As another school year approaches its end and summer vacation planning reaches the top of the to do list, many recreational family boaters are opting to take their family vacation on the water. Why pack the family, the dog and the luggage and spend two weeks complaining about the sweltering heat from inside the windows of your car?

Without a doubt, the Great Lakes offer boaters, sailors and cruisers some of the most breath-taking scenery in the world. Out on the water you can remove yourself from the fast-paced life of the city and simply relax and enjoy your time. At the end of the day, your port of call on the Great Lakes may have a whole lot more to offer you than just a slip to dock your boat.

Waterside communities thrive on tourist traffic during the summer months and offer a series of restaurants, shops, summer festivals, music festivals, farmers markets and a variety of other services, most of which are just steps from the shoreline. Having access to so many cities and small communities from the marinas along the Great Lakes leaves many options available, regardless of individual tastes and interests.

Gardening enthusiasts may consider visiting Amherstburg, Ontario along Lake Erie to take in the Amherstburg Garden Tour and Fair, which features over 70 garden related exhibits. Art lovers may choose to visit Hilton Beach, Ontario on Lake Hurons North Channel to view work from the areas best artists at the annual Arts at the Dock held each July. The kids may want to visit Ontario Place in Toronto, Ontario or Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio and spend a day at an amusement park, both of which house their own marina facilities.

For those seeking nightly entertainment, the larger cities, of course, offer more nightlife activities with fine dining, theatres, casinos and professional sporting events, but for those seeking a quieter escape, the smaller communities can offer miles of boardwalks, sandy beaches, casual dining and local cultural events to help you wind down from a day on the water.

A new day will certainly bring new opportunities for adventure. Your next sailing destination may have you visiting the marvelous Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan or Niagaras wine country. How about a lakeside fish fry in Georgian Bay or perhaps scuba diving through a Great Lakes shipwreck?

Your local marina or yacht club may be your weekend home-away-from-home, but if your time and experience allows you, take the opportunity to explore your surrounding communities and drop anchor in a new Great Lakes city or village this summer. These new experiences may amaze you and it also offers you the prime opportunity to promote your local marina and invite a new stranger to your town.

http://www.GreatLakesDestinations.com can help you find a nearby marina and assist in getting you started in planning your next Great Lakes sailing adventure.