Best Little Beach Towns on the Great Lakes
Best Little Beach Towns on the Great Lakes
Pack your bags and book a getaway that promises rainbow-sherbet sunsets and towering lighthouses, beach volleyball and freshly caught perch dinners. Whether your idea of a beach getaway includes fine wine and romance or flip-flops and a pile of books, these charming beach towns prove just why the Great Lakes are so great.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Lake Ontario Wine Country
Take a detour from nearby Niagara Falls to explore the charming town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Handsome red brick buildings line the streets in the tidy town, home to the posh 150-year-old Prince of Wales Hotel, fine antique shops, art galleries and wineries producing bottles of Riesling and pinot noir made from the grapes you see covering the surrounding hillsides. Richly furnished B&B's make Niagara-on-the-Lake a favorite romantic getaway, while the summer-long Shaw Festival draws theatre-lovers.
Grand Haven, Michigan
Sun Worshiper's Playground
Beach volleyball and surfing, sandcastles and swimming, and a brilliant red lighthouse outfitted with its original catwalk – life revolves around the beach in the Lake Michigan resort town of Grand Haven. A two-mile boardwalk connects Lake Michigan to an attractive downtown lined with beachy boutiques, sidewalk dining and a can’t-miss favorite: Pronto Pups corn dogs. After sunset, check out the Musical Fountain. Its colorful spray has been dancing to a popular music soundtrack on schedule since1962.
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
Lake Michigan Vistas and Fish Boils
Sunsets are spectacular at this beach town on the western edge of the Door County Peninsula, often referred to as the Martha’s Vineyard of the Midwest. Tiny galleries sell locally crafted watercolor paintings, jewelry and housewares, much of them centered on a maritime theme. Fresh-caught whitefish fills the menus at waterside restaurants such as the Harbor View Grill, but the ultimate dinnertime experience is a fish boil at the nearby White Gull Inn, capped off with a slice of Door County cherry pie.
Sackets Harbor, New York
History on Lake Ontario
History looms large in this lakeside village west of Watertown. The American forces’ Lake Ontario headquarters during the War of 1812, the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site recreates the village’s military heyday and life in the 19th century with living history programs and battlefield reenactments. Downtown, Sackets Harbor’s quaint 200-year-old wood-frame and brick buildings house antique shops, boutiques and craft breweries.
Lakeside, Ohio
Culture and Charm
Since 1874, Lakeside Chautauqua has been Ohio’s counterpart to the Western New York Chautauqua community. Tidy 19th-century summer cottages, trimmed in gingerbread and painted in pastels, remain the heart of this quiet beach town, which comes alive in summer with educational programs, including lectures on F. Scott Fitzgerald, performances by the Lakeside Symphony Orchestra, watercolor classes and live rock concerts. At dusk, stroll the village’s Lakefront Path, bordered by overflowing flower beds and the lapping Lake Erie surf.
Saugatuck, Michigan
Art-Lovers Mecca
Long a favorite with Chicago’s cottagers, Saugatuck springs to life with the warmth of summer. After a long day of sunbathing and swimming at Lake Michigan’s Oval Beach, visitors can take the hand-operated, 1830s-era chain ferry across the Kalamazoo River to browse the Great Lakes-themed artworks at galleries such as Armstrong De Graaf, Saugatuck Gallery, Amazwi Contemporary Art and the James Brandess Gallery. Locally grown Rieslings and pinot grigios from Tabor Hill and Fenn Valley wineries make the perfect nightcap.
Put-in-Bay, Ohio
Fun in the Islands
The only village on South Bass Island, Put-in-Bay promises entertainment for day-trippers and overnighters alike. Perry’s Cave draws families with its mini-golf, climbing wall and natural limestone cavern, while adults like to visit the Round House Bar, which has been in business for nearly 150 years. Rent a golf cart or bicycle (they’re the go-to means of transportation) to explore the island’s quieter southwestern side, home to South Bass Island State Park, where visitors enjoy fishing, boating, hiking and camping.
Picton, Ontario
Fine Wine on the Water
Food and wine lovers feast in tiny Picton on Lake Ontario. Rocky, limestone-rich soil and cool summer breezes result in delicate varietals such as Riesling, pinot noir, gewürztraminer and ice wines. Explore the wineries scattered nearby before heading downtown for waterside dining and antiques hunting. Just a few miles away, Sandbanks Provincial Park offers wide sandy beaches for day-long play on the water.
Sodus Point, New York
Finger Lakes Road Trip
Sodus Point sits on a spit of land that juts into Lake Ontario just north of New York’s Finger Lakes region. The village’s wide swimming beach at Sodus Point Beach Park offers swimming and sunbathing, while the Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club draws golfing fanatics. Downtown, Captain Jack’s Good Time Tavern serves seafood and steaks on the water. Overnight at the Carriage House Inn, an 1870 Victorian bed and breakfast overlooking Lake Ontario and the Sodus Bay lighthouse.
Petoskey, Michigan
Hemingway's Haunt
Victorian-era cottages and emerald-green golf courses distinguish this northern Lake Michigan community, where Ernest Hemingway whiled away his boyhood summers fishing the area rivers. Michiganders love to comb Magnus City Park Beach for Petoskey stones, pale gray with white starbursts, a fossilized freshwater coral found only in northern Michigan. Downtown, the quaint Gaslight District is the place to go for independently owned boutiques, galleries and dining.