Top Beaches To Visit
Summertime in northern Michigan is finally here! It’s time to break out the beach chairs, umbrellas, towels and swimsuits and head to the beach! We love going to the beach in Boyne City because they are smaller than the larger beaches on Lake Michigan, but still just as gorgeous. You truly cannot beat a summer day spent at the beach in Boyne City.
Boyne City is situated on Lake Charlevoix. Lake Charlevoix is Michigan’s 3rd largest inland lake, with 546 miles of shoreline. The deepest part of the lake is 122’. It is known for being one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire state of Michigan! Planning a trip to Boyne City during the summer to visit Lake Charlevoix and its incredible beaches definitely needs to be on your summer bucket list!
If you are coming to stay at a Boyneland rental, you are in the prime location to visit any of these beaches. We’ve included a few in Boyne City, some in Petoskey, Charlevoix and one all the way North in Good Hart. Each beach is truly amazing. We hope that you’ll have time to enjoy all of them before you leave!
Peninsula Beach
310 Front Street Boyne City, MI 49712
Peninsula Beach is located directly downtown and an easy walk from any of the Boyne City vacation rentals. If you have young children, going to Peninsula Beach is a must! For the kids that don’t like the sand, they can enjoy the splash pad. This is a newer addition to the park and very popular. It is the only splash pad in the area – it’s definitely a must visit!
This beach also offers a wooden playground, picnic tables, restrooms and easy (and free!) parking. Peninsula Beach is just a short walk from any of the downtown eateries, so if you didn’t want to pack a lunch for the day, grab takeout from a local establishment.
Learn more about Peninsula Beach here.
Did you miss our Boyne City Restaurant Guide? You can read it here to pick out the best spot for your crew to enjoy.
Young State Park
2280 Boyne City Road Boyne City, MI 49712
Something that we love about Young State Park is that you can bike there from downtown Boyne City! The Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail will lead you right to the entrance of the park. The bicycle ride is just a short 2.5 miles, so load up your bike and burley with all the beach essentials and hit the water for the day.
The dazzling sandy beaches at Young State Park are the perfect place for you and your family to set up your beach gear for the day. Young State Park offers picnic tables, restrooms, playground equipment and public restrooms. If you have a kayak or larger boat that you are planning to use, Young State Park also has a boat launch. Bonus! The park store offers ice cream – the perfect afternoon treat! If you stay for the entire day and want to grill out, they also do have charcoal grills that are available for you to use.
Young State Park does require the Michigan Recreation Passport, so know that you will be required to have that to enter the state park.
Learn more about Young State Park here.
Glenwood Beach
Glenwood Beach Road Boyne City, MI 49712
If you want to find more of a secluded beach, visit Glenwood Beach. The beach offers picnic tables, fire pits and gas grills. We love Glenwood Beach because it’s never busy, but always a beautiful spot to go.
There isn’t an exact address to give, but it’s a spot locals love to go! Use this link from Google Maps to see how to get there.
Whiting Park
05820 Lakeshore Rd. Boyne City, MI 49712
This is a beach to visit if you plan to set up camp for the entire day! The sunsets at Whiting Park are truly breath-taking. If you are coming to Northern Michigan with friends, Whiting Park is a great place to set up with your group. It’s a large beach with plenty of room for your whole party to play and enjoy the lake! Most of our rentals do not allow for any dogs, but if you do stay at one of our Dog Friendly Rentals, you can take your pup with you to Whiting Park. They have a dog beach. There are also over four miles of hiking trails and a playground. Whiting Park offers restroom facilities and free parking.
Michigan Beach Park
95 N Grant St Charlevoix, MI 49720
Located in Charlevoix, about 25 minutes from Downtown Boyne City, Michigan Beach Park is a beautiful beach for you to visit! The beach is in downtown Charlevoix, and is at the Charlevoix Lighthouse, an iconic piece of the town. Featuring walking trails, a playground, volleyball nets, concession stands and restrooms, we love this beautiful beach on Lake Michigan! If you love to fish, you can do that right off the pier.
Have you ever hunted for a Petoskey Stone? If you’re a local, you typically don’t share your sacred Petoskey Stone hunting spots! But we’ve heard that Michigan Beach Park is a great spot to search for Petoskey Stones! The Petoskey Stone is Michigan’s State Stone – here are some tips from the Pure Michigan Website on finding your very own Petoskey Stone!
1. Make sure you’re at a Lake Michigan Beach! It’s best if it’s not crowded and rocky!
2. It takes time! Don’t expect to find a Petoskey Stone within a few minutes of searching. It will take time and patience! But the good news is, once you find one, it will be easier for you to find the next because you will know what you are looking for. They don’t look like they do in the gift shops, they are unpolished and so it does take some time to examine the stones you find.
3. Spring is generally the best time, but don’t let that stop you! You can find a Petoskey Stone anytime of the year, if you are persistent enough.
Read more about Petoskey Stones, where to find them in the area and other tips at Pure Michigan’s Website Here.
If you do make your way to Michigan Beach Park, a few restaurants we love eating at are:
The Cantina- Tacos & Tequila for the best Mexican!
Pigs Eatin’ Ribs for delicious bbq!
That French Place for or delicious crepes, coffee and other baked goods! (If you are looking to start your day with breakfast.)
Fisherman's Island State Park
16480 Bells Bay Rd Charlevoix, MI 49720
If you want to venture further out (about 30 minutes from Downtown Boyne City), visit Fisherman’s Island State Park for more than six miles of shoreline! The south end of the shoreline is primitive, with this park offering rolling dunes and so many beautiful trees. We love hiking the Fisherman’s Island-Foot Trail that is 3.2 miles. Fisherman’s Island is more of a beach for walking and exploring than for lounging around for the day. But it is still one that we love to visit and hope that you will enjoy exploring. Be aware that the restrooms there are vault toilets!
Fisherman's Island State Park does require the Michigan Recreation Passport, so know that you will be required to have that to enter the state park.
For more information about Fisherman’s Island State Park, visit the website here.
Jones Landing Township Park
1193 Gruler Road Petoskey, MI 49770
Walloon Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in all of Michigan! If you want to experience the beauty of this inland lake, head to Jones Landing! It’s not as busy as some of the other beaches, but still an incredible spot. The beach has public parking, picnic area, restrooms and a beautiful sandy beach. It’s a great spot for families who want to enjoy a summer day spent outside in the sand and water!
For more information about Jones Landing Township Park, visit this website.
Petoskey State Park
2475 M-119 Petoskey, MI 49770
If you love visiting Michigan State Parks, add visiting Petoskey State Park to your list! Located between Petoskey and Harbor Springs, about thirty minutes from Downtown Petoskey, this beautiful beach and park are located directly on Lake Michigan. Petoskey State Park is a very popular location! If you want to get a good spot on the beach, we recommend going earlier in the day. The park does have a picnic area, modern restrooms and a spot for renting kayaks and paddleboards (Memorial Day – Labor Day)! For more information, visit the website of Lake to Lake Rentals here.
If you want to do a little hiking before enjoying the beach, we love hiking the Petoskey-Old Baldy trail! It’s a short trail (just half mile long) that has stairs and leads you to the top of a sand dune. The view from the top is truly incredible! We love visiting the top of this trail! If you need to not have any incline, try The Portage Trail. It’s one mile long, but relatively flat.
Or, if you are feeling rather adventurous, bike to Petoskey State Park from downtown Petoskey or Harbor Springs on the Little Traverse Wheelway. Downtown Petoskey is just about three miles, while Harbor Springs is six miles away. The Little Traverse Wheelway is a 26 mile paved trail and one of the highlights of the area, linking Charlevoix to Harbor Springs.
For more information on the Little Traverse Wheelway, visit the website here.
Petoskey State Park does require the Michigan Recreation Passport, so know that you will be required to have that to enter the state park.
For more information about Petoskey State Park, visit the website here.
Middle Village Park
23 Lamkin Rd Harbor Springs, MI 49740
If you are looking to take a day trip to an incredibly beautiful beach located on Lake Michigan, make the drive to Good Hart about one hour north of Downtown Boyne City. Good Hart is located in the famous Tunnel of Trees on M-119. Middle Village Park is a beautiful beach behind the St. Ignatius Mission Church. The water will be chilly, but it is a beautiful beach for swimming, walking and searching for sea glass and Petoskey Stones! There is a public parking lot and pit toilets. You’ll want to be aware that the only way on / off the beach is by stairs. We love this beach! It’s one that we like to visit for a fun day outside, when we feel like taking a longer drive. We’ve never seen this beach busy, so it’s the perfect place if you want to enjoy the great outdoors without the crowds.
For more information about Middle Village Park, visit this website
Looking for Watersports?
If you’re looking for water sport rentals while staying at with us, check out Boyne Watersports. They offer a wide array of rentals for any water activity you want to do! They rent jet skis, pontoons, ski boats, pedalboards, paddleboards, kayaks and more! Visit their website here or call 231.881.6000. One of the best things about Boyne Watersports is that their rentals are already in the water in Downtown Boyne City at One Water Marina. Renting through them is quick and easy! Less time spent on logistics and more time on the water!
A Rental We Love
Boyneland Vacation Rentals offers a wide array of places stay. A unique rental we love is Riversbye.
It's rare to find a place that's both historic and one-of-a-kind. Located on the banks of the Boyne River in Boyne City's beautiful historic district, Riversbye offers and unparalleled vacation or extended stay experience. Owned and cared for by the original family for nearly 100 years, as it is today, this gorgeous and immaculately restored home is being offered for the very first time to guests. Step inside and experience a beautiful and gorgeously appointed historic home at its best.
The home is situated on 130 feet of park-like river frontage that affords all the peace and serenity the North can offer. It is just upstream from Lake Charlevoix, located on a quiet street but close to downtown. If you book the Riversbye Historical Cottage, we even include kayaks and a canoe which makes a day spent on the water so much fun!
Plan Your Next Stay
You truly cannot go wrong visiting Boyne City in the summer. The list of beaches to explore, trails to hike, eateries to visit and dessert spots to get your sugar fix from is truly endless! Go ahead and book your next stay with us! Boyneland Vacations Rentals book up quickly in the summertime – so don’t second guess your decision to stay with us. We cannot wait to host you and your guests with us this summer!