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I'm curious why Wisconsin, which has about as many inland lakes as Minnesota in less total area plus about the same amount of Lake Superior shoreline plus an entire eastern border with Lake Michigan (which MN lacks) comes up short next to Minnesota so much on this poll/comments. Must be the license plates!
a review of a basic geography map of the two states would reveal that that boat don't float, maybe you're thinking about cheese...
As I'm sure you know, WI counts smaller lakes than MN does. MN would have over 18,000 lakes using the WI scale, but it's also much larger at 86,938 sq miles (to WI at 65,498). Factoring that in, they're probably very close and this supports my "about as many inland lakes as Minnesota in less total area" statement completely - MN is mentioned much more in the comments here, has way more votes in the poll, yet overall it isn't that much different in terms of inland lakes, and falls far behind in Great Lakes frontage, making differences negligible at best.
As I'm sure you know, WI counts smaller lakes than MN does. MN would have over 18,000 lakes using the WI scale, but it's also much larger at 86,938 sq miles (to WI at 65,498). Factoring that in, they're probably very close and this supports my "about as many inland lakes as Minnesota in less total area" statement completely - MN is mentioned much more in the comments here, has way more votes in the poll, yet overall it isn't that much different in terms of inland lakes, and falls far behind in Great Lakes frontage, making differences negligible at best.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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I've seen Lake Erie and Lake Michigan from Chicago and Cleveland, but urban waterfront aside I haven't really seen the Great Lakes from a natural viewpoint up in the dunes, rocky shores, and foresedt areas to the North. I've been wanting to do a Great Lakes trip and I've picked out a route where I like to a three state loop tour from MSP sightseeing and doing outdoor activity around Lake Superior.
-Fly into MSP
-I'd go up to Duluth
-North Shore Of Minnesota on Lake Superior
-Back down and over to the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin
-Over to the UP in Michigan/Pictured Rocks
-Back to MSP and fly home.
The "best state for lakes" and the "nicest lake I've ever seen" are two different things. I would have to say that Michigan is the all-around best state for lakes, as it is right smack in the middle of the Great Lakes, with long coastlines touching (I believe) 4 of the Great Lakes, but the "nicest" lake I have ever seen is Diablo Lake, in the North Cascades in Washington. Absolutely stunning mountain scenery all around, and the water is a bright turquoise green. It's not a very big lake, but for sheer beauty alone, it is easily the prettiest lake I've seen in this country.
I've seen Lake Erie and Lake Michigan from Chicago and Cleveland, but urban waterfront aside I haven't really seen the Great Lakes from a natural viewpoint up in the dunes, rocky shores, and foresedt areas to the North. I've been wanting to do a Great Lakes trip and I've picked out a route where I like to a three state loop tour from MSP sightseeing and doing outdoor activity around Lake Superior.
-Fly into MSP
-I'd go up to Duluth
-North Shore Of Minnesota on Lake Superior
-Back down and over to the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin
-Over to the UP in Michigan/Pictured Rocks
-Back to MSP and fly home.
How much hiking? How much relaxation? How many roadside-style attractions, boat rides, etc? It's a very beautiful route. When I was a kid, my family spent a week going all the way around Lake Superior. Lots of fishing, lots of nature, but lots of driving as well (Lake Superior is HUGE). Your route isn't bad in terms of mileage, so it depends if you want to take a boat out from Bayfield to see the islands, or go camping on an island, or a boat out to Pictured Rocks, or a stop to climb Sugarloaf in the Huron Mtns, or spend a day hiking the Porkies,etc.
Another suggestion - you would be fairly crazy to swim Lake Superior (though I've done it a few times), but if you go late summer, you can hit up a Lake Michigan beach or two just across the UP - Manistique has some nice beaches.
Your route also skips the Keweenaw, which is logical in terms of time (it's a remote peninsula) but it's arguably as beautiful as any spot on Lake Superior. You might also want to allow time for Tahquamenon Falls (just off route). And I would take a northwoods route (maybe Hwy 8) through the WI northwoods on your way back instead of 29/Interstate. There isn't much of comparative interest along Lake Michigan in Michigan south of Escanaba - you can route through Iron Mountain instead and see some nice sights (and maybe even moose/bear/wolves) through the MI/WI wilderness.
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