Port Wing Beach West
Port Wing, WI
Port Wing Beach West is the undeveloped stretch of Lake Superior sand on the far side of the Port Wing harbor from Harbor Park. There are no docks or pavilions here, just open beach, driftwood, and a long view up the South Shore toward the Apostle Islands. Locals come for sunset walks and a quiet swim away from the boat launch.
Wide open and peaceful, though you give up restrooms and shelter compared to the east side of the harbor.
How we score beachesWalk west at sunset. The farther you go from the harbor, the fewer footprints and the better the agate hunting.
Informal parking near the west side of the harbor.
Short sandy paths lead from the road to the beach; there are no facilities.
A handful of hot July and August days make a swim tolerable here. After the October storms, the waterline is covered in fresh stones.
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.