A handy guide to the kid-friendly coves and sandy bays around Traverse City for your next beach day.
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– Your Guide to Traverse City Beaches –
West End Beach
Running in a sandy arc from Traverse City’s Open Space a mile west to M-72, West End Beach has long provided a measure of summer’s vital signs. Locals and visitors stake out space on shore, while boaters anchor nearby, creating a boat-to-shore social scene. The region’s most active volleyball action fires up here as well, with teams competing nearly every evening all summer long. An easy walk to downtown delivers Traverse City restaurants, cafes and a break from the sun.
Bryant Park Beach
At the base of Old Mission Peninsula where Garfield Avenue meets Peninsula Drive, Bryant Park has a big strip of sand, playground, picnic tables and restrooms. Bring hot dogs and use the BBQ grills with the fam.
Long Lake Beach
Families, especially those with little kids, appreciate the warm inland lake water that Long Lake offers. Shade from towering fir trees in the park offer respite for naps and for when the sun gets too hot. Picnic tables keep the meals easy. A small market a half mile away fills in what you forgot. And of course, there’s that fall-in-love-with-it Long Lake view. About 6 miles west of Traverse City on North Long Lake Road.
Haserot Park Beach
Tracing the shore of the diminutive bay at Old Mission Village, the Traverse region’s first European settlement, Haserot Park beach (pictured below) presents a sequestered piece of classic summertime: playground equipment, picnic tables and grills but also modest sailboats moored in the bay, cottages running along the shore, and an old-timey souvenir shop a short walk up the two-lane. Another bonus: the bay opens to the southeast—protected from the north and west winds.
Clinch Park Beach
Adjacent to the Clinch Park Marina, Clinch Park beach is a great place to get your tan on while squeezing in some quality people watching. With more than 1,500 feet of sand along West Grand Traverse Bay, Clinch Park features picnic tables and is just a short walk from downtown Traverse City restaurants, coffee and, most important, ice cream. Head east of Union Street on Grandview Parkway.
East Bay Park Beach
Located on East Bay Boulevard, Easy Bay Park has a lot going for it. A pleasant park area with grills and bathrooms and a small playground all make this beach ideal for families with young children. The water of this Lake Michigan bay remains very shallow for a long distance out, allowing new swimmers as well as those who are more inclined to wade than free-style, to splash to their heart’s content.
Traverse City State Park Beach
On the other side of busy U.S. 31 from the sprawling Traverse City State Park campground lies a long stretch of peace and quiet. The Traverse City State Park Beach, which is accessible via an elevated walkway over the traffic, is one of Traverse City’s most popular beach spots. With picnic tables, restrooms and an outlet of Mitchell Creek at the west end of the beach, it is the perfect place to bring a lunch and spend the day. A state park permit is required should you want to park your car there, but foot access is free.
Acme Shoreline at Bayside Park
This 4-acre universally accessible natural area has 900 feet of frontage on East Grand Traverse Bay in Acme. Amenities include restrooms, a changing area, picnic tables, grills and play equipment, plus this sandy stretch of shoreline is a good launching point for kayakers. Find it on US-31 before the intersection at M-72.
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