The northwest area of Indiana has miles of beautiful Lake Michigan beachfront perfect for swimming, sunning, boating, and relaxing.
We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.
The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ...
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
Photos by Todd and Brad Reed Photography
The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is one of the most scenic routes in the United States. As the name implies, the tour follows state highways around Lake Michigan, through Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The entire tour is an ambitious undertaking, so for planning purposes, and ease of travel, we are dividing the Lake Michigan Circle Tour into nine regions (details below), with links to the specific Lake Michigan destinations within each region.
Did you know? Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake with the entire lakeshore located in the United States. The other four Great Lakes (Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie) share a shoreline with Canada.
How big is Lake Michigan? Lake Michigan has a surface area of 22,404 square miles, and it’s the 5th largest lake in the world! Lake Michigan is so big, we divided it into nine travel regions, as shown below. Each region is uniquely different, though all have amazing beauty and some very cool attractions.
The Illinois lakeshore is the most densely populated region around Lake Michigan, because it is home to the city of Chicago and its suburbs.
Southeast Wisconsin segment of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour includes the counties of Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan.
Northwest Michigan is all about small towns, big dunes, beautiful lakes, and the most scenic roads in between.
Big Sable Lighthouse in the Ludington State Park
photo by Todd and Brad Reed Photography
Lake Michigan has over 100 lighthouses, so it’s easy to see why travelers interested in visiting lighthouses will love to explore the entire shoreline of Lake Michigan. The historical significance of lighthouses, as well as their various shapes and colors, make this a fascinating tour. From St. Joseph’s North Pier Light in southwestern Michigan all the way north to McGulpin Point Lighthouse at the Straits of Mackinac….the western coast of Michigan alone has about 35 lighthouses. The Wisconsin coast of Lake Michigan boasts about the same number, including a wonderful cluster of lighthouses in Door County, Wisconsin.
Click the button above for a list of all the lighthouses around Lake Michigan, organized into the nine travel regions. We hope this helps you plan your Lighthouse Lovers Itinerary.
Browse our Featured Lighthouses by selecting a lighthouse article from the carousel below.
The majestic Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge are the backdrop for the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City, Michigan.
Built in 1875, the White River Light Station is located in Whitehall, Michigan, and situated between Lake Michigan and White Lake.
The Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse is one of only 6 in Wisconsin where a fifth-order Fresnel lens is still in use.
The Sand Dunes of Lake Michigan
photo by Todd and Brad Reed Photography
You’ve probably hear of the world famous Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore, and there are many more dunes and beaches to discover around Lake Michigan.
Along the Lake Michigan shoreline between Ludington and Manistee, you’ll find a quiet area in all its natural splendor, the Nordhouse Dunes.
Hamlin Lake, just north of Ludington, has sand dunes that people love to visit. It's a popular spot for boating, jet skiing, and more.
Whitefish Dunes State Park, on the eastern shore of Door Peninsula, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is set upon 865 acres along Lake Michigan.
The S.S. Badger car ferry arriving in Port Ludington, Michigan
photo by Todd and Brad Reed Photography
A trip into Lake Michigan, or a cruise across the lake should be on your bucket list! Cross lake car ferries will take you and your vehicle between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan, or from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Muskegon, Michigan. Shorter ferry trips will take you to Mackinac Island, Beaver Island, Washington Island, and other destinations.
Manitowoc is the Wisconsin port for the S.S. Badger Car Ferry which sails across Lake Michigan to Ludington.
Cross Lake Michigan between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan on the SS Badger car ferry. Save the driving and enjoy a cruise!
The Highway US-10 continuance crosses Lake Michigan between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan via the SS Badger car ferry.
Visit Our Facebook Page
Published by Advantage Marketing & Publications, Inc.
