As temperatures begin to rise, going swimming in a lake might be one of the best ways to cool off. Wisconsin has over 15,000 lakes, including three that were recognized as among the best lake vacation spots in the nation by Travel + Leisure magazine.
Lake Superior (No. 1), Lake Winnebago (No. 8) and Lake Michigan (No. 12) made the list of the top 25 locations.
Here’s more about what Travel + Leisure said:
Lake Winnebago
Travel + Leisure notes that Lake Winnebago is perfect for Wisconsin windsurfers in the summer:
“Steady wind and easy launch make Winnebago the lake of choice for Wisconsin windsurfers and kite surfers — especially in summer, when the shallow, sandy bottom creates water temperatures that are downright tropical (75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit). In winter, the lake converts to a natural rink for sail-powered ice racing.”
Lake Michigan
While Lake Michigan runs through three states, the experiences in each state can differ.
“The pastoral shores of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula offer totally different sun-and-sand experiences on the same lake,” Travel + Leisure said.
Last year, Lake Michigan and Milwaukee were also recognized in a New York Times article about great but not-so-obvious beaches to visit.
Lake Superior
Like Lake Michigan, Lake Superior runs through several states. As the largest Great Lake, it’s vast enough that it could easily hold the water from all of the other Great Lakes.
“There’s plenty of room for fish to thrive: salmon, trout, walleye, smelt, whitefish, herring, northern pike, smallmouth bass and many other game species can be caught in abundance in along the lake’s tristate shores,” Travel + Leisure said.
Bayfield was named as one of the “charter hubs” for fishing.
The Apostle Islands, located along the shores of Lake Superior, were also named one of the 50 Most Beautiful Places in America by Conde Nast Traveler.
What other lakes made the Travel +Leisure list of best lake vacations in the US?
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: These Wisconsin lakes named some of the best vacation spots in the US
Reporting by Rose Androwich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
