Live Your Best Lives
New Buffalo Public Beach Reviews
4.1
2 of 14 Best Attractions in New Buffalo
Reviews
Just minutes away from Four Winds Casino - quick drive. Beach is clean, sand dunes good for walking and nice shopping a short distance away.
This is one fantastic beach. There are sand dunes to climb, a playground for the kids and seagulls crying at this incredible beach with views of the famous harbor. Redamaks (bite into a legend local restaurant) runs the food stand, and there are restrooms. Parking is available across the street for a nominal fee, but if you feel like walking you can park free in downtown New Buffalo and hike to the lake. DO NOT MISS this beach if you are in the area, or make a special trip. It's worth it.
I bit too crowded and rough on your feet, but a fun spot regardless. Great picnic areas near by and many sites.
Walk on the beach was very disappointing too many rocks to walk in bare feet. Hopefully next time we visit it will be cleaned up a bit.
We where staying in three oaks and thought we would drive over and check out this beach for the day ! While Lake Michigan is beautiful and I could look at it all day the beach is to rocky here and other beaches you can walk out about a half mile before it gets neck high . Not at this one ! It has a quick drop and that made it even colder then it already was . It is small and once again the sand is pretty rocky it made the sand hotter and harder getting in and out of the water.I also want to say we paid 7 dollars to go to some awesome beaches in Michigan and this place charged 12.00.
While staying in Three Oaks for a wedding weekend, we had most of our Saturday open and decided to drive around the area a bit. We had relatives staying in New Buffalo so thought we'd go visit them and take in the sights. This was one of the must see places so we checked it out. It was a sunny, nice day and a bit windy. We had no problem with parking as it was the end of September and not alot of people out and about. There were some people walking along the beach but no one in the water as there were warnings to stay out. A few brave surf boarders were out trying to catch a wave but that was it. Some people were playing volleyball others were throwing a football while some were just sitting enjoying the waves. We met up with our relatives and walked up the trail steps to see the big picture. There was one sailboat that was brave enough to go out. Otherwise, not much going on. Still a beautiful day. I'm sure its a really busy place in the summer. Lots of cute little shops on the road to the beach. Was cool seeing Lake Michigan in all its glory! Was more like being on the Ocean! Great place!!!
The Beach Snack Bar is not open at 12:30 on Wednesday! We wanted to have lunch on the beach, but not open! It was yesterday when we drove thru to see the beach!
Overpriced for what you get. Rough sand and quick drop off take away from the fun.
Can't compare to beaches up the lakeshore
they upgraded the refreshment stand, added chairs for rent, replaced the old wooden walk way with a white plastic walk out to the beach. BUT, the water is very high this year so the channel is wider. and new playground equipment. always nice to visit. parking is now by an electric pay station using a license plate number, not sure how it works but I think $5 for 3 hrs and $12 for the day. free after 8 p.m.
Great for all the usual things— sandcastles, kites, swimming, wading— with a bonus of a scenic path and boardwalk over several small dunes. The boardwalk is a great place to watch the sunset!
So busy is ok... But just beware that this is a beach with pebbles and rocks, so swim socks are a must. Also a lot of wood like much washed up too so watch for splinters.
This was my last stop on my Michigan Lower Peninsula Shoreline Drive that started in Toledo, Ohio. I've been to New Buffalo Beach many times since it is the closest Lake Michigan beach to home. This visit was just for some photos, so I actually parked in town and walked over the bridge to the beach. There is always a nice array of boats coming and going. The beach itself is nice and big. In the past, we would climb the rocks of the breakwater out to the end, but I'm too old for that. There is also a dune boardwalk that is nice to climb up and walk, but it was under repair. The lighthouse is a recreation and more of a memorial than a lighthouse.
Overall, a really nice, small lake town beach. In the summer, it is overwhelmingly Chicago tourists, so it gets very busy and the parking lot at the beach fills up early.
We took some vacation along the Michigan shore in July. This was a very beautiful beach right at the town of New Buffalo. TAKE SANDALS OR SHOES! Almost all the way out to the beach is nice sand and along the shore is like little metal and/or rock grains that just dig into your feet.
But the area is very picturesque. And, the walk to the beach is basically flat whereas beaches further north are small sandy areas below huge bluffs. The beach sand gets better going north of New Buffalo.
Parking is scarce and whether you park for 5 minutes or 5 hours, it's $15.00!
In years past I worked for a summer camp that brought kids here. It has been some time, but the cost was $5 a car load. There is a consession stand for treats. Bathrooms with a shower. Lifeguard. Warning flags used. Great find of a beach that is never too busy
Great sand in the summer and frozen waves in the winter. Nice to see nature at any time of year. Even in the winter its fun to walk on the beach.
The public beach in New Buffalo is well-maintained; in fact the town has added new playground equipment for the little ones since my last visit. The main attraction, of course, are the lake and the beach but there are hiking paths through the dunes with a lovely view from the top. And if the weather conditions are clear enough, from the beach, you can spot the Chicago skyline in the distance. Beach access is free but parking costs $5 through central self-pay kiosks.
Sand is rockier here than in St Joseph or South Haven but the the beach was clean and there were lifeguards even after 6 pm, which is good for kiddos. The snack area could be improved. Walk the stones to the pier at your own risk!
The beach was really nice. Lots is space and sand. The sand was very hot so you need showed. The water temp in July is great. It’s a nice spot.
The beach was clean and large enough you didn't feel crowded even though there were lots of people there. Water was clear and cold!!! Waves small enough not to be dangerous but big enough for fun!!!! Very family oriented. Dunes were great for climbing. Will return in near future hopefully.
If your someone who likes to go fishing and if you are careful you can climb on to the strip of rocks there is a little bridge that you can see the fish swimming around I didn’t catch anything but my dad did catch a big fish
First exit into beautiful Michigan, this stop will make you want to stay! Beautiful beach and park area. Some amazing homes nearby along with popular restaurants and hotels.
Visited the beach and had a good time, i wish the water was warmer but overall had a good time, we buried the kids in the sand, had lunch at the snack shop, and we will go back
Good view of the sunset. Close parking for $10. No dogs. Nice wooden walkway up to the dunes and a good spot to launch a kayak
It was BEAUTIFUL! But the beach is rocky. The sand dunes were fun. But there are other beaches that have a more "beach" feel near by.
This is one of my favorite beaches to visit in Michigan. Beautiful Beach, family friendly, walking distance from shopping, public transportation, train and bus, resturants
The beach was sorta of a letdown. It was very rocky beach, small rocks and gravel mixed in the sand. Parking lot a good walk to beach
What a great beach! Clean and beautiful!
Wonderful view of Lake Michigan. Loved climbing on the big rocks!
The beach is very clean. If you don't want to use the beach you can walk the stores in New Buffalo. Cute town.
A stop at the beach to enjoy the lake shore. Very nice waves rolling in. They beach was clean and the air was crisp. Would like to go back when its beach weather
It gets a little crowded on the weekends, and parking can be a nightmare, but all in all it's a good time on Lake Michigan.
Love this beach! It's very clean, there's a kiosk for food, and there are lots of restaurants & other activities to do in the area, too.
We enjoy going to beach to watch the sunset. It is amazing and relaxing.
Parking is free in the evening.
My favorite beach spot in New Buffalo. Not too long of a drive from South Bend & Mishawaka IN. Nice snack stand and restrooms. I prefer to avoid huge crowds so this beach spot isn't as crowded as some. Very clean. Great for small children too as the lake is shallow and does not get real deep for several feet out.
My boyfriend stumbled upon this town and beach last fall, while visiting Notre Dame, about 40 minutes southeast. We love it! The beach is clean and people are friendly. We knew the beach would be packed on the weekend, so we got there around nine in the morning. We got a great spot in the parking lot and on the beach. We had a nice lunch from the snack bar. Chicken caesar wraps, chips and water for $10.
We stopped at the beach after a day of wine tasting and dinner out... therefore did not have to pay to park. The beach was almost divided into 2 sections, the more open shoreline and a more enclosed area where the boats come in. The latter had calmer waters. Bathrooms were close and easily accessible, however I did not use them. They had a spigot to clean off feet before getting in the car. The parking lot was clean and rather close to the beach.
Not realizing how close this was to my home, I could easily grab my beach chair and a cooler and spend the day here.
I love New Buffalo. Great people and quaint restaurants. I don't have anything negative to say. I really enjoy using VRBO over any of the hotels.
Our weekend at this beach are so nice that we do it every year while our girls are still younger. There is parking at the beach so we load up lunch and pack the car with all of our beach items. We "surf" the waves and build sand castles on this beautiful beach. Be careful.. the weather is very unpredictable! Our girls were in swimsuits and sweatshirts a few years ago in August and this year the weather was perfect!
This is a beautiful town with great little shops, and the beach is equally beautiful. There are restrooms, park equipment for younger kids, a concession stand and even a wooden pathway to get you most of the way out to the beach without a fight. There are lifeguards on duty and they let you know if the currents become a problem. Overall it’s a beautiful beach with plenty of places close by to get food/concessions/shop afterwards.
Caught the sunset at the New Buffalo City Beach. There was a rustic boardwalk on top of the dunes near the beach that offered great views of the sunset and natural landscape of the area. Beach was interesting with dark grain sands and smooth little rocks. Lake Michigan water was clear and clean. Only downside was $10 parking at self-serve gate when I already had a MI park pass on license plate. Then later gates were open for free access, so don't understand that one? Overall, a great little beach to enjoy the wonder of Lake Michigan.
We had a blast today at the new buffalo beach. Definitely my favorite beach I've been to so far. Parking is $12 but worth it since the parking lot is right next to the beach. My kids had a blast! We will definitely be back
Great drive from Chicago only an hr and a half lots of tolls though your iPass will get a workout on the way up and back! Parking was great it was right there. Nice hot day it was pretty crowded but not insane crowded. Our only complaint was the beach shore was pretty rocky good thing my daughter had water shoes or her feet would’ve been killing her! It was even real rocky once you’re in the water and neck deep but that’s Lake Michigan for ya it’s no Aruba lol but was still a fun day 😎
The beach was so busy but there were many places to still hang out and enjoy the sun and waves. Fun day and I can't wait to get back here.
Being from Southern California, I have high standards when it comes to beaches. This was my first experience visiting the beaches of Lake Michigan. The views are lovely, but walking on the sand was unpleasant in bare feet. We took a drive and noticed that there seems to be very little public access to the shore in this area. We walked from our B&B. The beach is dirty. The sand is full of souvenirs from long past bonfires and barbecues and whatever trash people did not pick up and became bits of unpleasantness. The sand quality was much nicer and cleaner on the paths among the grassy sand dunes. We found the path to the stairs and climbed to find a beautiful overlook. Nice picture spot. Not many cars in the parking lot since parking is a bit overpriced at $10 per car, no in-and-out. I suspect the "lighthouse" is a replica, not the real thing. It would be nice if this beach could be cleaned and be made more friendly. All people should be able to enjoy a nice beach.
Lots of people with kids and walking distance from most of the hotels and BandBs in the town...ice cream hut on beach but not open when we were there..I would bring chairs to sit on the beach.
Clean sandy beach, parking lot, ducks, no gagged rocks or zebra muscles like in small Wisconsin lakes. Beautiful sunset. Great downtown area nearby for drinks and food. Pretty perfect small getaway. Past the beach is a private road in rough shape.
The beach is always clean and great way to spend a hot day. There's a set of stairs and board walk area that give wonderful view from above. Bathrooms need updating but sufficient and clean. snack bar is nothing special but a place to get a drink if you didn't bring your own
It was a little breezy this day. But I love the water and must be near it whatever the season. Being offseason, there were not many people out, just a few other people taking photos.
This is a review for the beach, but the walk around it, not the swimming part of the beach. We had a date night and decided to go go for a walk around the boardwalk for the views. It was beautiful. A lot of people had the same idea we did, but were very friendly. There were several families taking professional pictures because of the incredible views. It was a great way to end date night.
This is indeed a beautiful beach and a very nice area, however the beach is very rocky. We had kids in tow and they complained of the rough rocks hurting their feet. The parking lot is very small and is always full on weekends. The bathrooms are small. We typically hit Silver Beach in St. Joseph instead but do love New Buffalo.
Great clean Lake Michigan beach. Parking was readily available with clean accessible restrooms. Small play area for a little one. Some food available onsite.
With so much of the Lake Michigan shoreline in private hands, this is a wonderful place to experience the lake for yourself. The area is well-maintained. In addition to the beach there is a boardwalk that leads to the top of a small sand dune. It appears that the boardwalk is being repaired in stages. There are also fun shops and eateries to visit while in New Buffalo.
A real nice beach — at least the day we went. We stopped in New Buffalo just for one evening and thought we would just take a quick trip to the beach — we ended up hanging out there for more than an hour, great photo opportunities, even if it was cold the day we were there.
Definitely worth the trip
The beach is always active with people. When we were there they had rental kayaks. If you get the chance catch the sunset it's my favorite time to go, you can get some amazing pictures.
PARKING IS A SCAM!!! Be prepared to pay a parking fine. Also, good luck getting a spot after 10:30 AM. If you arrive later, you'll have to park 1/2 mile away (before the bridge).
The parking officer Closed the lot EVEN THOUGH spaces were still available due to "being at capacity!" Luckily, we made it into the lot right before this occurred, however, our friends arriving 5 minutes later were denied entry. They weren't allowed to even unload beach gear. They made everyone park in the village and carry or wagon pull their beach stuff.
Officer approached my 12 year old son to say she was going to ticket us for parking illegally. My son ran to get me as I was waiting in a long restroom line. I arrived to show officer my parking pass. She said I missed one number on my license plate and it was my error... she basically said, TOO BAD, SO SAD. So we paid the parking fare and then had to pay a $53.00 parking ticket. Our appeal was denied.
Beach bacteria - We heard the lifeguard yelling to swimmer to stay away from the Harbor Water flowing into beach area due to the high bacteria amount.
Whether you are into walking the Beach, hiking the trails, or just sitting on the rocks and enjoying the view...this beach is a place I love to go enjoy whenever I can! Worth the trip! The restaurants and downtown area is within walking distance and makes a day trip fulfilling for the entire family!
We were very pleased with the beach. There was a lifeguard on duty and concessions/gear rental available. Yes, you have to pay to park. It's $10 and you cannot leave and come back in without paying again. If you want to pay for parking in cash, there is NO CHANGE given. The beach was clean and had clean restrooms with a place to rinse off before getting back in your car.
I wish there was a cute tiki bar on the beach. It's so beautiful there! We did a quick walk through the beach. It was a super hot day!
Went to Michigan for the weekend and stayed at a friends lovely summer home. Spent all day Saturday at the beach with the family and had a wonderful time. Small,friendly people, just lovely. We had dinner at Casey's in New Buffalo and the food was delicious and Erynn, our server, was great. Nice getaway.
Just a 1 1/2 hour drive from the Chicago suburbs to New Buffalo, Mi for a day at the beach is a perfect day trip. As you approach the city of New Buffalo the view of Lake Michigan is ahead to the North with the deep blue color of the lake. We were glad we had read the Trip Advisor reviews ahead of time to know that we need to bring $10 to put in the machine in order to park at the beach, no change machine available. The restrooms were clean when we arrived in the morning! As mentioned in previous reviews by others, the beach is a rocky type of sand which does seen a bit rough on your feet, not the same time of sand you find at the Michigan City Beach in Indiana. The beach are was very clean, but did seem since the lake level of Lake Michigan is high this summer, a short beach so difficult to walk along beach with this shorten beach area. It is a wonderful outing all ages and we did enjoy ourselves and I must admit I was pleased at the reactions of the lifeguards, continually warning swimmers they are out too far!! It is also a safe beach because numerous times we saw the police cruising the beach in their four wheelers!
My husband and I love to come here whenever we are in New Buffalo. The sunsets are gorgeous! The sand is soft and clean. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were not available the day we were there.
It's not Miami but it was better than being in the city. The beach was okay nothing much to review. The water was the standard Lake Michigan color.
A great sandy beach with lots of space. Public bathrooms are clean. It has a small hot dog/drink/pretzel/Kona ice food window. Make sure to wear sandals/shoes on the beach due to the hot sand!
This is the off season and we are walking because we are sheltering in place during the virus crisis. It is expansive so you can easily keep 6 feet away from other people.
It would be nice to see less trash on the sand.
The city charges $12 to park at the beach and if you choose not to and park in town, the parking time limit is 3 hours...The beach has trash all over it, and not just from that day, you can tell that lots of the trash is from several days...
So I live in new buffalo, and I'm very sad to say this but our beach is very polluted and the parking lot is hectic!!!! LET ME TELL YOU The parking is $10.00 now that's a lot seeing that the town does nothing with the money they revive. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because he each is really the only fun thing in this town 🙄
Parking is for a fee but it’s steps from the beach. Great spot. There’s a bathroom and a little restaurant right at the beach.
Overall a nice beach. Plenty of space. The only downside is that it can be a little rocky right before you enter the water and when you enter the water.
No trip to this beach would be complete with out a trip walking on the rocks!
This is a nice, clean, family friendly beach. You can walk in for free or park for $10/day. It is best to have exact change with you as the machine doesn't take larger bills. There is a neat overlook and a lighthouse on the beach. The water temperature was fine for swimming in the month of August.
Nothing better then a beach with a view.
You have a great view of the harbor. Michiana unfortunately lost there beaches this year. The water is usually very warm and clean compared to Chicago.
Have beenhee hundreds of times, swimming and sunning and flying kites and being with girks in little bikinis. tons of fun,memories.
We loved this beach. The water is higher than normal but it still was beautiful. We climbed the stairs on the dunes for the best views.
I know that, being a weekend in the summer, beaches get somewhat crowded. So, I am sure that there is a crowd wherever you would go along the lake. However, I found that St. Joe and South Haven were much nicer (South Haven being the best of the three). It is a large beach, and if you get there early enough, can get a pretty good spot. There are restrooms and a concession stand. Parking fee $10. Sand is rocky and gets super hot by the afternoon. For a quick ride from the Chicago suburbs, not bad, but would rather take the extra driving time to go to one of the other two mentioned above.
New Buffalo Beach is a beautiful beach and staffed with sufficient lifeguards. The parking however is $7.50 via a kiosk. This is outrageous considering all the hundreds of cars parking there each day. We paid and we were still given a "ticket" by mistake. We had to go online to appeal. They obviously monitor this parking very closely. Would find another beach next time.
Great beach. If you are going to hang out at the beach their is a pay parking lot right next to the beach.
very clean, lovely view, fun place for the kids, friendly people, enough waves to play, yet a safe heaven for kids
My wife and I enjoyed walking around. Great access to the beach and walkways. Very easily accessed from the roads.
We've been going to New Buffalo for many years. This was the first year that we saw alot of dirt & big stones on the beach.The water also was rather cloudy. We'll not be in a big hurry to return.
Beautiful sunsets. I love to sit on the beach and watch the boats come in from the lake. It can be a little crowded on the weekends but a nice environment for the family. If you can find it when it's quiet, it can be a very romantic place to sit and watch the sun go down.
We love the beach. Food stand is excellent. The only downside is the amount of ladies rest rooms. It would help to add a permanent changing station.
Enjoy a fun day at a clean, safe and most of all fun beach! A short drive from Chicagoland. Stay the night in the Harbor Grand or nearby hotel or just drive up for the day. Pack a picnic or hit the Stray Dog or Redamaks for a great lunch or dinner. .
Even thought it wasn't typical beach season we still enjoyed some awesome Lake Michigan scenery. Can't beat it. Best to walk to it though if you don't want to pay for parking/entrance. Try riding your complementary bicycles if you stay at the Harbor Grand (great hotel).
Enjoyed watching the boats go in and out of the harbor. They have a nice public restroom, life guards and walkways.
We spent one day at New Buffalo Beach for one day, and had a great experience. The beach was rocky, which I had expected, but that was the best part for my kids, searching for cool rocks in the water. The beach is clean with lifeguards on duty. The only con was the line to get in, presumably because the parking machine did not accept cash (the machine was broken) so have your credit/debit card ready.
Very nice beach- has concessions and restrooms . Looks like you can rent kayaks although we didn't. $10 to park,no pets.
Taking a break from the local casino establishment, just stop by to check it out. Perhaps, not the best time of the year to go to the "beach". Fairly picture rest even in the winter. It would be good to stop back in better weather.
Beautiful beach, clear water and fun in the sun. A great time for young and old. You can spend an hour or all day. Amazing sunsets if you stay around long enough to enjoy it. Stop in at Stray Dog for lunch or dinner. A great day vacation!
This is a clean beach. It is not too crowded. We were there 4th of July week and had an easy time finding a nice space. The public bathrooms are simple but clean. Life guards are on duty during prime swimming hours. You do have to pay to park at the beach lot. The machine takes cards or exact change only.
If you have time to drive 10 minutes further, go to Michigan City Beach because the parking is cheaper and the beach is nicer. To park at this beach is $12, the sand is much rougher than michigan city, and the water gets deep fast.
I was looking forward to re-discovering New Buffalo beach. Had not visited since 1976, when I had fond memories of a nice beach with friendly families. We rented an over priced small cottage, which turned out to be way too far to walk to the beach. The villa owner left us a parking pass to the public beach, with a stern note that we owed a couple of hundred dollars if not returned. Really now. Beach was over run by sea gulls and not too crowded. We found a spot and I went in for a swim. Water was really cold. I finally went in up to my shoulders two days in a row, but really it was way too cold. My wife would not get in past her knees. Town did not have that many restaurants and shops. We ended up driving to a nearby outlet store when it rained one afternoon. On the way back we stopped by the near by casino for a good breakfast, as only one diner open downtown. Overall, I was really disappointed with the weekend. We did drive south along the coast to New Michigan. New Michigan is very industrial, so I don't recommend either. However, between New Michigan and New Buffalo on the shore there are many nice beach homes. This was really the experience I had in 1976 with a family. So if we go back, I'm going to seek a beach home rental in this area, no more than 2-3 blocks walking from the "private" beach. Will also check water temperature before making the reservation.
Our family has been here before and thoroughly enjoyed this beach. This last time however, the beach has become very rocky and very crowded. We arrived Mid morning and found plenty of space, however by lunch time-beach was so crowded-people were splashing sand on us just when walking by-thats how close every group was situated. We left around 1:30 and went to the Washington park, Michigan city beach and it was sooooooo much better.
They always have parking available and it's only $10. Nice boardwalk to get you and your stuff onto he beach. Lifeguards there. Police patrol so there's lots of fun had but it doesn't get out of control. There are playgrounds and swings for kids. Food from the little stand is good. Cheeseburgers and hot dog type stuff. There's a jetty you can walk out on and it's fun to watch the boats come in/out of the marina. Wife grew up in Cocoa Beach and this is her favorite of the public beaches in this area.
First off, this beach is very clean and relaxing. We didn't pay to park as luckily there is a TON of free street parking nearby. Unless you are not in good physical shape, have very small children or have a lot of gear...I would save your money and park locally and just walk over. There are lifeguards here and the beach is very wide. They also have a nice concession stand, bathrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off all that sand. This place is great! Not too far from Illinois. 5 stars for sure!
Was pleasantly surprised of how clean and beautiful this beach was. If this was in a warm weather area, all year, I would be there all the time
The beach is very nice and clean. It's s great place to go and even better at sunset time. The views are amazing there!
Nice, clean beach BUT it gets super crowded on nice days. Be prepared to get here early as the main lot fills up. Parking is cash only in the main lot. Sand is hot as heck (kids were crying left and right). Also worth mentioning is this beach is VERY rocky. It was painful standing in the shallow section. Overall beach is clean.
This was a nice beach, great waves. The sand is very rocky so bringing water shoes is a good idea. Very clean. Lifeguards on site.
for 4th of July weekend... this was a great beach. We parked over the bridge and walked in, but it wasn't too far and great time. Attentive lifeguards... Rental for a double kayak was easy enough and very helpful young man working the table with his brother running back and forth with equipment. A great time, highly recommended!
Stopped here a couple times on our recent visit. First time for a busy but happy and beautiful sunset. Second time husband dropped me off for a little beach time (busy) while he did some sight-seeing.
Walked down for the sunset after eating at the Stray Dog. Very nice beach and while the weather was a little cool, the place was still busy. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Nice place to spend some time
We were there late October and we didn't have to pay to get in; It was a windy, cloudy day but still the view was great; Lots of beach; small playground; and a small climb up stairs to see a great view; unfortunately, we didn't do the climb because it was so windy and cold; but the climb looked easy on the hill..
FANTASTIC beach front. Lots of frontage on Lake Michigan. Beach is on adjacent to the New Buffalo harbor mouth. Lots of boats to watch coming and going. Also, some like to climb on the rocks to go out to the end of the Pier. The walk on the rocks can be challenging. The beach itself has soft sand. There is also a concession stand run by Redamak's - the local hamburger joint.
We had just left from spending the morning in Hesston, Indiana at the Steam Museum (I highly recommend a visit but no place to review it on this site) and decided we would head to the Michigan Lakeshore. Weren't positive about where we were going but headed out on Indiana 39 which took us right into New Buffalo and straight to the beach. We weren't really dressed for the beach, but we walked along the water's edge anyway and got our feet wet. The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and then they headed to the playground. Hours of fun was had by all and since this place is about 50 minutes from our home in Mishawaka, Indiana, you can be sure we will return frequently during the summer. Beware though, there is a $10 fee to park right next to the beach. We avoided this by parking in town on a side street and walking the 3 or 4 blocks to the beach. A little exercise never hurt the pocketbook, right!
Spent the day here with the extended family while on vacation. We all (ages 1 to 60) had a great time. Lots of space, beautiful sandy beach, and popular to all tourists.
Clean and easy to get to. Pay at the gate $10.00 to park. Walking downtown and along harbor nice. Pretty little lakeside town. Good places to eat and snack.
It's nice quiet and some what boring. There was no active events going on there on a holiday weekend.
$10.00 for the day to use this beach. A beautiful area with very little shade unless you bring a beach umbrella. You can bring a cooler and your own drinks while at the beach. Not sure but i'm thinking no alcohol allowed. There were changing rooms, showers and bathrooms for the public. The beach was not real big and the water dropped off and got deeper about 30 feet out from shore. There is a current so parents keep a watchful eye on your small children. I did not see a life guard at the time of our visit. There was an area you could play beach volleyball. We had a beautiful day and yes, the beach was quite crowded during the time we were there on Saturday afternoon. Nice area for a stop off while in the area. There was also a beautiful marina close to the beach.
There is paid for parking, a food vendor and bathrooms at this beach. The beach is clean and has a nice walking trail next to it. It is really nice to park some where downtown and walk to the shops, restaurants and then end with a beach sunset. Dogs are not allowed on this beach. In the summer they sometimes have free movies on the beach, check New Buffalo website.
Well located public beach and parking lot for public access... we stopped by in December...(not the best beach weather)...
But looks nice! Clean ... and great views of the lake!
The shoreline of Lake Michigan is lined with beaches an this is a good one. Looking out over the lake makes one realize how large the Great Lakes are and how lucky Michigan is to have a wonder place to get away for a weekend....or the summer.
Beach looked well groomed and had a lifeguard on duty. Was within walking distance from downtown and provide a changing facility on site.
New Buffalo public beach is a nice and fairly quiet beach. It was not overly crowded even though we visited on July 4th weekend. The lifeguards were visible and active during our entire stay.
Many people were walking on a rock formation that serves as a break for boats entering and leaving the harbor. Lifeguards were on the rocks prepared for rescue. (Thankfully it wasn't needed.)
The sand is not the softest and the shoreline is very rocky when you are wading or swimming.
This was a beautiful walking after lunch. There were so many gulls just walking the beach with us, it was very entertaining to watch. The views were awesome, and the stairs and walk on higher ground was breathtaking.
This beach is great for kids. They had Kona Ice and a great playground for kids to play on. Great shops and restaurants in a walking distance. You can rent kayaks and boats across the street.
My friend and I went here after a big meal. It's a nice walk. We caught the sunset and it was simply beautiful.
I love coming to the New Buffalo Public Beach. It is only an hour from my home, but makes feel as if I traveled much further. I love the rocks that serve as a breakwater near the marina. It is easy walk from town if you are staying overnight or just having dinner close by. One of my favorite activities is photographing the sunsets in different seasons, and I have never been disappointed! It is not a huge beach with the bigger dunes however, it is still has great walk ability.
We visited on a Friday evening and a Saturday afternoon. The beach was nice. You could watch the boats coming in and out of the harbor. There was a little playground to play on, a walkway to check out the dunes, a concession stand with ice cream, and a wash/ changing area. The water was cold even in August and the surf was surprisingly rough (which the kids LOVED). The sunset here is beautiful and we got some great family photos.
We stopped by New Buffaloe Beach on our way to IL. We didn't have much time to stay so the $12 parking wasn't probably worth the stop but we did enjoy ourselves. The beach was clean and unlike the beaches we are used to in SC, the sand didn't burn the stuff our of our feet. Good for a long or quick stop.
We were lucky to visit this small town in Michigan. New Buffalo Beach is so pretty. It was pretty cold at the time of our visit but still very serene.
Pretty beach with calm clean waters and white sand. It is located nearby hotels and rental homes, as well as eateries. Cute place to visit with family and friends. It gets busy with the summer months, so be aware that it may get crowded there, especially on weekends.
Get there early to get s parking space and a nice spot on the beach. This area has become was more popular than the infrastructure can comfortably support. Expect to wait awhile in line for the ladies room.
This is such a beautiful area , play area , light house , parking great . You can watch the boats come through the canal . Right by dock and Stray Dog .
Been here many times as my daughter had a boat slip here in New Buffalo. Love the area. Very clean and attractive.
If you are looking for a place with beautiful sunsets over Lake Michigan, this is your place. Add a beautiful sandy beach, a long breakwater, and nearby shops and restaurants, and this is a great place to visit, day or evening. The park is right at the end of the main drag through this little tourist town in southwest Michigan, and less than an hour from Chicago.
Clean and no loud music. The best beach ever. There is a nice concession stand, a parking lot($10). We have never encountered any discord among other patrons. We come all the way from Chicago just to go to this beach. It feels safe and very family friendly. It is very lovely and scenic as well. The bathrooms are not bad as you would expect. We usually stay for 2 or 3 hours and look forward to it every summer.We have been coming to this beach for many years and try to make several visits each summer.
We took a vacation on the recommendation from our neighbors to visit New Buffalo, MI. After we checked in to our hotel(Quality Inn, I did a review on that as well), we decided to make our way to New Buffalo Public Beach. It's a very nice beach, and our kids loved it. There is a lot of space, and I liked the pay for parking. It is pretty easy. Just remember your license plate. Our kids enjoyed swimming, skipping rocks and finding beach glass.
The beach is clean, but I recommend wearing aqua socks for the rocks. We are planning to visit again before the summer is out.
If you live in the Chicagoland area, and want to getaway for a quick day trip to the beach, I highly recommend visiting here.
I've been going to this beach in the summer for over 35 years! The sand gets hot! It can get crowded, but it is great for swimming and if you walk down the beach a little way you can typically find less people.
My husband and I stopped at the beach one evening during sunset, which provided some lovely photographic moments. We went during the winter, and wondered how limited the parking would be in the summer months. The next day, we went back during daylight to enjoy some more time there. The lighthouse looks like it could use a little paint job, but overall, it is a lovely beach area. We climbed the dunes and loved the view.
We recommend a stop in for a few minutes!
We love this beach. It's usually super crowded and we can't find parking but because of Covid 19 this memorial day weekend was not super crowded. We got to sit and enjoy the beach ⛱ before the thunderstorms came.
Conveniently located beach, right by downtown New Buffalo. This is a beautiful beach with gorgeous sunsets. There is a playground for the kids, snack stand, and decent public restrooms.
The boardwalk is long and makes the trek to the water much easier. On-site parking is very convenient, close, and reasonably priced.
Beautiful public beach - one of our very favorites!
Summer 2018...We paid $12 to park and the sign said lifeguards on duty. There was only one middle aged woman 'on duty' but disappeared before 6. The too small bathrooms were old and the sand was gritty.
We went to the Warren State Park . They have a nice beach and huge sand dunes. We were from out of state so the price was $9.50 it was worth it. This is a great place for family and kids. Beautiful state park!
We really enjoyed laying by the beach. It's a small town but close to other small towns. This beach was crowded by calm all the same. Great for families.
You must pay to park even if you just want to stay a few minutes. The view is good compared to the area.
Apart from the hot sand, our visit to New Buffalo Public Beach was wonderful. The beach is clean, people are friendly and water is crystal clear.
We visited on Memorial Day weekend and the beach was nice and quiet. I think it’s because it had been cool and rainy earlier that day. You pay $5 for 3 hours to park. Not sure what a full day charge is. You enter your license plate number at a kiosk and pay with a credit card. There is a snack bar and tables and restrooms. I was impressed with the set-up. There is a hard plastic type boardwalk that leads about halfway down to the beach. I liked this public beach because it was quieter than the one in Michigan City. But again the weather could’ve been a factor. I think it would be a good place to take a family. I noticed across the street there was a pavilion with picnic tables as well.
Being from Chicago I pride myself in having explored Lake Michigan from Illinois to the tops of Wisconsin and Michigan and knowing all those great little towns and spots that are off the beaten track or hold something unique and special. I was more than surprised when a friend said I should check out New Buffalo, Mi. I've heard of it of course but never thought much of spending any time there. With the clocking ticking I decided to rent the Beachside Getaway for a combo friends and family trip for a week this August 2018.
Let get to the meat of it!
Accommodations awesome 3-bedroom 2- bath modern condo across from the marina called the Beachside Getaway with an indoor outdoor pool and fitness center, a short 5minute walk to the lake, across the parking lot from the Stray Dog ( great food) with a roof top with a million-dollar sunset views and less than 5 minutes to town.
The town is a throw back to simpler times with NO – Chains of any kind! A great local grocery store called Barneys, some unique gift stores, a wine tasting room, cafes etc. I think you get the picture.
Surprises:
Had no idea the number of wineries and great wines! Guess I bought into the Big California winery publicity machine! The best wine and winery right out of Napa or Sonoma is Deblon set in a vineyard with great views and live music on the weekends. We visited 6 wineries in all and there’s a wine trail! We only touched on the a few wineries and would go back just or that. But for my beer loving friends don’t despair there’s plenty of breweries. We visited the Greenbush and the Beer Church that was right in town.
Another surprise you can take a train from Union Station and be in New Buffalo in 1.5 hours or less no crazy 1-80 weekend traffic you start your weekend on the train that stops a block from everything!
The grand finale was the great beach.
So, if you like a great beach, great wine, great beer and great food in a relaxing environment give New Buffalo a try in your own Midwest backyard. And you won’t be disappointed in the Beachside Getaway!
So disappointed today. The temp was in the 90’s the brown rocky sand was 100 degrees! The water was filled with algae, it was a challenge to enjoy the day. Three stalls in the women’s bathroom & strange pathways to the water.
We look forward to coming back in warmer months! Very pretty even this time of year, made for some beautiful pictures.
Nice clean beach. Good parking, reasonable cost. Restrooms are handy and available for changing. Concession stand wasn't open on day we were there - but there were two food trucks there with a nice variety of foods. Canoe and paddle board rentals were available as well.
Expensive to pay for parking ($12 all day); small lot, so you might not get a spot; HOT sand; difficult to walk in the thicker sand between parking and lake; lots of garbage/debris in sand; plenty of trash cans, staffed by life guards during certain hours; very rocky; bathrooms small and not great; concessions not open at all times during the day.
The New Buffalo Beach is a great beach! The water is clean and clear. The beach is very spacious and clean. It has a large parking lot, restrooms and a small snack shop with picnic tables. It's a wonderful place to spend the day. And I highly recommend the beach for viewing beautiful sunsets at the end of the day.
I love this beach, I was surprised by how clean and uncrowded it was for a summer day and it being a week with a holiday. I will be back
First of all...it is $12.00 to park...they take cash or credit card. Bathrooms are a little rough. They do have a little snack shack to buy stuff if you need.
Beach itself is very nice, clean and very family friendly. You are able to bring chairs, coolers, umbrellas, blankets...etc...it's just hard dragging that stuff down to the water.
If it is a beautiful, sunny, weekend day, forget going to this beach as the SMALL public beach parking lot fills up quickly and they will make you turn around in the huge EMPTY boat parking lot across the street (where you are not allowed to park) and you have to leave. Very disappointing when your family has driven in from Chicago.
Definitely have a parking issue on weekends. Also the beach bathroom is terrible and should be updated considering the amount of people/tourists that visit this beach. The beach itself is a beautiful beach if you could get to it.
The beach is beautiful with swings and slides for the little ones. It looks small but once you walk down to the beach it's much larger. Bring a kite to fly and watch the boats sail by! Make sure you bring sun screen you will want to stay the day!
Parking is limited get there early.
Food and beverage can be brought on the beach, no alcohol at all.
Enjoy.
Just a short walk across the bridge from hotels and harbor of New Buffalo, this beach gives a breathtaking view of the Lake Michigan. The water was both too cool and choppy to swim, but we sat on the shore and watched the waves crash against the rocks, mesmerized by the brilliance of the blues and greens. As we came just ahead of the main tourist season apparently, the beach was not crowded. With each level and twist of the boardwalk on the dunes, we had to just stop and let the view sink in. The only downside is that this beach is not very long and is bordered by private beach property.
Visited this beach for the first time and found the beach area is small but relatively clean in comparison to other Lake Michigan shoreline public beaches. there are lifeguards on duty and it wasn't packed with people as I expected it to be on a hot sunny day and many people were walking on the breakwater wall (which looked rather challenging) and there is a restroom and concession building. parking is ridiculously priced ($12) when one can easily park in town for free then take a short walk but thats just a small town making revenue on its local attraction. it is still a nice beach on Lake Michigan
Hard to imagine how beautiful the sunsets here in New Buffalo. Look out over Lake Michigan and watch the summer glow fora couple of hours.
Beach was nice but not as nice as South Haven’s public beaches. South Haven is about a 45 minute drive from here, but probably the nicer of the two beaches, but overall a nice beach.
I would give it a higher rating, as we loved our time hear, but the facilities were not up to date. The sunset views are amazing during our September visit. The sand dune trail was fun and gives you a beautiful view. The beach provided a fun atmosphere as a lot of people were on the beach waiting for the sunset and taking wedding pictures.
The beach was very clean, but we noticed that the parking fee has gotten out of control. It used to be $5, but this time they wanted $12. I can only imagine how very dissapointed and irritated the people must have been the weekend before, due to the city CANCELLING the annual SHIP&SHORE FESTIVAL. First time in 30+ years....maybe they should get back to being a tourist friendly town instead of a money grabbing town.
If you like convenient concessions and restrooms this would be a great choice. I prefer a more secluded beach, and found it down the road at Warren Dunes. It was well maintained and clean.
This a a great little beach on Lake Michigan. Before Memorial Day entrance is free. Afterwards until Labor Day there is a charge per car to enter the beach area.
We love this beach area. Small, but very nice. Beach atmosphere with lots of waves in the water. We did find it quite dirty with trash this past visit. People....take your trash with you!! We saw things like food wrappers, socks, shoes, cups, cigarette butts. During a sunrise visit one Monday morning there were folks there cleaning the beach. That's good, but people just take your trash with you!
Nice guarded beach with bathroom facilities, playground for kids and a snack bar. Fun and easy for the family.
Later in the day the sunsets are phenomenal !
Our family went here to watch the sunset and it was absolutely beautiful here. We didn't go swimming but it was very peaceful.
good but to far and no trues from four winds casino resorts four winds casino resort did not offer transportation
This is a cute little beach. Not as nice as some others but nice for the area. The actual sand near the water is rough on the feet because there are a lot of rocks. There's a boardwalk about halfway through the sand. The bathroom facilities are older but clean. A lot of teenagers working but doing a nice job keeping everything clean. Lifeguards on duty. Nice view of the yacht club. We have two little kids and they enjoyed playing on a little playground on the sand. I think I saw one volleyball net. There's a neat boardwalk and steps that go up the sand dune next to the beach. Nothing too exciting but something else to do.
This is simply a slice of heaven on earth. Even with the thousands of kids and families hounding the beach over Labor Day weekend (to be expected right?!), you carve your little niche in the sand like everyone else and enjoy. Clean, tranquil (close your eyes and dream in the sun!), and you're transported. I saw nothing but smiles on the beach. Stayed 5+ hours. Parking is now cash or credit/debit card. Get there early though (10ish) because I left and came back at 1pm, had to park 4 blocks away. No worries, the trail is still happy! Enjoy the time...
After a not great experience at the Indiana Dunes earlier this year, my husband & I have been on the hunt for a ‘new’ beach. This one is great. It’s on the smaller side but sparking clean, the waves are nice, there’s no rocky shore, and the scenery is much nicer than in Indiana.
We haven’t run into issues with parking yet, I suppose we’ve gotten lucky in that aspect. I like that downtown is walkable and is very cute with some tasty restaurants.
Overall it’s just a nice place, pretty laid back. It’s easy to relax here. Sometimes all we’re after is just a simple beach, and this really fits the bill.
Nice rather quiet beach right in town. We went after school started so it was not busy. Parking close by and clean restrooms.
Gorgeous beach. Only complaint is that they charge $12 to park! Can't do that when I am only going there for my lunch.
We were on the private (community) part of the beach, but it was very nice. I would recommend the Grand Haven beaches over New Buffalo, less rocks and wider, but it's a beach on beautiful Lake Michigan!! Life is good!
You know it's sad you live out here year-round and you still have to pay to go to your beach. It's a shame you paid taxes and you still have to pay to get into to go on your own beach I don't care much for this place I feel pretty disturbed. I live one town over and I had to pay full amount I doubt I'll be back
This beach is family friendly and clean; but the sand had lots of rocks. The water is also becomes deep quickly. While playing in the lake, you will notice the sand had a "quick sand effect" so please accompany all little children.
The downtown area is beautiful, and filled with local shops and eateries that have great reviews. Parking at the beach is $10; however is guy park downtown and walks it's free.
It's ok, clean but a but rocky. St Joseph's beach up the road is much more pleasant with more activities.
Great beach for the family. A little rocky and waters edge but that’s Lake Michigan. Beach was clean tho with plenty of room to set up your area. Cool rock divider goes way out into the water. My kids loved climbing it. The beach is walking distance to downtown where there is plenty of shopping and other things to do. Over all a nice beach and great place to take the family.
This beach has plenty of parking right at the beach which is nice. It has a board walk going out part of the way into the sand. It does have a lifeguard. They also have restrooms at the beach. Kayaks are available for rent too. It does have a breaker wall you can walk out on if you want a little place to be alone. Not recommended if you are not steady on your feet Town is just a couple blocks away for food or shopping before or after
Nice little beach. We got there early...930 on a Friday and there was plenty of parking and Beachfront spots for chairs. Great boat watching too!! By 1130 it was packed but we never felt crowded on beach or in water
The parking lot is small...if you don't get there early,.don't plan on getting a spot. We paid $12 for day so we could also go into town where parking is also extremely limited. The water was cold but refreshing. The bathrooms were not maintained and did not appear to be cleaned during the day.
We were here 4th of July. Beach was crowded and very rocky. Difficult to walk. Very close to everything in town. We chose to drive to a smaller quieter beach.
Nice beach, but very crowded. Hard to get little kids and all the "stuff" down the beach. We actually love the tall grasses there and go for family photos annually.
Beach was nice, clean sand, had a blast burying the kids... only partly. The sand is a little gritty, but I guess when you get out into the water a little ways, it gets really fine.
It was a beautiful day, nobody there was rowdy, just friendly people enjoying the beach and water.
The kids and I totally had a blast at this beach! They have restrooms, a small snack shack, and a water tower to clean off sand before going to your vehicle. Parking cost was $5 for 3 hours or $12 something for the day, this seemed pretty fair. It is quite a walk for an elderly person or handicapped to get waterside. The boardwalk stops quite a ways and the sand is very loose. Overall a great experience.
We love this beach! It is a very clean lovely beach with lifeguards. You can rent kayaks and paddle boards. There is a marina near by so you can watch boats sail by right from the beach. It is located in the town of New Buffalo. I highly recommend this beach.
This beach is nice to walk around and view the water. It's always crowded but that is just because it is a popular spot.
I usually give good reviews but this time not so much. I was really annoyed when I visited because to get in, you have to pay to park, which is fine. The problem is, you have to insert your cash into a machine and wait for a receipt. Well after feeding it 2 $5 bills, it spit out a receipt that read "Invalid $5" and the gate didn't open. I didn't get my $10 back either, and there was no there to help. They have a restaurant and when I walked over to see if anyone could help, it was also closed. We went on a Saturday afternoon and I don't know why no one was around.
We paid $10. per car to park at this public beach, and did not stay over 40 minutes, as we just wanted to see the Great Lake, but it was a nice beach with great views.
As far as I can see, the only reason this is the #1 attraction is because there really is nothing else to do here. We traveled all the way up to Manistee, Mi,, stopping at beaches all along the way...all FREE parking. Believe me, it is worth driving a little farther. It is just as beautiful with much more to do and see...most likely because you don't pay to park.
We just stopped on our 5 day, 5 Great Lake tour. It was not busy on a Monday afternoon. Loved the town. Will check it out for family vacation.
When compared to the beaches we've been to in New Jersey, The Gulf coast & California the beach was small (in length). However it was nicely kept. The unusual material they use instead of sand was strange. There was a slope down from the dry sand to the water and our feet sank in, much more than in sand. Also it was very difficult to walk on as it was very, very hot.
It is a cute beach with a little lighthouse & play ground for the kids.
We also had burgers at a little hut right as you go onto the sand. They were really delicious!
Parking at the beach lot is $12 and it's about the only place to park if you don't want to walk several blocks.
We have been to this beach twice this year and I'll review both of them here. The first day was July 3rd, we had family visiting with young kids and they wanted to go to the beach. It was a busy day, but we got there late morning, were able to park at the beach and set up close to the water and had a good time. The beach is a good one, clean, a nice family atmosphere, a very comfortable place. Everything is pretty close at hand, the parking lot, the bathroom facilities and the dunes if you want to climb up. The only issue I had on this day (and I'm not sure that it's normal for the beach) was that you couldn't set up a beach umbrella of any kind anywhere on the beach if you were in front of the lifeguard towers. It made it very difficult to get close enough to the water to watch young kids swimming unless you wanted to fry in the sun without any protection from the umbrellas. So we all burnt pretty thoroughly for the holiday. On an happier note, the highlight of the day for many of us was taking a walk down to the jetty to explore. It was a bit of a scary and challenging hike for some of us, just a fun adventure for others. A great experience though, and I'm glad we did it!
The second trip this summer was a Saturday in August and we went up specifically to meet family and watch a sunset. My husband and our two sons took our bikes up and rode around town until around 4:00, then we met other family at the beach. This late in the day we parked easily at the beach and then headed uptown where there was a festival going on. We looked around a bit, then headed back to the beach to set up chairs. It was a chilly evening and a windy one; there were red flags so no getting in the water for the kids. We climbed the dunes and explored and hung out until sunset. It turned out that this beach is a beautiful spot for sunset! We'll definitely be back again.
The beach is pretty clean. Great place to view the sunset. There is a place to buy refreshments and you can bring your own cooler. I think the parking is too expensive. I love it!
I visited New Buffalo beach during off season. I can imagine the fun times in this lovely location during the summer. Soft white sand, a spectacular view, a dune with stairs to ease your climb to the top, restrooms, snack bar (in season) and FREE parking during off season. During the summer it costs $12/day for parking. This beach is located next to the Lake Michigan Yacht Club so you can also watch water craft come and go.
Although there are alot of rude people out during the summer, while they were supposed to be quarantined in their own states, goin to the beach and watching the sunset every night was absolutely amazing!
Beautiful clean beach. Does get crowded on the weekends so get there early as the parking lot isn't all that big.
Nice beach, clean. Although the sand isn't like sand its like crushed rock. Not soft. I would choose another beach close to this one if possible. Cute town of New buffalo.
We walked the beach, it was a beautiful day, beach was not crowded. Looked very clean. Came back to watch the sunset.
The beach is not the best in the area. It is a long walk from the parking area, which they charge for parking. The better beaches are in Michigan City and Warren Dunes. St. Joe is very nice also.
Visited the beach and it was very clean and well groomed. Was able to park in town and did not have to pay for parking (only a short walk to beach.
Even when it wasn't sunny, it was fun! There is so much to look at. The boats and paddle boards and sun fish were so pretty out on the water. And the kids LOVED swimming. There are waves, too. Not big, but still enough to make it interesting. Next time I'll bring a float and a ball or sand game to play. Beach chairs really helped to relax in. Sand toys would be good too for the right ages of kids. Parking was $10. We got there very early and stayed all day. Walked to lunch. Couldn't have been happier with our day!
What a cute little town New Buffalo is! The beach is clean. Restrooms, concessions and shower are available which is great.
We rode bikes and there are stands you can lock it up to.
We caught a beautiful sunset one night and if you sit on the rocks along the side when you first enter beach area, you can watch the boats coming and going. Very peaceful.
Close to stores and restaurants and plenty of places to stay.
Will go back again.
Small but great for a beach fix and a sunset stroll. Clean. Cold water, of course. Also nice to watch the boats come and go from marina.
Love the beach for morning walks and afternoon picnic lunches! Easy to get to and right in the charming downtown area.
The beach area is very pretty and clean. However, the sand (not sure what is is) is very difficult to walk in and because it is dark in color it gets very hot. We did discover a sandy area as we were leaving so we will have to try it next time
This beach has a fee during the season. We walked in and found room on the north end of the beach. Rest rooms and food available. Nice sunset.
We love New Buffalo. This is our 2nd vacation here in less than a year (Sept. 2014 our 1st visit). It's about a 3 hour drive from our home in Indiana. We played on the beach our entire vacation (3 days). Two days the waves were small, our last day the red flag was out but made it fun because it gave a different feel to the beach. We'll definitely be back to visit again.
This is a nice wide beach compared to many along Lake Michigan. The 4th of July expands the population of New Buffalo to thousands and they all love boating or the beach. However, earlier in the week, walking on the beach was relaxing and I have to say if you collect beach glass, it is a great place to find it.
We were visiting the Indiana Dunes and decided to drive up to New Buffalo to visit the beach. We waited a bit for someone to leave but got a parking spot as it was later in the day. Definitely make sure to pay as they are constantly driving around the parking area ticketing people. We found a spot close to the water we’re the girls could play in the sand and run down to the water. It was an overcast day so it was actually a bit chilly sitting there.
They had a playground there as well so the girls got to play before heading out. They had public bathrooms but they were a bit sketchy. We would like to come back and explore the town. It looks like a lot was going on.
This beach is always so peaceful, and so pretty. We usually make a trip once or twice a year out here, usually in colder non swimming months, but regardless there are views that are always amazing and a very quiet beach. Take the hike up the stairs to see the look out point, and walk down to the lake.
Made several visits to new buffalo beach this trip. It was nice. No lifeguards but that's not unusual anymore. Bathrooms were clean, a couple food trucks normally there. Beach was clean early in the day, looked a little rough by evening. It was walking distance to where we stayed so it was perfect for me
As usual, the beach was beautifully kept, clean and maintained. The crowd was well behaved and not really crowded. My favorite.... The only negative was the lack of lifeguards. There was a single lifeguard that appeared and walked up and down the beach once. In six hours there, that was it. It bothered me and this is an issue there. Everything else...perfection.
We stopped by just to get a nice view of the lake. The beach itself is very flat. We climbed around on the rocks, too, but if only I were a few years younger! :-) Parking lot was close, so it was a short walk to the beach. Beautiful views. Had a porta-potty, and unfortunately it was out of toilet paper. Otherwise, a really nice city beach.
Cute little beach with beautiful views, awesome dunes, within walking distance of the adorable town of new buffalo ! The only complaint was the dark sand at this beach was lava hot-we could barely walk to the water.
beach was fine, nothing special. Have been here before and was fine for 1 day. Travel just north and the beaches are much nicer
Wow! What an unexpected treat! We killed some time here while waiting for a table to be ready for dinner and it was so pretty we went back after dinner to catch a gorgeous sunset! You have to pay to park close to beach, $5 for three hours. Kiosk system was quick and painless.
If I’m the area, definitely check it out!
I wasn’t even going to write a review on this treasure of a beach because everyone will now go there. Lol But for a close getaway and you live a hour or two away, what a fantastic day you will have swimming, making sand castles, collecting rocks. Life guards are on duty during peak times and there’s a snack stand that’s has great snowcones, cheeseburgers, drinks ect. Or bring your own picnic and cooler . Do watch the color flag so you know how the water roughness will be which is posted at the beach entrance. If you park in beach lot it’s 5-10 dollars but if you can walk 10 minutes or get dropped off it’s free!
You can stay and watch the sunset or watch millionaires try to drive their yachts. It’s a clean, ckean, beach I can say that enough, with a outdoor shower for quick rinse off so your car doesn’t become the beach. I truly need to visit minimum of 2x or it doesn’t feel like summer happened. Now go have fun and don’t tell too many people or I won’t get a spot when I visit with my kids Hahahaha
This is a nice beach. It's a bit separated from the heart of the town but nothing really can be done about that. We walked here from our hotel and it is a nice walk. There is a boardwalk that goes up to the top of a couple sand hills, a little lighthouse, and a beach volleyball net. There is a snack bar that must only be open during the summer season. There is also a $10 parking fee if you drive here and if you leave and come back, you have to pay the fee again. Better to find somewhere else in town to park and walk here.
The beach itself is a nicer municipal beach. When you arrive, you're going to want to drop your family off and park the car. DONT DO IT.
There are signs prohibiting this and the local constabulary enforces this ordinance very aggressively.
Walking around the area is very relaxed.
Great beach to people watch and listen to the waves. Always clean and friendly people. Climb the stairs on top of the dune to see the view.
Arrived just before sunset. Many families, couples, friends. Beach and water were clean. Sat on dune overlooking beach to watch the amazing sunset. Food, playground, and clean restrooms. Beautiful find in this small tourist town.
We came her for lunch in New Buffalo in November. There was nobody around, probably nice in the summer. We were staying at Four Winds Casino and New Buffalo was 10 minutes away. The beach was empty, lol, but no restaurants were open. Looks like mainly a summer beach and town.
We visited the end of June so the water was still cold but we had perfect weather to enjoy—not hot,sweaty and humid! The beach was a bit unkepmpt for me with what looked like straw strung along the shore to step over to get to the water to wade. Enjoyed looking at the rocks and pebbles for something different than sand and shells. We walked from our vacation rental and enjoyed the atmosphere of the quaint downtown and marina. Lots of activity on the beach!
The beach is big and beautiful and is very close to the town center. You can find restaurants, bars, shops within few min drive.
Nice big beach that has lifeguards. There are dune trails with lookout over Lake Michigan. The snack bar was not open when we were there? We went in mid June when the temps were high 80s so the sand was very hot and the water was still cold. But it was still a good beach day.
This is a great stop for anyone in the are. It's clean and easily accessible and great for families! They allow coolers but no alcohol and everyone was toting their own chairs. Kayak rentals were available for rent at reasonable prices. A boardwalk takes you down to the beach but the sand is light colored and not too hot.
I planned a trip to this beach with my friend and was very pleasantly surprise. It is a hidden gem and I would suggest it to all my friends. The beach was clean and not too crowed. Will return in the future and make this a annual trip with my family.
Stopped by to see the beach. It was chilly and windy with a temp of 45 degrees. Nice looking beach with a great sunset.
We enjoyed the view of the beach from the deck walk. Love the cute little lighthouse and watching the flock of seagulls flying round.
Long waits for paid parking, hard to get near the water, just an utter mess compared with towns farther north. Restaurants packed, town overflowed
We packed a picnic lunch, and we wanted to eat near the water /beach area, but we would have to pay $10 to park at the beach, just to eat. If we were to leave the area to shop, we'd lose our $10.00
Perhaps they should have a FREE parking lot area for those of us who do not swim in public beaches, but want to enjoy the area as well.
Beautiful beach. Paid parking is $7.50 for 3 hours. There are food vendors although all were closed on the Sunday evening that we visited. Sand is clean and coast line is beautiful. Kids can also walk the sidewalk that goes by the marina where they can see yatchs and sailboats
Nice MI beach. Would get 5 stars if they had better/more changing facilities. Family friendly with lifeguards on duty.
I was googling if this beach took debit cards. And because it was not listed on their website I went to ATM in case. It DOES take debit and if u pay in cash have exactly $12 or you won't get any change back. Hope this helps many! Enjoy your day at the beach.
Beautiful beach with lots of hungry seagulls that loved Fritos corn chips! Very scenic place to visit ! Lots to see and great views
This beach is wonderful to watch sunsets from and people are able to stay there for it. Love the long wood walk out to beach, good if you have disabled person with you too!
We didn't enjoy this beach as much as we could have as the shoreline was very rocky and hard for little people to walk on, even with shoes. Has a pretty jetty, lighthouse and great sand dunes to climb though.
Very neat place, as public beaches go I rate this one high because pretty clean and roomy. Nice sunset view, good sand. It has an old time feel.
We walked from our downtown parking to the beach. There are walkways to access the beach boardwalk. The beach had many families who had speak the day with umbrellas and coolers. We watched the sunset from the boardwalk. The beach has a concession stand and bathrooms. Lifeguards are also present.
I am used to the beaches in Maine. There is no comparison! The New Buffalo beach was dirty and rocky, particularly near the shore. As I entered the lake, the rocks were hard on my feet. The sand was infested with feathers from the seagulls who hovered about looking to scavenge food. We all got bites on our feet from some invisible bugs in the sand! The sand was extremely hot. I could barely get back to the parking lot even in my flip flops! There was a short sidewalk from the parking lot. It may be helpful to extend it so people could go further north on the beach rather than crowd the first life guard area. It was hard to carry our chairs, children and beach gear further down the shore. There were bathrooms which were adequately clean. I can't imagine what the line up is like for the 4 stalls in the women's facility on a crowded day! As for the food in the snack bar, there was not a big choice, although you could get a cold drink, wraps or ice cream.
I have not been to any other Lake Michigan beaches so it is hard for me to compare any other beach to this one. But my family and I were not impressed. We will not rush back to this beach next year!
Just to be fair, there is an advantage in that the beach is close to Chicago if you want to hit the beach on a hot day! Also, the people on the beach were very nice and there was no loud music to annoy us.
One of my favorite local beaches. Lots of sand, cute town, area is clean. My only complaint would be the bathrooms. They need more stalls and a remodel to include changing stalls because people change in the bathroom stalls which makes the line move very slow when you have to 'go.'
Small beach but really nice. Went there at night. It's probably very busy during the day. A bit pricey to park here.
Clean little town. Love New Buffalo. Always clean with nice beach area that offers a view of the Chicago skyline on clear days. Downtown restaurants nearby too!
Enjoy!
J.
Relaxing day at the beach. The beach was clean and not very crowded. Spent the day here and enjoyed the boardwalk on top of the dune. Nice surprise compared to the overcrowded beaches in Chicago.
We arrived at 9am and were easily able to find free parking walking distance from the beach. We stayed until about 12, and it was just starting to get busy when we left.
There was a big stretch of soft sand down to the shore, but right at the water it's stony. We had fun looking at the rocks and skipping them (lots of flat ones), but recommend footwear for a long walk down the beach. You can walk down the shore a very long way, despite the private beach signs--everyone has shoreline rights, you just can't set out your things and spend the day on those beaches.
You will also find: life guard, concession stand, small bathroom (4 stalls was fine in the morning, but was crowded around noon), SUP board rentals, a breakwater to climb on, some swings, and a small boardwalk up a dune. You can watch the boats at the marina and easily walk to restaurants, ice cream, and shops.
I had a really pleasant time, and thought the beach was clean and well-maintained, but I agree that it could use a bigger bathroom facility (or at least a separate changing facility) for the amount of use it gets.
It's May. Not a lot going on this time of year, but it's a pretty beach, and we enjoyed our time there. There were crews out cleaning the area, getting ready for the tourists. We'll come back when it's warmer!
This beach was full of trash. And not just trash that's been left behind by beach go-ers. It appeared to be trash that floated up out of someones bathroom. It was beyond disgusting and disappointing. We've been here before and haven't had this experience, so hopefully it's just not cleaned often because it's now October.
This beach is a quiet clean beach just a few minutes walk from all the downtown shops &restaurants'. Watch the sailboats glide past you in the calm bay while listening to the waves and seagulls. Not sure how it could get better than this.
Watch out. This summer Lake Michigan is at its highestlevel in decades. The beach is reduced in width considerably. Sometimes, the road to the public beach is closed because the
Galien River is flooded up, over, and out of its banks.
Great place to see a sunset, though.
We stopped by the beach to view Lake Michigan on a cold but sunny January day. The wind off the lake was strong but the views were well worth the time and effort. The inlet was iced over, as was the rocky shoreline. I would recommend that you check the beach out regardless of the season. I am certain that it is beautiful in the summer months. For a municipal beach everything seemed to be well tended and clean. It was a busy location even for this time of year.
We usually travel to this beach 3-4 times a summer. It is 3-4 hours from our home. Water is beautiful and beach is clean. Life guards on premises. Sand is hot so wear shoes or flip flops.
We arrived just in time for the sun to set, quite beautiful. A small playground for the kids, a cute lighthouse for décor. Great place to sit on the wall or benches just to enjoy the lake., it was too late in the evening and too early in the season for a swim.
Great extremely clean beach. A great boardwalk that jets into the sand. Lifeguards were not available on our visit 10:00. but red flag riptide warnings were out. Only complaint is the price for parking $10 per car, and no stamps for return trip.
Ok beach. The sand is very rocky, not fine like at other beaches in the area. The Galien River that empties into Lake Michigan just southwest of this beach is very stagnant, so after a large rain, I was told by a local, there's usually high levels of e-coli at the beach. So when we arrived, the purple flag was flying (designating contamination). However, they don't shut the beach down, people were swimming like usual.
I love this beach! I feels like I’m in an island when you looking out on the lake! The parking is limited so get there early.
I love NB Beach. It is large and it has stairs on the dune to get a better view. You can also walk out on the break water, if you are not scared to walk n rocks. It costs money to get in the beach so make the most of it.
We stopped by the beach and walked around a bit after dinner at the Stray Dog. It was a perfect evening, which, in May, is usually hit or miss. The sand is good, the steps and boardwalk at the back of the park that goes up the dunes is all new and very nice. The bathrooms are ok and the refreshment stand is fine.
The parking lot is ample for a lot of cars and is definitely busy on the weekends and in the summer. Very clean and nice beach for families.
If you are coming for just the sunset come in after 8p and you won't have to pay for parking at the kiosk.
Took grandkids to Lake Michigan for their first time. The excitement was high, the enthusiasm higher. Unfortunately the red flags were up due to previous night's storm, so no swimming due to the rip currents. They did get their feet wet though. Nice beach area, changing rooms and lots of parking available. The only down side is the $10.00 parking fee is due even if swimming isn't allowed.
New Buffalo's downtown is full of energy and only a short walk from the beach. The soft sand and beautiful lakefront is a gem. Restaurants as well as clothing, souvenir shops and jewelry shops line the street to the beach.
We decided to try out the beach for something different than our usual beach spots in Indiana. I thought the "park then pay" sign meant that we pay as we're leaving (so then we know whether to pay $5 for 3 hours or $12 for all day). The same day that I was there, another couple walking through the parking lot asked me if I understood how to pay for parking (so I know I'm not the only one who was confused by this). As we were returning to the van, I saw a citation on my window for failure to pay! Then when I got online to appeal, I realized that I only had three days to appeal so now I had to pay $78. I'm never going back to that beach.
New Buffalo's public beach is on the pricey side. The cost to park is $12. Also, the machine that takes your money doesn't give change back. Make sure to have the exact amount. Also, they do not have lifeguards. The beach is no frills but, has a pretty view.
This is a terrific beach. It's a little smaller and less overwhelming than Warren Dunes, and less of a walk from the parking lot to the beach if you have older folks with you. Nice view of the river/channel.
Stopped in to visit to see the Beach and was blown away by the cleanliness and the friendly workers. Will come back
Very nice lake and beach. Was a wonderful beach time with my adult daughters. Missed that they don't rent chairs any longer as we visited from out of town so chair packing was noy a good option and I am 69 so a little inconvienent .
This a good beach with easy parking access and the walk behind the beach on top gives excellent view of the sunset.
Small lighthouse makes for a good photo opp. Water is generally cold here but may be better if you come around late july.
Relatively clean beach and fun to walk around.
Enjoy
Beach is right off of down town area. Great sun sets. Food concessions open during summer season. Nice trail above beach offer nice views.
If you visit New Buffalo, the New Buffalo Public Beach is a must see. Grab your chairs, food, and drinks and walk to the beach from the Marina Grand Resort or Harbor Grand Resort. Located in the little town of New Buffalo off Whittaker St., down the street from Stray Dog, it's the perfect beach, for fun, family, and most importantly, a GOOD TAN! Parking is easy right next to the sand. Enjoy.
Why drive 12-15 hours in the summer when you can drive 3 to New Buffalo Beach. Literally felt like we were at the ocean without the sharks and jellyfish! They have a small concession stand and bathrooms on site and it's within walking distance of several restaurants. Very clean.
Compared to the other two beaches we stopped at on a road trip, this one was our least favorite.
Pro:
Lake Michigan, regardless of where you are, the lake is beautiful.
Cons:
- Rocky sand, not fine/silky like the other two beaches we went to.
-Not as clean, wasn't the absolute dirtiest that we've ever seen, but in comparison not as well kept.
-Less to do and atmosphere isn't as serene.
- Lighthouse.... Don't go out of your way to see this one. It may be listed on the Michigan lighthouse map, but I'm not sure why or how. It's not near the water and from what I understand it's just a replica.
Highly recommend the beach at South Haven or Tiscornia Park, unfortunately this one is lacking in several areas.
Other than paying $10 for parking, it's a great beach. Lots of room and a sand bar. Bathrooms, snack bar, and the rocky point make for a great full day stay.
Love sitting on the beach and people watch! Restrooms could be added as was always a line. Have Redmaks food place but limited menu. Parking is limited and if you don't go early plan on waiting until a spot opens up. $10 for parking. All in all a great beach!
Lovely beach! Visited in late July. Water was perfect. Water and beach were clean. Sand is soft but it's a little rocky at shore, but soft again in water. Lifeguards seemed attentive; especially to people being in the neighboring harbor when they should not have. Everyone seemed to do a good job of social distancing by 6+feet because of pandemic. Restaurant at start of beach had plenty of food options, such as tacos, turkey sandwich, chips, hummus, walking taco, etc. Also, had Island Club style drinks; virgin pina colada, virgin strawberry daiquiri, etc. Parking lot available. Parking not very big so get there early. Rates were $5/3hrs or $12/all day. I believe there is additional parking in other areas though as I saw many people walking across bridge to beach.
Clean, friendly beach which is close to the downtown area. Our favorite beach in Michigan. Talk a walk along the breakwater...if you dare!
First time in New Buffalo and a pleasant surprise to find a nice public beach clean, easy access, public restrooms, etc. $10.00 was cheap to park for a day at the beach! We enjoyed the water and then the view from the big sand dune. Wear flip flops near the water because of the small rocks along the shore. Water was also freezing but nice on a hot day!! Enjoyed and making plans to return!!
$10 to park, quite crowded and lots of rocks where once used to be beautiful sandy beach! Quite disappointed so we went further north and found beautiful public beach near Sawyer.
Great view of Lake Michigan. Kayaks/Paddleboards are available to rent on the beach. The price to park in the lot is $12, and does not give change if you don't have the exact amount, but it DOES take credit/debit card. Highly recommend to people within a couple hours of drive to visit. You then can also visit the shops and restaurants in the downtown. Thursdays (June- September) also feature a Farmer's Market in the afternoon.
Passing through on tour. Beautifully breathtaking views. Friendly area. Clean and pristine. Plenty of relaxation.
We stopped here briefly to put our toes in the sand and relax a bit. Very nice beach and paths to walk on the dunes.
Nice beach with small food shack. Toilet facilities at the beach. Parking available for a $10.00 charge. Within walking distance to downtown.
This beach has lot of soft white sand and a beautiful view of the Lake Michigan. It is not too crowded so you can actually swim, sun and play comfortably. Beautiful boats in the marina to drool over and Amtrack comes through from and to Chicago. A bus from the casino appears when the train stops for transport to Four Winds. Fun place to visit. Shopping in the eclectic stores in town was fun and a great variety of eating establishments.
I stopped off here while traveling to rest for an hour. I was able to take some great pictures and I met some great people as well.
Great place to drive from Indiana when you don't want to go very far for a 'beach vibe.' Love it here, very scenic, very trendy.
The good: Great waves, great beach.
The not so good: parking, or the lack of. One can literally drive in circles for hours waiting for a spot to open.
Average walk to beach with accessible parking is at least 6 blocks. This not good for someone with back, hip and leg problems.
Who doesn't love a nice clean beach. We take the kids all the time plus it's so nice and relaxing there. If you want ice cream after the best you can stop in town for ice cream or go to stray dog for burgers.
This beach is in a great location offering a very long and wide stretch of sand. Normally, the beach is cleaner than it was last weekend, but we will give it another chance given the temps and large crowds.
We live in the Chicago suburbs and this is a wonderful alternative to Chicago beaches. Easy parking ($5), bathrooms, outdoor shower, snack shop. Cute downtown.
Surprisingly, New Buffalo(NB) has not been inundated with large summer crowds. It is a small beachfront community with plenty of marina space and beautiful beaches. Access to the marina from the lake is short and easy to navigate. The beach is a short walkable distance to the ice cream shops and decent restuarants. For those of us that like the quiet side of life, this town hits the mark. There are couple of bars/clubs that stay open later, but for large and loud nightlife go up the coast a couple of towns.
With the Michigan city beach closed, this beach was definitely more crowded than usual this week. We had been here earlier in the summer as well but it was noticeably more crowded.
This was not our favorite beach that we went to while on our trip, but it is a nice beach. For whatever reason, the sand was supremely hot here, which made it painful to walk down to the water over even a small space. The water felt great, and the beach was relatively clean. It definitely could do with a thorough combing. The lighthouse is a cute place for photos, and the boardwalk and steps that give you an overlook of the small dunes, and the area has great views, but it definitely needs some repairs. The little restaurant right by the playground seems like a cute and fun option, but we did not try it. They offered a movie on the beach night, which was neat, and they have umbrellas and chairs for rent. They even walk up and down the beach and offer for people to place food or beverage orders!
Cons:
The bathrooms were atrocious. They definitely need to be cleaned far more often than they are.
There was a lot of flooding when we were there, and that water looked disgusting, and people were playing in it. I feel like that’s a health hazard that should’ve been addressed.
Great beach!! Plenty of restaurants nearby. Clean and not overly crowded. Only drawback is that it's a long walk from the parking lot!!
We spent a few days in Chicago and were looking for an escape from the city. After spending the morning in South Bend exploring Notre Dame (which was absolutely amazing) we used the trip advisor app to find New Buffalo. It was a fantastic end to our day. The kids loved walking out to the end of the rocks and we had a nice dinner before heading back to the city. Thank you Trip Advisor!
Great little beach perfect for walking along in the evening and viewing the spectacular sunsets. Parking is limited and expensive, but the little park on the beach is nice, and it's walking distance from town. As with all beaches, the amount of trash present depends on the people there that day and how responsible they were. We've been there when it's been fairly dirty and other times when it seemed better cared for.
Beautiful dunes and the worst beach in Michigan.
Dirty sand and too much bird poop and way overcrouded due to overrating or just lack of places for the population. We considered buying here 10 years ago and prices became dumb. So glad we did not, as the city is not keeping up with the price ranges. Other cities on the coast seem to care more. Limited parking and the festival this weekend was lame
we went to the beach in New Buffalo- what a great time! kite flying and boating and swimming. the day was great!
The beach is very large! There is a paid parking but it was full. We found parking by the metro station 5 min walk. You have to bring everything with you I didn’t see anyone selling things but I do think you could possible rent an umbrella. The sand was super hot and water was very cold. But water did seem clear and not dirty. Beach had plenty of space even though it was crowded mostly by families.
The public beach in New Buffalo is really unpleasant. Rode a bike over to the beach but found there were dirty plastic bottles, Staws paper strewn about the beach. Boardwalk to walk out to the beach area is Warn and needs repair. Decided to go back to my hotel where they had a nice deck although not as nice of Breeze and view of the lake. Spent a few days in South Haven in the beach is fantastic wonderful walkways grade seating beautiful Vistas in multiple areas of nice clean accessible beach front. It's confusing white newbuffalo can't get its beach in better shape. Perhaps it's because the people in New Buffalo on the private properties maintain their own areas and the public beach is an afterthought.
It is not crowded during off season and parking is free. Otherwise it is a mad house with so high fees for parking that I just don't come here becasue of it.
The sand was really rocky and hurts the feet to walk on it. The beach was small and the concession stand opens late and was out of most everything. I also thought the parking fee was high.
Easy access, very clean. Plenty of parking with bathhouse available. Park, museum, zoo, and eating within walking distance.
We were there in November and it was a nice day out. IT was fun to walk the boardwalk and the beach, Lots of gulls that day. Families playing in the sand. I will go back again.
Its a very nice beach. Great Views and the town is awesome I love going to this beach after my redamacks trip. The sand is both smooth and rocky to the previous possible guests asking.(:
If you want a nice beach, go up to Warren Dunes State park or elsewhere. This beach is quite small and not that attractive.
There is no actual lighthouse.
There were a ron of people at the beach and the trail to the overlook was closed
The beach and the lake are clean and beautiful! Half the sand is soft and white while the other half is extremely rocky. Our boys loved playing with all the rocks but it was tough on their feet, bring water shoes!
In a separate review of a local hotel (Marina Grand Resort), I mentioned the public beach. It does not have the grand scale of other beaches along the southwest coast of Michigan, but it is easily accessible from almost anywhere in town. Most people seemed to walk and avoid the $10 charge to park. They have two lifeguard stations. The beach is about 200 yards long. The sand near the water is coarse and mostly brown, but the sand further from the water (and along the dune trail) is the typical soft, powdery golden color. The snack bar is run by Redamak's, the local burger joint.
This was a great place to visit and enjoy a few days on the beach! It was clean and mostly families on the beach. The water was clean and we really enjoyed our time at this very nice beach!
So clean, and beautiful scenery. Kids had a great time. Concessions available, bathrooms, and easy parking.
The beach is not huge, but think there is plenty of room. The parking lot costs $12, and they take cash or credit, but no change is given. You can choose to park in the free public lot up town and walk but if you are carrying a lot of beach stuff, that may not work. There is paddle board and kayak rentals available at the beach.
Spent an excellent afternoon here. The wind and waves were up, but this was a great place to relax with family and enjoy the beach very walkable from downtown New Buffalo.
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We grew up near Lake Michigan, so getting to come back is always a great time. We never knew how much we would miss the lakes til we moved away. (mistake?) Anyways, we were here on a lovely sunny day with lots of nice rollers and a medium strength undertow. We played frisbee and swam for a couple hours. It was a typical lake experience where its freezing at first, then you get used to it and it actually starts feeling warm. The beach itself was clean and uncrowded. The bathrooms were clean and the outside showers made rinsing off easy. You can't fully shower, obviously, but you can get most of the sand off so that you're not gritty. We paid the $12 to park just for ease and took advantage of the board walk over the dunes for the amazing views and great selfie opportunity. Great way to spend a day in New Buffalo.