Regional Guide · 38 beaches
Great Lakes Beaches
Great Lakes coverage spans Michigan's Lake Michigan dunes coast (Ludington, Silver Lake, Sleeping Bear, Petoskey), the Chicago lakefront in Illinois, Indiana's southern Lake Michigan shore (Indiana Dunes, Miller Beach, Michigan City), Wisconsin's Door County peninsula, Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay (Tawas Point, Port Crescent), Lake Superior (Marquette), Lake Erie (Maumee Bay, Cedar Point, Edgewater), Lake Ontario's south shore (Hamlin Beach, Selkirk Shores), and Presque Isle in Pennsylvania. The largest single freshwater system on earth — no jellyfish, no sharks, no rip-current-by-headland on most beaches, but real wind-driven surf when fronts move through.
Current Conditions
Average water temperature: 53°F
Across 38 monitored stations on the Great Lakes.
When to Go
Beaches open Memorial Day through Labor Day; water warms comfortably by mid-July on the southern lakes and by August on Superior. Peak visitation is July–August; mornings and early fall are dramatically less crowded.
Watch Out For
Lake Erie and Lake Michigan have real surf and dangerous rip currents during onshore wind events — check the NWS Beach Hazards statement before swimming. Harmful algal blooms (cyanobacteria) occasionally close beaches in late summer, especially on western Lake Erie. Many beaches close during E. coli advisories after heavy rain.
Michigan · 13
All Michigan beaches →Petoskey State Park
Decent day for photography.
Lakeport State Park
Decent day for photography.
Port Crescent State Park
Decent day for photography.
Warren Dunes State Park
Decent day for photography.
Wilderness State Park
Decent day for photography.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Decent day for photography.
Tawas Point State Park
Great day for photography.
Holland State Park Beach
Decent day for photography.
Empire Beach (Lake Michigan Beach Park)
Decent day for photography.
Ludington State Park
Decent day for photography.
Silver Lake State Park
Decent day for photography.
Grand Haven State Park
Decent day for photography.
Presque Isle Park (Marquette)
Skip the beach today.
Illinois · 9
All Illinois beaches →12th Street Beach (Chicago)
Great day for a beach walk.
Oak Street Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
North Avenue Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
Montrose Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)
Decent day for photography.
57th Street Beach (Hyde Park)
Decent day for photography.
63rd Street Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
Foster Avenue Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
Ohio Street Beach (Chicago)
Decent day for photography.
Ohio · 5
All Ohio beaches →Maumee Bay State Park
Decent day for photography.
Cedar Point Beach
Great day for photography.
Sims Park Beach (Euclid)
Decent day for photography.
Edgewater Beach (Cleveland)
Skip the beach today.
Headlands Beach State Park
Skip the beach today.
Wisconsin · 4
All Wisconsin beaches →Whitefish Dunes State Park
Great day for a beach walk.
Cave Point County Park
Decent day for photography.
Bradford Beach (Milwaukee)
Decent day for photography.
Peninsula State Park (Nicolet Bay Beach)
Decent day for photography.
Indiana · 3
All Indiana beaches →Washington Park Beach (Michigan City)
Decent day for photography.
Indiana Dunes National Park
Decent day for photography.
Marquette Park Beach (Gary, Miller Beach)
Decent day for photography.
New York · 3
All New York beaches →Hamlin Beach State Park
Skip the beach today.
Sandy Island Beach State Park (Sandy Pond)
Skip the beach today.
Selkirk Shores State Park
Skip the beach today.