Silver Beach County Park

It's a great place to have w fun and enjoy the beach. I used to live in the area and moved in 1985 to Minnesota. This area was abandoned and in very sad shape. I came back for a 45 year reunion and was extremely impressed with the restoration of the area. There were a lot of people enjoying the beach and the the buildings were fully restored and improved! Really enjoyed walking around and at the top of the bluff on the St Joseph side they had vendors setup with antiques and yard sale items and food trucks! Very great experience. I really recommend going here. Lots to see and do.

Great place to visit for a short walk on a long pier. Beautiful views but the winds and high waters can be dangerous. Warning signs posted. Several lives lost over the years. Beach area has a nice view. Leaves were piling up likely from the river bringing it to the shoreline. Our autumn was relaxing and invigorating.

We are always impressed by Lake Michigan Beaches. This one didn’t disappoint. We visited on the last day of September. While not packed, there was still a number of folks visiting the beach including swimming. Facilities were clean. Beach very well maintained. Great place.

This was a great park to come to visit. Parking was $15 for the day for a non-resident. Sand was cool, clean & soft! Wash stations available. Food/drinks shack. A small little "store" for towels, toys, t-shirts, sunscreen". Walking distance to the fountain & carousel 🎠!!

The mornings are the best time to go before it gets packed on the wknd. Wk days probably best. Restrooms were available as well as concessions stands to purchase food, towels, sunscreen and more! Silver Beach pizza available. We had a good view of the pier and lighthouses. Family friendly. Clear water. Clean beach. Soft sand. Volleyball, splashpad/kids area.

My first time getting to experience a Michigan beach! Safety first: study and ask questions of how a lake can be dangerous. I had family with me that was well versed in lake safety. ... It was such a a blast!! Make sure to have plenty of sunblock, water and snacks. There is a lovely playground, bathrooms, concessions in the summer and a cute village to shop in. If you can't get there early then prepare to walk pretty far. If early enough parking is near. You can walk out on the pier ( just be careful). NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOUR KIDS, especially in the water. I can't wait to go back! Several good ice cream places in the downtown area. A couple pianos around town that you can just start playing for fun too.

Beautiful as always! My first time watching the sunset and it did not disappoint! The beach is busy and full of visitors, lots of seagulls flying about. A nice park with play area for kids to enjoy. There's a concession area, kind of pricey but nothing too crazy. Bathrooms and changing area could use some attention but was still usable.

This is one of our favorite beaches to visit! the new playground is awesome and mostly shaded, which is nice. Bathrooms/changing rooms could be better but they're fine. There's a place to eat and get drinks, rent chairs and paddle boards and whatnot on the beach. I've never been a customer but it's there. The carousel next to the giant fountain is fun the kids love it and the fountain is really cool. All in all, it's a must visit for us

** Clean ** ** Safe ** ** Rough on the Parking ** I almost gave Siver Beach four stars because the parking situation is not the greatest. Could not do it though, the beach itself is fantastic. No riff raff, it was pretty much a family environment. Nice sand, no trash. Oh and it's free to enter. The parking: they have a parking lot and there's street parking available. If the lot fills up, they close it. Not the worst.

The beach was very spacious, and the sand was the perfect for playing in! My family loved it! The water was a slight cool temperature, but enough to satisfy the fun I had. And just down the shore was a peaceful pier walk that ended with a great view point! The only downside is the showers. They were "out of order" for over a year! Really inconvenient because of the sandy, long walk, back from the shore. Despite the one downside, the beach was beautiful and calming. Because my family had a great time, it's a 5 star!!

A beautiful beach/park with a beach town environment. There's a nice splash pad just a little off the beach. A safe and beautiful environment. Beach is clean too.

We enjoyed our time at silver beach county park. The beach has power sand. The beach is very well maintained and clean. They also had a kids playground on the beach. The kids loved the playground. We walked up and down the beach. The kids definitely enjoyed themselves and I would definitely be back. I will have to return in a warmer month.

This beach is clean and not overly crowded and it's a friendly environment. Worth the drive from Chicago. I rather come to this beach than the one in downtown Chicago or

Life is what you make of it.... At the beach with sand and water.... But it is cold. Loving each day. Still scenic and chill on a cold day. Little trip with wife.

Located in St Joseph, Silver Beach is considered the most popular beach facing west towards Chicago on Lake Michigan for out-of-towners and Michiganders alike which my partner, his family and I visited today. There is actually an Amtrak stop here. With 2,450 feet of beach, swimmers and kayakers have plenty of room for their own activities. As it was starting to get colder during off season, it wasn't crowded and the concession stand closed but didn't let that stopped us from getting in some very nice photo opportunities of the beach and the light houses just across the lake inlet. Nearby there was a gorgeous carousel and pizzeria named after the location. If you are ever in the area, please take time to stop and take it all in.

Just a serene, wonderful beach on Lake Michigan in the town of St Joseph (aka St Joe). Very well maintained and always clean. Parking lots nearby. There's a food stand on the beach that always has a line but carries snacks, drinks, and ice cream. Things can get busy on weekends--especially in the summer and on holidays--however we've always found a nice spot to settle on the sand. The waves and breeze are awesome. My favorite is going early in the morning when folks haven't arrived and taking a walk while viewing the delightful, calming scenery.

Always the best pizza in southwest Michigan. Service is always great. It's worth the wait.

Always a wonderful time. Lots of parking, close to downtown shopping, soft sand and a relaxing, beach experience. Family friendly, fountain is always fun for the kids. Thumbs up, well done.

The weather was overcast and drizzling so didn't get in the water but it was very clean. It truly crowded even on a dull day. The splash pad is a must!

Just a beautiful beach. I have never seen it trashed, the staff do a good job of maintaining the peace, and it is BEAUTIFUL. Also, it's just down the street from Silver Beach Pizza (yassssss). Can't go wrong here!

We came to watch the sunset. Didn't have enough time to actually use the beach. We parked in free parking and took the long walk to the beach. Very long and many stairs! To park within the beach it's $12. Beach looked clean and had nice bathroom facilities. Lots of people were watching the sunset - so many people in fact, it seemed like a firework show was going to happen and everyone was getting their seats! Lots of places to sit with picnic tables and benches. Not a bad view from the beach. Great sunset views! Love watching the waves! Nice playground for kids. We walked the pier as well and saw a street performer with fire, pretty cool! Lots of action in a small town!

Can imagine this would be nice during warm season. Lots of beach and water access. Playgrounds, fun activities for kids, besides the beach itself. Winds are high on this cold and blustery day. No sun bathing for us today. :P

Just an fantastic day trip! It's worth it. You won't regret making the decision to visit Silver Beach! The pricing for parking is fantastic, the location is nice, the beach is always clean!

Beautiful park right next to the water. The beach was clean and great sand! Good facilities. Highly recommend!

This beach is the most known and most popular beach in the area. Everyone flocks here once the weather is warm to enjoy the water, the swings/ park equipment close by and the small concession stand that has summery treats. It is generally well kept and if there is a "party" down here, the trash won't stay long. If your looking for beach glass, this place is usually picked over, but if you continue along the coast you'll wonder onto Lions Park Beach which usually has some. I am not much of a people person, so on crowded days I usually avoid Silver Beach, but it is a great place to dig your toes in the sand.

This is a nice alternative to S. Haven as it is much more relaxed albeit smaller community and beach. However, if you just want the lake, you got it!

The kids had a ton of fun and they playground entertained them well. Having the beach there was great and there were art sculptures everywhere. The only downside was they charge to park there, but there is free parking nearby just up the hill behind the pizza place or around the corner at the park just past the bridge (which is a nice walk, as we saw deer and the rotating bridge).

Large beach on beautiful Lake Michigan. Get there early as parking fills up quickly. Out of state resident parking is now $15 for the day. Public restrooms, snacks and a playground are located close to the parking lot. From this beach you can walk to the pier across from the famous St. Joe Lighthouse. When it's hot and sunny, highly recommend something to keep your feet cool as the sand gets very hot. Restrooms need to be cleaned more frequently.

This is just a great beach to spend a day at. First off its really clean and safe. The day we came was on a Saturday and it was really busy but we found parking fairly close by. Just off the beach they have a shower area to wash the sand off your body so you won't leave a sand dune in your car. Plenty of options for food and drink at the beach and around the beach. Make sure you visit the beautiful light house before you head home for the day.

While I do like this Beach very much.. I just tried to do a cannonball and broke my tailbone. Water is very cold and hard. 0/10, do not recommend this activity.

We love Silver Beach Park. The beach and surrounding buildings are very well maintained. The staff is very nice and the lifeguards are on their A game keeping everyone safe. The kids love the beachside playground!!!!

Great beach area! It is both kid and adult friendly as well. Parking can be quite tedious but we found a way. We parked about three blocks and walked down so we saved the hassle of being in the middle of cars coming and going in all directions. They have some bbq spots, volleyball areas and many more. Even though, the beach was very crowded, there's always a spot for everyone.

I grew up in Florida so typically this is not something that I would call a beach, but I did enjoy myself here. Out of the other beaches that I've been to in Michigan, I would say that this is the best one. The water wasn't to cold either. I would recommend this beach for anyone willing to travel a couple hours for a fun beach trip. P.s watching the sunset here is BEAUTIFUL

First time coming to saint joseph and it didnt disappoint water was clean beach was clean and people were friendly. My son enjoyed being in the water and it was fun

Beautiful beach - great sand volleyball. Lifeguards in peak season. Walking distance to restaurants, hotels, and shopping.

Great beach area! Perfect for adults, families and kids! Bring a blanket or chairs and enjoy! Clean area. On Friday-Sunday the parking lot fills quickly. Parking is $12 for it if area visitors. Large splash pad area, swing set/play area in the sand, Men's and Women's restrooms, benches & picnic tables, life guards on duty. etc. There is a building to purchase drinks/hot dogs/hamburgers/etc and a short walk up the path is Silver Town Pizza where the Amtrak train really stops! We didn't eat at the pizza place because it was so crowded, but many people said it was the best restaurant in the area. You can order a pizza and take to the beach. Great place to watch the sunset and you can walk to one of the piers from this area. It is also within walking distance to the carousel and you can walk up the hill to the bluff and all the shops/restaurants up the hill. Friday nights during summer the town offers a movie in the park at 9:30 pm but the parks rotate. Something to keep in mind though!

This is a really nice place to visit I'm very lucky I live 10 miles from Silver Beach and it's a really good beach. They did raise their seasonal pass but I guess they have a lot of expenses but it is still a good value I I also like to go there in the winter time to you should check it out in the winter time when the lake is frozen over it is really really nice

Was hanging out in downtown St. Joe with my niece, and we decided to make the trek down here. If you're looking for a good workout in the middle of winter, this is definitely the place. In the summer, this beach has much to offer families and singletons alike. Walking distance to Silver Beach Pizza, a carousel, kids' Discovery Zone. Highly recommend!

A beautiful beach even when it is a chilly (35 degrees) Saturday afternoon. Considering how many people were out at this park today in this weather, I can only imagine how popular it is in the summer. Lots of parking, lots of sand, nice facilities, fantastic view of the water and the lighthouses. We'll be back when it's warmer.

This was worth the 2 hour drive from Chicago. So much so that we are already planning to come back next summer and possibly stay a few days. Mid week during the last week before school and there was hardly a crowd, even with the high 80 temps. But I could see how this beach is popular. The sand is white and soft, the bathrooms are close by and seemed pretty clean (although again, there wasn't much of a crowd the day we visited). The water was calm and pretty shallow, even half way to the buoy markers. Parking was super close so lugging our stuff out of the car to a good spot wasn't that big of a deal. Multiple volleyball nets set up and there's options to rent paddleboards and other water activity items. There's a snack shack that sold ice cream and other things, but it was closed the day we visited. There's a playground and big water spray/splash pad area in short walking distance. And same with an enclosed carousel.

It's busy in the summer but nice to walk the other 3 seasons. There are 5 beaches together starting in St Joe , enjoy them all.

Nice clean beach along Lake Michigan. I think my only gripe was $12 to park here. What is this Disneyland? Aside from that, the bathrooms were relatively clean and actually had stalls dedicated to change in rather than trying to change in a regular bathroom stall which was nice. I'm still pretty irked about that $12 parking fee though, aside from the maintenance people I saw there were no lifeguards on duty and the food stand was closed... So what did that parking fee pay for exactly? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyways, this one's got showers to rinse off the sand, some swing sets to play on, a carousel, and even some picnic tables I noticed on my way out. Decent sized beach overall and crowds definitely come out when its hot out. That's all I got on this one. 'Til next time, cheers! 244/365

The beach is way too crowded to enjoy during the summer months. Completely swelled with tourists. Kids enjoy the carousel and the splash pad. The sculpture walk and walk to the lighthouse is always nice. Once the splash pad is turned off you can skate over the pad. Like all beaches in MI, you'll enjoy great sunsets. The bluff is also full of fun times!

Beautiful, spacious, activities galore! There are so many different things you can do at this park. There are trails to the lighthouse, rides for the kids, a playground on the beach, a waterpark spray area, the beach, volleyball on the beach, fishing, boating, and a delicious pizza joint. There is definitely something for everyone at this park and is a must see if you're traveling through St. Joseph, Michigan. There are also tons of great photo ops for the photography lovers out there.

What a lovely area in St. Joe! They are so lucky to have this wonderful open beach area. There is parking if you need/want to park close. You'll have to pay for it. They get through the parking line quickly. It is a massive sandy beach area. Public bathrooms. Sidewalks to help make traveling from one end of beach to the other. They even have a seasonal refreshment stand. If you aren't a beach person or have a don't, you can hang back off the beach area by the sidewalks, under the shady trees, etc. Dogs are not aloud on the beach. Right near by there is even a yummy pizza place to can walk to to fill your belly after being in the sun. If you're in the area, this is a lovely place to stop.

The beach was beautiful, clean and a nice size . There are two very large playgrounds , one for younger children and one for a little bit older as well as four swings for older kids . I went on a weekday in the off-season so some things were closed but it looked like there was a big concession stand , a large water play area for kids and a beautiful carousel close by as well.

Great beach for families. Very well maintained with calm, shallow water that stretches far out into the lake. There are multiple lifeguards on duty and everyone was very courteous unlike some of the other beach parks. Our small children had a blast and there are a lot of kid-oriented activities nearby including a huge splash pad and a carousel.

Best beach in the area! They have plenty of lifeguard towers for safety. If it is a hot day I suggest getting there early in the morning as the beach fills up pretty fast. They have many volleyball nets pre-setup. Large buildings that had bathrooms and some eating place. We brought our own lunch so did not try any food. There were plenty of canopy picnic areas to eat our lunch. The beach was super clean. The pier was a nice stroll to look out on the water.

This is the beach to be at, get there early for bus parking & beach spots! We got there at 11 on a Tuesday and it was fine. The water is awesome, it's all sand ....lots of visibility & good swimming area - I felt safe.

VERY popular park, heavily used (its mid-July) and keeping up with litter on beach is probably impossible. Great amenities from splash pad/fountains, carousel, swing sets, walking path, covered picnic tables and restrooms. An added benefit is the Pizza place right there at the park. Take it to go and enjoy a picnic at sunset. It's a great memory of our first trip to Lake Michigan.

I Love Michigan sand and sun! So when I want to take in all that Summer has to offer I head North. Your sister beach, just south of you by only 20 minutes use to be my all time fave, but after a wonderful visit I am awarding NB the silver medal. Silver Beach gets the gold. The easy and large parking area, the soft and not rocky sand, and the clear water and sand banks were truly wonderful. Add the fact that weather was on your side and allowing all your glory to shine. Want to play volleyball, well pick from the 20+ areas all decked with nets. It was a choice spot for the women's volleyball team from Valpo the day we came to visit. The bathrooms were accommodating and clean. Not to forget to mention has more than 3 stalls. The concession stand was large and variety of choices were to be had. Don't want to get wet in the water but want to cool off then head across the street to the water park. The kids get a kick out of the special display 15 minutes. Try it out. I left only thinking about when will I be able to come back again. Ah Summer went by so fast.

Lots of activities for children and families. Beach is nice but can be crowded. Parking was frustrating, but affordable and worth the wait. The downside was the facilities including the changing area and restrooms. It was super busy during our visit so I will give this time a pass. Enjoyed it as a day trip.

Clean beach. Great location. Snack bar and bathrooms close buy. The perfect spot for large families.

Excellent all around- for all ages offers just about everything! The beach is clean, the restaraunts and concessions excellent. Kids splash fountain area is awesome.

My family friend had her wedding reception at the pavilion on Silver Beach and it was absolutely gorgeous!

My family and I had heard about this park via a family friend and decided to make a weekend trip out of it one weekend in August. As a Hawaiian family living in Indiana, we all are pretty skeptical when it comes to "beaches" in the Midwest. Of course nothing can compare to the beaches back home in Hawaii. So imagine my surprise when we arrived and I saw WHITE SAND, CLEAR WATER, and SUNSHINE! The drive wasn't too bad; about a three hour drive straight shot (we're coming from Indianapolis) . Parking was a bit pricey for non-residents and crowded. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this park was nothing like the beaches that we've been to in Indiana. The sand was white, the water was clear enough to see my feet, and the weather was absolutely perfect. There was a playground and volleyball net set up, and a concession stand. The beach looked like it had been combed as well and there were many trashcans set up so there was hardly any trash on the beach itself. There was plenty of space to set up our chairs and towels; we didn't feel like it was overly crowded. My one complaint however is about the bathrooms. They were disgusting and not very well kept up. I'm not sure if this is due to the high traffic. Also, dogs are not allowed on the beach but about a mile or so down the road is Lion's park that accepts dogs. Overall, Silver beach was a great weekend getaway and one that I will eventually take my own family to.

I have never been to silver beach before this year and I'll probably never go to south haven again. This beach is perfect. No rocks, soft sand. Parking is super convenient and close by which makes a day trip to the beach less stressful. Not to mention silver beach pizza is a short walk away. YUM!