As a child growing up in New Jersey I remember dutifully coloring the Great Lakes blue on a map of the United States when my 3rd grade class was learning geography. I memorized the acronym HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). In middle school I read sections in my social studies book about how important the Great Lakes were to farming and industry. The Great Lakes, though, were something foreign to me, something relegated to a textbook, as I come from a state where “lakes” are, at best, maybe a few hundred feet long. It was only later in life, standing on the shores of Lake Michigan while visiting friends in Chicago, that I stared out into the seemingly endless distance and began to comprehend the sheer massiveness of these bodies of water.
Did you know that the shoreline of the Great Lakes is over 11,000 miles? That the five lakes together hold 20% of the world’s freshwater supply? That if you emptied the lakes, you could cover the United States with ten feet of water (via Sea Grant Michigan)?
My wife and I had plans to visit family in the Midwest. Rather than take our usual route through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, we instead decided to take a slight detour. Our drive would take us up to Buffalo, through the Canadian province of Ontario, and then to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Along the way, we would see all five Great Lakes, visit several historic lighthouses, learn about the dangers of shipping on the lakes, hike to a waterfall, eat some amazing food, and see more of this nation.
Let’s begin:
Summer Road Trip 2026: The Great Lakes
Over the course of three days we would drive from New Jersey to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area by way of Pennsylvania, upstate New York, the province of Ontario, and Michigan.
Day 1 – New Jersey to Canada
We left home before lunchtime on Friday and within an hour had crossed into the Keystone State.My wife and I were engrossed in conversation and completely missed the sign welcoming us to New York. This photo, taken at the Southern Tier Rest Area, will have to suffice.Our route took us along the southern edge of the Finger Lakes region of New York. Seeing the sign for Watkins Glen brought back happy memories of throwing my old 2012 Honda Accord coupe around Watkins Glen International race track.Before reaching Buffalo we stopped for dinner in the down of Dansville. Caffe Tazza was our dining establishment of choice.After sharing a salad appetizer, I dove into this order of sausage with farfalle. It was quite tasty.My wife ordered the Greek pizza, served on a gluten-free crust (it was a big pie, and I generously offered to “help”). Dinner was tasty, the ambience was nice, but service, although friendly, was a bit on the slow side (surprising, given that it seemed like a quiet night). Pokey service aside, we would definitely go back.After dinner we took a stroll and a mural caught our interest. We decided to learn more!In 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in this home on Elizabeth Street. This building is formally the American Red Cross – Clara Barton Chapter No. 1.The home, which is now a museum dedicated to the founding of the Red Cross in the United States, was closed by the time we stopped by. We will definitely have to go back and learn more!As we drove through the town of Warsaw we came across the Seth M. Gates House. Gates was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a fervent abolitionist. His home was a station on the Underground Railroad.For only the second time in my life, I was heading toward our northern neighbor. Longtime readers might remember when we visited Niagara Falls last summer.We crossed the U.S.-Canadian border on the Peace Bridge. From atop the bridge we had views of Lake Erie to the south and the Niagara River to the north. Our border agent was friendly and in less than a minute we were entering Canada.My first time ever chasing a Canadian sunset.“I don’t think we’re in New Jersey anymore, Toto.” Signs in English and French were a gentle reminder that I was now a visitor in a different country.We made it as far as Port Catharines, a city on the shores of Lake Ontario, before stopping for the night at a Hampton Inn. We covered 415 miles on the first day – a good start to our journey!
Day 2 – Canada to Michigan
At the hotel I was introduced to a new (to me) breakfast tradition: baked beans with breakfast. Baked beans, while certainly a staple in the US, are considered a national dish in Canada (via Canadian Food Focus). The recipe from Quebec, which features maple syrup, is famous throughout the country. “When in Rome,” I muttered to myself as I shoveled a spoonful of beans with scrambled eggs into my mouth. A moment later, I asked out loud, “Where has this been all my life?” Yep, I’m a fan.Being a car nerd, as well as a Honda and Acura superfan, you better believe I swung by a Canadian Acura dealership for a visit.We spent a lovely morning at Port Dalhousie Pier in St. Catharines. The centerpiece of the public park is the Inner and Front Range lighthouses. The Inner Range Lighthouse was built in 1898 and is one of only three remaining octagonal lighthouses on the Great Lakes (via City of St. Catharines).Range lighthouses are built in pairs to assist ships with navigating shallow and narrow waters. Port Dalhousie’s Front Range Lighthouse was built in 1893 to guide shipping in the harbor.Midway across Ontario we stopped for gas at a Petro-Canada station. 183.9 cents per liter in Canada works out to about $4.91 per gallon in the U.S. Pricey, but not the most expensive fuel we’d put in the car on this trip.After an uneventful trip across Ontario we made it to the town of Sarnia at the U.S.-Canadian border. We had lunch in a park and sat on the banks of Lake Huron. Look at the color of that water!Leave it to us to find even more lighthouses! Point Edward Range Lighthouse was constructed in 1959 and is fully automated.From the park we also had a view of Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in nearby Port Huron, Michigan. Built in 1829, it is the oldest lighthouse in Michigan, and the second-oldest on the Great Lakes (via Port Huron Museum).The Blue Water Bridge crossing into the U.S. was where our well-laid plans hit a snag. Traffic backed up across the bridge and into Canada. We waited for over an hour to cross back into Michigan. Fortunately, when we finally reached the front of the line our border agent was polite and efficient. After answering a few questions, we were on our way.Our destination for dinner was Makinac City, Michigan. A friend suggested we get off the highway for a quick visit to a major tourist destination first. As we bounced down a series of poorly maintained county roads (a sign by the road in this picture warns that it is a “Deteriorating Road”), I wondered if the wear on my car’s suspension was worth it.Frankenmuth, Michigan, was settled in the mid-19th century by German immigrants. As the geography was quite similar to their home in Bavaria, they established Frankenmuth in the style of the villages back in Germany. The town is now a major tourist destination. We only had time for a drive-thru… we will definitely return!A few hours later we arrived in Makinac City. The city sits on the southern shores of the Straits of Makinac, which separates Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. As you can see from the photo, it is also an incredibly popular tourist destination.Our dinner spot was The White Buffalo, a bar and restaurant on East Central Avenue.Compared to our previous night’s meal, service at The White Buffalo was excellent. Our server was knowledgable about the menu and even provided a separate gluten-free menu as well. My wife dined on the baked whitefish with rice and green beans.I love barbecue ribs, but I hardly order them as finding a restaurant that can make ribs properly can be a challenge. The White Buffalo met that challenge… and then some. They were absolutely fantastic. If you’re ever in Makinac City, give The White Buffalo a try!As we headed back to the car, we took a stroll through downtown Makinac City. Imagine our surprise when we came across a life-size statue of Bumblebee from The Transformers movie franchise. The statue is made from recycled automobile parts to celebrate Michigan’s connection to the automotive industry. The completed statue, installed in 2024, weighs over 15,000 pounds (via MLive).After dinner we explored Alexander Henry Park. The centerpiece of the park is Old Makinac Point Lighthouse. Built in 1889, the lighthouse was constructed to help guide ships through the treacherous Straits of Makinac.From the park we also had a view of the Makinac Bridge. Opened in 1957, it is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.As we drove across the bridge, it was surreal to see water as far west and east as the eye could see, and realize that what we were driving across were still considered “lakes.”We arrived in the town of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan as the sun was beginning to set… at 9:30 pm! It always amazes me how long daylight lasts during summer in northern latitudes.I found my TLX a friend – an Acura MDX SUV from Alaska! Figured these two long-distance travelers could tell some stories (and compare bug-splattered front bumpers) while my wife and I, exhausted from a long day of driving, headed to bed.
Day Three – The Upper Peninsula to Wisconsin
The next morning we left the hotel and headed to the Michigan Visitor Center in Sault Ste. Marie. It was my first time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. While making up almost a third of Michigan’s landmass, the Upper Peninsula only has 3% of its population (via Wikipedia). I was interested to see this remote, rugged area that in some places is just as desolate and wild as it was hundreds of years ago. Although the visitor center was closed, the staff have helpfully placed a case by the front door filled with maps and informational brochures.Our goal of the morning was to tour the Soo Locks, a set of locks that allow transit between Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. We arrived early (the locks open for visitors at 10:00 am) and so decided to explore the town. If you look in the background, you can see the M/V American Century, a thousand-foot lake freighter, transiting the locks.Sault Ste. Marie is named for the nearby rapids on St. Mary’s River (in French, “Ste. Marie” is Saint Mary” and “Sault” means “rapids”). The downtown section of the city is quite nice to explore.We decided to relax at Superior Coffee Roasting Cafe, a local coffee shop.The staff was friendly, the cafe was cozy, and the coffee was simply fantastic. It made a lovely way to relax, write postcards, and plan out our day.As we headed over to the Soo Locks to learn more about shipping on the Great Lakes, I stopped dead in my tracks. Someone had modified their Delorean DMC-12 to look like the time machine from Back to the Future. Anyone see Doc Brown around town?At 10:00 am we headed over to the Soo Locks. A large stand offers a commanding panoramic view of the locks.The Soo Locks were first established in 1855 to connect Lakes Superior and Michigan. Prior to that, goods would need to be transported over land (portaged) due to the rapids of the St. Marys River. There are two currently active locks, and a third is under construction.Using gravity, the Soo Locks change the water level to allow ships to “climb” up to Lake Superior or “descend” down to the level of Lake Michigan. 22 million gallons of water are shifted each time a ship enters the locks. Over 10,000 ships pass through the locks each year.The Soo Locks Visitors Center, like the rest of the complex, is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is free to visit, and offers a comprehensive overview of the locks.The Soo Locks are responsible for the transit of over a half of a trillion dollars of iron ore each year, as material is shipped from Minnesota and Wisconsin to points east. Their continuous operation is vital to the nation’s economy.Recent excavations of the Soo Locks have turned up archaeological evidence of the tools used by those who built the locks over 170 years ago. The amount of physical labor involved is astounding. After an educational visit, we got into the car and headed north toward our next destination.As we drove north along Michigan Route 123, the word “desolate” came to mind. No interstate highways run through the Upper Peninsula. Instead, tree-lined two-lane roads devoid of traffic were all we encountered.Our destination was Whitefish Point, home to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and the Whitefish Point Lighthouse.The Great Lakes are incredibly dangerous for ships and the crew who operate them. It is estimated that 6,000 ships, and 30,000 sailors, have gone down in the lakes (via Wikipedia). The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum tells the story of those who have given of their lives to the waters of the five lakes.Numerous factors make the Great Lakes hazardous to ships and crew. Narrow and rocky coastlines are one hazard. Fast developing storms that hammer ships with wind and waves (some of which can reach the height of a three-story building) are another. Add to it high frequency waves that cause vessels to sag (when a ship’s bow sits atop one wave and the stern another, causing the middle of the ship to flex) or hog (when the ship’s midsection sits atop a wave, causing the boat’s bow and stern to flex downward), and you have a recipe for disaster.Lighthouses play a key role in Great Lakes safety even today. Over 300 lighthouses sit on the Great Lakes. The Fresnel lens (pictured here) was a development that allowed lighthouses to cast a stronger beam visible further away.Underwater salvage is an important industry on the Great Lakes. Even after a tragedy, a ship’s contents remain highly valuable. With quickly changing weather, strong currents, cold temperatures, and rusting wrecks, divers need proper equipment to keep them safe at all times.In November of 1975 the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a 729-foot steel hulled lake freighter, sank during a severe storm on Lake Superior. The storm battered the ship with heavy seas and hurricane-force winds. The freighter’s demise, which included the loss of all 29 crew members, was immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” The museum has a large display dedicated to the story of this tragedy.The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald sits 530 feet below the surface of Lake Superior. In 1995, a dive was commissioned (supported by the victims’ families) to retrieve the ships bell and place it in the museum. The shipwreck rests in Canadian waters and is considered a gravesite. If you would like to learn more about the tragedy of the Fitzgerald, I would highly recommend the 2025 book The Gales of November by John U. Bacon. Much of the information about the Fitzgerald and Great Lakes shipping in this post comes from that book.Whitefish Point Light, built in 1849, is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on Lake Superior. It operates in perhaps the most dangerous area of the lake – more shipwrecks are recorded here than at any other location on Superior. It’s unique scaffolded design is meant to enable it to endure the storms that damaged or destroyed more traditionally-designed lighthouses.The keeper’s home of the lighthouse is now a museum that is open for tours. We had a lovely visit, even more so when we found out that our tour guide was from Cape May, New Jersey. My wife and I had a fascinating, and lengthy, discussion of the differences between Atlantic and Great Lakes lighthouses.After touring the museum, we had a picnic lunch on a deck on the banks of Lake Superior.As we ate lunch the M/V American Century, the lake freighter we had seen only a few hours prior in the Soo Locks, came into view on its way toward the eastern shores of Minnesota.On the horizon we also spotted an older lake freighter, its age evidenced by its traditional “laker” design the of pilothouse sitting forward on the hull. I reflected that I was standing on the closest point in America to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The ship foundered about sixteen miles to the north of the freighter in this photo. I have read in depth about the Fitzgerald… visiting the Great Lake Shipwreck Museum made the stories feel much more real. I would highly recommend a visit if you are in the region.We departed Whitefish Point and headed south, following the shores of Whitefish Bay.Our next destination was Tahquamenon (rhymes with ‘phenomenon’) Falls State Park, to do some hiking and check out an impressive waterfall.A small educational center (the “Fact Shack”) provided a cool overview of the history of the park and some of its natural features. The trails to see the waterfalls are fully accessible for those with mobility concerns, and the park even has free wheelchairs available for loan to visitors.The hike to the falls was pleasant enough, with temperatures in the low 80s (although wear bug spray – we forgot to put on some and got positively eaten alive). The falls were well worth the hike. The amber color of the falls is due to tannins released by swamps in the surrounding woods. Exercise complete, we got back in the car.We crossed the Upper Peninsula to the town of Manistique, where we had a clear view of Lake Michigan. We officially had visited all five Great Lakes, in just under 48 hours.We had one last lighthouse to see on our drive – Manistique East Breakwater Light. Built in 1916, the 35-foot lighthouse sits at the end of a jetty and guides ships into the entrance of the Manistique River (via Visit Manistique).Another ninety minutes later we were in the city of Marinette, Wisconsin, where we would be stopping for the night. Across the street from our hotel was Monarca, a Mexican restaurant with excellent reviews. We decided to give it a try.After a long day of driving, chips and salsa, margaritas, and tacos made for the perfect meal to end the day. Monarca is excellent and we agreed we would definitely go back if we were in the area again.After dinner it was off to bed for an early night – we had one more day of driving ahead of us!
Day Four – Crossing Wisconsin
The next morning I had fun utilizing the hotel’s pancake machine at breakfast (yum!). We checked out of our hotel and were on the road once again.The last day was largely spent driving through central Wisconsin. Farms, trees, farms, and more trees. Our mission, however, was not sightseeing but to make it safely to our family’s home!By the time we arrived at our relative’s home the sun and emerged from behind the clouds. We caught up with family and then my next stop was to get all the bugs and dirt washed off the Acura. After all the trouble-free driving, the TLX deserved to look clean!
Wrapping Up
States: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin
Canadian Provinces: Ontario
Great Lakes Visited: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior
Total Mileage: 1,547
Trip Time: 74 hours
The drive from New Jersey to Wisconsin through Ontario and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was absolutely amazing! Seeing all five Great Lakes, witnessing the Soo Locks in action, hiking to a beautiful waterfall, finding numerous lighthouses, and eating amazing food all made for a lovely trip.
Stay tuned as our summer road trip continues. In coming posts we’ll stop by a unique museum full of spice and flavor, drive on a historic road, complete a quest and receive an amazing prize, and check out some unique roadside attractions.
And thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
The Bumblebee statue looks awesome!
Pretty neat you found a guide from NJ. That would’ve been an interesting conversation to hear their perspective about lighthouses on the lakes compared to NJ.
The Bumblebee statue looks awesome!
Pretty neat you found a guide from NJ. That would’ve been an interesting conversation to hear their perspective about lighthouses on the lakes compared to NJ.