5. Lake Superior, Minnesota/Michigan/Wisconsin
The name speaks for itself: Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake (by surface area). And there’s a lifetime’s worth of views around every corner of its 4,345-kilometer (2,700-mile) majestic shoreline. Natural attractions include the 61-meter (200-foot) sandstone cliffs, beaches, and waterfalls that tumble into the lake at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore; the sea caves on the Apostle Islands; and the isolated ruggedness of Isle Royale, with its wolves and moose.
You can hike, drive, kayak, or take a ferry to your preferred destination. What is easily one of the most magnificent lakes in North America is, in fact, so vast it can feel more like an ocean – just ask the intrepid surfers of North Shore.
