Lake Michigan is Officially Among the Most Picturesque Landscapes in the U.S.
The waves of Lake Michigan lap against the shore near Holland (Photo: Aaron Burden)
Look, folks, here’s the deal: Lake Michigan doesn’t need your approval. It doesn’t need your accolades, or your superlatives, or your constant-but-warranted praise. It doesn’t need you to remind it that it is the greatest of all the Great Lakes, better than Lake Superior or Huron or Ontario... or that other one that we almost don’t even need to mention (because, come on, that’s just laughable).
But hey, just because Lake Michigan is more than comfortable in its own skin, that doesn’t mean it minds hearing about how great it is from time to time.
And that’s why the news that it had been named one of the most picturesque landscapes in the U.S. — according to a study by Storyboards — was more than welcome. The New Jersey-based company, which specializes in turning digital photos into real-life art, took a look at Instagram data to figure out which American landscapes were hashtagged most often, and this is what they came up with:
Lake Tahoe (2,986,225 hashtags)
Lake Michigan (2,788,904)
Clearwater Beach (1,298,877)
Lake Superior (1,157,663)
Lake Ontario (1,007,124)
Waikiki Beach (969,640)
Lake Norman (640,978)
Lake Huron (560,434)
Lake Powell (456,329)
Mojave Desert (429,066)
Four out of five Great Lakes ain’t bad, huh? And if not for pesky Lake Tahoe and its pristine 99.994% water purity, Lake Michigan would be right there at numero uno. It’s number one in our hearts, of course, but maybe if the hoity-toity users of Instagram had just taken a second to consider all that Lake Michigan has to offer, they would have seen the error of their ways and propped up the greatest Great Lake on its proper pedestal.
Let’s just start with the obvious: Lake Michigan is massive. With a length of 307 miles and a width of 118 miles, it’s the third-largest lake in the U.S. — and the fifth-largest in the world, okay? Its shoreline, which stretches 1,638 miles, touching four states in the process, has more beaches than you could possibly know what to do with, ranging from the unspoiled beauty of the underside of the U.P. all the way down to the heart of downtown Chicago.
If the massive body of water in which to kayak, paddle board, fish, jet ski, etc., etc., and the miles and miles and miles of sandy shoreline on which to sunbathe and stretch the ole legs aren’t enough for you, perhaps I can interest you in a lighthouse? Maybe even 102 of them? Yes, there are over 100 lighthouses stationed along Lake Michigan’s shores, some of which are open to the public, and others, such as Mission Point Lighthouse in the Traverse City area, that have volunteer light keeper programs.
What else, what else… Oh right: you could climb on massive sand dunes; take a ride along one of the numerous bike trails offering scenic views of the lake; whack some balls around at lakeside golf courses, including iconic Arcadia Bluffs; or stop in at one of the countless charming small towns lining Lake Michigan’s shores, such as Grand Haven, Pentwater, or Leland.
Lakes Superior, Ontario, and Huron also clocked in on Storyboard’s picturesque landscapes list, and we love them too, for much the same reasons we love Lake Michigan. But it’s clear the latter is king (or queen, if you prefer). I didn’t need the numbers to tell me that, but now that we have them, I can say it unequivocally.
And I can say this: Lake Tahoe, we’re coming for you.
-LTH