Travel Finder:
Lakes & Rivers
Our 10 Favorite Spots for a Summer Splash
These swimming destinations hidden in the heart of the Midwest will cool off even the hottest summer days.
- Our 10 Favorite Spots for a Summer Splash
- A Week At the Lake
- Chasing Waterfalls
- Michigan's Remote and Wild Isle Royale National Park
More Lakes & Rivers
- Worlds of Erie
- Beach It!
Summer is synonymous with heading to the waterside. Here are some of the Midwest's best places to spend a day on th...
- 13 Reasons to Love Door County in Winter
Winter transforms one of the Midwest's iconic vacation spots, revealing another side of this Lake Michigan peninsul...
- River of Gold
The image is unmistakable: A man in waders and wide-brimmed hat stands midstream, casting a line in a graceful arc ...
- A Tall Ship Adventure on the Great Lakes
The wide-open water. The fresh, clean air. The sun on your face. The sails overhead, trapping the wind that alone ...
- Nature-Made Water Parks
- Hassle-Free Lakelands
- Favorite Midwest Beach Vacations
- Great Lakes Islands
Find a quiet island haven to visit.
- Quiet Midwest Lake Getaways
Avoid the crowds at one of these lesser-known lakes.
- Lake Michigan Ferry
Catch a ferry across the lake and cut some 500 miles off your trip!
- Discover Lake McConaughy, Nebraska
Enjoy Caribbean-like beachfront and turquoise water surrounded by the semi-arid landscape of southwestern Nebraska.
- Minnesota's North Shore Driving Tour
Fishermen and loggers arrived on the North Shore more than a century ago.
- Autumn Along the Upper Mississippi
See the spectacular bluffs that rise above the river and the beautiful fall colors.
- Michigan's Soo Locks
See some of the largest seagoing vessels at the northeastern edge of the UP.
- Tall Ships in Midwest Waters
Several schooners similar to those that traveled the seas more than 150 years ago sail Midwest waters.
- Northern Michigan's Lakeshore
- Burt Lake: Michigan's Inland Secret
- Michigan's Azure-Blue Crystal Lake
- A Michigan Treasure: Elk Lake
- Michigan's Hubbard Lake
- Michigan's Lake Gogebic
- Strollin' on the River in Wisconsin and Indianapolis
Whether your family prefers forested bluffs or skyscrapers on the horizon, a relaxed riverside hike is always a gre...
- Explore North Dakota's Devils Lake
- Michigan's Au Sable River Valley
Come explore northern Michigan's beautiful Au Sable River.
- Six Great Midwest Lake Towns
- Love of Midwest Lakes
- Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in Oklahoma
- Lake of the Ozarks
Enjoy spring break on a houseboat.
- Upper Iowa River Valley
The river courses 35 miles southeast through the historic county seat of Decorah.
- Mississippi River Journey
- Escape to a Midwest Lake
Whether you long to boat, fish or dive into clear waters, you'll find an ideal spot in our roundup of often-overloo...
- Classic Midwest River Town Weekends
Once frontier-opening settlements and hubs of commerce, many Heartland communities along the Mississippi and Ohio r...







