Bde Maka Ska 32nd Street Beach is a small public sand beach on the east shore of Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun), the largest lake in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board runs it as one of three beaches on the lake, alongside North Beach and Thomas Beach, and one of 12 beaches in the city park system. The lake covers about 424 acres and reaches 90 feet at its deepest point.

The beach address is 3200 E Bde Maka Ska Parkway, at the foot of West 32nd Street, a few blocks south of Lake Street. The park board lists a pay parking lot here (the 32nd Street lot, which also holds a small skate park), and nearby residential streets have some free curbside parking when spaces are open. The paved walking and biking paths that circle the lake pass right behind the sand, and the Minnesota DNR notes that Metro Transit routes 6, 12, 17 and 28 run within two blocks of the lake.

The swim area is a buoyed stretch of water off a sand beach, with a playground and benches just behind it. There are no lifeguards here. The park board's 2026 lifeguard schedule (1 pm to 7 pm daily, June 13 through August 23) covers Thomas Beach on the south shore and a few other city beaches, not this one. Stay inside the buoys: city ordinance bars swimming across any lake unless a boat goes with you, and the park board's rules ban inflatable floats, tubes and air mattresses without a permit (Coast Guard approved life jackets, foam noodles and soft balls are allowed). Children under 8 must have an adult with them at all times, dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the water, glass is banned, and the board asks people not to swim when the air is 65 degrees or colder.

There is no entrance fee. The beach is open 6 am to 10 pm daily under park ordinance PB-3-1, and swimming or gathering on the beach between 10 pm and 6 am is prohibited. The only cost is the parking lot if you drive and park there.

Water quality is the main thing to check before you go. Park board staff sample city beaches weekly from Memorial Day to Labor Day and close a beach when E. coli counts pass state limits, reopening it after a clean retest. This beach has been closed for E. coli more than once; in July 2021 it was shut twice in one summer. Staff also watch for blue-green algae and post yellow advisory signs when a bloom drifts in, and current status is shown on the board's Lake Water Quality Map. Skip swimming for about 48 hours after heavy rain, when bacteria levels tend to spike. Swimmer's itch shows up on hot, calm days, and the board recommends toweling off briskly and showering soon after you get out. Geese like to loaf on this stretch of shore, and the board has piloted lighted goose deterrent buoys here.

The Bde Maka Ska Pavilion on the northeast corner of the lake, a short walk north along the shore path, has a restaurant and seasonal Wheel Fun Rentals for canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and pedal boats. The lake is also popular for sailing and fishing, the 3.1 mile loop trail is busy year round, and in winter the frozen lake off this beach draws snow kiters.