Looking to cool off? Head for a local beach
As temperatures soared into the 80s during the last weekend in June, crowds of people descended on Bradford Beach in a scene that rivaled images of crowded beaches in Florida and California earlier this year.
Bradford is Milwaukee County’s most popular beach in a normal year and will be even more so this year as the coronavirus pandemic has led to cancellations and closings of other summer attractions, including the county’s public pools.
Plus, with Lake Michigan water levels near record highs, many natural beaches along the lake are much smaller than in the past, pushing even more people to beaches like Bradford.
But Bradford isn’t the only place to cool off in Wisconsin, or southeastern Wisconsin, for that matter. The state has more than 1,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline and more than 15,000 inland lakes that offer plenty of space to relax and swim safely distanced from others. The Department of Natural Resources has documented 55 miles of Great Lakes beaches and 110 inland lakes with swimming beaches. The lists are available on their website
Water quality is monitored at most Lake Michigan beaches and some inland lakes; current statuses are available at
Here are some southeastern Wisconsin beaches to cool off at.
Milwaukee County
The county is home to these beaches along Lake Michigan: Bradford, McKinley and South Shore in Milwaukee (note that South Shore is frequently closed to swimming due to E. coli issues); Atwater in Shorewood; Bay View in St. Francis; Grant in South Milwaukee, Klode in Whitefish Bay; and Doctors in Fox Point. Just north of Doctors, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center also has a small beach along Lake Michigan. The nature preserve is open only to hikers by reservation right now, and admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 3-17 and active duty and veterans. Dogs are not permitted in Milwaukee County Parks beaches or at Schlitz Audubon.
Waukesha County
Six Waukesha County parks have beaches: Fox Brook in Brookfield, Menomonee in Menomonee Falls, Minooka in Waukesha, Mukwonago, Muskego, and Naga-Waukee in Hartland. All but Naga-Waukee have pet swim areas. Admission is $5/day or $35/year (annual entrance stickers are online at waukeshacounty.gov).
In the Kettle Moraine State ForestSouthern Unit, Ottawa Lake (between Dousman and Eagle) and Whitewater Lake (in Walworth County) have beaches. The former has a pet swim area. Both require a state parks admission sticker ($28/year)
Pewaukee Lake has a public beach at Lakefront Park downtown. Pets are not permitted.
Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc has two public beaches at Bender and City parks.
Washington County
Three Washington County Parks have lakes with beaches: Leonard J.
Yahr County Park in Farmington, Ackerman’s Grove County Park in West Bend and Sandy Knoll County Park in Trenton. Daily entrance passes are $5 and are available online at
Pike Lake, a unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Hartford, has a beach. The park is popular and could reach its capacity limit on a nice summer weekend (check before you head out). Annual admission stickers are required and are only available online or over the phone (1888-305-0398 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily).
Ozaukee County
Port Washington’s North and South beaches don’t have much actual beach due to the lake levels, but you can still swim along the shore — if it’s safe to do so. The area is prone to rip currents, and the city installed a traffic light system at North Beach last year to warn of dangerous conditions.
Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve in Grafton is most notable for its scenic blufftop views, but you can also follow a staircase down the bluffs at the north end of the park to access a narrow beach along Lake Michigan.
Harrington Beach State Park in Belgium has a mile-long beach along Lake Michigan, although the lake’s water is almost up to the tree line, leaving little sand to play in. Leashed pets are allowed on the southern section of the beach. State parks admission stickers are required.
Racine & Kenosha counties
Racine’s North Point Beach rivals Milwaukee’s Bradford for size. It was Wisconsin’s first beach to be designated as a Certified Blue Wave clean beach by the National Clean Beaches Council (a designation Bradford shares).
Richard Bong State Recreation Area in Kansasville has a 200-foot beach along Wolf Lake. Visitors need a state parks sticker.
Zoo Beach is just north of North Beach, accessible via stairs from the paved Lake Michigan Pathway.
Kenosha County’s Old Settlers Park has a beach on Paddock Lake in Salem. Admission is $5 for Kenosha County residents and $10 for non-residents.
Fond du Lac & Sheboygan counties
Kohler-Andrae State Park outside Sheboygan has two miles of sandy beach along Lake Michigan. Pets are permitted on the beach north of the nature center. State parks stickers are required for admission.
Mauthe Lake and Long Lake, in the Kettle Moraine State Forest’s Northern Unit near Campbellsport, both have beaches. The recreation areas are connected by the 6.5-mile limestone Lake-to-Lake Trail. Visitors need a state parks sticker.
Lakeview Park on Random Lake in Sheboygan County has a beach. Parking at the park is $5 for non-residents when an attendant is present.
Fireman’s Park has a beach on Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for kids 12 and under.
More beaches farther afield
Dane County: Governor Nelson State Park, Waunakee; Lake Kegonsa State Park, Stoughton; Stewart Lake County Park, Mount Horeb; Goodland County Park, Madison; Mendota County Park, Middleton.
Dodge County: Hattie Sherwood Beach and Dodge Memorial County Park, Green Lake
Jefferson County: Sandy Beach (admission is $3 for resident adults and $2 for kids ages 6-11) and Bartel’s Beach, Lake Mills.
Manitowoc County: Point Beach State Forest, Two Rivers.
Walworth County: Riviera Beach, Lake Geneva; Williams Bay Beach, Williams Bay; Community Park, Delavan (non-residents need a $25 annual pass). Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva also has a beach, but it is temporarily closed.
Contact Chelsey Lewis at clewis@ journalsentinel.com.
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