When Do the Beaches Open in Michigan?
If you’re planning a trip to the Great Lakes State with hopes of enjoying some of the beautiful Michigan beaches, you’re probably trying to figure out when do the beaches in Michigan open for the season.
It’s a good question, too, because with more than 3000 miles of coastline, there is a lot of ground (or should we say shoreline) to cover.
As the top source of Michigan beach and travel information, My Michigan Beach and Travel shares the best and most current information for your Michigan beach getaway.
It’s one reason that we created a guide to the best Michigan beaches, as well as individual beach guides for each travel destination in Michigan.
From South Haven in southwest Michigan to Belle Isle in Southeast Michigan; from south shore beach in Rogers City to Ludington State Park beach, we have everything you need to know about Michigan beaches in our beach vacation guides.
Most Michigan Beaches are Open Year-Round
Most Michigan beaches are open year-round, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are open for swimming.
As a rule, swim season is typically considered to be from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you are familiar with Michigan weather, you know that swim season really starts toward the end of June and lasts through mid-September.
There are other considerations regarding whether is beach is open, too.
Some beaches may be closed due to erosion or have special rules like the sand dunes at Silver Lake in West Michigan.
Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Superior Beaches
The Great Lakes Beaches in Michigan are unique in that the beaches are not managed by one giant advisory council.
Instead, they are managed by local municipalities, state and local parks and recreation departments, and even by the federal government in the case of the national lakeshores.
It can be confusing, because the means that the Upper Peninsula beaches of Pictured Rocks Lakeshore may have different rules than Warren Dunes State Park in Berrien County, or the Traverse City beaches in northern Michigan might have different rules than say, First Street Beach in Manistee, despite both being Lake Michigan beaches.
That’s why it’s important to check with each with the individual visitors bureau before you go if you have specific questions.
About Michigan Beach Guides
Our Michigan beach and travel guides are available for more than 50 locations througout the lower and upper peninsulas.
We include important information such as beach access points, splash pads, boat launch and rental information when applicable, outdoor recreation info such as volleyball and disc golf availability and even if a concession stand is nearby.
We also include information on beach parking including whether a beach parking sticker is needed and nearby parking lots.
This is particularly important in busy southwest Michigan tourist destinations like St Joseph and New Buffalo, where the beaches begin to get crowded near Memorial Day weekend.
If you’re thinking about planning a beach wedding, we have information on that, too.
Information on winter activities like crosscountry skiing, horseback riding and hiking can be found in the individual travel guides too. Just use the interactive Michigan Beach and Travel map aboveto find your location.
More Information on When Michigan Beaches Open
Water Quality Tests
Beaches water quality is important, and the Michigan Beach Guard System regularly tests water around the state. You can find more information here.
Beach Safety
You’ll also want to pay attention to local water safety regulations, some municipalities in Michigan rely on flag status to indicate water conditions.
You can check which Michigan beaches are closed do to issues with water quality at the Michigan Beach Guard System, which reguarly tests water samples around the state.
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