Oval Beach Reviews

Bring some beach chairs and catch the beautiful sunset. There are a lot of peoople but it's easy to find a place that's quiet and sip on some wine and enjoy!

Beautiful beach on Lake Michigan. Because it was slightly overcast, we had no problem finding parking ($10) and walking down to a very clean beach. Water was 68 degrees, so very swimmable.

A really nice beach. I went because it was selected as one of the best fresh water beaches in the world. It's actually kind of small (I'd say less than 5 acres of open beach). It is more typical of much of Lake MI beach front...dunes, dune grasses and narrow beach (20-40ft of sand. The restrooms are very small and it only has one changing stall in the women and men's rooms. If you are looking for a grand beach experience, I'd recommend Holland State Park.

We found this beach to be nice clean and had lots of restrooms all though we didn’t go in to them. The water is very high so the beach is actually quite steep. With two replaced knees I found it very difficult to walk. A nice boardwalk would be great.

We went on both a Sunday late afternoon and early Monday afternoon in August (2020) and we loved it. The weekend crew was there for sure, so we had to be aware of where we were at in regards to social distancing on Sunday but on Monday it was very easy to be socially distanced and enjoy the beach, sunshine, sand, and water. We love how inclusive this community is. We will absolutely be back. Beautiful beach area.

Oval Beach is beautiful! Water is a vibrant blue. Sand is soft. Several grills and picnic tables. All areas were clean. The beach area was smaller than I envisioned. $10 to park. Parking attendant told us no alcohol allowed at entry and we were surprised. I can understand glass but no drinking on the beach at all is the worst rule ever! Just trying to relax on vacation. There were 10 of us on girls weekend. And we drank anyway. Discreetly, didn't act like idiots ... and it was fine. Would return.

This beach is one of the best beaches I've ever been to. Perfect in every way. The water was crystal clear and turquise in areas, felt like I was at the ocean. I reccommend watching the sunset! Very romantic and perfect for families.

We climbed Mount Baldhead, ran down the other side of the dune and walked across the parking lot to the view of this beautifully groomed beach. (Tip - dress light as you will get some cardio!) The edges of the shore wrap around which creates one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen on the Lake Michigan shoreline. We hiked back up the dune and back down Mount Baldhead. Great exercise and free parking in tiny lot by Mt Baldhead. We will be back! Next time, we will bring a cooler and pay the $10 to park close by :) There was a little playground and bathrooms. What else do you need?

Easy access from the parking lot with no stairs to climb. Clean bathrooms, beautiful sand and good swimming access with no rocks. $10 for a day seems worth it.

Great little beach. Nice restrooms, not very much parking, go early. The white sand can't be beat and Lake Michigan is always amazing. No two days are the same. This beach is very rural, not busy like a large public beach. The sand/beach is on a slant down a small hill as well. There is not much flat space.

We set up on one of the narrower parts of the beach. The people were lovely and the water was cool. We foolishly forgot to bring water but the concession stand was open serving drinks and food. A really great day.

I am sorry but I am biased on this one. I lived in Sarasota, FL for the last 15 years and we lived 5 minutes to Siesta Key, which is argueably the #1 beach in the US and one of the top 10 in the world. So, yes Oval was a nice little beach but not great.

Cute little beach with limited parking. A steep climb down to the water, but amazing sunset views. Nice and clean, one or two picnic tables. The teens had a great time exploring the beach and wading in the water.

This is a nice beach, but a bit disturbing for the fact that we were there to watch the sunset and got quite an eyeful of things other than the sun. There was public nudity and sexual activity going on while it was still light out. Families beware! Leave before 7:00pm.

This was a nice beach, definitely has the 1960s or 70s feel to it with the snack bar. People there were friendly too. Went on a weekday and enjoyed it, busy but not crowded... can't imagine how different it would be on a busy weekend. Overall pleasant experience.

This is probably one of the best places to watch the sunset in the Midwest. We also enjoyed a day at the beach. However there is some debris and garbage in the sand that should be removed. The water is super cold in June but it is a pretty spot.

Easily accessible place, immense beach where everyone can find their own space.
There are bathrooms available and a small bar.
Probably the best time is at sunset.
You have to pay an entrance fee to access

If you are visiting Saugatuck or you're nearby and want to go to the beach, this is a great place to visit! The beach is super clean, obviously a little crowded on a warm summer day, and gorgeous Lake Michigan is right there in front of you. The beach is completely public so everyone is welcome!

A prime example of a beach on Lake Michigan. Just plain beautiful surrounded by rolling dunes and grasses. The beach was very clean and very family friendly.... Can't say much about the concession as we didn't eat there, but the selection is pretty slim... Changing rooms and restrooms were clean... Great place to have a lovely beach experience

Went early on Saturday morning 7/27. The beach was nice but the water was gross, lots of green algae floating in the water. There was a funky smell too. Not sure what the hype is over the beach. Went to Silver Beach last night and it was much nicer, no green floaties.

I go to this beach one day out of the weekends through the summer. Even when it is packed the people there are considerate of each others space. Good for Friends, Family, Fun or relaxation...

Its a state park, so there's not much other than beach, dunes and refreshing lake Michigan. After a week at a private lake, we moved to a motel in Saugatuck down the street from Oval Beach. Went there on a Sunday and it was crazy crowded. Beach is eroding away so there's less and less every year. $10 per vehicle without a state park pass makes this a "we'll go for an hour to cool off" place while we waited to check into the motel.

The wait to get into the beach was terrible. One booth with one attendant who didn't really care to speed up the process. The beach was decent with nice white crystal sand and small dune. Water was clear/no life guards/kid friendly. We spent two hours there. That was enough for me and my friends.

The ONLY reason I didn't rate this as terrible is because the parking is close. The beach itself is very very VERY small. The area we visited you have to climb down (and of course back up) a very steep dune to get down to the beach itself and the water. I understand it's a lake, but the water seemed (and smelled) very dirty. Nothing like the other Lake Michigan beaches we've visited. I brought my family here based off reviews and regretted it almost immediately. $10 entry fee is absurd for a beach like this. Will not return.

Beautiful beach. Easy access. Water was nice. I would go back to Oval beach again. Try to get there early because it gets crowded. $ 10 to center the beach. It has a bathroom and changing area with a concession stand. We packed a lunch and enjoyed the view.

Very crowded. We had just come from northern MI, and were used to the beaches there. This beach was packed, but very clean and parking was near the beach.

Beautiful sand, clean water, convenient parking. Even a snack bar with delicious BBQ sandwiches. Highly recommend

The steps leading down to beach were very helpful. We always had lots of things to carry steps were a real plus. There were nice restrooms and showers. The beach was clean. The $10 fee allowed you to come back in the evening to watch sunset.

This gem of a beach was the absolute perfect place to watch the sunset over beautiful Lake Michigan. The beach was clean and not to crowded.

Wonderful choice! Relaxing, soothing, and we lucked out with an amazingly beautiful day!! Our family will definitely return.

Went to watch the sunset from this beach, perfect place. Plenty of parking (September), beautiful sunset. If you don’t want to walk down and up the dunes, go to the far left in the parking lot.

There are a lot of beaches in Michigan. This is just one, and it’s average. I’d recommend many others ahead of this one. If you’ve run out of other things to do in Saugatuck, you may enjoy this.

Kids enjoyed waking shoeless on the beach and climbing the small dunes by the parking lot. Awesome place to see the sunset unobstructed by trees and houses.

Visitors to the Saugatuck beach are blown away by the near mile of undeveloped beach land (meaning: No high rise condos looming over the beach area) The public beach covers over 300 acres of duneland and beach. NOTICE: NO hungry creatures to nibble upon your tasty body or salt water to sting your eyes! No wonder it is one of the best!

Beautiful beach with dunes! We took a picnic and watched swimmers and 2 surfers. Water had white caps.

Great place to rest after Mt. Baldhead! We backpacked in our towels and snacks when we climbed Mt Baldhead. Beach clean and family friendly.

Beautiful beach! Clear, clean water. The main beach is crowded but that’s a beach for you. If you go either way from the main beach you get a stretch of beach with dunes behind you. Little more secluded. Great place to play for the day or watch the sunset!

We were looking for a way to finish out the afternoon and on the recommendation from a local we stopped here. Beautiful, easy access beach to relax and take in the water!

The beach is kind of tucked away from the town but is clean with lots of nice sand. About 5 minutes from the town.

Beautiful at sunset. Parking is really nice. The actual beach itself is only reachable by going down a very steep slope - but you can still enjoy the sunset from the parking lot.

It's so nice to park close to the water, particularly with small children, gear or a cooler. Paying $10 seems steep for a one-day pass, but it's such a lovely, well maintained beach. Snacks and restrooms within walking distance, grills and picnic tables available, too.

Nice sand, decent area with some small sand dunes. Was really nice and comparable to some small beaches in Florida.

Beautiful beach, family friendly, very clean, and well worth the $10 fee to enter! I would highly recommend to families with young children!

A nice Michigan lake beach with nice sand. Personally I think this beach is just a touch overrated. The beaches in Traverse city and surrounding are just as nice and less crowded. Not much natural shade so you really need to haul your own in. My husband and I walked from town (took the ferry across) and hiked up the trail and brought lunch. We didn't spend a lot of time there with the droves of people and lack of shade.

Clean and, lots of parking, and never seems to be overcrowd, the beginnings of a fine day. The water is warm and shallow by the shoreline, which met our needs perfectly. Didn't notice much of an insect problem at all.

Unfortunately it was a cool and very rainy day on our visit. We sat in the car and watched someone paddle boarding which was very cool! The waves were incredible. The sand was clean and there appeared to be plenty of parking available. We did ve the pier area and for pretty wet but had fun.

Oval Beach is gorgeous! We went on a Tuesday in June. We got a later start than I had hoped, so I was worried about parking and crowds. We arrived at the park between 9:45 and 10 am. Much to my delight, the parking was PLENTIFUL and the beach was not crowded. It did get more crowded as the day went on, but it was totally manageable. The sand was soft and beautiful and not hot in most places. Our main experiences with beaches have been along the Gulf Coast, and this beach was very different in a good way. We did not have to dodge jellyfish or seaweed. The sand was clean and not littered with trash and cigarette butts. It wasn't surrounded by high-rise condos and beach umbrellas. It was beautiful! The water, even in June, was very cold, so not getting to swim was a bummer for my teenagers, but we enjoyed playing in the sand, sitting and watching the waves, and going for a walk over the sand dunes and down the beach. We also watched people flying kites, people in sailboats, and a couple of sailboarders. So much fun to watch! There was a nice playground and concession stand as well as bathrooms with places to change and showers to wash off the sand. We did have to pay for a day pass, but it was well worth the money, even though we only stayed for about 4 hours!

On Lake Michigan, you will find this beach -$10 to park. Don't park where you first enter, there is more parking further into the park and it is closer to the beach. The sand is deep and might be a challenge for some to walk in. Great views from this beach and no rocks in the water to worry about. Restroom facilities and a shower are there for your use.

Sunny day midweek. The $10 day visitor fee allowed return access to beach all day long. Not crowded in the morning and a great walk in the wet sand going north. More people in the PM but parking still available. Took a walk going south which was adjacent to the homes on Lake Shore Drive. Very clean beach and not overly crowded on this day. I would imagine that could be different on a warm weekend day. Water temperature in the mid 50's. Was told by the parking attendant that sunsets on the beach were nice but did not return for that.

Very beautiful. The sky meets the water here and is just a great view. Not my favorite beach in the area, but got to hike some dunes and take in the view

Took a drive out to Oval Beach after dinner, and had a nice walk along the shore. There were only a few other cars in the parking lot and we felt like we had the beach to ourselves. It was a perfect end to a perfect day!

We were impressed by the cleanliness of the beach. Great destination for a hike from the chain ferry or for a bike trip. Cars will pay $10 to park or buy a season pass for $50. Lots of parking spaces (500?). Concession stand available (weekends only?) and clean bathrooms and port-o-johns.

The is a big beach with a nice deck over looking the shoreline. The dunes are behind it. There is a trail that is about a 20-30 minute walk to Mt Baldhead. It is $10 parking. You can actually park at Mt Baldhead for free and walk the trail to Oval Beach.

This has got to be one of my all time favorite beaches. The water is really clean and sometimes the waves are big enough for bogie boarding. I would recommend this to groups of families and of friends.

This beach is a city beach so expect to pay $10. Parking is close to the beach. There’s public bathrooms although they close at 7pm. Sand is soft and the beach is very clean. No dogs or alcohol allowed. Overall, my friends and I had a great time visiting.

We spent the weekend in Saugatuck and the Oval beach is one of those ideal places for those looking for peace and a pleasant beach. You pay 10 dollars for parking and Pets and alcohol are not allowed. The beach was very clean and the sunset stunning. We’ll be back.

Lake Michigan is beautiful and the rolling waves are so soothing and with the blue skies nothing better than to walk the beach

Great beach with close parking. Went through the week. Parking may be issue on weekend. Somewhat spoiled by prior condo on the beach experiences and not having to drive to a beach so that is only reason not a 5. Great way to spend the day. Sun, sand and waves.

Would have loved to see this beach but the line to get in was outrageously long and once in line, there was no way to get out of line! The gatekeepers literally turned away every car. It would have been helpful to have put a sign a mile away advising drivers and beachgoers that the lot was full. Very unfortunate. Luckily we hit the Saugatuck State Park which had free and accessible parking and a beautiful beach.

We spent a wonderful day at Oval Beach. The waves were perfect and the facilities were great. Clean restroom, showers to get rid of the sand and a nice Concession stand. While the sand was really hot the water was refreshing! It was nice to have plenty of parking as well.

Stopped by to see the beach and Lake Michigan this weekend while staying at a B&B in the area. Simply amazing views. Reminds you have small we are. Nature simply at it's very best.

Listening to the waves and the crisp, wonderful day with the blue skies - simply beautiful.

I’m sure that this is the perfect spot when the weather is good. I’m here to tell you that, even when it’s foggy and cold (even by British standards!), it’s worth a visit! Great sand, good parking, and BBQ facilities. I hope to return one day!

What a beautiful beach to watch the sun set. We went off season so there were very few people on the beach. Awesome ending to a long day of traveling.

What a beautiful and well maintained beach. Perfect for families. Offers a large concession stand with many choices, bathrooms and showers. Ten dollar entrance fee per car. Bring food in but leave the alcohol behind. There are no lifeguards onsite so adult supervision is required for your young children. Bring your floats and beach games- it's all allowed (except your pet)

One more thing- don't rely on getting a cell phone signal here because it's pretty much a dead zone.

The water was beautiful! Nice sandy beach. Very accessible. I rode my bike to the beach. Beautiful views.

Ten dollar all day parking gets access to a really nice sandy beach on the shores of Lake Michigan. There are sandy trails and those with wooden steps between the road and the beach.

Tried to go around noon and the lot was full; people were walking along the road from the town. We didn’t have that option as one member of our group was on crutches. Returned later in the afternoon and were able to get in parking lot. There were several handicapped spots available at that time, and we were lucky to park right next to the boardwalk. My friend was able to use her crutches, very carefully, to get to the end of the boardwalk where we stepped off and sat right next to it. Beach area is rather small and was packed!
The best part: the beautiful water. Looks like the ocean but salt free! We did not visit the concession stand. The signs say you cannot take coolers bc they have concessions, but most people had them. We did take our own water.
Recommend simply for the water ❤️.

We hung out on the beach for a day while visiting Saugatuck. The sand is so fine and soft. The beach is clean, quiet and had a friendly crowd. Not exactly a large beach, but everyone had plenty of personal space.

We must’ve came at an unfortunate tide. But it was NASTY!! We were all full of algae and sea weed all over us. It was stuck in all of my daughter one piece swimsuits. Washing off afterward was a nightmare in the gross bathrooms. It smelled while we were there because it was constant dead fish everywhere. The nail on the coffin for us was the huge hill to carry all over our wagon and cooler up.
It was a big let down because I read such high reviews online which is why we went. Was happy that the other beaches we went to were better!

Oval beach is a great family beach, waves are little to nonexistent the day I went. Parking was full on 4th of July weekend and we got dropped of and walked in. The second day we did something different, we hiked up Mt. Baldy as the locals call it and walked to the beach. You will appreciate the dip in the water much more.

Even the drive into this beach is special. Concession stand and bathrooms are ordinary, but that’s not what this beach is about. It’s a lovely and long stretch of sand in a spot on Lake Michigan with plenty of sand bottom shallow water. Great for families.

We had a fabulous day at Oval Beaxh. It was $15 to get in and it was worth it. This gives you access to a beautiful, fine sand beach with bathrooms, outdoor showers to rinse off feet and body. There is a concession stand that sells hot dogs, pretzels, nachos and ice cream. You can wade out fairly far and still be standing. If you have a boogie board and the water is warm enough, this is a great beach to boogie board in. Otherwise, just swim, relax and enjoy the amazing sand!

We decided to take the chain ferry and then walk. It was pretty hilly, but not a bad walk. We had our double BOB with us as well. The beach area was awesome. They have great clean bathrooms, out door rinse off area and snacks. The sand was great. When we were there both days it was not too crowded. It's also a great run from town.

Close by parking. We walked to the water quite a hill down. It's gorgeous. Lots of parking. By dunes. It's a very clean beach.

Oval Beach was a nice, easy beach day. Within walking distance of downtown Saugatuck and experienced a chain ferry on our way.

Oval beach was very clean and kids enjoyed the sand and water. Convenient parking. concession area had a long line that we didn’t have time to wait in. More concessions would be nice. We would go again but would make sure we had plenty of drinks/food if staying for a longer time.

Nice sand, easy to get to, great that you can drive right up to the beach.

Get there early to get a good spot. We avoided it on the weekends due to overcrowding during Covid 19.

We just rested on towels and enjoyed looking at the lake..very peaceful as it was an overcast morning.

Great beach with amazing views of shark-free and alligator-free water. Clean bathrooms and a small snack shack.

What a gem! $10 per car! Fantastic beach with bathrooms close by! Concessions, swings, charcoal grills, picnic tables and showers available.

We got there at 10:30 on a Friday and were able to get in quickly;$10 parking fee) abd park very close to concession/bathrooms abd stairs down to beach. Beautiful wide sand beach. You can walk out about 100 feet abd still be just 3 feet deep.. so great for little ones. Small waves made it fun with boogie boards. Myst bring beach umbrellas since sun is strong. We spent about 3 1/2 hours. Bathrooms have a couple of private changing areas but not showers.

This beach is beautiful!! The beach is clean and sandy without rocks. The water was delightful. Bring a lunch and beach chair and enjoy.

The beach is easy to get to, concessions and restrooms close by. The sand is really soft and the water was great. People did a good job of social Distancing.

Visited this on a chilly November day so could not experience the beach but had to see the views! Beyond beautiful and amazing views. Would love to return during a warmer time, just so peaceful to look at.

A very nice and large beach. The water was great. We got there earlier, and it does get filled up, but there seemed to be plenty of room available.

$10.00 fee to get in, but worth it! Very clean and great views. Just wish the water was a little warmer at this point in the year! (Guess there were bad storms the week before that brought the cold water with them)

Beautiful, pristine, fine-sand beach. The West Coast of Michigan's beauty is hard to believe.
To enter Oval Beach, it is $75 a year for a pass. It is $15 per car to park at the beach without the yearly pass. We were staying in Saugatuck and called the Interurban and told them where we were and where we wanted to go. In 15 minutes it pulled up and for 2 seniors it was $1.00 for the ride, no fee for the beach. Great way to get there and get rid of the cost. The weather was gorgeous, but curiously they do not have a lifeguard on duty. Concession stand was open.

Clean, family friendly, animal friendly beach! Perfect spot for my solo day at the beach, water is clean, and so is the sand! I had a pleasant day just enjoying the sun and water! Only downside, $10 entry fee. This is normal with MI state parks, especially with higher fees for non residents. In Ohio, we don’t have to pay to enjoy what our tax dollars already help to keep going. But it was still worth the cost.

The beach was good for Lake Michigan, small, but nice. We went at the end of July and it was SO CROWDED-no Covid distancing here, although being outside and fairly distant from the next family’s beach umbrella, we felt ok about it. For the $10 admission fee to the parking lot and the crowds, thinking another beach might be better??

Oval Beach is a beautiful sand beach in the Saugatuck area! My family & I visit often and love taking walks and having a picnic.

This is a great beach but it has its challenges. I found it hard to walk up and down the hill leading to the beach.

Beautiful sandy beach. Come here if you want to relax in the outstanding surrounding. One of my favorite beaches in Michigan.

Loved our time at oval beach. Easy access and nice parking lot (paved)
The sand is clean and we saw to volunteer groups come through picking up debris to help keep it clean and enjoyable. There are washrooms and showers very close to the beach and easily accesable. The beach faces the west and the sunsets are amazing...

You pay $10 to enter per car and it is clean with concession and bathroom. The beach is clean and no drinking is allowed. There are no lifeguards so swim at your own risk. Today the water was calm and very clear but cold. Nice family beach.

Went there on a cloudy blustery day. Only 5 other cars there at this time of year.
Walked the clean sandy beach and enjoyed the majesty and strength of the largest of the Great Lakes.
Plenty of parking so I presume it can be enjoyed on a hot summer day by many bathers.

I spent several hours at Oval Beach on a beautiful day. Although it got a bit crowded, it wasn’t bad compared to many other public beaches on Lake Michigan. I came back in the evening for a spectacular sunset!

Wore hiking boots and carefully made our way towards the beach and dunes with inches of ice and snow. Breathtaking!

You need to pay 10 bucks to park. It is a nice beach and the view was good. I think parking was a little high.

Love it every time I visit. The $10 parking fee is well worth it. Just need to go early and leave as the crowds arrive.

Beautiful beach. Get there early to ensure parking. Pack and lunch and don't forget your beach unbrella.

Beautiful beach near Saugatuck. Very clean, plenty of room to spread out and not be on top of other families. You can tell this is well taken care of area especially since they charge an entrance which we happily paid. Will return here!

We are ocean people however Lake Michigan is much closer and we will definitely rotate this into our summer vacation spots!!!

Oval beach is very beautiful and clean. It has a public restroom and concessions which is great. The only downside (and reason for rating) is the only way to get here with all your “beach stuff” is to drive... there is no way you could walk with all your stuff along the road or over Mount Baldhead. They need to create a public sidewalk along the road. People walk it anyway and it is very dangerous.

A pristine beach on Lake Michigan, in the artsy town of Saugatuck. We went there in August and it was great. Weather in the 70s, a very nice breeze off the Lake, water on the cool side a few days but you get used to it.
There is a $10 charge to park in their lot--I highly recommend it! It's well worth the expnse. You can literally park next to the sand, and have in and out privileges. Come back for the suset, the bech closes at 10:00 pm.
The fee also gives you access to the concessions stand, restrooms, showers and kid's playground. My wife uses a cane and loved the close proximity to the beach.
It's not the ocean, but a worthy substitute. I highly recomend this beach, which has been rated as a Top 25 world beach by Conde Nast, so the PR says.

Nice Michigan beach for families. Can get a bit crowded but easy walk to the paved parking lot and snack bar and bathrooms were on site.

This is a great beach for young kids. Our 1st grader was able to walk out over 50 ft without a problem. The way the beach gets gradually deeper makes a parent feel great. Oh it is a beautiful area as well.

Nice beach, clean sand, beautiful water and surrounded by the Dunes and Park. Beautiful sunset photos. Benches for picnics.

We stopped here on a Sunday afternoon while spending an anniversary weekend in Saugatuck. It was a 12 minute drive from the downtown area. Parking was free but I do believe they start charging $10 per car after Memorial Day, from what I was told. It was a cool day with no clouds in the sky; perfect for a quick stroll on the beach! The water was cold but I very much enjoyed walking along the waters edge and just getting my feet wet. It was not crowded at all but I know that can change over summer.

We walked to the beach from the Chain Ferry. It is quite a walk along a busy and narrow road. I would drive to the beach early because it is busy and limited by parking spots available. It has an admission fee per car.

WOW THIS IS NOT A BEACH. Carl Jiang told me that this was a beach and I’m so disappointed...
This is a lake not a beach...

Had a great time visiting with my family. My son loved digging in the sand and going out into the water. 60 degree water, but it was very clean and clear.

What can I say about the Oval beach on Lake Michigan? It is as good as it gets. The water is refreshing and crystal clear.

Sand is soft, water is great and have a little place to get snacks if you forget to pack your cooler.

So reminds me of ocean with waves rolling. Beautiful sandy beach. Lots of sunshine and love the sand dunes

Clean very nice beach area. We swam and although there were a lot of people it was still quiet and relaxing.

After Labor Day approached and the first chill occurred, I knew that summer was fleeting and I had to get to the beach just one final time.

This mid-September there was a high 70s/low 80s day on the weekend and my wife, 2 year old, and I knew it would be our last beach outing for the year.

Oval Beach provided an ideal spot and we were pleasantly surprised for our first visit.

It's important that we went in mid-September because we did not have to pay for parking and it wasn't that crowded. I'm sure the exact opposite is true from mid-June - Labor Day, so take caution if you go during those times.

There are some basic amenities on the beach include a bathroom, outdoor faucets for washing off sand, some picnic tables, and swings.

The water was a little cool since it was September, but it was an idyllic beach day, and from my location in Mid-Michigan, this is the probably the combination of closest and best beach to me.

I'd recommend Oval Beach if you are in the Saugatuck/Douglas area.

We drove over 2 hours to go to this beach with the family. We waited for about 30 minutes just to get into the park. I am not sure what happened or what the hold up was, but it took forever. When we finally got to the booth it was $15 to get in. I thought it was fine since I thought it was going to be a beautiful beach. When we got into the park, I thought it was going to be super packed, because of the long line, but it wasn't. We got to the beach, and set-up. Right away the kids wanted to go into the water, so I went with them. The water was so gross. It was full of algae. I was so disappointed because my husband looked up best beaches, and this popped up. I wish I would have just went to South Haven beach, like I wanted, and it was closer for us. We haven't went to Lake Michigan in a few years, so I am upset that this was the experience. My little guy (3) kept playing in the shallow, which is where all the algae was piling up. I just tried to ignore it as much as I could so it didn't ruin our family day. It definitely makes you itchy and crawly. When we got in the car I could smell it on my bathing suit, and when I got home our bathing suits were all green inside and stunk to high heaven. I will def. not go back to this beach. I expected it to be more clean for the price of going in. The beach was also full of trash in the water and in the sand. We kept finding plastic bags, ect. in the water and we kept picking it out of the water and throwing it in the trash. If people would just pick up after themselves, it would help. Save your money and go to a diff. beach that is cleaner, unless you don't mind the algae.

And the water was warm enough to swim in! We came after dinner to watch the sunset, and got some good pictures. I'll post them if I can get them downloaded from my camera!

It’s a perfect beach if you don’t want to walk too far with a baby. It was clean and a short distance from the parking lot to the water. The concession stand has excellent hot dogs!

The best thing about Oval Beach is the view! Extremely relaxing and beautiful. Very hard to believe it's not the ocean. The ease of access is amazing. You can park anywhere along the coast and view the beach. We parked and viewed the sunset.
Within a very short walk you are at the the water.
A tip for handicap access, keep going further down the road, after the restroom area there is handicap parking and a straight walk vs. The downhill trail. Take chairs or back in park with a truck to sit and view beach,

There was no parking/entry fees, we visited in October.

Visited Oval Beach to see if I could notice the air quality difference (I'm from Chicago) and oh my goodness.... I highly recommend. Lungs felt amazing and seeing how clear the water looked as it splashed on the shore filled me with a feeling of tranquility. My partner and I walked all along the beach until we hit some lighthouse looking poles that we got to by climbing over some rocks. It was a great time.

Nice, crescent shaped beach, very popular with families. It is possible to drive to the beach, but the parking lot is small and we saw a long line of cars waiting to get in around 11AM. We chose to take the Chain Ferry and then walked .6 mile on a trail whose markings were somewhat confusing. There is a concession stand and bathrooms. Lake Michigan is COLD but families were enjoying the water anyway. When we left, we decided to walk down the road to get back to the ferry. Supposedly there is a shuttle bus but it never came.
This beach is highly rated by Conde Nast but it can't compare to an ocean beach.

Even in chilly weather this is worth a stop! Sand for little ones to play and benches for adults to hang out and watch the water.

This is our favorite beach to visit it is cleaner and less crowded than the rest of the beaches in South West Michigan. A real hidden gem, off the beaten path the perfect place to relax and enjoy the waves.

My wife and I enjoyed Oval Beach and the walks along the beach. We went in mid September and so it was not very crowded. Lake Michigan's water level has been rising, I was told, and so the beach has been eroding. It was nice, but not as nice as expected. One promotion said it was one of the top 25 beaches in the world, which is not true in my opinion. Sad if it keeps eroding.

We agree with all the reviews about this beach. It is large, clean, the water is calm, etc. The $10 parking fee is a fair price. Very nice beach - except for the flies! The sand (?) flies were everywhere. We experienced this last year and so came prepared with bug spray and a Thermacell bug device. The flies laughed at us. We ended up wrapped up in towels to avoid getting bites and left after 2 frustrating hours. Would like to find a way not be bothered by these flies so we could stay longer and enjoy the beach more.

Always a favorite summer beach... an unseasonably warm and sunny December day brought families and couples out to enjoy a stunning sunset. Lovely at any time of year... Oval Beach is especially nice for a low season beach strolling. One of the best.

It was a beautiful HOT day, the beach was full of people and the parking lot was full of cars. Very nice shower and changing area nice refresh stand.

We were able to walk along the lake side down to the pier. It gave us about a mile walk each way. Then watched, as the sun set over the lake. Then drove back into town for supper.

Beautiful beach with plenty of parking, restrooms, and an amazing beach! The dunes are gorgeous and super fun to climb. Can’t wait to return!

Beautiful quiet beach! Great find and lovely for families to spend a day on the beach with a picnic!

We went to Oval Beach 4x on our trip....We loved the cleanliness of the water and the sand. You must go for a sunset ...it will amaze you. The winds were very high on our days and we have very big waves. We highly recommend this beach to all.

We paid the $10 to park and left within an hour due to biting swarming black flies. They were bad!!! Tried bug spray but it did not help. It would’ve been great to have been informed when we stopped to pay for parking.

We wanted to go to another Lake Michigan beach but it was closed because of the high water. I wanted to search for medium rocks. So we ended up at Oval beach. Very clean, lots of people but this is a long Long Beach. Lots of room for all. Cost $20 a car. They have restrooms and a concession stand. Bring your umbrella everybody has one. Sand is super super hot, don’t forget footware.

Long hike up the tall stairs and sandy hill beautiful beach 🏖 would definitely return
Wish they allowed dogs

Although the area was nice and the the beach itself was clean.
The water was horrible! I can’t stress enough the algae green color of the water and waves. The algae collected on the sand making it unpleasant to walk along the water.
The algae was so prominent you could see it in the waves.
When I returned to my Airbnb and removed my swim suit, I was covered in algae!!
I’m sorry to report “I do not recommend this beach for swimming or walking along to admire its beauty”

It's a busy beach, but there's a reason for that. The water, sand and beach grass are beautiful. There is a fee to enter the park (I think around $8-10).

Beautiful soft sandy beach! One of the few local beaches I could comfortably access with my walker. For that reason we felt the admission price for parking was fair. We will come here again when we return.

The beach is beautiful, the dunes around the beach are beautiful, just an amazing beach! It is nice that they have a concession stand, bathroom, and changing area.

Have visited throughout the season with my nieces and nephews. Always the favorite part of their visits!

This was our first trip to a beach in Michigan & it was absolutely beautiful! Far exceeded our expectations. We traveled to several other beaches after Oval beach & everyone liked it the best. Parking was very convenient. We arrived at 10am on a Sunday & got a spot without any problem. When we left at 1:30, there was a line to get in. The beach got crowded as the day went on but there was a nice walk down the beach that was practically empty! Well worth the stop!

Brought the grandkids to watch the sunset. Beach is clean no hills to climb. Nice family spot to visit.

An observation. Most days the water is incredibly clear and beautiful. However some days are not. When the wind blows from the north hard what you see is the Kalamazoo river not the lake. Sometimes there are weeds. Not often at all but sometimes. Hope that is helpful

Get there early as the parking lot fills up and the beach is covered with sun loving families, couples, singles and everyone wanting to enjoy beautiful Lake Michigan on the perfect white sand beach. There is a concession stand and bathrooms. You must pay to park, but believe me it is worth it. We spend the entire day there and the kids still beg to stay longer.

Oval Beach was so beautiful. We about 10 am and found that it was not crowded at all. There is a $10/day fee but well worth it as you can go in and out. We actually visited several days. They have clean restrooms and showers and there are also trails for hiking nearby. Due to COVID they restricted the amount of cars that could visit so there was plenty of room to spread out . And sunset was absolutely incredible. Don't miss it.

clean and easy access with plenty of parking. Water is really cold in mid July! Water is level for quite a distance making it safe for kids.

Parking is $10, but it is for all day. We spent the day here and came back that evening to watch an amazing sunset.

There is plenty of parking and plenty of space on the beach to spread out. The bathrooms are clean and well equipped and there is also a nice concession stand with great options. They also sell several beach items in case you forgot something.

The beach is backed by pretty large dunes. We didn't explore them, but plenty of people were. We were just traveling through and only had one day to spend on Lake Michigan. I am so glad we picked this beach. My boys and I had an amaizng day- lots of memories made! I hope we have the chance to go back again.

Don't like pay beaches. Decent location and great sand but it's lake Michigan so it's mostly cold. Fee covers all day but they have concessions and bathrooms avail too.

We arrived around 10am and there was already a line of cars. They do take cash and card for the $10 parking for a daily pass but you can leave and come back, only if they still have parking. They have showers and bathroom near the parking lot and a concession stand. To get to the beach it’s kind of a steep walk right from the parking lot but lots of room on the beach.

We take a trip across state here every year. It keeps getting worse. Yes it's more overcrowded because of internet and Chicago visitors but that's not the main issue. Entrance fee keeps going up. $15 just for parking, bathrooms (until 8 PM I think), emptying garbage cans. That's it. No lifeguards, stairs that help overcome the steep-ish climb for some people has been gone and not replaced, concessions stand is closed. I have no idea why Conde Naste called it many years ago the most beautiful beach.

We visited oval beach for the sunset. It did not disappoint. It was not crowded. It is a long stretch of nice, fine, clean sand. Bathrooms were open. Parking was super close. Would recommend!

We loved this beach. Entry was $10 for the day. The parking, concessions, restrooms and showers are all very close to the beach. The water is shallow so it is warmer and good for kids.

Oval beach is a great beach for families, otherwise I would recommend going to a cheaper beach off the beaten path. Since we have small children now we decided to go here. The beach was great, very few rocks so the sand was great. There’s a small snack stand and restrooms which are a plus. We were here on a busy Sunday, luckily we got here early enough as by 1pm cars had a long wait to get in since the lot was full. Overall it was a great day, can’t wait to come back again.

powder sand, warm water, plenty of parking, clean restrooms, college kids working most of the area, clean surroundings, well worth the $10 parking fee.

This is a really wonderful beach with lots of amenities. There is lots of sand and it never really felt crowded. No real big waves either so it is appropriate for all ages.
There are restrooms, outdoor showers, and a snack bar.
The only downside is that the parking is pricey and they can be jerks about just dropping or picking someone up. We hiked over Baldhead Mountain and left our cars in town; when someone went back to get the car and pick us up it was an ordeal to let them in.
Otherwise, a stellar beach.

long line to get in- but walked from our motel- perfect sand - very clean- lots of space for grilling

We went from IL to MI looking for great beaches. This is definitely not one. I hate dirty water. Take your time and money to Hollands or St Joseph. Those had clean water and beautiful view

This is a very nice beach. One of the best spots on the Western shore. You can walk for a mile or so in either direction North and South too. It gets crowded so best enjoyed in the off season. In the summer, you will struggle to find parking from 11am - 3pm even though there is lots of parking (for like $8 for out of staters)

For those looking for a wonderful sand beach with easy access, Oval Beach is a perfect option. We were there on a Saturday in July, arrived around12:00pm, and had no problem with parking or finding an area on the beach to set our chairs. Not the biggest of beaches but that worked our perfectly for us!

Oval beach was just okay. The beach is on a slope with limited space. We went on a Friday afternoon and it was packed with very little room left. There is only one small area outside of the swimming area to launch kayaks or paddle boards. North beach 20 minutes south was such a better experience. The water, beach, and concessions were much better at North beach.

We have been coming to Saugatuck since the mid-1980s, though we had not been for six years. The beach is still lovely, though on the weekend it was too crowded for our tastes given COVID-19. The very high level of Lake Michigan (and all of the Great Lakes) has reduced the size of the beach as well.

Still worth the visit!

Oval Beach is one of my favorite Michigan beaches on Lake Michigan. You pay to park ($10/car) but it's worth every penny. The beach is usually not crowded during the week, but can get busy on weekends. The trick there is to arrive early as there is limited parking. It's an amazing swimming beach, there's usually a little bit of waves which make it fun.

There are real restrooms and changing areas, as well as a snack bar. Forgot sunscreen or bug spray? They have it! Oh... and if there are little sand flies, baby oil does the trick! Just put some on over your sunscreen and they'll leave you alone. These were only a problem in the early morning, and one easily dealt with.

When you're done at the beach, you drive over the dune into Saugatuck and have a great dinner! Excellent beach day!

It was a nice beach and fun trip over on chain ferry followed by hike up steps and down dunes. Had read that it was one of the top 25 beaches in the world. That is a huge stretch. Beautiful like so many beaches on the Great Lakes but certainly did not live up to its "top rating".

This is an awesome beach. Here are a couple tips. Drive all the way down to the end of the parking lot as it is not steep at all to get to the water and there is a boardwalk most of the way to the water. Now plan on walking towards the pier as the water is usually prettier down that way and you will have all the space you could want. Another great option is to take the chain ferry then climb the stairs. Have a dollar in your pocket and the phone number for the interbahn bus then make an appointment for a pickup after sunset. Takes you right back to wherever you started.

Parking lot is not large. Get there early if you want a spot.
There was only 2 outdoor showers. No privacy while rinsing off. But there is changing rooms in the bathrooms.
The beach is more narrow then other places, but long.
There is a concession stand as well.
Wii fii service is nonexistent

My family and I got to Oval Beach early (before 10am) on a Tuesday and had no issue getting parking. ($10 for the day which is a bargain - and they accept credit cards)
My family thoroughly enjoyed our day at Oval Beach building sand castles and jumping around in the waves. The sandbar is nice and shallow halfway to the white pole markers, which is great for small children. We spent hours in and out of the waves and wished we had more time to spend there.
We did run into a snag with the bathrooms being maintenanced while we were there, but being it was a Tuesday....I can't really complain.
Get here early because parking fills up quickly!
Great clean and beautiful beach!

We really love this beach. You do have to pay to enter but it is worth it. it wasn't too busy but we were there early June so it might bet a lot more crowded during the high season. Just very clean with great views.

The beach here was very pleasant. The day pass is a bonus to really enjoy this beach. One question we had was whether the concessions were open in the evening. We were not able to find the answer online, but after returning for the evening sunset we know that they are not open in the evening.

As we were staying over 4th of July week, we wanted to go to the beach every day because it was hot. The beach itself is nice-has concessions (which we didn't use) and bathrooms which are convenient. However, after three days of paying $10 to get in every day, we looked for somewhere else to go. by the last day, we just stayed at the pool at our AIRBNB. I don't understand why it has to cost that much to park. Other beaches and parks around accept the recreation pass but this beach does not. Aren't they already making enough from their overpriced concessions? Also, it was extremely crowded, though I'm not surprised about that since it was a holiday.

I grew up in Florida and have lived there all my life. I heard how beautiful Oval Beach is so I had go while staying a week in Saugatuck. I got my beach towel and suntan lotion and headed to the beach with my bathing suit on. Upon arrival, proceeded to go into the water and it was COLD,too COLD for me. Others seemed to be enjoying it but most likely they were Northerners who think Lake Michigan is warm in the summer, not to a Floridian! Packed up and left but glad I saw it.

we liked walking along the villas of the rich, the beach was nice enough, feels like a see beach to us

This is a nice public beach with plenty of space, concession stand with the typical food, good bathrooms, outside showers and a lot of parking.

The road to the park is hilly, narrow and winding. Therefore it is horrible for bikes and pedestrians. Pedestrians will be walking on the road and the hills make it terribly hard to cycle up especially if you've rented 1 speeds like us. There are no bike racks at the beach - don't think they want bikes showing up. There may be a long line of cars waiting to pay to get in and there is no good way to get around them.

It's a dry beach so leave the alcohol at home.

Nice beach tucked away in the hills of saugatuck ! We will surely be back to experience the beauty of lake michigan!

Oval Beach is two great beaches. When you drive in, to the right (straight ahead) is a beach with lifeguards. To the left is beach with no lifeguards and it seems like fewer children. Both are great experiences!

We were expecting a much larger beach due to the reviews, awards and the notariaty this beach seems to constantly get. First, it's $10 bucks to get in. Nowhere to change clothes but a little bench in the corner of the bathroom....only 1 male and 1 female bathroom. It just seems someone knows the right people to have gotten the marketing word out that this is a "great beach"....well, it's not. Save your money and stay away from being on a small crowded beach. There are plenty of truly great beaches along Lake Michigan. South Havens is much better!!!

Very nice evening to watch the sun go down. No problem getting there. Paid a $10.00 parking fee. It was around maybe 7pm as we drove in, most people were heading out. We parked and set up are chairs at the edge of the beach. We later moved our truck right behind our chairs which was nice to be able to get in and out of the truck. If your in Michigan and want to head over to the lake and see the sunset this was the perfect little spot. There were also several sail boats and a ferry enjoying the peaceful evening!

Nice beach, get there before 10 AM or you be waiting in line to get in if you can believe that ! Very clean and people are friendly. Would go back to again:)

We stopped by Oval Beach during an afternoon in Saugatuck. This is a nice beach and has good facilities. It's worth the parking fee. The water was high which meant the beach wasn't as wide as it would have been. We enjoyed our visit.

We visited October 14 (a Thursday). The morning weather was rainy, but broke by mid afternoon and the beach was amazing- no crowds at all- a few folks picnicking at the tables, some on the beach and a lone kite surfer. With a great breeze and these very balmy October temperatures, we had a lovely walk through the woods, dunes and beach. The reviews for this area during the summer were hit and miss. I could imagine this place being less attractive when it’s packed, but we lucked out on timing, crowds and weather. Only thing preventing a 5 star review—- gosh- such a shame to see the little bits of plastic on the shore line. In no time, my rain coat pockets were filled with trash. The Great Lakes are so magnificent and so unique to the planet, we can do better to keep places like Oval Beach more pristine for future generations- we owe it to future generations to do so.

The beach area is large and as beautiful as anywhere along the lake shore. Clean restrooms and quiet atmosphere

For $10 a car, this beach should be able to have their restrooms cleaned every 2 hours, especially with Covid around. The rest areas were disgusting, with only two working toilets (one was overflowing with pee and toilet paper, with a lame “caution” tape around the flusher). There was actual poop on the floor, and I witnessed a child walk through it barefoot. So did the mother, who quickly took her soon to the outdoor showers. There are no indoor showers and only two small changing rooms that are only covered with a pathetic curtain that looks about 20 years old. Only two outdoor showers, so people have to wait in line to take turns. A group of four staff were gathered around a 4-wheeler talking, but no one was wearing masks. I’ve been going to this beach for years and I’ve never seen the facilities looking clean. No wonder Covid is on the rise. The beach is nice, but horribly eroding. Therefore, it mainly goes uphill and there isn’t much beach left. Waves were great but the water was frigid in August because of an unlucky cold front (73 degree weather). I like the town, but I’m getting fed up paying the prices and NOTHING has been upgraded, enhanced, cleaned or well-maintained for years, so may start going elsewhere. Oval Beach needs more indoor changing rooms, toilets and showers, with regular maintenance and cleaning crews.

Small beach with dunes. We enjoyed the solitude but beach had quite a bit of grasses. Water was cold but clear. Nice dune style beach.

Not necessarily the easiest to find or get to, but once your there, you’ll love it. Paid entry, but reasonably priced. Lots of parking and of course Lake Michigan.

This place is nice. It has plenty of parking. We discovered if you don’t see parking when you first pull in, go to the right and you can drive back further and park. There’s a booth right when you pull in that charges $10 per carload to get in. This is a nice place to walk the beach or to just play in the water. The kids loved it here.

We found the most perfect Sunset! We will definitely be back for more of those! The sky was magically painted that night

First... only mother nature can make any improvements to this "attraction". The level of Lake Michigan is very high, so much of the beach is covered by water. Add the fact that Douglas Beach (the other popular beach in this area) is closed for higher water it makes for a pretty crowded beach. If you are nervous about social distancing, I certainly wouldn't plan on visiting during a weekend. We found a quieter spot down at the end by the "private" beach frontage. You can walk all along the shore, but you can't set up camp. No alcohol or dogs on this beach.... just fair warning. The beach is very clean, nice sand, and lovely waves. The water was very, very cold! Still saw a lot of kids in the water, but I just couldn't do it!

The beach is not huge but very nice. Lots of nice parking close. You can also walk along the dunes in the water or hike up over the dunes on the trails. From up there you have some very nice views out over the lake and the beach.

This Beach is probably one of the nicest beaches in the country. It is huge and very peaceful. There are a lot of dunes hiking trails. This is a must visit place.

Could see were the beach would be great in the summer. Large parking area and sprawling beach front. Not very deep when the tides are rough.

Oval Beach is a wonderful place for an evening picnic or a drive out to watch the sunset. We did not venture down to the water, so I can not speak to whether it is an enjoyable beach day spot, but it certainly looked inviting.

This is our favorite beach ever! The sand is white and clean and the water is always fantastic. Some days the waves are big enough you feel like you are at the ocean. And the water is so clear usually you can see your feet in the sandy bottom! There are no lifeguards at this beach and the riptide can be strong so be careful, especially with little ones. There are buoys to mark off a swimming area. The water doesn’t get very deep and there aren’t any drop offs—my husband and two older kids could walk to the furthest buoy and still touch. The water levels in Lake Michigan are really high right now so the beach area is narrower than in years past. This is fine but it does feel more crowded at times because there is less space to spread out.

There are restrooms and a concession stand. You can also bring a cooler with food and drinks. There are some charcoal grills and picnic tables. And tons of dunes to explore (just bring shoes—sand is hot and the sea grass can feel sharp). Beach closes at 10 pm. We love to go watch the sunset and make s’mores.

We love it here and it’s always a great day at the beach!

This beach was gorgeous. It’s the perfect place to take a date or for pictures. It is not, however a place for kids, at least not when we went. When you first come in, there is an area that looks like it would be the beach. This is a dune with a straight drop down to the water, but there are high up beaches you can sit at here if you’re not interested in the water.

The actual beach is down the path a ways, there is more parking and you can park right by the beach. The day we went it was crazy windy and sand was blowing everywhere. My preschooler got scared and was crying. Needless to say, we didn’t make it out of the parking lot. I do not know if this beach is known for wind, but it was not windy anywhere else in town.

Costs $10 per car to get in.

We hit many beaches along Lake Michigan and this one was by far our favorite. The $10 admission is well worth the admittance to this pristine beach with a nice concession area, clean bathrooms and gorgeous views. The sand was perfection. The entire family lived this beach! Highly recommend. Not to mention going back at sunset is a must.

We enjoyed our trip to Oval Beach. The water didn't get deep very fast so it was perfect for the younger kids. We enjoyed the scenery and the convenience of bathrooms and outdoor showers.

I love the beach and I love Lake Michigan! Oval beach is very clean and beautiful. Not super big. I’ve been before in 2016 and I want to visit LM every year from now on.

Took the grandsons to Saugatuck (2 and 5) Went to oval beach one day and the five year old wanted to go back again, so back we went! Beautiful beach area. However hauling all our loot back and forth up the dune to the car was a workout! Water was chilly but I'm a wuss, kids loved it.

Loved this beach. We visited mid week and there was only a handful of people there. Water was way too cold for us although some people were paddling and brave enough for it. We just took a nap. Definitely worth a visit and walk along the dunes.

went for the evening to watch sunset, nice beach, Not sure how it is in the day. $10 to get in. Nice place to photograph the sunset

Great beach! Extremely clean and well taken care of! The sand was beautiful and the water was such a beautiful blue. I definitely will be back

Even with the 10 dollar price tag, we will come back to Oval Beach again and again. The sand is lovely, the beach has paved parking where you can walk straight on to the beach instead of lugging stuff up and down a dune. There are bathrooms and a little refreshment stand nearby. This is one of the most popular beaches in Mi. So it may be busy on Summer weekends. Go after the 3rd week in August when water is usually still in the 70s and bring floatation devices to ride the waves. The area where boats and jet skis are prohibited is marked Im with white pylons and the sand bar continues out even further. While waves may be high, if you stand up, you won’t drown. There is no lifeguard at the beach, but you can easily either google the lake weather situation for tendency to dangerous conditions, or check the white board just outside where you pay to enter for water temps, etc. Before you arrive at the beach area, there are a series of picnic tables with grills for public use. Or take your picnic to the beach itself. No alcoholic beverages allowed and they do have folks patrolling from time to time, so be aware.

This is a great beach in Saugatuck. We found the far northern end of the beach to be the best. Set up there if you can.

This beach is beautiful! There are dune trails everywhere that you can walk on (just be sure to bring your sandals as the sand gets very hot!). Be prepared for very cold water, Lake Michigan never warms up much. We arrived on a windy day and it was difficult to stay warm as the water was chilly and getting out of the water was even colder. Thankfully we hiked the dunes to warm up!
The only negative point about this beautiful beach is the lack of a public restroom, they only had port a potties in the very rear portion of the parking areas. Overall it was a good beach, $10 parking fee wasn't bad either.

We visited early June and the crowds were not overwhelming. Oval Beach has easy access as well as restrooms. It costs $10 per car for a day pass. The earlier you arrive, the better options of parking and beach space. The area was clean. It is a great place to take in views of the sunset.

This Beach lives up to its great reputation. It is gorgeous white sand and clear blue water stretching out to the skyline. We spent a blissfully hot afternoon lounging under a beach shelter and swimming in the lake. Definitely worth a visit.

Water is clear and good temperature. Beach area is somewhat narrow but wasn’t crowded when we were there at 8pm. Clean sand except for a few people that had abandoned their trash. $10 for a day pass .

The walk along the beach and dunes are remarkable. Soft sand the perfect beach to walk barefoot. They do charge $10.00 per car or a season pass for $50.00. If your a beach person and staying a couple of weeks the pass is the way to go.

The beach is easy to get to via car ($10) or walking from the Chain Ferry. No problem finding a spot on the beach.

Great views, refreshing water, really nice sand, nice concession area. My family loved it here and can't wait to return. The water was definitely chilly in mid June so we will visit next time in late July but it was still a good time.

We took our young kids (7,5, & under 2). The sand was perfect. The water stayed shallow (under 3 feet deep) for what seemed like 100 ft at least. The point at which the water became deeper was clearly marked with white posts. The only negative during our two visits was a little sea weed on the second day.

It was raining but they wanted to go anyway. I’m glad we did. It is a 2 hour drive from where we live and worth it. It has a ten dollar entrance fee.
It was still raining when we arrived but they went in the water anyway. We had the whole beach to ourselves.... imagine that. Ha.
After about an hour the sun can out with all its glory and it was great. Still had the whole beach. It was clean and the water was 68 degrees warmer than when we first arrived. Great beach would recommend to anyone.

Beautiful well kept beach. The parking lot extends along the beach so you can park relatively close to where you want to enjoy the beach and there are grills and picnic tables with a view of the beach. There is a $10 charge to get in.

I heard this was one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (rated in the top 25) and I totally agree! I live on Lake Erie, where the water is murky & you have to walk on ROCKS to get into the lake water...this was not the case! You literally walk down sand dunes and/or stairs, down onto soft sand & right into the water! Not the mention the beautiful Lake Michigan water was so clear & beautiful! Also, you can walk into pretty far & it didn't go above my waist! Will definitely recommend this beach to anyone traveling in this area.

Nice beach, seems clean. Pretty busy, but it’s summer so that’s to be expected. $15 to get in for the day. Lots of sandy area to relax and swim.

Even in winter, Oval Beach is picturesque and worth a visit. The access roads were cleared and it was easy to drive to, and park at, the beach. It was quite cold and windy when we were there but we decided to take a short walk on the beach and along one of the dune trails to enjoy the winter wonderland. The landscape felt almost other-worldly! The beach was covered in ice and frozen sand in interesting patterns and it's pretty impressive to see Lake Michigan in its semi-frozen state.

Great small beach. We were there mid morning until noonish and we were able to sit in a shady spot to the left of the largest part of the beach. Water was clear and the beach clean. There is a place to change and restroom. Great place to visit.

A beautiful fine sandy beach with a gradual water line. The grandchildren loved the water and sand. We stayed and witnessed a beautiful sunset over Lake Michigan.

I was in town for the day & hoped to relax on the beach for a few hours. The beach was mostly quiet at the far end until about 11:00. Families began to stream in at a steady pace until the small beach was very crowded. I decided to grab lunch at Saugatuck brewing & then went to Saugatuck Dunes State Park and hiked to the beach. Far less crowded and more peaceful experience there!

Showed up before a storm. Loved the beach. It was clean. We hiked the back of Big Baldy and loved it. We went barefoot the entire time, with zero injuries. Wonderful natural experience/

My husband has mobility issues now, so I look for somewhere that he can still go to enjoy beach time. If you drive to the end of the parking lot, there are handicap parking spots in an easy walk down area right to the beach! The water was also clear, and would be a great place for young children and seniors alike. We had a wonderful time!

Nice, clean, and safe state park with good facilities and a walkable beach. Restrooms and snack bar are both well kept.

The beach is great-soft sand, no rocks walking to or in the water, plenty of space, and a great place to swim. There is a boardwalk down to the beach from the parking lot-but be careful since there is no bottom stair. We took the chain ferry in Saugatuck and walked to the beach. It's doable, but be prepared for a hike-much of it is uphill. Depending on what you're bringing, it might be worth driving and paying for parking. Go early, though, while spots are still available.

Wonderful location in Saugatuck, Michigan on Lake Michigan. $10 daily rate is certainly worth it and the $50 season pass is a bargain. Clean beach and water. Ample close parking. Concession stand, showers and toilets. Limited number of grills available.

This beach is by far our favorite in Michigan, we have been here many times and always return when we have time for a quick trip. The beach is clean, there is plenty of parking, and the water is clear. My only suggestion would be more restrooms, there is usually a line for the ladies restroom and there are only 2 changing rooms.

We were instructed to visit Oval Beach which is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. However you cannot see the beach unless you pay $10.00 That is just wrong to see one of God's wonders.

Parking is close to the beach. The water is crystal clear and shallow for a long way out. My teenagers got bored fast because there weren't waves at all when we went. Not sure if it is like that all the time due to the shallow water or if it was just that day. Wish I would have heard of this beach when my kids were smaller.

This was a lovely beach. You have to drive around from Sauagtuck to get there or cross the chain ferry to walk to Oval Beach. Ample parking. $15 per session or $75 season pass. We went later one night and didn’t have to pay. No internet posting of temps/winds/wave heights/flags. Posted at check in hut.
Very clean. A little steeper down to beach than Warren Dunes, iirc. Has public restrooms that were open every time I was there. Concessions were not open, but we were there in the early to late evening. Maybe open during day? Not sure. Quiet.

I've been to some gorgeous beaches in the area, but to me, this was just a beach. Water, sand, concession stand. It was nice, but nothing special. I liked the large beach area and then a narrower, quieter area to the left, which is where we landed for the afternoon.

This is a great beach to watch the sunsets. It’s a small beach as much of the sand is eroding. There are facilities here and lots of parking, which makes it an easy beach to visit.

I thought this beach was great! The sand was soft (and hot!), the beach was wide, and the water was shallow for a long way out. The kids had a blast. At one point, they said they forgot they were in a lake, but the cold water reminded them it was.
It cost $15 for in and out privilege's. We got there around 11:30 on a Wednesday and there was plenty of parking spots and room on the beach. It started getting pretty crowded around 1 or 2, but there were still parking spots. You will need to bring your own chairs and umbrellas. I saw canopies there too if that is how you roll.
There's a small concession stand at the main entrance with your standard hot dogs, burgers, soft drinks, etc...The bathrooms were standard. I wasn't grossed out using them. They also had porta-potties at the end of the parking lots.
I definitely recommend spending a day here.

A wonderful beach. Very clean. It's smaller than we thought and we had a bit of a time finding a place to plop down.

Loved the cleanliness and peace at this beach! It's less crowded than St. Joe's and the Holland State Park Beach.
There is a $10/vehicle entrance fee. We enjoyed as there wasn't any seaweed and garbage. Soft powdered sand and less populated than many other places makes it's a great time to come and have an awesome relaxing time with the family. The shower area and the restrooms were clean as well.

Great beach to lay out on. But stay out of the water. The pollution is out of control. Also you're not supposed to eat fish out of the Kalamazoo river for the same reason. I wish they'd put signs up for the tourists.

Last year when we went to this beach it was very nice, but this year the water had a ton of duckweed. We were very disappointed. Especially since we had been to the beach in South Haven a few weeks prior and it did not have any duckweed.

The beach was clean & the water really pretty. Nice hiking trails in the dunes area with really scenic views. A few of us took a walk along the beach to the lighthouse area. Saw several couples getting their engagement pictures taken there.

Beautiful, clean beach area. It was October so we were not in the water but walked along the beach. It was not crowded which was great

This is the ONE and only beach that is easily to access without a lot of climbing dunes and hiking down steps. The sunset was exactly like being in Tolowa State Park in California. It was of that quality of beauty.

We checked this out when we were in the area because the reviews were good. I found it just to be a simple beach with limited parking and dirty bathrooms. Beach was clean though so that was a plus. Nothing exciting enough that would make me give it an outstanding review.

Oval Beach is gorgeous, lovely and the perfect place to watch a sunset, but you can't with a dog. Please consider allowing us to just watch the sunset if we remain in the car, or our dog remains in the car as that would be great! Forced us to watch the sunset at Douglas Beach and on a hiking trail that was amazing!

Everyone social distanced and respected others space. The sand was heavenly and the beach was extremely clean.

That have nice bathrooms, changing areas, and a snack bar. The wooden staircase is nice to help you down to the beach! The parking lot was fairly large too. The water was nice and the view, spectacular!

This is a beautiful sandy beach with shallow water. We really enjoyed the views and the the beach. It does cost $10 per car to get in but it was well worth it.

Got there about 11:30am on a Saturday. Was pretty crowded, but, there was still plenty of parking available, and still spots to find on the beach. Went with a group of four couples, and had a wonderful, relaxing day. We brought some beer, and were drinking our cans in cozies, however, we were approached by an employee who informed us that alcohol is not allowed on the beach. He didn't confiscate it, just told us to put it away. He was very nice about it. So we did, and went on with our day. Still had a good time. Water was cold, and 70 degrees, but, refreshing on a hot day. Nice beach, will return. Don't forget 10 bucks for parking

Beautiful, clean beach; sand is very soft on barefeet and the water was actually warm. The sand dunes around the beach were neat to climb up on and to get to the each. Very scenic with Lake Michigan in the background.

We visited Saugatuck on a (chilly) April weekend and enjoyed a long walk on this beach. It was too cold for sitting on the beach, but we really enjoyed our stroll! The Lake Michigan coastline was stunning. The beach was not crowded and had ample parking. A really nice part of our visit.

We visited twice once on a sunny day, went once on a cloudy day. Oval beach is one of Condé Nast traveler’s top 25 beaches in the world and it’s easy to see why. Plenty of parking both with easy access to the beach or with a short walk. Concession stand showers changing rooms available. The beach is quite beautiful and stretching in the long arc along Lake Michigan. It seems that it could get quite crowded on a busy day especially if it were really hot and humid. No lifeguards. But plenty of low rolling waves to play in and have fun. There is a $10 fee to park your car. So be prepared.

The beach is lovely, and when we were there we had no problem finding parking or a place on the beach. It was a hot day, but it was on a Wednesday. There aren't many amenities so don't expect showers or a concession stand, but the sand is lovely as is the scenery. Can't beat the sunsets.

Highly recommend it. Nice, clean beach with all basic facilities. Had a great time with family. Instead of chasing other big destinations why don't we visit such hidden or lesser known places? Five Star...

At sublime sunset I recommend. Only one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and by far.. go there in the evening

Absolutely beautiful beach with lots of room. Kind of bummed about the $10 fee to get in but the beach was clean, beautiful with lots of room to walk and not be crowded.

Great beach, just really hard to walk or bike to if you're staying in town (no sidewalks or bike lane). $10 parking fee.

This beach was beautiful and clean. Nice to go for a walk, climb rocks or the dunes. Bathrooms and playground there too. Clean !

What a lovely antidote to the always crowded South Haven beach. In years of coming to this area in the summer, we didn't know about Oval Beach, which is tucked away near Saugatuck, seemingly hidden but easily accessible. We went twice last month, once in the early evening and once in the morning, and found relatively sparse crowds both times, especially in the late afternoon-evening. The beach was clean, the shower-rest areas well-maintained. We considered the day pass one Hamilton exceptionally well spent!

We took long walks along the water and splashed around in the bracing water and found it and the sand lovely and the clean--in marked contrast to what another reviewer recently posted. Not sure what day they were at Oval Beach, but we couldn't have been more delighted with our visits.

We'll be back!

I am a beach gal! Any time I can get my toes in the sand, I’m there! The beach is great for walking, the water is beautiful and clear!

Visiting in winter, everything was snow-covered and even the beach was a scenic wonder. The access roads were plowed, so it was easy to get to the beach. A little too frigid to get out, but on a nice day, a walk on the beach would have been nice. A great place to visit.

We stopped her for an hour photo shoot. Ten dollars per car to get in, plenty of parking. Nice beach, bathrooms, benches. Able to walk trail behind parking lot up to mountain.

I am a Michigan resident who frequently travels to Michigan beaches. I really appreciate the local flavor of Michigan beach towns and tend to be proud of my state. Recently, I had a friend visiting from Germany who was very happy to visit Saugatuck, Holland, South Haven and the countryside. I was most disappointed and embarrassed of Oval Beach. There was a $10 admittance even at 6 pm, which was tolerable. Many employees, but no one doing anything. Trash on the beach and shoreline. The water was absolutely disgusting and the filthiest I have ever seen in Michigan.
I rarely write reviews, but feel this should be noted. As a resident, I was embarrassed to bring a guest to Oval Beach. I will never return and urge other visitors to try one of the many other clean beaches in the area.

What else to say but a lovely beach area.
Wish the beach cafe offered healthier options.
When it is sunny, that is where we will be

This is a nice Michigan beach, but a bit crowded. We hiked in and got a ride out. The sand is fine and the water clear. Would go again!

We visited in mid-May, before the seasonal rush, and enjoyed the beach to ourselves. The sunsets around 9pm and it was beautiful.

Oval Beach is a quick drive from downtown Saugatuck, with ample parking, clean restrooms, and a concessions hut. There are picnic tables that look down on the beach and the beach itself is clean and spacious. We went in the late morning and there were only a few other families there.

We stopped here during a road trip just for the view. The $10 parking fee was worth the lovely break. There are two parking lots—one immediately after entry with a pretty steep walk down to the water’s edge but some picnic tables at the top (alongside the lot) and then one after the concession/bathroom station. Bathrooms are pretty spacious and relatively clean for a beach bathroom.

In front of the concessions/bathroom station are some benches to look out over the water—which is lovely. We didn’t go down to the farther part of the beach.

It cost $10 to park there all day, you can renter all day no extra fee, have a concession stand offers hotdogs, pop, and snacks, clean bathrooms reakky nice beach

One of the best I have seen and driving through the neighborhoods to get to the beach we saw some lovely homes and charming Saugatuck and Douglas. The beach was beautiful, free to enter before Memorial Day weekend so take a drive over and watch Mother Nature at work!

We went off to the south side of the main beach but still near the bathrooms. There were less people and it was like we had our own little part of the water and beach. We went back again, loved this beach.

You want to talk about a beautiful beach,then look
no further than Oval Beach.This is as close as your
going to get to being in a tropical paradise.Just Beautiful
and enjoyable for all ages. Love it.

Being midweek post Labor Day parking was free and “beachside” spaces were plentiful. The water is crystal clear and buoys mark a swimming area although no lifeguards were on duty. I’m not sure if there are any between Memorial and Labor days. There may be a fee for parking during summer months but I cannot verify. There is a “guard” shack near the entrance which was vacant but may be occupied other times. There is a centralized building with showers and flush toilets. Porta potty’s are at extreme ends of the parking lots. There are about a dozen park style charcoal grills south of the largest parking lots. Those picnic areas appear to be first come first served. Some of those spots have picnic tables and some just have a lonely grill.

We visited in early May and the workers were trying to remove sand form the parking lots. It is a nice beach with restrooms and concession stands (in season). However having lived in various Great Lake States for my entire life I do not believe that this is the best beach in Michigan. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice beach but i do believe thereare better beaches around the Great Lakes.

Spent August 7th afternoon here and enjoyed every minute of it. Clean beach with super, soft sand. Clean restroom and great views!!!

I am a beach snob, so while vacationing in South Haven and reading that Oval Beach was ranked top 25 in the world and top 2 freshwater beaches in the world...I had to take a day trip to check it out! I can see how this beach receives so much attention with its sand dune backdrop and miles of blue water and white sand coastline! It is breathtaking! The beach itself, was not anything stunning, in my opinion. The beach was small-which was nice because there are less people (although still busy, but people were able to spread out and have their own space without being on top of each other.) It’s a beach. There is white sand, and big water like most beaches on the Great Lakes. I would not rank it best in class. I had planned to do some snorkeling however the water was absolutely freezing in June-too cold to swim! The outside temps were in the 90’s on the day we went (which is rare for June) so it was refreshing to wade if you could tolerate the cool temps. We played frisbee in the water and had a great time! I’m sure in July, the cool water temps will be perfect for a swimming and snorkeling beach day! As a boating family, I am guessing the “best in the world” rankings came from viewing the beach from a boaters perspective-the miles of coastline with the dunes as a backdrop is really something spectacular! As others have mentioned, there is a $10 per car fee to enter which as I understand, is to maintain concessions, park, bathrooms and showers. Due to covid19-none of these things were accessible to public however the fee was still charged to enter. Visiting Oval Beach was a worthy day trip and we are likely to return however I do think there are better beaches to visit in Michigan that are either free to enter or free with a state park pass such as Ludington-which also has a dune backdrop and anything on the Leelanau Peninsula or in the Grand Traverse Bay Area. I do prefer this beach to the always too crowded South Haven beaches and we will definitely be returning!

Although we thought things beach was really nice, Smooth sand. Restrooms and concessions, there were no lifeguards so the$10 parking fee seemed just a little steep.

We took our 8 month old here. Clean beach with lots of shoreline. We went on a Monday afternoon so there was a lot of parking right at the beach. Worth the stop!

Amazing local beach!! Great sand, easy access! Beautiful drive in and out of this beach.....fantastic view of the lake....was plenty of room to chill......won’t be disappointed here!!

Who needs the ocean. This is one of the most beautiful beaches with crashing waves and amazing sand.

This beach is by far my favorite beach in the area. It has beautiful sunsets and the beaches seem more private. The ride to the beach is a lot of fun and the view when you get to the beach is absolutely breathtaking.

The beach is beautiful. I was there with my 71 year old mother and the hill do get to the parking lot was so hard to get up. She had her cane but two ladies basically had to support her al the way up. I'm no spring chicken but it was very difficult to get up for me too, especially carrying chairs and a beach bag. They would do well to have a walkway here, like a boardwalk. The sand doesn't pack down so you ae sinking in 6 inches or more when your are walking.

The beach is fabulous as usual. Breathtaking. There were no parking spots left so a car had to leave before another could enter. There were amateurs handling the traffic. I was on the Interurban bus and since I wasn't parking, could have been dropped off but we waited and waited and waited for our turn to enter.

A short drive from downtown Saugatuck you'll find the beautiful Oval Beach. Surrounded with sand dunes, it is beautiful, very well kept (certainly thanks to the $10 parking fee?) and has all the amenities you need for a lovely day out at the beach. It is big enough but not gigantic, nicely busy but not crazy busy, and has a little stand selling hot dogs, drinks and ice cream (as well as having restrooms and showers). We absolutely loved our couple of days there and could not recommend it enough! And do not miss the sunset!

The beach has come back again this year now that the lake levels are receding. There is a steep dune to climb down (the stairs were washed away by the lake previously and not yet rebuilt) and back up so be aware. So beautiful a view though from up high!!!!!!! Lots of beach to walk on. It does get crowded in the summer and if you want to go on the weekend you better get there well before noon or you won't get in until much, much later in the day. All West Michigan beaches fill up fast on the weekends. . . . .the water fluctuates and some days it is clear and beautiful and some it appears cloudy . . .it just depends on how the current is flowing . . .. you can't use your State park pass to get in b/c this is a County park . . . we don't usually go here until after Labor Day when tourists are gone and fees are done for the summer . . . ..

We looked to find an easily accessible part of a Lake Michigan beach, and it was not easy to find, but once we found this beach; I am in love! I love the ocean, and this is a gorgeous substitute! The only thing I would change is to have more areas where one can access the beach via stairs. Climbing back up to get to my car was rough1

I have only visited Oval Beach in the off season. The parking is free and plentiful, the sand is clean and the views are lovely.

Abolutely gorgeous. The water is cool at best and usually cold, but the sand is soft the water is pretty and the dunes are fun. Lots of families. A gem.

Super soft sand had me thinking I was on a FL beach. Water was clear and clean and beautiful! Beach filled with families and children and joy! Loved it!

Oval Beach is so beautiful to visit! Lake Michigan beach sand is the best! Has a nice concession stand, bathrooms, showers to use. Concession is closed after Labor Day, but also don’t have to pay the $10 entrance fee either! Great place for a sunset! Amazing!

A great park and beach owned by the city. It will cost you ten bucks to enter. There is a great beach, lots of dunes, picnic tables, and a concession stand. Loved idt

The convenience and beauty of this Michigan beach cannot be overstated. A bit tricky to find (you have to drive through Douglas, not Saugatuck), but once there it’s great. A bit crowded on weekends in the summer.

I have visited many beaches on Michigan's West coast and Oval Beach is truly a hidden treasure. It takes just a minute to figure out how to get to Oval Beach but, it is well worth the scenic trip. The beach goers here are very diverse...families-old-young-gay and straight....all enjoy this beautiful beach.

This beautiful beach is a gem and everyone knows it. It was extremely crowded on an August weekend. Now 10$ a day for parking and we got the last spot. Go to the right where there is a boardwalk to help you up and down steep dunes to water. We came back at sunset and they weren’t charging for parking. Lovely spot to see end of day.

Was peaceful. Not too crowded. Fantastic view. Would recommend. Family oriented! Lots of parking. Sun

Great place to just relax and enjoy the sun and the waves. Wonderful for couples, families or just to kick back and read a book!

We sat on the road to get there for at least 30 minutes with young kids only to be told we couldn't get in due to no parking spots available. I normally liked this beach but there are many better ones in the area. I'm not wasting my time with this one again.

What a great beach! We recently visited the area and the locales told us about this beach. We decided to head over. The drive to the beach is beautiful itself through winding roads with beautiful trees. When we got to the entrance, it is $10 to park then a very short walk to the beach which is nice when you’re hauling lawn chairs and stuff. There were couples, families and singles swimming, sunning, making sand castles and relaxing. The beach was spotless and the water was clear. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

This is a great beach other than being crowded. Very relaxing! The freshwater waves were fun for the kids. The bathrooms were accessible and parking was very convenient.

small beach because of the high water, restrooms were dirty and a mess, dog poop in the sand. Concession people ok

Our sunset view was amazing. Unfortunately, a couples unleashed sopping wet dogs attacked us while we were there. PLEASE LEASH YOUR PETS. I understand that you want them to be able to swim, but I think that needs to be reserved for dog beaches.

The water and the sandy beach is very beautiful. On a day without wind, the water is beautiful green and cool. In windy days, there is a lot of algie in the water but it is still clean. There is enough space to practice social distancing. The Concession stand is not open all the time so you better bring your own drinks and food. The beach is also a great place to watch the sunset.

Nice beach along Lake Michigan. It is a city managed park and costs $10/car for a day pass or $50 for a season pass. The beach isn't massive compared to some of the other state parks around the area, but it is still a good size. The staff keep it pretty clean. There isn't a ton of parking, so get there earlier for this "busy" beach days!

Overall not impressed with Oval beach. Went in early July with 8 & 5 year olds based on TripAdvisor reviews. The water was dirty and the beach was much more crowded than I expected. There is a restroom and swingset which is nice. Parking is close. There are a few small sand dunes for kids to run up. I may have been spoiled by the northern Michigan beaches earlier in my trip, but will not return to Oval beach.

We were looking forward to visiting Oval Beach. The beach itself was beautiful. Unfortunately we could not enjoy it due to the horrible swarms of black fies that bite. They were biting us all over. You could not sit down and enjoy the beach. If you kept moving they didn't but as much but if you sit still you become dinner.

We couldn't stay more than a few minutes. It was very disappointing after the long drive there.
Many others we talked to were leaving the beach for the same reason. It was a real shame.

Absolutely beautiful! Clean beaches, soft sand, kinda hard to climb dunes if you're older. Lovely sunset over Lake Michigan.

Great little spot to find, especially on a sunny September day when the summer traffic is gone. Peaceful.

We drove to the beach 30 minutes prior to sunset. Parking was ample, easy and near the beach. The trip down the dune to the beach is steep. If you have any instability or leg weakness I recommend you stay on top of the dune and do not try to navigate to the waterfront. One other visitor was sitting on the dune edge above the beach and suddenly found herself sliding down the dune as the dune edge gave out and collapsed. I recommend staying away from the edge if you stay on top.

When we got down to the beach we were glad we brought our beach towels. The beach was very narrow due to the high water levels. There was limited space for walkers to walk along the beach front. The view across Lake Michigan is magnificent.