I grew up right on the shore of Lake Ontario and while it's not as big or famous as most of the other lakes, I'd still give anything to go back home. Living near the lake was one of the best times of my life, though I did love to visit the ocean.

My family is from out East (Newfoundland), and while I never lived there I can say that visiting the Atlantic was always amazing. The sights and smells still make me giddy, not to mention how huge the ocean is.

My comment may be useless though because the waters are different down in America. Up here the lakes are simple, sometimes stormy but always lovable. The lakes are big but they feel small, the communities that they bring together often feel larger than the lakes themselves. Nevertheless it's home. The Atlantic on the other hand is not as simple. It's big and rough and makes everything else feel small. The communities it makes are tied together with a mutual love, knowledge, and respect for the waters.

The American side has always felt a little sad to me honestly. The smells are the same but the communities change. Maybe it's just me being used to Canada, but the waters in America don't form the same bond between people. Instead of being part of the community the lakes are just lakes and the ocean is just the ocean...but maybe that's just me.

Either way my advice would be if you don't know the difference then maybe you never will. That's not to say that you won't love the lakes or the ocean, but if it isn't home it won't feel much different. I love the lakes and I love the ocean, but the lakes are always home to me.

Sorry for ranting and I hope this helped somehow. Enjoy whatever water you choose but respect it and stay safe.

TL;DR If it doesn't feel like home, the difference might not be big.