Great Lakes Awareness Day Review

Great Lakes Awareness Day is celebrated on the Monday of the first full week in May—May 4th in 2026—to honor and protect the five massive, interconnected freshwater lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario). It focuses on water conservation, ecosystem health, and raising awareness about environmental threats like pollution and invasive species. 

Having lived on one the the Great Lakes (Lake Ontario in New York State), and remembering how pollution was an issue in the 1950s, this Awareness Day really ‘speaks’ to me. 

To briefly review, there are five (5) Great Lakes. The best way to remember the names is by the acronym HOMES.

1. H - Huron
2. O - Ontario
3. M - Michigan
4. E - Erie
5. S - Superior

Why Are These Lakes Called GREAT Lakes?

The difference between regular lakes and the Great Lakes is basically their immense size in area and volume of water, which together contain 21% of the world’s surface freshwater. They are like massive ‘inland’ seas and, as such, react to weather and other phenomena similar to the world’s oceans. 

The Five Great Lakes

*Lake Huron

Lake Huron shares borders with the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. State of Michigan. It has the longest shoreline (3,827 miles) of all the Great Lakes and boasts over 30,000 islands, including the popular tourist location Mackinac Island. It connects with Lake Erie by way of the St. Clair River.

*Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is the Great Lake I am most familiar with, having grown up nearby and enjoyed many summers filled with swimming and shoretime activities (frozen custard stand, picnic areas and camping along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

This lake is known as the most eastern of the Great Lakes. It is also the deepest, and the smallest (by surface area) and acts as a crucial shipping link via the St. Lawrence River.  Lake Ontario is also well known for its abundant trout and salmon fishing and for the popular 1,000 Islands on the Ontario, Canada side of the lake located along the St. Lawrence Seaway as it exits Lake Ontario. 

*Lake Michigan

It is the only Great Lake that is fully in the United States, not sharing borders with Canada as the other four lakes do. Ports along its shoreline include Chicago, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. 

Lake Michigan is known for its many beaches; in fact, it is sometimes refered to as the 'third coast' (after the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. The soft, off-white sand of these beaches are known as "singing sands'', when you walk on it, which is caused by the high quartz content. It also has the largest freshwater sand dune system in the world!

*Lake Erie

It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes. It also copes with significant pollution, causing toxic algae. At times it has been referred to as the 'dead' lake.  The Clean Water Act of 1972 and stricter regulations have brought about a great deal of improvement in the quality of the lake water. 

*Lake Superior

This is the largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area), and the third largest by volume. 

Lake Superior is fed by more than 200 rivers. There is a steep gradient (25 feet) with rapids between Superior's outlet at the St. Marys River and Lake Huron. Therefore, ships bypass the rapids and the height problem by using the Soo Locks (an interesting story in its own right).

Other Ways to Explore and Enjoy the Five Great Lakes 

• National Museum of the Great Lakes 

There is a museum dedicated to the continuing history of the Great Lakes located on the Maumee River which flows into Lake Erie just outside of Toledo, Ohio. It is definitely a museum well worth visiting for anyone interested in the fascinating stories involving the Great Lakes. 

• Great Lakes Tours

There are Great Lakes Tours, which two of my friends have taken in the  past couple years and found to be a fascinating experience.  These tours range from 8 to 15 days and include many and diverse packages to choose from. There are tours which include all five lakes and Niagara Falls, tours for Seniors, Guided-Group Cruises, and Self-Guided Tours. These scenic small-ship cruises also can include Viking Cruises, and Fall Foliage Tours. Click here to explore tours which may interest you.

• Lake Effect Weather

One last mention of things related to the Great Lakes, which anyone who has ever lived on or near one definitely has experienced, is the amazing effect weather has on nearby communities. No such city is better known than Buffalo, NY, located at the eastern end of Lake Erie where it flows into the Niagara River. These winter storms, known as Lake Effect Storms, have hit Buffalo with snowfalls measured in FEET instead of inches. 

Summary

So, set aside the beginning of May to celebrate Great Lakes Awareness Day by enjoying reading about or experiencing in person one or more of the five Great Lakes. It is a crucial, industrial inland waterway connecting Canada and the U.S., plus the sites of many fascinating places to visit or tour.

*This review of the five Great Lakes and their Awareness Day holiday was written by Wednesday Elf.

*Images in this review are courtesy of Pixabay

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