5 Midwest Cities With Amazing Urban Beaches, According To Research

When looking for a beachside escape, the American Midwest doesn't immediately come to mind for most people. However, thanks in large part to the Great Lakes, many Midwest states and cities are home to some of the best urban beaches in the country. Best of all, because they're not located on some faraway island or tropical getaway, reaching these beaches is much more affordable and convenient for most Americans.

Rather than focus on specific beaches (because there are far too many to list), we'll be paying attention to the cities and metro areas that host these strips of sand. As the headline says, urban beaches are the star of the show, so we won't be looking at shorelines that aren't part of an urban landscape.

For this list, we relied on local reviews and recommendations to help point us in the right direction. For example, rundowns from Elizabeth Kovar and Allianz Travel Insurance gave us insight into where to look. We also wanted to feature cities in different states, so you have options when planning your next Midwest vacation. So, let's grab our umbrellas and swim trunks and hit the (urban) beach.

Considering that Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," it makes sense that there would be some great beaches alongside some of them. However, for urban shorelines, Minneapolis is one of the best options in the state, offering 12 unique beaches across six different lakes. You can browse all of them via the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board website and get updates regarding water quality and local wildlife, such as Canadian geese and native turtle species.

The lake with some of the best beaches is Bde Maka Ska, formerly known as Lake Calhoun. This spot came up multiple times in our research, though older articles still refer to the beaches as Calhoun. The change was to honor the local Dakota people, and the name means "White Earth Lake." There are three beaches around the water, including Thomas Beach on the southern edge, North Beach on the northern edge, and the 32nd Street Beach on the eastern side. Each of these options offers stellar views of downtown Minneapolis and is quite popular with locals and visitors during the summer.

Just north of Bde Maka Ska is the equally entrancing Cedar Lake, home to a "hidden beach" that's one of the city's most underrated sunbathing spots. A big reason for Cedar Lake's East Beach notoriety is that it's surrounded by woods, making it seem like you're in a secluded nature preserve next to a major metro area, with skyscrapers peeking out from behind the trees.

These days, Milwaukee is having a bit of a moment, thanks to its revitalized Harbor District and its claim as the Bloody Mary Capital of the World. However, Brew City is also home to over 1,400 acres of urban beaches along Lake Michigan, making it one of the best Midwest cities for getting sand between your toes.

The best beach in Milwaukee is Bradford Beach. Even just looking at online reviews, it's clear that Bradford is popular, with 4.5 stars and over 2,000 Google Reviews at the time of this writing. In fact, according to Milwaukee County Parks, Bradford is the most-visited beach, thanks in part to its clean water certification and its commitment to accessibility. It also helps that the beach hosts volleyball tournaments throughout the summer.

Other fabulous beach options in Milwaukee include McKinley Beach, just south of Bradford, and Grant Park Beach at the southern tip of the city. McKinley is notable for its recent renovations, including pouring soft sand along the water's edge to make it easier for wading, and its Roundhouse Beer Garden. Grant Park is perfect if you want a quieter setting, outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown Milwaukee.

While most people know Chicago as the Windy City and a major metropolitan center, it is also home to over two dozen beaches. It's kind of hard to believe that Chicago is technically a beachside paradise, but it has plenty of options for visitors, no matter what kind of shoreline you're looking to enjoy.

One of the most popular swim spots in the city is North Avenue Beach, a lively stretch of sand with a beach house and iconic views. This spot is also just across Highway 41 from Lincoln Park, which is home to the Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory, among other attractions. You can easily spend all day relaxing on the sand, then head inland to explore the verdant park and see some wild animals up close.

Further south, there is the smaller but still just as impressive Oak Street Beach. There are several reasons for Oak Street's popularity: The trees offering valuable shade, its seating and sunbathing areas, soft white sand, and one of the most impressive views of downtown Chicago as a backdrop. Finally, if you're in the Uptown district, you can visit the lush and sprawling Montrose Beach. Not only is it very dog-friendly, but the beach is next to a park and a bird sanctuary, allowing you to enjoy as much nature as possible.

Although local review articles were among our primary sources when compiling this list, we also looked at social media to see what real people recommend. Based on a thread in r/SameGrassButGreener, one of the top cities mentioned was Traverse City in Michigan. Tucked at the bottom of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, this town is a place where beach-loving shoppers will find pure paradise. Although the city is well-known for its beaches, visitors report that it's not as crowded as other spots in the Midwest, offering more of a laid-back vibe.

There are six unique urban beaches stretching across Traverse City's shoreline, and each one offers its own slice of paradise. By far the most popular (and crowded) is Clinch Park Beach, which is in the center of the action. If you're looking for something a bit more relaxed, West End Beach tends to be less crowded. Or, if you're traveling with kids, Bryant Park Beach has playgrounds and family-friendly spaces to keep the little ones entertained.

For those who want to be a bit more active on the sand, Volleyball Beach is home to multiple volleyball courts, so you can work up a sweat and strut your stuff in front of the crowd. Finally, Sunset Park Beach is another relaxing shoreside sanctuary, perfect for sitting in a chair and watching the world go by, preferably with a good book in hand.

Our final Midwest city with amazing urban beaches is the grand city of Cleveland, Ohio, overlooking Lake Erie. As with other major metro areas on this list, Cleveland doesn't often come to mind when thinking of a beachside getaway, but the city has its fair share of sandy shores that can call to mind tropical locales and cocktails with little umbrellas in them.

Most of the beachfront property is west of the city center. The furthest option is Huntington Beach, which sits at the edge of Cahoon Memorial Park West. As you get closer to the big city, you'll run into spots like Perkins Beach and Edgewater Beach, a recreation haven minutes from downtown Cleveland (it has over 6,000 Google Reviews at the time of this writing). Once you get on the other side of downtown, you can pick from many different places, including Euclid Beach, Arcadia Beach, Sims Beach, Noble Beach, and more.

Finally, while Headlands Beach State Park isn't technically in Cleveland (it's actually in the suburb of Mentor), it's often considered one of the better Great Lakes beaches in the Midwest. It also happens to be the largest beach in Ohio, making it something of a bucket list item. Since it's only about half an hour from central Cleveland, it's worth making the trek while you're in town.

Because we're rounding up cities with urban beaches in the Midwest, our list had to feature relatively large metro areas that also offer sandy shores. While smaller, quieter towns or state parks might be worth visiting, we focused on places where the beach might be flanked by skyscrapers or the sounds of traffic. In a way, these cities offer the best of both worlds, providing the convenience of city amenities and attractions with the tranquil vibes of white sands and calm waves.

To help curate our list of cities, we relied on local review sites and recommendations, along with rundowns from Elizabeth Kovar and Allianz Travel Insurance. That said, because the focus was on urban beaches, we left off smaller, quainter, quieter "beach towns," such as Vermilion, Ohio, or Saugatuck, Michigan. Finally, rather than choose a subjective method to rank these cities, we chose to put them in geographical order from West to East.