Milwaukee County's Oldest Park Is A Peaceful Coastal Oasis With Scenic Bluffs, Swimming, And Fishing

Milwaukee County benefits from its position on Lake Michigan in many ways. One is its abundance of gorgeous lakefront parks, many of which have their own beaches. But it's Milwaukee County's oldest park that might also be its most tranquil. Grant Park became the county's first park in 1910, when South Milwaukee resident Horace Fowle sold his home and 210 acres of private land that formed the core of this beloved local park.

Today, Grant Park surpasses 380 acres, including 2 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, a sandy beach, diverse woodland filled with various tree species, lakefront bluffs, walking trails, and wooded ravines. While Grant Park is also home to a historic 1920s 18-hole golf course and an 1890s clubhouse, birding hotspots, picnic shelters, and playgrounds, it's the park's beach that helps establish it as one of the Milwaukee area's most serene coastal havens.

Grant Park Beach is at the park's southern end, extending north from where Oak Creek empties into Lake Michigan. While many Milwaukee visitors — and plenty of locals — head to Bradford Beach in the city's North Point neighborhood, Grant Park Beach provides a much quieter, albeit smaller, alternative. Bradford Beach is known for drawing crowds, while Grant Park Beach offers more space for activities and to relish its natural tranquility. "The beach is wide and spacious, offering plenty of room to spread out, play, or simply enjoy the peaceful surroundings without feeling crowded," one visitor wrote in a Google review. The long stretch of beach has a mixture of sand and stones, bookended by lake water on one side and green trees and small sand dunes with beach shrubs on the other.

Not all Lake Michigan beaches consistently have water quality safe for human contact, but Grant Park Beach appears to be an exception. According to Swim Guide, it has scored above 90% on its annual water quality tests since 2021. It also helps that you don't have to share the beach with too many people. "A fun, safe place to swim, with plenty of sand and space," one beachgoer wrote in a Google review. Water temperatures can be a tad chilly for some, but the lake provides plenty of natural beauty, a clear surface, and a calm setting for a swim. Just be mindful of rocks when you're first getting in and check posted water conditions before swimming.

Keen anglers have a number of options around Grant Park. You can cast a line from the beach into Lake Michigan in hopes of reeling in trout and salmon, depending on the season. You'll often see people with their rods here, silhouetted against the lake as the sun sets. Another option is Oak Creek, where you can fish for trout. Then there's Mill Pond, a designated fishing pond along the Oak Creek Parkway.

Part of what makes visiting Grant Park so scenic is its towering bluffs above the beach. These offer elevated views of Lake Michigan's vast surface stretching toward the horizon. Walking along the beach beside the bluffs also creates a sense of two distinct environments — forest on one side, lake on the other — converging across the sand. Some pathways along the bluffs offer views of the lake through the trees. The park also has two designated lookout areas that offer captivating sightlines across the water. 

Another way to enjoy this coastal oasis is by walking the trails that take you to lakefront bluffs and deep into forested ravines. The Seven Bridges Trail reveals pretty bridges and wildflowers on Lake Michigan, making it particularly alluring for anyone who loves water views and atmospheric wanderings. You can also follow a 3.1-mile route along the Oak Leaf Trail, which combines Grant Park's woodland with its beach and passes multiple picnic areas along the way.

Parkgoers may also want to visit Ferch's Beachside Grille for a bite to eat. The popular beachfront restaurant serves hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, and fish and chips on an outdoor patio overlooking Grant Park Beach. Kids might also enjoy running around at the playground known locally as Spider Playground, playing volleyball on the beach, or combing the sand for sea glass.

Grant Park is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Milwaukee. If you're visiting for a few days, you could mix up your beach days by checking out Grant before or after going to Bradford, Milwaukee's largest public beach. Those who just can't get enough of those water vistas might also want to stay at the historic Pfister Hotel, a friendly downtown gem with stunning art and lake views. It's best to visit Grant Park during summer if you want to enjoy its coastal scenes. But it's also beautiful during fall, when the changing colors of leaves create a scenic backdrop against Lake Michigan.