Families who want a beach vacation don't have to travel to the Gulf of Mexico or even to the East or West coasts. You can find beautiful sandy beaches with plenty of amenities on the shores of the Great Lakes. Named one of the Top 10 Family Beaches by Parents Magazine, Silver Beach in St. Joseph, Michigan attracts people from everywhere. A red and white lighthouse stands guard over the shoreline from its pier out in the water as families picnic, swim, boat, build sand castles, enjoy the 16 sand volleyball courts, ride the hand-carved animals on the carousel, or just walk along the beach.
Parking and Public Transportation at Silver Beach
The city of St. Joseph sits on a bluff overlooking Silver Beach. Visitors can drive down to the beach's parking area and park for less than $10 per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis. But there are stairs to walk down to the beach if you'd rather park in one of the free parking lots in town or along the streets. St. Joseph has a population of fewer than 10,000 people, so while it has no public transportation system, you may want to treat yourself to a ride around St. Joseph in one of the carriages pulled by Belgian horses, which can be found on holiday weekends.
Best and Worst Time to go to Silver Beach
The best time to go to Silver Beach is on a weekday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The crowds are lighter, the public restrooms are open and all the concessions are operational in summer. Silver Beach is open year-round, though, so if you just want to enjoy a daily walk on the beach with fewer people around, you might want to visit in fall or winter, after the summer crowds are long gone. The worst time to go, if you want the beach to yourself, is on a summer holiday weekend. Beach towels are spread end-to-end occupied by kids, teens and adults enjoying the sand, surf and sun. Of course, if you like being where the action is, then summer holiday weekends are the time for you to go.
Admission to Silver Beach
Silver Beach has no admission charge unless you park on the grounds. If you park in one of the city's free lots or along the streets, you won't pay anything to get on the beach. You will need to buy tokens to ride the carousel or if you buy anything at the concession stand.
Must See and Do at Silver Beach
If you have kids, you won't want them to miss a ride on the Silver Beach Carousel. And you will enjoy seeing this work of art yourself with its hand-carved, hand-painted animals. The best work of art of all, though, is nature's exhibition every evening – the incredible sunsets over Lake Michigan. Make sure you stay for that. In the same building with the carousel – the Silver Beach Center – is Michigan's tallest kaleidoscope, Curious Kids' Museum Discovery Zone and Silver Beach Amusement Park Museum.
Other Places to Visit Near Silver Beach
- Krasl Art Center: If you love art, be sure and check out the Krasl Art Center with its public galleries, studios where you can watch artists create art, and the museum's sculpture collection.
- Hire one of the many fishing charter companies in the area to take you out for some deep sea fishing Lake Michigan style.
- Visit the shops and restaurants in downtown St. Joseph, almost all of which are independently owned.
Insider Tip for Visitors to Silver Beach
If you get to the beach and it's more crowded than you'd hoped, cross the river into Benton Harbor and go to Jean Klock Park. It's only a five minute drive and you'll have almost 3,000 feet of beach to enjoy with a playground for the kids. It's always clean and rarely crowded since it's not as well-known as Silver Beach.
Author's bio: Susan Hoskins Miller is a writer who lives in metropolitan Indianapolis and works in a university library. In her free time, she enjoys being with her family and exploring places in the Midwest.