Saugatuck
Douglas, Michigan
Swim
Saugatuck and Douglas are Michigan's premiere beach towns. Our beaches are nestled among towering sand dunes and bordered by the winding Kalamazoo River on its way to Lake Michigan. Activities abound on the two waterways. Both towns maintain public beaches on Lake Michigan for swimmers and sunbathers. Saugatuck's Oval Beach has been rated by Conde Naste's Traveler Magazine as one of the 25 best shorelines in the world. MTV has ranked Oval Beach as one of the top five beaches in the country.
More Information
Add Resource
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Douglas, Michigan
- Head north on S Main St toward E Center St (144 ft)
- Turn left at the 1st cross street onto E Center St (0.6 mi)
- Turn right onto Ferry St (0.5 mi)
- Turn right onto Singapore Ct (351 ft)
From Chicago:
- 90/94 East toward Detroit
- After St. Joseph take 196 North toward Holland
- Saugatuck exit 36
Approximately 140 miles
From Detroit:
Via 94:
- I-94 West to Kalamazoo
- 131 North to Otsego (M89/M40)
- M-89 West through Fennville to Blue Star Hwy
- turn right to Saugatuck (approx. 3 miles)
Approximately 200 miles
Other Swimming Holes Nearby
Oval Beach
Saugatuck
0.9 miles NWSaugatuck's city-run Lake Michigan beach below wooded dunes, with no lifeguards, a summer concession stand and a $15 per vehicle day parking fee from Memorial Day to Labor Day (free on foot or by bike).
Hike, Swim
Douglas Beach
Douglas
1.0 miles SWA small, free City of Douglas beach on Lake Michigan, reached by a long wooden staircase down a wooded bluff off Lakeshore Drive, with restrooms and picnic tables at the top and about ten free parking spots.
Swim
Holland State Park
Holland
8.7 miles NA quarter mile of fine Lake Michigan sand four miles west of Holland, with a second, warmer swim beach on Lake Macatawa just across the road. No lifeguards, a navigation channel pier at the south end, and a live public camera so you can check the water be
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Packard Park and Beach
South Haven
17.0 miles SA free City of South Haven park and Lake Michigan beach on North Shore Drive, with restrooms, grills and a lake-view deck. The beach is unguarded, and city lot parking is $3 an hour in summer.
Swim
North Beach Park
Ferrysburg
30.0 miles NOttawa County beach park in Ferrysburg with 745 feet of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, a dune stairway and no lifeguards. Free entry; an $8 daily parking permit applies Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Hike, Swim
Gun Lake Beach
Middleville
35.3 miles EThe buoyed public swim beach on Gun Lake's east shore in Yankee Springs Recreation Area near Middleville. No lifeguards; a Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Silver Beach County Park
St. Joseph
39.9 miles SA wide county-run swimming beach on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, on the site of the old Silver Beach Amusement Park. Parking is the only fee, but the piers make the currents here genuinely dangerous outside the short lifeguard seaso
Kayak, Swim
Muskegon State Park Beach
North Muskegon
41.1 miles NBuoyed Lake Michigan swim beach in Muskegon State Park's day-use area, just north of the Muskegon harbor channel. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required; no lifeguards.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Duck Lake State Park
Whitehall
48.9 miles NDuck Lake State Park puts an inland lake and a half mile of Lake Michigan shoreline on either side of North Scenic Drive, linked by a shallow channel and a boardwalk underpass. The swim beach is the Lake Michigan side, there are no lifeguards, and entry r
Canoe, Hike, Kayak, SwimNearby Campsites
Holland State Park
Holland
8.7 miles NA quarter mile of fine Lake Michigan sand four miles west of Holland, with a second, warmer swim beach on Lake Macatawa just across the road. No lifeguards, a navigation channel pier at the south end, and a live public camera so you can check the water be
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Gun Lake Beach
Middleville
35.3 miles EThe buoyed public swim beach on Gun Lake's east shore in Yankee Springs Recreation Area near Middleville. No lifeguards; a Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Muskegon State Park Beach
North Muskegon
41.1 miles NBuoyed Lake Michigan swim beach in Muskegon State Park's day-use area, just north of the Muskegon harbor channel. A Michigan Recreation Passport is required; no lifeguards.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
