With the nation’s 250th anniversary underway, there’s no better way to celebrate America’s history than a road trip to places that helped shape it.
The Great Lakes region, spanning parts of the U.S. and Canada, holds roughly one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water and about 95% of North America’s supply, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The five Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario – form the largest freshwater system on Earth and offer striking scenery steeped in history.
This story is part of a USA TODAY Network project highlighting breathtaking – and often underappreciated – destinations across the country. The list showcases some of the most treasured views in the Great Lakes region, each with historical and cultural significance.
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Here are some of our favorite spots along the Great Lakes:
Soo Locks
The Soo Locks, which connect Lakes Superior and Huron along the St. Marys River, are considered the busiest lock system in the world by cargo tonnage. About 7,000 vessel passages occur each year, moving more than 86 million tons of cargo. Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the locks include two canals and four parallel chambers that allow ships to navigate a 21-foot elevation change between the lakes. The system dates to 1855.
The locks close to maritime traffic for about 10 weeks each year, from Jan. 15 to March 25, for maintenance. Iron ore is the primary commodity transported through the locks, followed by coal, stone and grain products. – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
The Grand Hotel, which first opened in 1887, is located on Mackinac Island in northern Michigan. The iconic luxury hotel, painted white, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. The hotel is known for its wraparound porch with lakefront views and amenities ranging from golf, live music, horse stables and antique carriage museum and a secret garden. Mackinac Island’s peak tourism season begins in May. – Detroit Free Press
SS Badger in Ludington, Michigan
The SS Badger is a seasonal passenger and vehicle ferry that transports fares across Lake Michigan – between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Sailing since 1953, the S.S. Badger was the largest railroad car ferry ever built, capable of carrying up to 34 railcars as part of a seven-boat fleet that crossed Lake Michigan thousands of times each year. It is now the last coal-fired passenger vessel operating on the Great Lakes and was designated a National Historic Landmark 10 years ago. It no longer carries railroad cars but it still powered by its original coal-fired boilers and steam engines. The SS Badger’s season runs from May 15 to Oct. 12. – Patti Zarling, Herald Times Reporter
Route 66
Also called The Mother Road, Route 66 stretches almost 2,500 miles and spans eight states, beginning in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica, California. Established in 1926 as a way to connect isolated, rural communities, Route 66 captures a nostalgic era of Americana, one filled with neon signs, diners and classic cars. The iconic highway reaches its centennial this year. Road trippers can make pitstops at historic sites and quirky landmarks, like the 66-foot-tall soda bottle at Pops 66 Soda Ranch in Oklahoma. – Kathleen Wong, USA Today
The Marblehead Lighthouse
The lighthouse, operational since 1822, is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Marblehead Lighthouse is one of Lake Erie’s best known and most-photographed landmarks. It has guided sailors safely along the rocky shores of Marblehead Peninsula, north of Sandusky, since the 1820s. The U.S. Coast Guard still operates out of the 50-foot tower, which is now part of a lakeside state park by the same name. Visitors can also stop by the lighthouse museum or picnic on the grounds.
Presque Isle State Park
Presque Isle State Park, just four miles west of downtown Erie, is Pennsylvania’s only “seashore” park, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. A 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie, the state park draws around 4 million visitors annually.
Known to locals simply as “the peninsula,” the park in Erie County features a 13-mile road loop, an environmental center, swimming beaches, hiking and biking trails, and fishing and boating. It is also home to the historic Presque Isle Lighthouse and North Pier Light, as well as the park’s Perry Monument. The monument, which was built on the park’s Crystal Point in 1926, commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813 and the valor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s men. – Erie Times-News
The Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic waterway that eventually connects to the Atlantic Ocean and its burgeoning cities and ports to the Great Lakes system. It was built between 1817 and 1825 and stretches 363 miles from Albany to Buffalo. The canal, considered a great engineering marvel, transformed New York and made transporting goods easier and cheaper. Today, many use the waterway for recreation, typically by kayak or boat, and visit historic canal towns along it. – Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Women’s Rights National Historical Park
Women’s Rights National Historical Park is located in Seneca Falls and Waterloo, in New York’s Finger Lakes region. The park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention in 1848 and is made up of six spots between the two cities. including the Wesleyan Chapel, where the first convention was held, and the homes of some of the convention organizers and first wave of activists, as well as a museum and park. – Madison Scott, USA Today’s New York Connect Team
USA 250 Most Treasured Views is a USA TODAY Network project exploring places across America with historical and cultural significance, created in celebration of the USA 250 initiative marking the nation’s 250th birthday.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Best Great Lakes destinations for summer road trips in 2026
Reporting by Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
