Closest Beaches

Beaches Near Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh has no ocean within reach, but Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie is about 130 miles north, roughly two and a half hours up I-79. It is a free state park with multiple guarded freshwater beaches and warmer summer water than the Atlantic. Expect calm-day swimming rather than surf, and weekend crowds in July and August.

Plan This Week

Tuesday looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach on Tuesday (73).

Within 60 mi

Laurel Hill State Park

50 mi · ~1 hr 13 min drive · Somerset County, PA

Skip the beach today.

43°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (61)

Yellow Creek State Park

52 mi · ~1 hr 15 min drive · Indiana County, PA

Skip the beach today.

53°F air 14 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (61)

New Germany State Park

72 mi · ~1 hr 44 min drive · Garrett County, MD

Skip the beach today.

43°F air 14 to 20 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (59)

Herrington Manor State Park

74 mi · ~1 hr 46 min drive · Garrett County, MD

Decent day for photography.

41°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (60)

Deep Creek Lake State Park

74 mi · ~1 hr 46 min drive · Garrett County, MD

Decent day for photography.

43°F air 14 to 17 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (59)

Shawnee State Park

77 mi · ~1 hr 51 min drive · Bedford County, PA

Skip the beach today.

49°F air 18 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (66)

Prince Gallitzin State Park

78 mi · ~1 hr 52 min drive · Cambria County, PA

Skip the beach today.

45°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (61)

Broadford Lake Park

79 mi · ~1 hr 53 min drive · Garrett County, MD

Decent day for photography.

43°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (62)

Jennings Randolph Lake — Shaw Beach

84 mi · ~2 hr 1 min drive · Mineral County, WV

Decent day for photography.

49°F air 9 to 15 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (67)

Rocky Gap State Park

88 mi · ~2 hr 6 min drive · Allegany County, MD

Decent day for photography.

49°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (67)

Parker Dam State Park

94 mi · ~2 hr 15 min drive · Clearfield County, PA

Skip the beach today.

44°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (59)

Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach

101 mi · ~2 hr 26 min drive · Huntingdon County, PA

Skip the beach today.

53°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (73)

Cacapon Resort State Park

110 mi · ~2 hr 38 min drive · Morgan County, WV

Decent day for photography.

52°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (69)

Whipple Dam State Park

113 mi · ~2 hr 43 min drive · Huntingdon County, PA

Skip the beach today.

50°F air 12 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (69)

Headlands Beach State Park

113 mi · ~2 hr 43 min drive · Lake County, OH

Skip the beach today.

54°F air 20 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (57)

Cowans Gap State Park

114 mi · ~2 hr 44 min drive · Fulton County, PA

Decent day for photography.

53°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (69)

Sims Park Beach (Euclid)

114 mi · ~2 hr 44 min drive · Cuyahoga County, OH

Decent day for photography.

54°F air 18 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (60)

Presque Isle State Park

116 mi · ~2 hr 47 min drive · Erie County, PA

Skip the beach today.

52°F air 15 to 23 mph wind Best this week: Veterans Day (51)

Edgewater Beach (Cleveland)

116 mi · ~2 hr 47 min drive · Cuyahoga County, OH

Skip the beach today.

51°F air 23 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (57)

Greenbrier State Park

140 mi · ~3 hr 22 min drive · Washington County, MD

Decent day for photography.

56°F air 15 to 18 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (73)

Pine Grove Furnace State Park

145 mi · ~3 hr 29 min drive · Cumberland County, PA

Decent day for photography.

55°F air 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (73)

Cunningham Falls State Park (Hunting Creek Lake)

145 mi · ~3 hr 29 min drive · Frederick County, MD

Decent day for photography.

54°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (70)

Cedar Point Beach

157 mi · ~3 hr 47 min drive · Erie County, OH

Great day for photography.

54°F air 16 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (62)

Gifford Pinchot State Park

166 mi · ~3 hr 59 min drive · York County, PA

Decent day for photography.

57°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (73)

Maumee Bay State Park

196 mi · ~4 hr 42 min drive · Lucas County, OH

Decent day for photography.

53°F air 9 to 13 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (66)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of Pittsburgh. Real drive times depend on highway routing, weekend traffic, and where in the metro you start. For summer Saturdays, plan 20–40 minutes longer than the estimates here. The range slider above filters by the same straight-line distance.