Michigan's Recreation Lake Haven Just Minutes From Downtown Detroit Dazzles With Beaches And Renowned Fishing

Michigan might be known as the "Great Lakes State," but it's also home to plenty of other amazing lakes for recreational fun besides those big five. Case in point: Lake St. Clair. For those looking for a haven from busy downtown Detroit, Lake St. Clair Metropark Beach is a mere 30-minute drive away. This spot features plenty of sandy beach coastline for sunbathing or swimming, as well as other activities like golf, pickleball, biking, kiteboarding, and more. You should also be ready to pack your vacation fishing gear since this lake also happens to be a fantastic angling destination. Plus, St. Clair is still big enough for boats of any size and was ranked as the No. 2-ranked pick on a list of the 100 Best Places to Fish in the USA according to Game & Fish Magazine. Popular catches here include muskie, walleye, bass, lake sturgeon, yellow perch, and northern pike.

The lake is situated between Michigan and Canada, and there's even a St. Clair Tunnel that connects both countries to each other. For those who plan to go fishing on a boat here, there are several ways to do it. One is to drive the boat through the Detroit River from Lake Erie or through the St. Clair River from Lake Huron. Another way is to transport your boat via trailer and then take off from one of the public launching sites in the area. Boat rentals and private charters are also available if you don't own your own boat.

There are different places you can stay during a trip to Lake St. Clair. One option is to dock and sleep on your boat in a marina, but there are also vacation rentals and hotels in the area. Two more well-known vacation rentals closer to Lake St. Clair Metropark are Nautical Haven and Conger Bay Cottage. Nearby budget hotels include Victory Inn in Roseville, ConCorde Inn in Rochester Hills, and Selfridge Motel in Chesterfield. Generally, you can expect higher prices during summer, since that's when more people vacation at the lakes in Michigan.

For those who want to camp, there's tent camping available at Lake St. Clair Metropark. Meanwhile, RV campers can head further up the Lake St. Clair coast to Northpointe Shores RV Resort, which is around a 45-minute drive from downtown Detroit. And don't forget to pack all the necessary items for a quick and easy camping retreat.

In addition to fishing and spending time at the beach, Lake St. Clair Metropark has a nature center you can visit. From June 19 through the end of August, the center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. After September 1, the nature center is still open, but they cut down their weekday hours to 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and remain open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Following your nature center visit, you can have lunch or dinner on the water at the Crews Inn Restaurant, which offers diners marina views.