The Traverse Bay Area beaches are the reason many families choose to make this area their home. The beaches host a warm season full of free recreation for the entire family. Parents who keep a bottle of sun block, a bucket, and a shovel in the car have an all access pass to summer fun in the sun.
Acme Township Park
Four miles north of Acme off US 31 North, 12 miles east of Traverse City
Alden Depot Park & Museum
On the east shore of beautiful Torch Lake is the village of Alden, whose restored 1908 train depot features photographs and memorabilia from the community's past as a railroad and resort area. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day 10670 Coy, Alden
Antrim County Park
(Barnes Park)
On East Grand Traverse Bay, this park features a sandy beach, hiking trails, a playground, restroom facilities, and covered picnic facilities. Day use is free. It's west of US 31 and M 88 in Torch Lake Township. Bellaire
Arbutus Lake
A shallow, spring-fed lake, Arbutus Lake is 30 minutes south of Traverse City, off Garfield Road and has a nice playground near the beach.
Traverse City
Bayside Park
The combination of 600 feet of sandy beach with the bathhouse and the picnic and playground areas make Bayside Park not only lovely but also fully equipped for beach goers to stay the whole day. The water is shallow a long way out with a sandy bottom, perfect for wading. It's on East Grand Traverse Bay off US 31 North, just south of the M 72 junction in Acme and eight miles from Traverse City. Acme
Bowers Harbor Beach
Tucked into protected Bowers Harbor on Old Mission Peninsula, this beach offers picnic facilities as well as a nearby boat launch with restrooms. Bowers Harbor Beach looks out West Grand Traverse Bay at Power Island. It is 15 miles north of Traverse City on Peninsula Drive. Traverse City
Centerville Township Park
This beach on Lake Leelanau is off Highway 643 south of the Village of Lake Leelanau. It has picnic facilities, a playground, and restrooms. Lake Leelanau
Bryant Park
Picnic area, a playground, restrooms, charcoal grills, tall pines, a long stretch of sandy beach, and lifeguards (mid-June -- August) make this a popular spot near downtown Traverse City off M 37. Often you'll find excellent sunset views overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay, bright sun and cool shade. It is located where Garfield and Front Streets intersect at the base of Old Mission Peninsula. Traverse City
Central Lake Municipal Park
(Thurston Park)
In the village of Central Lake you will find a picnic area next to a beach, and a boat launch on Intermediate Lake. It is off M 88 in Antrim County.
Central Lake
Clinch Park
The area's most populated if not it's most popular beach features over 1500 feet of sand along West Grand Traverse Bay in downtown Traverse City. Clinch Park has picnic tables, lifeguards (mid-June -- August) and restrooms. It is adjacent to Clinch Park Marina, east of Union Street on Grandview Parkway. Traverse City
Custer Township Park
On Lake of the Woods, five miles west of Mancelona off M 88, there's a beach and boat launch that is part of Custer Township Park. Mancelona
East Bay Park
This beach is popular with young families. It has shady picnic areas, shallow water with a gradual slope, lifeguards, a playground and restrooms. Find it at the base of East Grand Traverse Bay and the foot of Front Street. Traverse City
Elk Rapids County Day Park
A 13-acre park with a large beach, a bathhouse, restrooms and playground; this beach park also features a picnic area, nature trails, and tennis and basketball courts. It's just outside of Elk Rapids on south Bayshore Drive.
Elk Rapids
Elk Rapids Dam Fishing Park
Sandy beach and privies adjacent to the Elk Rapids Dam off Dexter Road. It borders East Grand Traverse Bay.
Elk Rapids
Elmwood Township Park
This beach, with a playground, picnic facilities and restrooms, is located on West Bay, off M 22, one mile north of the M 72 junction in Traverse City.
Traverse City
Empire Village Park
This beach at the foot of Niagara Street in Empire has views of the stunning Empire Bluffs, part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It is located 22 miles west of Traverse City on M 22. Restrooms, picnic facilities.
Empire
Esch Road Beach
Twenty miles west of Traverse City and 12 miles south of the Village of Empire, Esch Road Beach looks out on the impressive aqua and deep blue waters of Lake Michigan's Platte Bay. Picnic facilities. Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore or National Park pass required. Empire
Forest Home Township Park
A lovely beach on Torch Lake is the park's main attraction, its jewel. Other of its valuable features include picnic facilities, restrooms, a playground, tennis and basketball courts in the Village of Bellaire. Bellaire
Gilbert Park
You'll find a sandy beach, picnic tables and privies on Long Lake in Gilbert Park. It is located eight miles west of Traverse City on North Long Lake Road (Front Street). Traverse City
Glen Arbor Municipal Beach
Thirty miles northwest of Traverse City in the town of Glen Arbor, off M 22, the municipal beach has picnic facilities, restrooms, and a playground.
Glen Arbor
Glen Haven Beach
Thirty miles northwest of Traverse City, near Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Dunes Climb, there is a quiet, beautiful and almost private Lake Michigan beach in historic Glen Haven, a deserted village. Glen Arbor
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Glen Lake Beach
Located on M 22 across from Sleeping Bear Dunes Climb on Little Glen
Lake, Glen Lake Beach is approximately 30 miles from Traverse City and
has restrooms and picnic facilities.
Empire
Haserot Beach Park
Just east of the town of Old Mission and 20 miles north of Traverse
City on Old Mission Peninsula lies Haserot Beach Park. It boasts a
variety of features -- a sandy beach on a protected bay of Lake
Michigan, restrooms, picnic facilities, playground, and boat launch.
Traverse City Interlochen State Park
This beach on Duck Lake is only 14 miles southwest of Traverse City in
the Village of Interlochen and has picnic facilities, a playground and
restrooms.
Interlochen
Leelanau State Park
This Lake Michigan beach is at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula in the
Village of Northport. It's 30 miles north of Traverse City on M 22.
Besides the beach, it has restrooms, hiking trails and historic Grand
Traverse Lighthouse, which is open to the public.
Northport
Leland Municipal Beach
Twenty-four miles northwest of Traverse City off M 22 in the Village of
Leland, this town beach looks out on Lake Michigan. There's a marina
nearby, as well as restrooms, and picnic facilities. Leland
Long Lake Township Park
Picnic facilities, restrooms, playground, boat launch and warmish
(mid-summer), crystalline water makes this beach popular. It is on
Long Lake just off Highway 610 southwest of Traverse City. Traverse
City
Northport Beach
This park has a beach area with playground and restrooms. It is
adjacent to the marina at the foot of Nagonaba Street in Northport,
which is 26 miles north of Traverse City on M 22. Northport
Old Mission Lighthouse Park
At the end of M 37, on the tip of Old Mission Peninsula, is a large,
wide beach area with extremely shallow water, a picnic area, a
reconstruction of an early settler's cabin and privies. It is an ideal
spot for wading. The lighthouse there is not open to the public.
Beach sites are accessible along the final mile of M 37 until the road
ends at the park. To reach this park, take M 37 to the end of Old
Mission Peninsula. At this point you are about 22 miles from Front
Street in Traverse City. Old Mission
Old Settlers' Park
This park, 18 miles northwest of Traverse City on the east shore of
Glen Lake off Highway 675, has restrooms, a playground and picnic
facilities. Empire
Peterson Park
On Lake Michigan in Northport, 26 miles north of Traverse City on M 22,
Peterson Park's rock-strewn beach is an excellent spot for finding
Petoskey stones. Northport
Power Island
Accessible only by boat, this beach on West Grand Traverse Bay's Power
Island, off Bower's Harbor on Old Mission Peninsula, features picnic
facilities, restrooms and hiking trails.
Traverse City
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
This park contains numerous spectacular beaches on its 33 miles of
protected Lake Michigan shoreline, including D.H. Day Park in Glen
Haven, north Bar Lake, Good Harbor Bay and Manitou Island. Stop at the
Philip Hart Visitor Center at the junction of M 72 and M 22 in Empire
for directions. The Philip Hart Visitor Center is located 22 miles
west of Traverse City. Many trails are located within the 70,000-acre
federally owned park. Maps are available at the visitor center in
Empire. Park fee is $10 for seven days or $20 for a year paid at the
visitor center. More information on Sleeping Bear Dunes National
Lakeshore.
9922 Front Street, Empire
(231) 326-5134
Suttons Bay Municipal Beach
On the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay, 15 miles north of Traverse City
on M 22 in the Village of Suttons Bay, the Suttons Bay Municipal Beach
is a fun spot at a beautiful location. It has a beach, picnic
facilities, playground and restrooms. Suttons Bay
Tony Gilroy Township Park
On US 31 in Acme, the Tony Gilroy Township Park has picnic tables and a sandy beach on East Grand Traverse Bay. Acme
Traverse City State Park
This popular beach offers 700 feet of sandy beach on East Bay. Beach
goers enjoy the bathhouse, the picnic area and ample parking. It is
located across the street from the Traverse City State Park campgrounds
on US 31 North in Traverse City. Traverse City
West End Beach
Large, bay-front park and beach features ample parking and restrooms.
You will find it overlooking West Grand Traverse Bay at the foot of
Division Street, on Grandview Parkway, just west of downtown Traverse
City.
Traverse City
Whitewater Township Park
At this beach there are picnic areas, playground, boat launch, restrooms on Elk Lake east of Highway 685 north of Williamsburg. |
