The Great Lakes region offers a wide array of natural, cultural, and entertainment attractions across five Great Lakes, eight US states, and one Canadian province. Whether you are interested in exploring the natural wonders of the lakes, taking in museums and other cultural attractions, or looking for the excitement of top-notch amusement and water parks, the Great Lakes have something for everyone.
For those who cannot travel, are looking for inspiration, or simply want to explore this amazing region from home, we have put together a (nearly) complete list of virtual tours and experiences from around the Great Lakes. We gathered many of our museum entries from the Google Arts and Culture Gallery. You can see a map online here. Another great general resource is the National Parks System website. We gathered many of our national parks tours from this page, as well as various state and local park system pages. Local Convention and Visitors Bureaus are also a great source of travel information, and you will see them sprinkled throughout this list. All of the items on this list are located within an hour drive of a Great Lake, with most of the attractions less than a half an hour away from the lakes.
As we discover more online opportunities, we will continue to add them. Feel free to sit back and take a quick virtual trip, and contact us with any suggestions. Continuing reading for virtual trips by state/province!
Art Institute of Chicago and here and here
Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Chicago History Museum and here (scroll down to digital resources)
DuSable Museum of African American History
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio, Robie House Tour, and Unity Temple
Garfield Conservatory and here
Hit Play Chicago Virtual Field Trips
Illinois Holocaust Museum and Educational Center
Morton Arboretum and here
Music Box Theatre (paid online films)
Museum of Science and Industry
National Museum of Contemporary Photography
National Museum of Mexican Art
Shedd Aquarium and here and here and here
Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University Virtual Tour
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum
Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive Virtual Tour
University of Michigan Museum of Art
Cascade River State Park and here
Duluth Parks and Trails Virtual Tour
Gooseberry Falls State Park and here
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and here
Virtual Vacations on Lake Superior, by Odyssey Resorts
Farm Babies at the Minnesota Zoo
Temperance River State Park and here
Tettegouche State Park and here
National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House
Niagara Falls and here and here
Cedar Point POV Roller Coaster Videos and Cedar Point Virtual Activities
Kelley’s Island Historic Society
National Museum of the Great Lakes
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
Toledo Metroparks Cannaley Treehouse Village
Toledo Zoo Promedica Museum of Natural History
Town of Lincoln Museum and Cultural Centre
Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass
American Birkebeiner: Virtual Race Tour
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Virtual Tour
Big Top Chautauqua Tiny Tent Show
EAA Aviation Museum Virtual Cockpit Tours
Fat Bike Birkie: Virtual Ride Along Tour
Grohmann Museum at Milwaukee School of Engineering
Jewish Museum of Milwaukee
Milwaukee Art Museum and here
Wisconsin Black Historical Society
