With Lake Erie cruises, you'll be traveling the fourth largest freshwater lake from the Great Lakes. Though smaller than some, Lake Erie still has a surface area that covers an astonishing 9,910 square miles. Lake Erie is also the shallowest and warmest of the five lakes, reaching 64 meters at its deepest point and averaging a temperature of 52.4 degrees Fahrenheit (11.3 degrees Celsius). Its depth and temperature cause Lake Erie to hold the shortest water residence time among the five Great Lakes, averaging only 2.6 years of water residency.
As such an interesting Great Lake, it provides some of the most welcoming water for cruisers. Lake Erie is located in the international boundary of the United States and Canada. It borders the states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, and is a popular destination for tourists from each of the locations for swimming and all kinds of watersports.
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Lake Erie is an essential part of its surroundingsAs part of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie helps move water across 3,200 kilometers throughout the course of its flow. This water flow generates an important amount of hydroelectric power to both the United States and Canada.
Water flows from Lake Superior through the St. Mary’s River, all the way to Lake Huron. Then, this water flows through the Strait of Mackinac and makes its way to Lake Michigan. Most of the water then comes back to Lake Huron to travel through the St. Clair River and the Detroit River, and finally get to Lake Erie. Lake Erie then directs the water current through the Niagara River, and it makes a drastic drop creating the iconic Horseshoe Falls to finally reach Lake Ontario. This is its last stop in the magnificent freshwater lakes. Water then exits to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River.
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Exploring with a Lake Erie cruise
Lake Erie is home to several bays and archipelagic islands that give life to the American Inland Seas. The Maumee Bay, located in Ohio, features one of the most popular bird-watching spots in the country. Another well-known bay in Lake Erie is the Sandusky Bay, also located in Ohio. The Thomas A. Edison Memorial Bridge connects Erie and Ottawa counties over this important body of water.
There are around 30 islands that reside within Lake Erie’s surface. South Bass Island, also known as Put-in-Bay, is the most touristic and developed of them all. The North Bass Island (also called Isle St. George) and Middle Bass Island attract some tourism as well. They offer tourists a couple of state parks and recreational sites.
Lake Erie plays host to many Great Lakes cruises, with many interesting ports of call along its shoreline.
Lake Erie Cruise Destinations |