What to do in Great Lakes

Activities, attractions and tours

My hometown, one of the best living and most multicultural cities in the world! Reflection pool at Nathan Philips Square, near Toronto City Hall. #Toronto #Canada #Ontario #reflection #CityHall #Patterns #architecture #pool #nightscape #night #NorthAmerica #arch #TroveOnTuesday #Hometown #UrbanJungle #perspectives
My hometown, one of the best living and most multicultural cities in the world! Reflection pool at Nathan Philips Square, near Toronto City Hall. #Toronto #Canada #Ontario #reflection #CityHall #Patterns #architecture #pool #nightscape #night #NorthAmerica #arch #TroveOnTuesday #Hometown #UrbanJungle #perspectives
Great Lakes
This is an image from back in September when I was in upstate New York visiting family. This image is of Rainbow Falls in the Watkins Glen State Park near Ithaca. It is a very popular location - tourists throng here in their hundreds to walk the various trails. As such, best advised to visit very early in the mornings. Preferably start while it's still dark. The gorge that runs along the park is extremely beautiful. At one point in time, this area was all under water and the gorge has been formed as a result of erosion of the softer layers of soil and rock. Even today, the gorge is ever changing due to the action of water. There's loads of compositions possible all along the trail but Rainbow Falls is perhaps the most well known and most photographed location in the gorge. This location truly is stunning - you have to see it with your own eyes to take in the beauty of the place. The cascading waterfall, the stone bridges, the varying colors of the water due to the reflections from the canyon walls - it all adds up to make this a truly remarkable place. Watkins Glen also used to have a street circuit for Formula 1 races. The roads are lined with flags to mark the course. In addition there's the marina and many good eating joints around town. Ithaca and Cornell are close by too. Owing to where I was staying, I had to start driving at 3 AM to make it to this place before the crowds descended. At the end of it, it was well worth it. Thank you for stopping by. #waterfall #NY #USA #WatkinsGlen #RainbowFalls #Gorge #Canyon #waterfalls #roadtrips #colorful #hiking #weekend #waterlust #roadtrip #blue #bestof5 #green #springfun #banksyNY
A helicopter view of Canada's Parliament. Canada's Aviation and Space Museum offers helicopter rides over downtown Ottawa and the Gatineau Park. Definitely worth the splurge! #architecture

Places to Visit in Great Lakes

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Let Expedia.co.nz help you find the most exciting and fun things to do in Great Lakes, North America while also allowing you to save a ton on travel arrangements. Regardless of whether you’re an urban explorer or an intrepid outdoor enthusiast, we can help you decide exactly what to do and see during your time in town.

Our thorough travel guides offer you an insider’s perspective on all of the best Great Lakes attractions from NZ$6, making it easy for you to decide which places to visit and when. And by using Expedia.co.nz to set your sightseeing schedule, you can take in more of the enchanting attractions this area is famous for.

From group Great Lakes tours and must-see landmarks to personal guides who take you off-the-beaten track, Expedia.co.nz offers you over 138 of the most popular events, activities, and attractions in this corner of the world. So whether you’re travelling alone, alongside a loved one, or with the whole family in tow, be sure to browse through our extensive travel guides prior to your plane touching down in this spectacular Great Lakes. We even have a massive selection of flights, car hires, and accommodation for you to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Start your search today, and you’ll be having the time of your life before you know it.

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Top places to visit

1. Wrigley Field

For sports-fans, Chicago is about one of two things – the Bears or the Cubs. But while the Chicago Bears football team switched from Wrigley Park in 1971, its legendary baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, have stuck true to their long heritage here. They've stayed put at one of America's most iconic sports fields, ever since it was built in 1914. After all, Wrigley Park has legendary sporting triumphs (and disasters) steeped into every seat, and written on every leaf of its ivy-covered outfield walls.
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Wrigley Field showing a city and landscape views

2. CN Tower

When it first opened in 1976, the CN Tower was the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Superseded in subsequent years by newer record-breaking buildings, the CN Tower still retains its status as the most prominent landmark on the Toronto skyline and one of the city’s best-loved attractions.
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CN Tower which includes a skyscraper, a ferry and modern architecture

3. Rogers Centre

The Rogers Centre is a multipurpose stadium located in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District. Visit the stadium to watch baseball and football teams in action, to go behind-the-scenes on a stadium tour and to enjoy concerts and family shows. Opened in 1989 as the SkyDome, it became the Rogers Centre in 2005.
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View of city in winter

4. Navy Pier

Navy Pier has been many things to Chicago, since it first struck out its 1006 metres into Lake Michigan in 1916. It was once a transport hub, a navy training centre, and even a place for the city to cool down in the days before air-conditioning. Now it’s the capital of fun for Chicagoans, home to circuses, fun fairs, fireworks and flower shows. It's one of the city's most popular attractions when summer arrives, and its twice-weekly firework shows begin. It's also a great launching off point for getting all nautical along Lake Michigan's 483-kilometre length.
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Navy Pier featuring a sunset and rides

5. McCormick Place

McCormick Place is both the biggest convention center in Chicago and the biggest one anywhere in the U.S. This vast, sprawling complex is an impressive feat of architecture and engineering that was founded well over half a century ago. Attend an event here to get a sense of its incredible scale.
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McCormick Place showing a high rise building and a city

6. Canada's Wonderland

Over three million people a year flock to Canada’s Wonderland to enjoy over 200 attractions, including the fastest rollercoaster in the country. Opened in 1981, the park has quickly become a firm favourite with families and fun-seekers of all ages. The 130-hectare site is divided into eight easy-to-navigate zones featuring the latest white-knuckle rides, a water park, a children’s area and many other attractions.
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CN Tower which includes rides

7. Soldier Field

Soldier Field has been one of Chicago’s most well-known landmarks since its construction in 1924 and is the oldest NFL stadium in the country.
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Soldier Field showing a city and landscape views

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Recommended things to do in Great Lakes

Number of things to do
138
Cheapest thing to do on Expedia
Atlanta: Unlimited Georgia Internet with eSIM Mobile Data Plan: NZ$6
Top 5 things to do
Half-day tours
With kids

What to do in Great Lakes

Discover the most popular places to visit in Great Lakes

Wrigley Field which includes a city, central business district and a sporting event

Wrigley Field

A big piece of Chicago's soul, an ancient stadium that keeps alive the quirky, edgy madness of baseball.

Wrigley Field
Scene of Chicago street bridge with traffic among modern buildings of Downtown Chicago at Michigan avenue in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Business and Modern Transportation concept

Michigan Avenue

You can find the perfect gifts to bring home when you visit Michigan Avenue, a popular shopping spot in Chicago. Amble around this vibrant area's riverfront and enjoy its top-notch restaurants.

Michigan Avenue
CN Tower showing night scenes, a high-rise building and skyline

CN Tower

This iconic Toronto landmark offers breathtaking views over the whole city and, on a clear day, as far as Niagara Falls.

CN Tower
Rogers Centre which includes signage and a city

Rogers Centre

Come to this multipurpose stadium to watch baseball matches and football games, listen to concerts of famous bands, see family shows or simply tour this central entertainment complex.

Rogers Centre
Cedar Point Ferris Wheel

Cedar Point

Have a fun-filled day at Cedar Point and see why people love this theme park in Sandusky. Wander through the lakeside and beautiful beaches in this family-friendly area.

Cedar Point
Navy Pier featuring a sunset and rides

Navy Pier

One of Chicago’s most popular attractions, especially on a hot day, with its fun fair, boats, circus and theatre.

Navy Pier
McCormick Place showing a high rise building and a city

McCormick Place

Attend an event at the United States’ largest convention center, which features hyper-modern facilities and huge exhibition spaces connected by promenades and sky bridges.

McCormick Place
CN Tower which includes rides

Canada's Wonderland

Get your adrenaline pumping at this fun-filled amusement park where the thrills come fast and furious.

Canada's Wonderland
Soldier Field featuring a city, modern architecture and a high-rise building

Soldier Field

Events center, NFL stadium and historic landmark all in one, this waterfront field is one of Chicago’s most popular destinations.

Soldier Field

Explore areas of Great Lakes

Downtown Chicago featuring a city

Downtown Chicago

The heart of the Midwest’s glittering metropolis has many offerings, from shopping and dining to parks, museums and exciting contemporary public art.

Downtown Chicago
Downtown Toronto showing heritage architecture, a city and an administrative building

Downtown Toronto

4.5/5(123 area reviews)

Find fabulous museums and galleries among the immense architecture in this town center, a global leader in design and innovation.

Downtown Toronto
United States of America featuring a bay or harbor, landscape views and a city

Downtown Detroit

5/5(1 area review)

Detroit is known for its architecture, industrialization and the arts. As creative entrepreneurs reclaim downtown, a new urban culture is rising next to the old.

Downtown Detroit
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica featuring a city, heritage architecture and heritage elements

Downtown Ottawa

5/5(20 area reviews)

Discover art, delve into history and savor natural beauty in the heart of Canada’s national capital, a delightful blend of old and new.

Downtown Ottawa
Magnificent Mile - River North

Magnificent Mile

An avenue brimming with superb shops and restaurants, the Magnificent Mile more than lives up to its name.

Magnificent Mile
The Loop - Downtown which includes a river or creek

The Loop

4.5/5(93 area reviews)

Bordered roughly by the surrounding elevated train circuit, this Chicago neighborhood has restaurants, galleries, parks and a giant silver bean.

The Loop

 

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