The mother of all the Great Lakes, and one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Superior is second to none, so pack up your tent, marshmallows, and bug spray and head to any of its 2,800 miles of sunlit shores, whether in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Ontario. Can’t decide where to go? One nature-lover favorite is the wilderness wonderland of Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park (www.nps.gov/isro), an archipelago that extends for some 4.5 miles in the heart of Lake Superior, boasts shipwreck-laden waters, scenic hiking trails, campgrounds, historic lighthouses, and ancient copper-mining sites. With no roads, the park is only accessible by boat or float plane, providing a supremely peaceful and utterly pristine sanctuary for lake vacations (no wonder it also serves as a U.S. Biosphere Reserve). Another noteworthy destination is on the Canadian side: Ontario’s Lake Superior Provincial Park (www.lakesuperiorpark.ca) is renowned for its rugged rocky coasts and offshore canyons that flank Lake Superior’s deep blue waters. Activities abound with hiking, fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing, kayaking, and canoeing all popular – just make sure you paddle the right route so you don’t run into challenging whitewater! Many of the park’s abundant campgrounds have beaches suited for swimming and select campsites come complete with electricity and toilets so you won’t have to completely rough it.

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