Olcott Beach
Olcott, NY
Olcott Beach is the sandy, lifeguarded beach inside Krull Park, a 325 acre Niagara County park on Lake Ontario in the lakeside hamlet of Olcott. Nearby, the Olcott Beach Carousel Park keeps its vintage carousel running at old-fashioned prices. Krull Park also has a splash park, playgrounds, and shelters.
A charming lakeside hamlet with a carousel and guarded beach, though water quality closures have happened.
How we score beachesRide the vintage carousel at Olcott Beach Carousel Park, then walk to the beach.
Parking at Krull Park.
Paths lead from the park to the sand.
Guarded swimming runs from Memorial Day weekend to September, noon to 7 p.m., weather permitting. The beach has closed some summers for bacteria, so check first.
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.
