Need beach trip ideas? 10 spots worth the drive from Port Huron this summer

Summer is here in Michigan and the weather makes it a great time to start planning a trip to the beach.

Michigan has more than 3,200 miles of shoreline, and features beaches along the Great Lakes and inland rivers and lakes, Pure Michigan says.

If you’re looking to head to the beach this season, the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards ranked the 10 best in Michigan. The top 10 are along the shores of Lake Michigan on the west side of the state, including a national lakeshore, and along Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

“With shoreline on four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan offers visitors hundreds of miles of family-friendly freshwater beaches, perfect for summer vacation. From spectacular sunsets to awe-inspiring dunes, there’s a beach for every taste,” USA TODAY’s 10BEST website says.

Blue Water Area residents may want to stay closer to home, but there’s something about visiting new beaches that screams summer. Here’s a look at Michigan’s 10BEST beaches.

Beware on the beach: Here’s how to stay safe at the beach this summer

The beach features sandy shores along Lake Michigan in a family-friendly setting. The surrounding Douglas Park offers baseball and softball diamonds, picnic areas and charcoal grills, basketball courts, tennis courts and a fenced dog park.

First Street Beach was ranked No. 1 in 2024 as well.

How far from Port Huron: 3 1/2- to 4-hour drive (about 255 miles)

Set on 2.5 miles of sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, this park offers volleyball courts, a scenic walking path, adventure sports like kite boarding, picnic tables, The Deck with live music and two historic lighthouses.

Pere Marquette beach ranked 6th a year ago.

How far from Port Huron: Just over 3 1/2 hours’ drive (about 244 miles)

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Located along the Lake Michigan shoreline in southwest Michigan, this park provides public swimming, a concession stand, kayak and paddleboard rentals, and beach volleyball, access to the South Pier, picnic tables, playgrounds and grills.

Silver Beach ranked third in 2024.

How far from Port Huron: About 3 hours 42 minutes by vehicle (about 245 miles)

This tranquil Lake Michigan beach features swimming, a playground, concession stands, a sandy shoreline, picnic tables, grills, accessible walkways and facilities, popular for sunset views and celebrations like beach weddings and family reunions.

Stearns Park ranked second in 2024.

How far from Port Huron: Just about 4 hours’ drive (about 253 miles)

More: Peak time for summer beach trip? Here’s where you’ll find the warmest water in Michigan

A trip to this ADA-accessible Lake Michigan beach offers swimming along the sandy shores, a playground, a lighthouse, picnic area, grills and concession stand.

South Beach was the fifth-ranked beach in 2024.

How far from Port Huron: About 3 hours 41 minutes by vehicle (about 238 miles)

At the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula, this 9.4-acre park features trails and a unique red pebble beach along the shores of Lake Superior, with opportunities for bird watching, hiking, photography and biking.

Hunter’s Point was the No. 4 beach a year ago.

How far from Port Huron: Sorry, that’s in the UP and it would be a daylong drive (but if you really want to go, it’s about 4 hours to St. Ignace, then about 5 hours to Copper Harbor). Nearly 300 miles one way.

More: Is it safe to swim at the beach? How to check E. coli levels in Michigan

On the Lake Michigan coast, this secluded beach includes about 2,000 acres of natural sand dunes, popular for swimming, boating, fishing, using dune buggies and off-road vehicles, with a lighthouse nearby.

How far from Port Huron: About a 4-hour drive (279 miles).

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On the shores of Lake Michigan in this popular tourist town, the beach features rolling sand dunes and sandy shores with a concession stand and restrooms, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, sailing and more, with scenic trails offering hiking.

Oval Beach ranked 7th in 2024.

How far from Port Huron: About a 3 1/2-hour drive (238 miles)

The sandy beach lines the coast of Lake Michigan in this tourist town, with a boardwalk and iconic lighthouse with scenic sunset views, great for swimming, building sandcastles and sunbathing, surrounded by nearby restaurants and ice cream shops.

How far from Port Huron: About 3 1/2 hours by vehicle

More: Where are the coolest places to beat the summer heat in the Blue Water Area?

This national lakeshore runs along 35 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in northwest Michigan, a popular tourist attraction drawing in over 1.5 million visitors annually. The lakeshore features expansive a lighthouse, sand dunes, forests, sandy beaches, campgrounds, trails for hiking and biking, a historic farm district and coastal village and the Manitou Islands.

Sleeping Bears Dunes ranked 10th in 2024.

How far from Port Huron: About a 4-hour drive (about 267 miles)

Where are the nation’s best beach bars?

The 10BEST awards ranked the following top 10 beach bars in the nation:

1. Ocean Deck Restaurant and Beach Bar in Daytona Beach, Florida

2. Flora-Bama in Pensacola, Florida

3. Tiki Hut at Beach House in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

4. Reunion Kitchen + Drink in Santa Barbara, California

5. Copper Bar at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in Waimea, Hawaii

6. Mai Tai Bar at The Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu, Hawaii

7. Sloppy Joe’s on the Beach at Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island, Florida

8. The Crow’s Nest in Santa Cruz, California

9. House Without a Key at Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii

10. Edge of Waikiki at Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort in Honolulu, Hawaii

More: Enjoying Michigan’s lakes could lead to a rash. What to do about swimmer’s itch

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan’s top beaches: How they rank, distance from Port Huron