Starlite Beach
Alpena, MI
Starlite Beach is a sandy beach on Thunder Bay in Alpena, just north of Mich-e-ke-wis Park. It has a playground and a big splash pad that draws crowds of kids on hot days. Paddlers can launch from here to explore shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
A splash pad for the kids and shipwrecks for paddlers, though the beach itself is a small strip of sand.
How we score beachesPaddle out to see the shallow shipwrecks in Thunder Bay. The sanctuary's visitor center in Alpena has maps.
Parking at the beach.
A short walk from the lot to the sand and splash pad.
The splash pad runs in summer. Calm, clear days are best for spotting wrecks from a kayak.
More Great Lakes beaches
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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
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