Best Beaches in Wisconsin

We searched high and low for Wisconsin’s best beaches. We looked at everything from water quality to accessibility to amenities, keeping in mind that these beaches need be open all season long – not just during weekends or peak tourist seasons.

Door County Beach

Consistently rated one of the best beaches in all of North America, this three mile stretch near Ephraim certainly deserves its top billing. Lined with quaint cottages and beautiful resorts, including a slew of the famous Door County Victorian homes, and with clear water and sugar sand, this beach is truly something special. Not to mention you can enjoy some spectacular sunsets here as well!

Minocqua Main Street Beach

This downtown gem in Minocqua isn’t your typical beach experience: it doesn’t have any actual sand (it’s made up of crushed rock), but it does have incredible views of the lake just steps away. There are plenty of amenities here, however, including food and drink vendors, showers, playgrounds for kids, music, volleyball courts, and beautiful walking paths along the water’s edge.

Horseshoe Bay Beach

Michigan-Wisconsin border isn’t bad either! This beach is found on its namesake bay near Cambridge Junction in Wisconsin’s Door County. The horseshoe shape of the bay almost guarantees no waves will roll in, which means this spot is great for families with small children or anyone who wants to relax and enjoy a serene day at the beach.

Grand Portage State Park Beach

One word: Log Chute! We’re betting you didn’t know there was a waterfall on Lake Superior, but there is! You can find it at Grand Portage State Park Beach near the town of Silver Bay. Visitors have been known to cliff-jump into the falls here, so be careful if you’re tempted to join them!

Lake Geneva Beach

This classic beach experience is found just outside of one of Wisconsin’s biggest tourist draws – Lake Geneva. The famed summertime destination for Chicagoans and Milwaukeeans has everything you’d expect to find in a typical Wisconsin beach: lakefront cottages, shops, bars, and restaurants right on the water, or even an amusement park. Of course, its clean waters make it one of our top picks too.

Pere Marquette Beach

Wisconsin’s best state park beaches are found in the Northern Kettle Moraine. You’ll find Pere Marquette, near Belgium, with all the amenities you’d expect at a state park: camping, trails, forest areas and of course panoramic views of pristine Lake Michigan.

Niagara Beach

Head to Niagara on the Lake for one of Wisconsin’s best beach experiences on Lake Michigan. This stretch features gorgeous dunes and some truly incredible sunsets.

Kohler-Andrae State Park

This four mile long stretch is one of our favorite spots. It offers beautiful sand dunes along with plenty of space to enjoy everything from volleyball to surfing to simple relaxation by the water’s edge. With towering bluffs above you and never more than a few people around, you’ll find this spot incredibly relaxing.

Big Bay State Park Beach

Found along the shores of Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay, this beach is your quintessential Great Lakes surfing destination. Surfers from all over travel to surf here as waves can reach up to 20 feet high!

Washington Island Main Beach

Last but certainly not least, no Wisconsin beaches list would be complete without a mention of our favorite island – Washington Island. Though technically not located in Wisconsin waters (it rests just inside the Michigan border), we consider it part of the Door County peninsula and thus included on this list. This year round destination features a gorgeous public beach that runs for miles with clear water and soft sand perfect for swimming or building sandcastles.