Best Michigan Beaces
 

We are looking for a beautiful swimming beach to visit. Most important criteria is cleanliness and clarity of water. Open to driving anywhere.

oops typing to fast BEACHES

Pere Marquette Beach at Muskegon was just ranked one of Michigan's cleanest beaches again this year. Lots of sun, sailboats, and sand! Also near Michigan's Adventure Amusement Park.

Sleeping Bear Dunes near Traverse City is beautiful.

Sleeping Bear Dunes are great. So are South Haven, Frankfort, Manistee, etc. Avoid Silver Lake area.

I would visit either Holland or Grand Haven. Both have State Parks and the water is wonderful. Both areas have a lot to offer during the summer months in addition to just swimming. But call ahead for reservations, this is a busy time of year.

Great Sand Bay in the Keweenaw! Very clean, quiet and you can't beat the clarity of Lake Superior. Superior isn't always cold - when we swam there in August, the water temp was warmer than Lake Michigan at Grand Haven on that same day.

But then, 45 degrees is warmer than 42 degrees, isn't it?
Let's not mislead anyone, anywhere on Superior is going to average substantially colder water than that in the Grand Haven-Saugatuck area.

I'll admit that generally Lake Superior is colder. But if your criteria is cleanliness and clarity of water, you can't beat the Great Sand Bay. And when the water temp is 69 degrees (like the day we swam there in August), well there just isn't a better swimming beach that I know.

We vacation near Lake Superior every summer. Some days you just take a dip, but some days we're in the water all afternoon.

You really never know with the great lakes - it all depends on which way the wind is blowing. Even Lake Michigan (which is quite close to home for me) can be 50 degrees one day and 74 the next.