South Haven Beaches: Guide to the BEST South Haven Beaches

Guide to the Best Beaches in South Haven MI

There’s nothing quite like a Lake Michigan vacation.

With wide, sandy beaches leading to sparkling blue water, a picturesque lighthouse and pier stretching out into the water and a charming, walkable beach town perfect for strolling, the beaches in South Haven are the perfect spot to plan yours.

We’ve been visiting the beaches of southwest Michigan for years, and we’re sharing some of the best beaches in South Haven, Michigan and the surrounding area to help you plan your Lake Michigan beach getaway.

Read on to learn more about the beaches near South Haven.

Discover South Haven’s Best Beaches

Located on the sparkling shores of Lake Michigan in the southwest corner of the state, South Haven is a favorite with visitors from around the country who love the casual beauty of this popular beach vacation spot.

This bustling Lake Michigan beach town is pure Michigan: sand, water and lots of it.

South Haven’s public beaches are some of the best beaches in Michigan, with a wide variety from which to choose.

Do you want something busy and bustling, complete with a splash pad, concessions, and more?

Or are you looking for a quiet, natural beach along the Lake Michigan shoreline with sand dunes left unchanged?

When you visit South Haven, you’ll find all of these beaches and more. In fact, many of the beaches offer excellent beach access for users of wheelchairs and other mobility devices, as well.

Whether it’s a quiet and secluded or a busily active beach you seek, South Haven has a beach for you.

South Haven’s Busy Beach Scene

There’s two beaches in South Haven you won’t want to miss if you’re in the area, popular North Beach and South Beach.

Located in downtown South Haven, these busy beaches come alive in the warm summer months, when visitors flock to the wide beaches that are complete with all of the amenities for a perfect beach day.

North Beach South Haven

North Beach is ADA accessible, has a concession stand, picnic area, play equipment, restrooms, and beach volleyball courts.

South Haven’s South Beach

South Beach is ADA accessible, has grills, picnic area, play equipment, restrooms, and access to the big, red lighthouse along a pier that juts out into the turquoise waters of Lake Michigan.

PRO-TIP: The Michigan Maritime Museum is a harborfront museum celebrating the area’s rich maritime history. It’s also the home port of the Friends Good Will, a replica of a historical merchant sloop that sailed the are area during the War of 1812.

BEST Beaches in South Haven

In addition to offering a multitude of well-maintained parks and beaches, South Haven offers some of the best wheelchair access to the Michigan shoreline around.

Check out these Wheelchair Accessible beaches:

Dyckman Beach
Dyckman Beach is a nice, sandy beach that features a long wooden ADA accessible walkway with lookout from the parking area to the beach and Lake access.

North Beach
North Beach is ADA accessible with decking/walkways leading across the beach to the waters-edge. This beach features a huge expansive sandy beach area with over 1000 feet of Lake Michigan frontage, with concession stand, picnic area, play equipment, restrooms, and beach volleyball courts.

Pilgrim Haven Beach
A hidden gem with a barrier-free concrete walk to the beach allows people of all abilities to reach the shore where they can enjoy the waves and sunsets near the water. Great place for sunning, swimming, wildlife viewing and hiking. Parking is free, no restroom facilities.

South Beach
Wide, paved paths along the beach and the Black River channel provide easy wheelchair access for users of mobility devices. There is a large beach area with a concession stand and souvenir shop, picnic areas, play equipment and restrooms.

More Accessibility Resources
Homebodies All-Terrain Wheelchairs of West Michigan

Homebodies of West Michigan has an all-terrain wheelchair available for rent throughout the year. This wheelchair allows access to beaches and trails throughout the southwest Michigan area.

FIND MORE ADA ACCESSIBLE MICHIGAN BEACHES HERE

South Haven Dog-Friendly Beaches

Michigan has many dog-friendly beaches, and South Haven has two dog-friendly beaches.

It is important to remember that these are not off-leash areas; dogs must remain on leashes.

It’s also important to remember pet-owner etiquette: remember to clean up after your dog to keep the beaches nice for everyone

Deerlick Creek Beach
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
(269) 637-3305

Hagar Shores Roadside Park
LEASHED DOGS ALLOWED ON BEACH
616-925-6301

Beach Parking in South Haven

Parking is at premium in some beach towns, and some, like South Haven, offer beach parking passes that can be purchased HERE.

These parking passes can provide access to parking lots and save you the time and headache of driving around in search of the sometimes-elusive free and available parking spots.

Be sure to click through the links of each beach to research the most up-to-date parking information available.

These beaches offer free -if limited- parking:

• Casco Township Nature Preserve
• Deerlick Creek Beach
• Newcome Beach
• Pilgrim Haven Beach

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