We already know about the Great Lakes. But the word is starting to get out.

Travel magazine Travel + Leisurejust named the Great Lakes asone of the world's best places to travel in 2020, according to its annual list of the 50 best places to visit.

Travel + Leisurewent through books andtourism statistics. It scopedout major events,new restaurant openings and posts of the best travelInstagram accounts. It surveyedtravel experts advisors, writers, hospitality insiders, and other industry pros to see what places should make it to the list.

The result: The Great Lakes made it to No. 22, sandwiched between Guyana and Istanbul, as the next hot cruise destination.

Turnip Rock in Lake Huron.(Photo: Dayna Mae Photography)

Collectively, the five lakes offer 11,000 miles of "attraction-packed shoreline."There are new small ship cruises making it easierfor visitorsto explore.

You can travel fromQubec to Milwaukeefor the first time in 2019 on luxury French cruise linePonant.If that doesn't quite float your boat,Blount Small Ship Adventuresadded a two-week Great Lakes trip, taking visitors from Chicago to Montral.

If you prefer to be on land, there's always Mackinac Island, named the no. 1 summer destination in Americaby TripAdvisor in 2018 and a top "secret celebrity hideaway" by Forbes in 2017.It's a traveler favorite and has two new hotels in 2019, theMackinac HouseandWaterfront Collection.

(Photo: iStock / Michael Deemer)

In Michigan's Upper Peninsula,Chicago Michelin-starred chef Iliana Regan and her wife, Anna Regan, launched theMilkweed Inn, a converted hunting lodge on 150 acres that's now aglamping destination. "The Regans serve exquisite meals all weekend long, capped off by a multi-course Saturday night tasting menu," Travel + Leisure wrote.

"And lakeside cities like Cleveland and Milwaukee are drawing new crowds, the former for a thriving creative scene and revived waterfront, the latter for its dynamic restaurant landscape, new museums, and anticipatory buzz ahead of Julys Democratic National Convention."

Other destinations on the list includeAddis Ababa, Ethiopia(No. 1), Barbados (No. 6), Doha, Qatar (No. 16) and Singapore (No. 43).

Contact Bisma Parvezat 313-222-1881 or bparvez@gannett.comFollow her on Twitter @bismapar.

More Michigan travel news:

Mackinac Island named the No. 1 summer destination in America

Peters: Why the Great Lakes are worth protecting

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Great Lakes named a top destination for 2020 by Travel + Leisure magazine - The Times Herald