Luxury Yacht Rental in the Great Lakes

Luxury Yacht Charter Guide to the Great Lakes

Sail down the backroads of Americas great country with a yacht charter experience on the Great Lakes. These landscapes of swaying corn, sprawling orchards, rolling dunes, and wandering moose make for a land of fascinating discovery. The great inland oceans come served with a side of summer resort towns, blinking lighthouses, and can be folded into one of a kind all-American experiences -from horse and carts down in Amish country to a slice of deep dish in the slick city streets of Chicago and the thunder of Niagara Falls, this is the glut and the glory of chartering the Great Lakes.

St. Joseph, Michigan North Pier Lighthouses with a Sailboat on Lake Michigan.
Toronto and lake Ontario
Woman paddles a blue kayak around Lake Huron's Turnip Rock near Port Austin Michigan, on a clear summer day.

Reasons to Charter a Yacht in the Great Lakes

American Underbelly

From the shadows of Detroit to the backwaters of Ohio, and the lesser known logging towns that disappear under the big freeze come winter; exploring the Great Lakes gives you the chance to see another side of North America. The Midwest is said to be the backbone of the USA and from rolling prairies to historic neighborhoods and the clang of dairy farms, there’s nothing like stepping off the beaten track.

Sublime Nature

Without a doubt, the main glory of the Great Lakes comes in the wonder of its nature. This is a landscape of great inland oceans, rolling fir forests, roaring bears and splendid moose darting into the shadows. From the might of Niagara Falls to endless National Parks and perfect hiking trails, surfing the soft waves of the beaches and the crackle of campfires at night, the Great Lakes is nature at its best.

Breathtaking Beaches

Planning a summer yacht charter along the Great Lakes is an absolute dream for beach lovers. Sweltering sand dunes, paddleboats ferrying across the surface, and an array of blues that sparkle – you can spend each afternoon on a different stretch of sand. Ohio Street Beach gifts you skyscraper views as you paddle and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park is celebrated as being one of the most beautiful spots in America.

City Dipping

The sparkle of skyscrapers in Chicago, the tantalizing energy of Toronto, the comeback cool of Detroit, and the crossroads of Cleveland – a yacht charter around the Great Lakes cracks open the chance to see some of North America’s most enigmatic cities. From deep dish pizzas to the heartlands of the auto industry and the magic of multiculturalism, this journey also takes you skirting borders to explore two countries in one trip.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in evening sunlight.These colorful formations are on the Lake Superior shoreline on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Mackinac Island Harbor, Saint Ann's Catholic Church. Taken during the annual Lilac Festival. Michigan USA
A classic Lake Erie lighthouse, The Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light on a beautiful day in Fairport Ohio, USA

Where to Visit in the Great Lakes

Chicago

Despite its nickname of the windy city, Chicago makes for a sublime stop off point on a luxury yacht charter around the grace of the Great Lakes. A city of shimmering skyscrapers, a plethora of amazing art museums, and a foodie love affair that will leave you unbuckling a notch on your belt – Chicago is all about well tapered excess. Chow down on the deep dish pizza, catch a game of baseball in Wrigley Fields, peruse paintings at The Art Institute, and head to the top of the sparkling glass of Willis Tower.

Lake Erie

The shallow waters of Lake Erie make for prime chartering for those boats looking to lap up the historic auto scene in Detroit, take day trips over to Ontario, and feel the thunder of Niagara Falls. Planning a yacht charter to Lake Erie showcases a myriad of moods. When you aren’t hitting the major sights, the islands of Lake Erie – Kelleys Island, Bass Island and Pelee on the Canadian side offer beautiful bird watching, salamander fishing, and splashing

Lake Michigan

Leave Chicago behind in the breeze and venture deeper into the great waters of Lake Michigan. The western shores are famed for their lush little lake skimming towns where surf shops, farmers markets, and wineries invite chic summer visits. The majestic Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a sight for sore eyes – with its Caribbean blue waters, deep cool forests, and endless day hikes taking you up to pristine vistas. Cruise down to Mackinac Island and into the crystal-clear waters of Lake Huron where ducking onto the Canadian side gifts you the best sights of rolling forests and farmlands straight from the pages of a picture book.

Lake Superior

Home of the fur trade, birthplace of Bob Dylan, and land of eagles and bears, the shores of Lake Superior are seemingly lifted from an American fable. Sail your yacht charter in the Great Lakes over to Canada and take the kayak out to explore the epic nature of Thunder Bay where close by 50 miles of hiking trails cut and weave through the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park where moose and wolf slink through the forests beneath the temperate trees.

When to Charter a Yacht in the Great Lakes

While summer brings the warmest weather for splashing in the lakes and lagoons, this is also when the clouds bulge to breaking point – bringing plenty of rainfall. Spring and fall make for fabulous sailing months, especially early on in the autumn when the weather is warm, and the leaves have started to turn gold and bronze. Winter yacht charters around the lakes are apt to be nigh impossible – with freezing temperatures, snow storms and biting wind.

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