Cruising on the Great Lakes is the dream of every nature explorer. As you sail across the Canadian and North American coasts, you are delighted with the exquisite beauty of a massive array of cities.
Though there are many cities you will get to see on a Great Lakes cruise, here are some of the most prominent cities you will be able to visit:
Montreal
The largest city in the Quebec province of Canada, Montreal is set on an island in the St. Lawrence River. The city is named after a triple-peaked hill at its center called Mt. Royal. There are scores of historic treasures you can explore in Montreal. The city houses Vieux-Montreal, a group of ancient buildings dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The most-visited tourist site of the city is the Mont-Royal Park that elevates 233 meters above the city.
While strolling across the Mt. Royal Park, you get to see the remarkable monuments dedicated to Jacques Cartier and King George VI, Adirondack Mountains of the United States, and ancient cemeteries. If you’re a history buff, you might want to spend an entire afternoon at Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the oldest museum in Canada.
Detroit
The largest city on the borderline of the United States and Canada, Detroit is extremely popular across the world as a repository of art, architecture, and historical designs. The city is the largest and most populous city in Michigan. Due to its unique architecture, distinct culture, and historical treasures, Detroit is one of the most frequented tourist destinations in the state of Michigian. In almost all these types of great lake cruise, you’ll get to spend at least a day in this city.
There are zillions of music venues in the city including The Old Miami, Magic Stick, Fox Theatre, Stonehouse Bar and Cliff Bell’s. From hip hop and jazz to rock and punk, music buffs can enjoy a great variety of music in Detroit. Additionally, the city is home to a variety of history museums including Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Detroit Science Center among many others.
Chicago
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is one of the largest cities of the United States. The most populous city of the U.S. state of Illinoi is famous worldwide for its bold architecture and skyline interspersed by skyscrapers e.g. the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower, John Hancock Center, and Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower). The city is home to some of the world’s renowned museums including the Art Institute of Chicago that houses Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artworks.
As you visit this iconic city during the cruise, you’ll be mesmerised by the city’s culture rich in visual art, theatre, film, comedy, and music. In Chicago, music buffs can download music online including jazz, hip-hop, gospel, house music, blues etc. If you are an adventure-seeker, there are scores of recreational parks in the city including Millennium Park, Grant Park, Hyde Park on the South Side of the city, and Lincoln Park Zoo among many others.
Toronto
The capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario, Toronto sits on the north-western shore of Lake Ontario. The city is famous for its soaring skyscrapers, green spaces, sports facilities, and recreational parks. Toronto is home to a wide range of music venues, museums, and art galleries.
Some of the most prominent museums in Toronto are the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Gardiner Museum of ceramic art, the Bata Shoe Museum, and the Textile Museum of Canada. The cityscape is laced with classic architecture and design. It is one of the most frequented sites for wildlife lovers due to the Toronto Zoo that houses over 460 distinct animal species and over 5,000 animals.