Oval Beach

The beach is picturesque, with a very long and wide view. Be careful about swimming as there are few warnings about cross currents. Very few facilities compared to the $15 entry fee. No lifeguard, no live saving equipment. Only 1 restroom facility in the middle, so you have to walk a long way to get there. Restrooms are not clean either. You need to take your own sitting arrangements to stay near the beach.

Plenty of parking at 1030am on a Tuesday in June and not crowded at all. Definitely got busier as the day went on but plenty of beach space. Gorgeous views, perfect sand and easy shallow entry and never got deep all the way to the bouys. The $15 entry allows you to come and go so we came back for sunset in the evening as well. Only thing that needs to happen is a bathroom upgrade/update which is hopefully planned in the near future.

Loved this beach! It was my first time at Lake Michigan and I was blown away by how clear the water was. The waves were calm, the sand was soft though a bit deep, and the water access was amazing. When we went the first day it was not crowded at all, probably because it was right on the edge of off season. It was the middle of the day, hot and refreshing, and the swim section was large. I wished it was a little deeper. The second day was a completely different story. The biting flies were unbearable and there were hundreds of them swarming us. We ran into the water but they clung to our backs, and when we got out they had camped out in our bags. It turned into a full run back to the car. I have never experienced anything like it and it really feels like this is a beach you have to time just right to enjoy.

Coming from the rocky (but also beautiful) beaches of the Great Lake Erie, the soft sands of Oval Beach on Lake Michigan were amazing. Listening to the sand "sing" underfoot was fascinating. Water was clear,warm, and refreshing, but beware- no lifeguards. Views atop the dunes were well worth the effort of climbing the paths. Also know there is a day fee for entry- not a free park.

Oval Beach is gorgeous! We went on a Tuesday in June. We got a later start than I had hoped, so I was worried about parking and crowds. We arrived at the park between 9:45 and 10 am. Much to my delight, the parking was PLENTIFUL and the beach was not crowded. It did get more crowded as the day went on, but it was totally manageable. The sand was soft and beautiful and not hot in most places. Our main experiences with beaches have been along the Gulf Coast, and this beach was very different in a good way. We did not have to dodge jellyfish or seaweed. The sand was clean and not littered with trash and cigarette butts. It wasn't surrounded by high-rise condos and beach umbrellas. It was beautiful! The water, even in June, was very cold, so not getting to swim was a bummer for my teenagers, but we enjoyed playing in the sand, sitting and watching the waves, and going for a walk over the sand dunes and down the beach. We also watched people flying kites, people in sailboats, and a couple of sailboarders. So much fun to watch! There was a nice playground and concession stand as well as bathrooms with places to change and showers to wash off the sand. We did have to pay for a day pass, but it was well worth the money, even though we only stayed for about 4 hours!

Beautiful beach ran by the city. It was fun to walk along and enjoy. Since this is run by the city, they charge you $15 to get into it. Luckily since we went during the week it was not crowded at all. The facilities at the beach were fairly clean.

Easy access to beach from parking lot.Awesome sand, clear waters and plenty of parking. Entry fee for the day is $15. Bring bug sprays. Watched sun around 6:30pm.

Very pretty beach. As a Southerner it was way too cold in the water but the sand was way too hot. It was also super packed and miserable by the bathrooms but if you just walk like ten minutes up or down the beach you can have an area all to yourself. We took a nice nap on the beach after a quick dip in the water.