12 Best Lake Michigan Beaches With White Sand, Rolling Dunes, and Stunning Views

With more than 1,600 miles of shoreline touching the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin, Lake Michigan is home to many beautiful sandy beaches. The region has been nicknamed the "Third Coast" of the United States after the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Several islands and connecting rivers add to its beauty.

Water temperatures are chilly, especially in the northern area, and rarely top 73 degrees, even in summer. Lake Michigan's western and northern beaches are rocky, while its southern and eastern beaches offer some of the largest lake dunes in the world due to prevailing winds from the west.

Many Lake Michigan beaches are located in national, state, and county parks with excellent facilities for visitors. Beach towns, lakefront resorts, cabins, campgrounds, historic inns, and hotels provide a wide variety of places to stay. We've rounded up a dozen of the best Lake Michigan beaches, some of which welcome your furry companions.

Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan

Oval Beach is the main beach in Saugatuck, one of the best small towns for a getaway in Michigan. Visitors can enjoy restaurants, theater, and shopping after a day on the sand. Set along the southeast shore of Lake Michigan near the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area and Kalamazoo River, the beach offers clean white sand, rolling dunes, and natural beauty. Restrooms, concession stands, parking, and a picnic area are available. There's a strict no-dogs, no-alcohol policy, and visitors should be aware that the parking lot fills early on summer weekends.

Ludington State Park, Ludington, Michigan

Located midway along Lake Michigan's eastern shore, Ludington boasts 28 miles of sandy beaches. Some of the best strands sit within the 5,300-acre Ludington State Park between Hamlin Lake and Lake Michigan. The park offers beaches on both lakes, as well as ponds, sand dunes, marshland, forest, and the historic Big Sable Point Lighthouse. While you're in Ludington, check out the city's largest beach, Stearns Park, which has free parking and Wi-Fi as well as wheelchair-accessible walkways from the parking lot to the water. Nearby, Buttersville Park is a dog-friendly beach featuring campgrounds, a picnic area, a playground, restrooms, and a pavilion.

Indiana Dunes National Park, Porter, Indiana

Indiana Dunes National Park offers 15 miles of beaches and an ideal setting for swimming, birding, kite flying, hiking, and exploring. Located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the park includes nearly a dozen beaches with parking lots. Most of the beaches are open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and offer restrooms and drinking water. At West Beach, there are showers and lifeguards from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Leashed pets are permitted year-round except at the West Beach swimming area during the summer season.

North Avenue Beach, Chicago, Illinois

North Avenue Beach is one of Chicago's most popular beaches thanks to its golden sand and stunning views of the city and Lake Michigan. Its unique white-and-blue beach house, resembling a sleek ocean liner, features a restaurant, ice cream cafe, restrooms, and rental facilities for bicycles, kayaks, paddleboards, Jet Skis, beach chairs, umbrellas, and more. Swimming is permitted only during the beach season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) when lifeguards are on duty from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. in designated areas. Dogs, alcohol, and smoking are not permitted. There are plenty of things to do in Chicago after a day at the beach, including visiting museums, dining at restaurants, or catching a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Empire, Michigan

Spanning more than 70,000 acres, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of the best places to visit in Michigan, according to locals. This 35-mile-long stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern shoreline boasts the largest freshwater dune system in the world. The park has at least seven beaches, including Platte Point Beach, where the Platte River flows into Lake Michigan and the waters merge. Beach fires are permitted only on mainland Lake Michigan beaches between the water's edge and the first dune. Leashed pets are permitted on certain beaches, but some are closed in spring and summer to protect the nesting areas of the Great Lakes piping plovers, a protected endangered bird species.

Silver Lake State Park, Mears, Michigan

The 3,000-acre Silver Lake State Park features nearly three miles of shoreline and about 2,000 acres of dunes, forests, hiking trails, and campgrounds. It also has a popular 450-acre off-road vehicle area, the only one of its kind east of the Mississippi River. Four-wheel ATVs and other vehicle rentals are available from several local companies, and from mid-May through October, Mac Wood's Dune Rides offers a 40-minute dune tour in a dedicated section of the park. The pristine lakefront beach features soft sand and calm waters for swimming and wading. Boat launches and fishing are available at several of the park's beaches. The 1874 Little Sable Point Lighthouse hosts summer concerts, and visitors can climb the tower for stunning views of the forest, dunes, and lake.

Petoskey State Park, Petoskey, Michigan

Situated on the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan in the Little Traverse Bay area, Petoskey State Park offers a mile-long sandy beach, hiking trails, picnic facilities, volleyball courts, and a playground. Kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes are available to rent, and during summer, concessions sell ice cream, camping items, and souvenirs. A favorite activity at the beach is searching for Petoskey stones, the state stone of Michigan. They are actually fossils of an ancient form of coral, and the stones are prized for their beauty and unique markings that show best after the stone is hand polished. Leashed pets are welcome in the park, but are not permitted along the lakeshore in an effort to protect the habitat of the endangered piping plovers. Two historic Inns, The Terrace Inn and Stafford's Bay View Inn, are reminders of the area's history. Be sure to stop by the taproom at Petoskey Brewing Company, housed in a building dating back to 1898.

North Beach, Racine, Wisconsin

On Lake Michigan's western shore, just north of downtown Racine, North Beach features 50 acres of soft sand with a playground, volleyball courts, and a snack bar. There's live music, lifeguards, and free parking from mid-June through Labor Day. A wheelchair mat extends to the shoreline so everyone can enjoy the beach. North Beach is open year-round from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. During the swimming season (June through August), lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Pets aren't permitted on the beach. Wind Point Lighthouse is open for tours and Racine boasts historic architecture, farmers markets, boutiques, and restaurants.

Warren Dunes State Park, Sawyer, Michigan

The beautiful Warren Dunes State Park protects three miles of Lake Michigan's southeastern shoreline. The park's 1,500 acres also include forests, hiking trails, campsites, cabins, and massive sand dunes. Visitors enjoy climbing the dunes and gliding down them on sand boards, as well as swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding. Equipment rentals and food concessions are available during the season from mid-May through Labor Day. Hang gliding from the dunes, with approved permits, is another popular activity. Leashed dogs are welcome in the park's campgrounds, trails, and boardwalk, plus a pet-friendly section of the beach. Three walkways between the sidewalk and the shore provide wheelchair access, and beach wheelchairs are available from the ranger station. Paved roads and boardwalks in the campground also offer wheelchair access. The park is open year-round, and each season boasts natural beauty, wildlife, and things to do.

Holland State Park, Holland, Michigan

Holland State Park on Lake Michigan's eastern shore features two white-sand beaches, campgrounds, a playground, concessions, and equipment rentals. At Tunnel Park, a concrete tunnel cuts through a sand dune to provide access to Lake Michigan for swimming, sunbathing, and picnicking. The park offers beach volleyball, barbecue grills, restrooms, and a children's playground with a dune climb and stairway. Dogs are permitted in some areas in keeping with the park's guidelines. At Kirk Park, there's a sandy beach along Lake Michigan with high bluffs, dunes, hiking trails, restrooms, a horseshoe pit, a deck, picnic tables, and grills. There's an off-leash dog beach accessible year-round using the south beach stairs. Michigan's most photographed lighthouse, Big Red Lighthouse, has a history dating back to 1870 and is best viewed from a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk in the park.

Silver Beach County Park, St. Joseph, Michigan

Silver Beach County Park sits at the mouth of the St. Joseph River on Lake Michigan's southeast shore. It features a clean, wide, sandy beach, modern restrooms, outdoor showers, a playground, picnic tables, volleyball courts, and seasonal concessions. Lifeguards are on duty from early June to mid-August, and the swimming season typically runs from July to September. The park is open year-round from dawn to dusk, and there's a daily parking fee. Leashed pets are permitted on sidewalks, but they're not allowed on the beach. During summer, beach wheelchairs are available at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis, and kayaks and paddleboards can be rented at the south end of the park. South Pier is popular for fishing as well as beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the North Pier Lighthouse. Nearby, visitors can enjoy St. Joseph's restaurants, boutiques, and wineries.

Rosewood Beach, Highland Park, Illinois

The only swimmable beach in Highland Park, Rosewood Beach is a community gem. A major renovation project completed in 2015 restored the shoreline and created a boardwalk, park, nature trail, restrooms, concession stand, and a stunning glass interpretive center. Nature-focused programming, volleyball courts, and equipment rentals are available. Public swimming runs between Memorial Day and Labor Day, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, conditions permitting. Dogs are not allowed on Rosewood Beach, but nearby Moraine Park is dog-friendly and includes picnic areas, a sculpture garden, and walking trails to the beach.