Traverse City State Park
Traverse City, MI
Traverse City State Park has about a quarter mile of sandy beach on East Grand Traverse Bay, across US-31 from its busy campground. A pedestrian bridge links the two. It's a convenient beach for campers and anyone staying along the East Bay hotel strip.
Convenient and sandy, though highway noise and hotel-strip crowds take away from it.
How we score beachesUse the pedestrian bridge instead of crossing US-31. Traffic here is fast and heavy in summer.
A Michigan Recreation Passport (or nonresident pass) is required.
The beach lot sits close to the sand; the bridge from the campground has stairs.
The campground is booked solid in July and August. The beach is calmest in the morning before the jet skis come out.
More Great Lakes beaches
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