This 240-mile Great Lake touching Upstate NY was just crowned the best in the U.S. — and it hides 2,000 shipwrecks

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Corey Fuller

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  June 29, 2026

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We love the beach just as much as the next person, especially since there are so many sandy spots right here in NYC to choose from.

However, there is something absolutely intoxicating about hopping in the car, rolling the windows down, and embarking on a classic summer road trip.

Nothing says summer in New York quite like a day spent by the water.

And this massive, history-filled Great Lake touching Upstate New York was just named the absolute best in the entire country, making it well worth the drive from the city.

Our readers already know that USA Today loves polling their audiences to uncover the best hidden gems and destinations around the world.

And recently, their expert panel nominated their top picks for the best lakes in the nation so travel lovers could vote for their favorites.

The readers have officially spoken, and they crowned New York’s own Lake Erie as the number one best lake in the U.S. for 2026!

Here’s why it’s so awesome and worth a weekend trip.

The ultimate waterside escape

Lake Erie is a wildly popular vacation destination touching the western edge of New York, as well as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

While it’s a bit further of a trek from Manhattan than our usual Catskills weekenders (clocking in at around a six hour drive or a quick one hour flight to Buffalo), the payoff is massive.

Carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago, Erie holds the title of the shallowest of the Great Lakes.

This is actually a major win for vacationers because its shallow depth means the water gets significantly warmer than the other Great Lakes during the summer, making it an absolute dream for swimmers.

Spanning over 240 miles long, the vast blue expanse looks and feels exactly like standing on the edge of the ocean.

USA Today shared some high praise for the champion:

“It may be the shallowest of North America’s Great Lakes, but Lake Erie has a massive amount of potential when it comes to both tourism and outdoor adventure. Buffalo, Cleveland, and Toledo are just a few of the storied cities that can be explored along the Erie shore, while recreation opportunities range from fishing to bird-watching to shipwreck diving.”

Endless recreation and hidden history

The New York shoreline boasts some of the most jaw-dropping waterside views you can find in the state.

Locals love to congregate at stunning sunset spots like Barcelona Harbor Beach or the soft sands of Sunset Bay to swim, sunbathe, stand-up paddleboard, and launch boats into the water.

For the true adventure junkies, Lake Erie is globally renowned for holding a tremendous amount of hidden history right beneath its surface.

With an estimated 2,000 shipwrecks hidden below the waves, it is a premier destination for fresh-water scuba diving. Divers travel from all over the world to explore perfectly preserved 19th-century schooners and freighters resting on the lake bed.

When you are done by the water, the surrounding New York towns offer lush state parks, historic lighthouses, and an entire designated Lake Erie Wine Country trail to explore!

You can easily reel in a world-class walleye in the morning, grab some famous wings along the vibrant waterfront in nearby Buffalo by the afternoon, and wind down with a glass of local Riesling by sunset.

The top ten best lakes in the U.S. for 2026 are as follows:

1. Lake Erie, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan
2. Lake George, New York
3. Lake Superior, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
4. Big Bear Lake, California
5. Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada
6. Lake Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin
7. Crater Lake, Oregon
8. Lake Champlain, New York and Vermont
9. Lake Havasu, Arizona and California
10. Lake Cumberland, Kentucky

If you want to see how the rest of the country stacked up, you can check out the full USA Today study here.