Michigan Beach Towns: 15 Best on Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior

Last Updated: August 2026

Michigan beach towns are the part of a Great Lakes trip that turns a good beach day into a weekend you actually remember — the walkable downtowns, the ice cream counters, the harbor sunsets, and the local shops just steps from the sand. Michigan holds 3,288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, the longest freshwater coastline in the country, and roughly 387 communities sit on it. No one trip covers them.

This is my lifelong-local’s map of Michigan’s best beach towns, organized by shoreline so you can find the right one fast. I’ve been recommending these towns on air for years — for WDIV Detroit, FOX 17 West Michigan, and FOX 32 Chicago — and the question I get most is not “which is prettiest” but “which one is right for my trip.” That’s what this page answers.

Each town gets a short, honest take on who it’s for and what makes it different, plus a link to my full guide for that town with the addresses, hours, restaurants, and where to stay. Think of this page as the index; the deep dives are one click away.

Use the Interactive Map of the Best Michigan Beach Towns

The towns below run roughly south to north, grouped by shoreline. If you’re planning a multi-stop trip, the regional hubs at the end of each section connect them into a route you can actually drive.

One thing worth knowing before you pick: the two coasts feel completely different, and it isn’t only about the water. The Lake Michigan side gets the sunsets, the dunes, and the crowds — beach lots there routinely fill by late morning on summer weekends. The Lake Huron side faces east, so you get sunrises instead, the shallow bays warm up earlier in the season, and you can usually park at noon in July without circling.

If your priority is a specific restaurant scene or a gallery weekend, go west. If it’s a quiet beach with your own stretch of sand and a shorter drive from metro Detroit, go east. Both are genuinely good. They are not interchangeable.

Lake Michigan Beach Towns

Michigan’s west coast is the postcard side — dune-backed beaches, sunset water, and a string of walkable towns from the Indiana line up to the Leelanau Peninsula. These are the towns most people picture when they think “Michigan beach town,” and there are enough of them to fill a whole summer. For the full west-coast lineup, see my guide to the best Lake Michigan beach towns.

New Buffalo

New Buffalo is the pick for the Chicago-weekender crowd who want sand and sophistication in one walkable town. Set in southwest Michigan’s Harbor Country about 70 miles from downtown Chicago, it pairs a sprawling public Lake Michigan beach with surf shops, art galleries, and a genuinely good dining scene. Get the full breakdown in my New Buffalo travel guide and my roundup of the best restaurants in New Buffalo.

St. Joseph

St. Joseph — the “Riviera of the Midwest” — is the best all-in-one family beach town on the southwest coast. Silver Beach brings the Lake Michigan fun with a giant splash pad and a historic carousel, and the bluff-top downtown has wide, accessible sidewalks, shops, and good food. Start with my St. Joseph travel guide, plus the St. Joseph beaches and Silver Beach.

South Haven

South Haven is my pick for a first-timer’s classic Michigan beach weekend. It’s both family- and dog-friendly, with historic downtown shops, the Michigan Maritime Museum, and the title of Blueberry Capital of Michigan — so you’ll leave with jam and a hard cider from a nearby brewery. Dig in with my South Haven travel guide, the South Haven beaches, and where to stay in my guide to South Haven hotels.

Saugatuck

Saugatuck is the art-and-beauty town — the one to choose when you want galleries and dining alongside the dunes. Oval Beach gets most of the attention, but it’s the art scene, Saugatuck Dunes State Park, and the walkable downtown shared with Douglas that earn the overnight stay. See my Saugatuck travel guide, Oval Beach, and the best places to stay in Saugatuck.

Grand Haven

Grand Haven — Coast Guard City, USA — is the quintessential west-coast beach town, with two beaches, a boardwalk, and a trolley. Grand Haven City Beach and Grand Haven State Park are both walkable from a downtown full of shops and shady parks. One timing note: the Coast Guard Festival at the end of July is the town’s busiest week of the year, so come another weekend if you want room on the boardwalk. Plan it with my Grand Haven travel guide and things to do in Grand Haven, or detour to Holland.

Ludington

Ludington is the outdoor-adventure beach town, framed by sand dunes to the north and south. Ludington State Park sits between Hamlin Lake and seven miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, with three campgrounds and 21 miles of marked trails — and the campsites book months ahead. The casual downtown is built for a beach-day pace.

Stop at House of Flavors while you’re there. In June 2016 the shop built a 2,970-foot ice cream sundae down Ludington Avenue — 12,825 scoops, eight city blocks, and a Guinness World Record. The record has since been broken twice, but the ice cream is still the reason to go. More in my Ludington travel guide and things to do in Ludington.

Frankfort

Frankfort is the northwest-Michigan two-water town — Lake Michigan on one side, Crystal Lake on the other. A Lake Michigan beach sits just steps from a Main Street of gift shops and Stormcloud Brewing Company, and the beach is one of the best sunset spots in the state. See my Frankfort guide to plan it.

Traverse City

Traverse City is the do-everything beach town — wineries, beaches, and a downtown big enough to fill multiple days. Set on Grand Traverse Bay with West and East Bay beaches, the Cherry Capital pairs Old Mission Peninsula vineyards with a walkable Front Street of galleries and fudge shops. Start with my Traverse City guide, the Traverse City wineries, and the best restaurants in Traverse City.

💡 PRO TIP: The west coast strings together into one of the best road trips in the state. My guide to the West Michigan Pike connects St. Joseph, South Haven, Saugatuck, Grand Haven, and Holland along the old shoreline highway — the easy way to hit several of these towns in one trip.

Lake Huron Beach Towns (The Sunrise Coast)

The Lake Huron side is the quieter, warmer-bay coast — the Sunrise Side, where the water faces east and the towns are less crowded and easier on the wallet. It’s also the closest Great Lakes shoreline to Detroit. For the full lineup, see my guide to the best Lake Huron beach towns.

Cheboygan

Cheboygan is the underrated northern-tip town with clear, warm shallow bays. Just south of Mackinaw City, it mixes quiet downtown shops with sandy Lake Huron beaches, and the nearby Mullet and Black lakes add warm inland swimming. See my Cheboygan travel guide.

Alpena

Alpena is the most underrated city on this list, and shipwrecks are the reason. Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of only a handful of NOAA marine sanctuaries in fresh water, protecting nearly 100 historic shipwrecks across 448 square miles of Lake Huron — an area locals call Shipwreck Alley.

You do not need to dive to see them. The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center on West Fletcher Street is the sanctuary’s visitor center and shipwreck museum, and glass-bottom boat tours run over the wrecks in summer. Mich-E-Ke-Wis Park has a swim beach and splash pad when you want a normal beach afternoon. Plan it with my guide to things to do in Alpena and the Lake Huron beaches.

Oscoda

Oscoda is the family beach town where the Au Sable River meets Lake Huron, with one of the most accessible parks in the state. Brick-lined streets put ice cream shops and cafes steps from the ADA-accessible Oscoda Beach Park, and the River Road Scenic Byway runs inland to Lumberman’s Monument and Iargo Springs. See my Oscoda travel guide and things to do in Oscoda.

East Tawas

East Tawas is the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” — harbor-front charm with old-fashioned Main Street shops. Tawas Bay and the harbor fill up all summer, and Newman Street still has a five-and-dime, a candy store, and fudge and ice cream within a few blocks. Plan it with my Tawas travel guide.

Lexington

Lexington is the closest classic beach town to metro Detroit — a real harbor town under 90 minutes from the suburbs. It checks every box: a big harbor, a shady garden park, a sandy beach with a pier and play structures, and a walkable downtown of shops and restaurants. See my Lexington guide, and for the rest of this stretch, my Michigan Thumb coast guide.

Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior Beach Towns

Cross the Mackinac Bridge and the beach towns change character — bigger water, wilder shorelines, and a different pace. Superior also runs genuinely cold, so plan these towns around hiking, paddling, and shoreline more than long swims.

St. Ignace

St. Ignace is the Upper Peninsula gateway just across the bridge — your jumping-off point for Mackinac Island. Beyond the ferry docks, it’s a clean, visitor-friendly town steeped in Native American heritage, with lakefront parks, galleries, and the pasty you should absolutely order. Pair it with my guides to the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island.

Marquette

Marquette is the U.P.’s big city with a beach-town soul, built entirely around Lake Superior. Marquette Harbor and McCarty’s Cove are the swimming spots — bring a wetsuit or a lot of resolve — but the hiking and biking trails and a historic downtown of breweries and eateries make it a true destination. Start with my Marquette travel guide and things to do in Marquette.

Michigan Beach Towns at a Glance

Beach Town	Lake / Region — Best For
New Buffalo	Lake Michigan (SW) — Chicago weekenders, dining
St. Joseph	Lake Michigan (SW) — families, Silver Beach
South Haven	Lake Michigan (SW) — first-timers, dog-friendly
Saugatuck	Lake Michigan (West) — arts, dining, dunes
Grand Haven	Lake Michigan (West) — boardwalk, two beaches
Ludington	Lake Michigan (NW) — outdoor adventure, dunes
Frankfort	Lake Michigan (NW) — two-water town, sunsets
Traverse City	Grand Traverse Bay — wineries, do-everything
Cheboygan	Lake Huron (North) — quiet, clear warm bays
Alpena	Lake Huron (Sunrise) — shipwrecks, historic downtown
Oscoda	Lake Huron (Sunrise) — families, accessibility, river
East Tawas	Lake Huron (Sunrise) — harbor charm, Main Street
Lexington	Lake Huron (Thumb) — closest to Detroit
St. Ignace	Upper Peninsula — Mackinac gateway, heritage
Marquette	Lake Superior — big-water adventure, breweries

Michigan Beach Towns FAQ

What is the best beach town in Michigan?

Saugatuck, if you want one answer. It combines a top-tier Lake Michigan beach at Oval Beach with a walkable downtown of galleries and restaurants, which is a rarer combination than it sounds. For a first Michigan beach trip, South Haven and Grand Haven are easier and more family-oriented.

Which Michigan beach town is closest to Detroit?

Lexington, on the Lake Huron shore, is under 90 minutes from the Detroit suburbs. It’s the closest town on this list that still feels like a real beach town rather than a day-trip beach.

Which Michigan beach town is closest to Chicago?

New Buffalo, about 70 miles from downtown Chicago — roughly 90 minutes. It sits at the Indiana state line in Harbor Country and is the standard Chicago weekend destination on Lake Michigan.

What is the best Michigan beach town for families?

St. Joseph. Silver Beach has a large splash pad and a historic carousel steps from the sand, and the bluff-top downtown is walkable with a stroller. South Haven and Oscoda are close seconds.

Which Michigan beach towns are the most accessible?

Oscoda and Ludington. Oscoda Beach Park is ADA-accessible with paved paths to the shoreline, and Ludington State Park is among the most accessible state parks in Michigan. St. Joseph’s downtown also has wide, level sidewalks along the bluff.

Are Michigan beach towns dog-friendly?

Many are. South Haven, Ludington, and East Tawas all have dog-friendly beach areas and walkable downtowns. Policies vary by individual beach and by season, so check the specific beach before you go — leash rules apply in all Michigan state parks.

What is the difference between Michigan’s Lake Michigan and Lake Huron beach towns?

Lake Michigan towns face west, so they get the sunsets, the big dunes, and the crowds. Lake Huron towns face east for sunrises, have shallow bays that warm up earlier, cost less, and stay noticeably quieter — plus they’re closer to Detroit.

When is the best time to visit Michigan beach towns?

Late August. The water is at its warmest of the year, the peak July crowds have started to thin, and the farm stands and orchards are at their best. September is the quiet-weather secret if you don’t need to swim.

Plan Your Michigan Beach Town Trip

Whether you say “beach towns” or “beachtowns,” these spots are what make a Michigan shoreline trip more than a day on the sand — and they’re alive year-round with festivals, fall color, and holiday events, not just in summer. Use the town guides above to go deep on the one you’ve picked, or browse by region with my Lake Michigan beaches, Lake Huron beaches, and best beaches in Michigan guides.

Planning a multi-town trip and want it all in one place? I’m building a downloadable Michigan Beach Towns planner with what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and the best season for each town. Join the newsletter and I’ll let you know the moment it’s ready — plus you’ll get Michigan trip ideas a few times a month.

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