You will find a myriad of magnificent bodies of water scattered around the planet, but there's only one set grand enough to be called the Great Lakes. Superior, Ontario, Huron, Michigan and Erie are essentially inland oceans and each year they come alive to become the ultimate summer playground. The following are 15 reasons you should look to the towns, cities, and seashores of the Great Lakes for your next summer escape.

Niagara Falls needs no introduction. These cascades have been capturing our imagination for centuries and while there is something magical about seeing the falls entombed in ice, summer is definitely the best time to visit. In warm weather, you can fully enjoy the surrounding area and will probably even smile when you get soaked on the legendary Maid of the Mist boat tour.

Cleveland sits at the crossroads of the Great Lakes and the heart of Rock and Roll and it buzzes all summer long. The recently revitalized Lakefront Reservation is a great way to start your exploring as this park is home to a host of ways to have water-based fun. Afterward, taste the city's fascinating culinary history at one of America's best indoor food halls-the East Side Market-and tour the world famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Don't go chasing waterfalls anywhere else in Michigan, because there's only one to be found anywhere outside of the U.P. Here, there are hundreds of falls and finding them makes for the perfect summer scavenger hunt. The sights in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are something you won't forget either-especially if seen from the water.

Canada's biggest city is hot and when the weather warms up it truly shines. Toronto's cool coffee shops, bars, and restaurants all open up their terraces and the ferries to nearby Toronto Island are plentiful. A group of 15 islands, Toronto Island is crisscrossed by pathways and bridges and is the perfect spot for a skyline-view picnic.

Wisconsin's Apostle Islands offer summer sightseers a gaggle of gorgeous rock formations and a set of historic lighthouses. Take to a kayak to spot sea caves on the craggy coast before spending your night huddled next to a campfire at one of the Apostles' many rural campgrounds.

You haven't officially done summer right until you've taken a ride on a rollercoaster, and the Great Lakes is home to America's premier coaster destination. Always-evolving Cedar Point is truly one of the country's best amusement parks and there are enough rollercoasters here to keep your heart racing well into the winter.

Sure, the name of the town gives you a heads-up, but you'll still probably be surprised at how much "Dutch-ness" they've got going on in Holland, Michigan. Giant windmill? Naturally. Cycling paths? Absolutely. Tulip festival? Theirs is world famous, thank you very much. After you've explored the sights, head out to one of several local sweeps of gorgeous beach.

Door County, Wisconsin is a dream any time of year, but during the summer months, the place turns downright magical. Beaches, lakes, and towns come alive to offer a distinctly Door welcome to vacationers. Relax on the sands of Nicolet Beach before taking in some striking scenery from atop one of the county's many observation towers.

While the news of Detroit's comeback has been widely publicized, many of the attractions that make it such a fine place visit in the summer have been there all along. Case in point is Belle Isle, the island in the Detroit River home to one of the world's grandest greenhouses, a fascinating aquarium and a museum dedicated to the maritime history of the Great Lakes.

This skinny, picturesque peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania is home to some of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the entire Great Lakes region. Spend a day on the beach here before scaling the Port Erie Bicentennial Tower for a panoramic view of the city and lake.

If you are looking for a new summer road trip idea, then look no further than a Great Lakes Circle Tour. All the Great Lakes are ringed by an interconnected network of roads which allows road trippers to complete a scenic full circle. And when you finish circling one lake, then it's time to move on to the next.

While it may look like the Mediterranean, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is pure Michigan. Fresh off being declared the "most beautiful place in America" by a well-known national morning show, visitors are sure to be flocking here in droves soon. And what will they find? Towering soft sand dunes, peaceful streams for paddling and fascinating maritime history.

If the Great Lakes region was a country, Chicago would be its capital. In summer, "The City of Broad Shoulders" becomes the "The Town of Tan Shoulders" as residents head to the urban beaches en masse. Join them, but only after exploring boardwalk heaven Navy Pier, strolling through Grant Park and gobbling down some Chicago-style grub.

Minnesota's interior lakes get a lot of press for their summer playground prowess, but the state's Great Lakes coastline provides a pleasant surprise. Look no further than Palisade Head-a stunning rock formation on the shores of Lake Superior-to be impressed.

They don't have a ton of Great Lakes coastline in Indiana, but what they do have is heavenly. Indiana Dunes is the star of the show as this national lakeshore is home to over 15 miles full of beaches, windswept sand dunes and winding walking/hiking paths.