great Lakes:
- Lake Huron
- Lake Superior
- Lake Ontario
- Lake Michigan
- Lake Erie
This was our first non-beach summer vacation and we haven’t looked back! Don’t get me wrong, we enjoy the beach, the sound of the waves and the smell of the surf are wonderful but there is just so much to see in our own country and this trip gave us that!
Planning our Great Lake RV Trip
Our Planning a Great Lake RV Trip for us involved breaking the trip into a couple of phases.
Phase 1
Year 1, was around Lake Michigan from the great sand dunes through Mackinaw City and the Upper Peninsula to Wisconsin.
Phase 2
Year 2, was through New York to Lake Ontario and Niagra Falls then to Ohio and Lake Erie.
Your Great Lake RV Trip
Your Great Lake RV Trip might look different based on the time you have for travel. With school and work schedules we were limited to about 7 to 10 days each year.
What is Summertime Weather like at the Great Lakes?
Summertime weather around the Great Lakes is truly amazing. Warm during the day and cool at night. We traveled around Michigan in July 2021. We were in shorts most days and lightweight pants and sweatshirts in the evening! By the time we arrived near the UP, the sun did not set until nearly 10PM, so there was so much daylight to enjoy all the activities!
Year 1 (2021 for our trip)
Our 1st stop was Lake Michigan
There are so many cute towns to stay at on Lake Michigan, you can’t go wrong with any of them! We chose Mears, MI mostly due to the fact that it was the perfect distance to travel from our house. It was an easy 8-hour drive from KY. Our campground was just a few miles from Lake Michigan and Silver Lake State Park. We did not realize this but this was Off Road Vehicle heaven! There is a sand dune course you can drive on. We did not partake in this but most people in this area were there for that reason.
We found a public beach where we could hang out at. It was even pet friendly! Finn and the kids had a blast splashing in the water. They would go in for a few minutes and run out teeth chattering. It’s amazing how much it looks like the ocean but the waves are minimal and there is no salt or sharks. They advertise this everywhere, very catchy! The water was fun but after freezing in the water for a bit, we decided to head out.
The star of the show on Lake Michigan is the humongous sand dunes! Lake Michigan’s shore is home to the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world, some as high as 450 feet! We climbed up and down these dunes for hours laughing and having an amazing time. The next day we brought our dog back and climbed a second time. This is something you should not miss out on in your lifetime!
Stop 2…Lake Huron
Oh, Lake Huron is just gorgeous! The clear color of the water is spectacular! We stayed in Mackinaw City, MI. Our campground, Mackinaw Mill Creek was right on Lake Huron and we had the most amazing view of the Mackinaw Bridge from our campsite! The kids were able to wade right into the lake from the campground. Spoiler alert, it was really cold! They did not last long but they did it!
We toured Mackinaw Island for a day. Motor vehicles are not allowed on this island so everyone gets around on foot, bike, or horse-drawn carriage. The day was spent dodging horse poop. And it kind of smelled, but the views made up for it! We anticipated this being the highlight of our trip and while it was fun and beautiful and so different, we just didn’t love it. There was a stop along our bike path that gave us the most spectacular view of Lake Huron. It will forever be etched in my memory! See our post all about Mackinaw and our campground!
While this might not have been our favorite stop along the way, it is so iconic, it just can’t be missed. It also showed us that traveling is full of surprises. We had no idea how fun the sand dunes were going to be and how much we would love our final stop on our 1st leg of our Great Lake trip!
Stop 3…Lake Superior
This was our 2nd favorite lake, mostly for the sheer giganticness of it. Spanning nearly 32,000 square miles, Lake Superior is not only the largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area) but also the 2nd largest lake in the world! It’s deepest point is 1,330 feet deep! The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is truly amazing as well. There was no traffic and the trees were thick. Now we have a lot of forest areas in Ky but nothing like the amount of trees in the UP! There were so many trees that sunlight could not get through. It was a sight to see!
We stayed in Newberry, MI at Kritters Campground which is a centrally located spot that we loved. The wifi was non-existent! Mike had to do a little work one day and had to sit outside the closed library in Newberry, MI and “steal” their wifi, it is a story we still laugh at!
Pictured Rocks
Everywhere we visited in the UP was more mind-blowing and different than we have experienced anywhere else. Our favorite was the Pictured Rocks Cruises boat tour of Pictured Rocks National Seashore. We were able to see firsthand how massive Lake Superior is and the sheer beauty of the rock cliffs that surround the lake. How many people do you know that have been on Lake Superior? I don’t know anyone else besides our little family! We were able to stick our feet into the water of Lake Superior at a beach near the dock and burr!
We also enjoyed the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and learning about the dangers of this lake and the caretaker of the lighthouse. The Museum taught us about how severe the winters are in this area. It is really hard for us to imagine. School is canceled for days if we get more than an inch of snow!
Tahquamenon Falls
We also really enjoyed Tahquamenon Falls. The hiking was not difficult but the views and the waterfalls were beautiful. The Soo Locks were more enjoyable for some than others. This is one of the busiest locks in the world. It was amazing being next to a ship that was massive! Now, it was a very long tour and we can blame that on Covid and the Canadians closing their locks to all ships and boats that were not Canadian. It was very informative but too long! All of this was dog friendly too! There were on-site kennels for the Pictured Rocks boat tour and the Soo Locks boat tour. Pro tip – bring a lock for the kennel so your dog is there when you return.
The Upper Peninsula is still one of our favorite places we have traveled to so far! I think the remoteness and unbelievable landscape makes this a must-see place!
Year 2 Great Lake Adventures
Since we had such an amazing time seeing 3 of the 5 Great Lakes, we started working on the next summer’s Great Lake RV Trip to see Lake Erie and Ontario! We knew that one of our stops had to be Niagara Falls! This isn’t quite Lake Ontario but we were in the area and this water flows into Lake Ontario! Our kids are avid roller coater lovers so a stop at Cedar Point, right on Lake Erie fit the bill for this trip!
Our 4th Great Lake, Lake Ontario
After a stop at Gettysburg on the way to Niagara Falls, NY, we were en route to our 4th Great Lake. Niagara Falls is another iconic travel spot in the US. We thoroughly enjoyed our day here and especially loved the Maid of the Mist and the Cave of the Wind tours. Again, this was post-Covid and Canada was accessible now but difficult. Our family enjoyed the State Park feel on the US side and didn’t feel the need to spend more money on all the tourist traps on the Canadian side. We may have missed out on some pretty views but they are pretty spectacular on the US side as well!
The following day we traveled a few miles down the road to Whirlpool State Park. The water that travels over the falls eventually comes through this area. We enjoyed this area and being so up close to the raw power of the water was amazing. The color of the water was incredible too.
Our next stop was a beach to put our feet in Lake Ontario. We were blown away by the color and tranquility of this lake. The water was cool but refreshing. It was a nice place to relax after the hustle and bustle of Niagara Falls.
We absolutely loved our time at Niagara Falls and enjoyed being back up North during the summer! Our family has really learned to love these cooler temperatures during our summer vacations! We highly recommend Niagara Falls to everyone! But, this is a stop you can do in 1 to 2 days! So find some other areas you want to explore or visit some of the other Great Lakes while you are there!
Our Final Great Lake, Lake Erie
Our kids had researched and watched countless Coaster Dash YouTube videos on Cedar Point. They were most excited about this stop but before we entered the amusement park, we walked along Lake Erie. We can officially say we have put our feet in every Great Lake now! Our stay was at Lighthouse Point which is on the Cedar Point property and it sits on Lake Erie and is just a short walk from our site. The water was warmer here than any of the other Great Lakes but the water was also a darker color, not as pretty as the others. The Lake was a beautiful site the following day from several of the rides we went on.
If you are a roller coaster enthusiast, this is the place to go. Early entry was obtained since we were staying on-site. Our kids made sure we opened the park, walked back to our campsite for lunch, again for dinner, and then closed the park. We rode every ride and roller coaster there and our kids rode several coasters more than once. If you only have one day, we recommend splurging for the fast passes too! One parent faired better than the other; Mike had to recover after too many twists and turns for a bit! These rides are not for the faint of heart but thankfully they were mostly smooth roller coasters.
It was a beautiful site to look out on many of the rides and see the glistening water sparkling as the sun shined on it. The kids loved the swings at night time and the view of Lake Erie. There is so much to do on this lake but Cedar Point is hard to top!
We made our goal to see the Great Lakes
There are many ways to see the Great Lakes and a Great Lake RV Trip is an excellent choice! I hope you enjoyed our version of traveling to these amazing Lakes. Each lake was interesting and breathtaking. You just can’t imagine the sheer size of these lakes and the importance of them as well. I hope this inspires you to see this part of our beautiful country!
