Do Ohio and Wisconsin REALLY Have Better Coastal Towns Than Michigan?

Sorry, but if there is a ranking of the best coastal towns in the U.S. I expect at least ONE Michigan location to be on the list... We're the Great Lakes state after all!

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Just on the west side of the state alone, there are so many gorgeous beach towns - South Haven, Saugatuck, and Traverse City are a few of my favorites.

However, none of those made the cut in USA Today and 10Best Readers' poll The Ten Best Coastal Small Towns in the U.S. that claims to have found the best "tranquil" and "charming" spots on the water in the country.

It's not shocking that the majority of the top ten are ocean-front cities in states like Florida and Oregon - but the pick for No. 1 is surprising... it's in Ohio??

So how these readers' polls work is a panel of experts picked the top 20 small coastal towns and then it was put up to a public vote.

The people have spoken... and they've decided the best small coastal town is Sandusky, Ohio.

Sure, Cedar Point is fun... but I think it's pretty common knowledge that the least-great of the Great Lakes is Lake Erie...

Here's USA Today's praise for Sandusky:

This Ohio town on the coast of Lake Erie is home to Cedar Point – one of the top roller coaster-laden amusement parks in the country. As such, Sandusky regularly welcomes families from all over and is prepared to do so with other attractions like Great Wolf Lodge Water Park, Sandusky Children’s Museum, and the Merry-Go-Round Museum, plus plenty of spots for yummy treats like Soda Pop’s.

The other Midwest coastal town to make the top ten is Bayfield, Wisconsin, which is in the northern part of the state on Lake Superior, pretty close to Michigan's U.P., actually.

Here's what USA Today says of Bayfield,

Fit for a postcard, the picturesque town of Bayfield is a gateway to the stunning Apostle Islands, boasting numerous lighthouses and some truly impressive caves and cliffs. When not cruising the islands, other points of interest include the Bayfield Maritime Museum, Bayfield Artists Guild, Bayfield Apple Company and Howl Adventure Center.

Alright alright, I will admit that after checking out photos of each city, they do look like cool places. But still - Michigan should have been on the list!

Check out the rest of the top ten here.