Schoolhouse Beach
Washington Island, WI
Schoolhouse Beach, in Washington Harbor on the north end of Washington Island, is one of only a handful of beaches in the world made entirely of smooth, white limestone stones, polished round by waves. The water is exceptionally clear and cold. It's illegal to take any of the stones.
A rare limestone beach with some of the clearest water on Lake Michigan, though the water is cold.
How we score beachesBring water shoes; the stones are smooth but hard on bare feet. And leave every stone where you found it.
Parking at the beach; reach Washington Island by car ferry from Northport Pier.
A short walk from the lot to the stones.
The water stays cold even in August. The ferry runs year round, more often in summer.
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.