Lake Shore Park
Ashtabula, OH
Lake Shore Park is an Ashtabula Township park on the east side of the harbor, with a sandy beach, a concession stand, a picnic pavilion, restrooms, and a boat launch. It's a good family beach, a bit quieter than Walnut Beach across the harbor.
A solid family beach with a launch, though it's smaller than Walnut Beach.
How we score beachesLaunch a kayak from the park and paddle toward the harbor lighthouse.
Parking at the park.
A short walk from parking to the sand.
The concession stand and summer beach season run from Memorial Day to Labor Day. On calm evenings the harbor lighthouse glows at sunset to the west.
More Great Lakes beaches
Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach
Empire, MI · Great Lakes
Freshwater Lake Michigan surf below towering sand dunes, some over 400 feet tall, with water clear enough to rival a coastline and a hike back up the dune to burn it off.
New Buffalo City Beach
New Buffalo, MI · Great Lakes
New Buffalo City Beach is the first real Lake Michigan beach you hit crossing from Indiana, a wide stretch of sand at the end of Whittaker Street beside the harbor and the Galien River channel. Chicago weekenders fill it in summer. The town's shops and restaurants are a five minute walk back up the street.
Warren Dunes State Park
Sawyer, MI · Great Lakes
Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer has roughly three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and some of the tallest dunes in southwest Michigan. Tower Hill rises about 260 feet above the lake, and climbing it and running back down is a rite of passage. On a hot July Saturday the beach feels like a small city.