One of the biggest draws for summer vacationers to Traverse City, Michigan is the number of crystal clear lakes and beautiful beaches in the area. Most people tend to stay around the main, downtown area, leaving the main beaches on West Bay overcrowded and often trashed by the end of the day. But the good news is that there are plenty of other beaches you can visit if you want a little more space and an off the beaten path beach experience in Traverse City. Here are some of the best beaches in Traverse City for escaping those summertime crowds!
East Bay Park
This quiet beach on East Bay has lots of sandy space to spread your beach blankets. The area is quiet, with a shady grass area. The water is shallower and calmer than the beaches on West Bay, making it a great beach for families with young children. There is also lots of parking, a playground, and a bathroom with basic changing facilities. It’s the closest of the best beaches in Traverse City for escaping the crowds, located just a bit outside of the downtown area, within an easy 10-minute drive.
Location:
220 East Bay Boulevard S
Traverse City
Lots of warm sand to relax on
A small wading area just before the Bay
Twin Lakes Park
On the west side of town is a small community recreation area called Twin Lakes Park. This beach is a good place to visit if you’re wanting more to just be in nature. There is a small swimming area, but it gets deep quickly and is highly recommended that you do not swim outside of the designated areas due to the water depth. There are nature trails that go around the lake, with lots of opportunities to score a private lakeside relaxation spot. This is a great spot for nature-loving couples and solo adventurers.
Location:
6800 N Long Lake Road
Traverse City
One of the best beaches in Traverse City to set up a hammock for the afternoon
Taylor Park, Long Lake
Taylor Park has one of my favorite beaches in Traverse City. This park has a large, shady picnic area, a sandy volleyball court, and a small stretch of beach area. But the best part is the large swimming area. Swimmers of all skill level can enjoy this park, with waters that ease from shallow to deep. There is also a small docking area if you want to launch your kayaks and other small watercraft on Long Lake. There is a small rustic restroom on site. Taylor Park does have the potential to fill up with locals during the warm days, but luckily there’s another beach just down the road at Gilbert Park. These two parks are especially great for families!
Location:
9339 N Long Lake Road
Traverse City
Haserot Beach
This beach is definitely off the beaten path in Traverse City. While many visitors like to take the drive on M-37 up the peninsula between East and West Bays, they seldom stop at this hidden gem. Haserot Beach is a quiet beach tucked in a small harbor on the east side of the peninsula. The water here is calm, and there is a long stretch of sandy beach to enjoy. There are also restrooms, a playground, and a small boat launch. There is a lot of swimming space, and the beachgoers are primarily locals who live on the peninsula. As a bonus, the drive to this beach is filled with drop-dead gorgeous scenery. This beach is great for everyone!
Location:
Old Mission
Take M-37 north for about 16 miles, and turn right on Swaney Road
A gorgeous day for a trip to Haserot Beach!
North Bar Beach
If you’re wanting to spend a few hours on the beach without being elbow-to-elbow with other travelers, consider taking a day-trip out to Empire. North Bar Beach is another hidden gem frequented by locals, located just a 40-minute drive from downtown Traverse City. It does require a little hike from the parking area, and a parking fee for the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore Park Pass, but this beach is worth it!
The path will bring you to North Bar Lake itself. This is a smaller lake that feeds into Lake Michigan. There is a small beach area here and the water is very calm and typically much warmer than Lake Michigan. Just around the sand dunes from this lake is public access to Lake Michigan. This is where you’ll find lots of beach area to set yourself up for the day. This beach is best for travelers who have several hours to devote to beach time. And if you get bored of the beach, there are plenty of other scenic activities to enjoy in the area!
Location:
1030 North Bar Lake Road
Empire
Beautiful Lake Michigan
When you visit Traverse City, Michigan you can’t miss out on the beach life and the stunning water in the area. There are many beaches in Traverse City that you are more than welcome to enjoy, but depending on the time of year, they may or may not be crowded with tourists. However, if you know of Traverse City’s best beaches that are off the beaten path, you are likely to find plenty of space to stretch out on the sand!
Do you have another suggestion for one of the best beaches in Traverse City for escaping the crowds? Share in the comments below!
Looking for more to do in Traverse City? Check out these posts!
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Ain’t Nothing More Scenic Than The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive
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Traverse City State Hospital: A Mixture of Fascination and Heebie-Jeebies
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26 Comments
I honestly never thought of Michigan as a top beach destination, but that’s kind of silly of me because DUH, the Great Lakes!! But great post, thanks for sharing!
Michigan is THE BEST beach destination! As we say: No Sharks, No Salt, No worries 😉
Same, I hadn’t considered Michigan for beaches, but these look lovely!! 🙂 <3
Twin lakes looks like one of the creeks I swam in up north in Australia, so beautiful! And thanks for the tips – if I’m ever in the area they will be useful
I’ve never been to Michigan and honestly never would’ve imagined so many nice beaches!! Thank you for opening my eyes to yet another awesome destination <3 PS love that last pic – such a cute idea!
Not enough people consider Michigan as a travel destination!
Shhhhh.quit telling people!
Nice article, I love you last picture with the blog’s name written with small stones and the sand, it’s so cute !
i heard about it, its very amazing and beautiful. Love the place and seen in discovery few weeks ago. Thanks for sharing trip experience, I would go once in life if ever my wife ready to visit the place.
This is a great summary of Traverse City beaches. lake Michigan is really beautiful, and I’d love to spend more time there. We are lucky in MN to have Lake Superior.
Twin Lakes Park is just beautiful. I would live there if I could, and not just for an afternoon. Never knew Michigan had so many beautiful beaches.
Are you serious? So many water bodies in one destination. Oh it’s like heaven. The Haserot beach is really off-beaten and I would love to spend some time in such beaches. However, I loved Twin Park Lake more than any other. I am sure I would have the best time strolling by the nature trails around the lake. Thanks for the share.
Exactly! Michigan is like heaven! 😉
I have lived in Chicago for four years and Michigan has been my summer destination for my entire stay. Unfortunately, I have never been in the area of Traverse City but I will definitely recommend your post to my friends that are still in the US.
I have never been to Traverse City but I’ve heard so many great things about it. And this post confirms it! Thank you for each of these suggestions to have a slightly more private time at the beach.
This is such an informative post about Michigan beaches! I haven’t been to Michigan other than for the occasional trip to Hobby Lobby from Canada but this post makes me want to book a beach vacation there.
i have never heard about micchiganfrom travelers.US Has many destinations but this looks very offbeat and so many hidden gems.that east bay park looks amazing
Thanks for sharing it
When I think of Michigan I don’t think of beaches 🙂 They all look worthy of a visit. My favorite is the North Bar Beach.
In Poland where I live, it is very hot now and I would happily swim in the lake and rest on such a nice beach. Unfortunately, I do not have anything like that in the area. If I will be in Michigan someday, I will be happy to visit the places you show on the blog.
To be honest, I’ve never heard of it, but your post makes me to put it on my bucket list and to visit it one day and for sure I’ll do it 😀
Michigan and beaches? I would have never thought! This is a great article bringing to light some really incredible beaches. I am ready to grab my shorts and head that way. I have a few friends out that way so this is definitely a reality.
Those are lovely. I like relaxing on a beach, after I had sort of challenging trip. It is good to lay down and relax after carrying backpack for long.
I confess that here in Europe (Portugal) we don´t heard much about Michigan. So rading this post is really good to learn a little more about all the thing that we can find there.
I’ve never been to Michigan when in the US and have to say I’m surprised by this post. Traverse City is new to me too, and who knew there were beaches there. Won’t forget this anytime soon!
What a great place. I am often kayaking in lakes, but I have never thought there are such great beaches on lakes 🙂 Really good place for family vacation.
Traverse City is an amazing place for family vacations!