When the temperature rises, head to where Midwesterners go to keep cool: lakefront beaches.

By Diane Bair & Pamela Wright
PHOTO: WILLARD CLAY / GETTY IMAGES / TOM BEAN / PHOTO COURTESY OF JOEL HEASLIP

It may be the middle of the country, but the Midwest does not lack achingly beautiful waterfront. The area’s lakeshore vibe is relaxed and vacation-y, and what could be more inviting than a dip in a cool, clear lake (blissfully free of sharks and jelly fish) on a sultry summer day? Here’s a look at some of the most enticing waterfronts in the Midwest.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Munising, Mich.

With 3,200 miles of shoreline and 11,000 inland lakes, Michigan has more freshwater coastline than any other state. Pictured Rocks, America’s first national lakeshore, rises above the rest—literally. Lake Superior’s beaches are flanked by 50- to 200-foot multi-hued sandstone cliffs. Minerals give color to these stones; red and orange streaks are created by iron, black comes from magnesium, the white is caused by limonite, and the green comes from copper. The picturesque cliffs stretch for 15 miles from Sand Point to Spray Falls, where the terrain flattens to white sand at Twelvemile Beach.

When you’re done playing on the beach, take a scenic drive to Miners Castle, or go on a day hike on some of the lakeshore’s 90 miles of trails. Two of the most popular include the 5.4-mile Chapel-Mosquito loop trail, which will take you to pristine beaches and pretty Chapel Falls, or the 1.2-mile hike to the 60-foot high Miners Falls. You can also take on a portion of the 42-mile segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail, which runs through the park.

906-387-2607 www.nps.gov/piro

BEYOND THE BEACH

Take a three-hour boat tour with Pictured Rocks Cruises for up-close views of the most spectacular towering cliffs, like Lovers Leap, Grand Portal, Miners Castle and Indian Head.

800-650-2379, www.picturedrocks.com

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Bayfield, Wis.

Jagged sandstone cliffs, fascinating rock formations, eerie sea caves, secluded islands and miles of sand beaches make this 22-island archipelago a Midwest gem. Located along the Lake Superior shoreline, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which includes 21 of the islands, also boasts a a stunning collection of historic lighthouses.

Start in the sleepy village of Bayfield in northern Wisconsin, the jumping-off spot for all things in, on and around the water.

The visitor center has maps and information, sign-up sheets for ranger-guided nature walks, and a friendly, how-can-we-help staff. Lake Superior may be too nippy for a full-body dunk—“it separates the men from the boys,” explains a local store owner—but you can’t beat the beachcombing and rocky coastline scenery at Meyers Beach. Take your time exploring the stretch of shoreline; if you’re feeling adventurous, hike the rugged two and a half miles along the Lakeshore Trail to awesome sea caves.

The best way to explore this watery wilderness—home to the country’s largest fleet of chartered and rental sailing vessels—is via boat. There’s a slew of boat tours, including a three-and-a-half-hour island tour of shipwrecks, sea caves and lighthouses; sailboat and schooner charters; and guided kayaking excursions, all from Apostle Island Cruise Service (apostleisland.com).

715-779-3397 www.nps.gov/apis

BEYOND THE BEACH

Hop the ferry to the village of La Pointe on Madeline Island, the Apostle’s only year-round inhabited island. Bike around town, visit Big Bay State Park’s one-and-a-half-mile beach, and grab an ice cream cone from the local parlor before heading back to Bayfield.

Park Point

Duluth

Every city should be so lucky to have a beach like Park Point. Located on a 12-mile sand bar, the longest freshwater sand bar in the world, Park Point is a magnet for locals and visitors alike. It’s also a great place to watch massive Great Lakes freighters—some 1,000 feet long—pass under Duluth’s famous Aerial Lift Bridge, the largest and fastest lift bridge in the world. The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center (lsmma.com) in Canal Park lists a daily schedule of freighter traffic.

Stretch your legs on the three-mile-long Lakewalk, which starts in nearby Canal Park, and skirts the shoreline to Leif Erickson Park, where you’ll find a full-scale replica of a wooden Norse Viking ship. The Duluth area is said to have some of the best sport fishing in the Midwest, so try landing a trophy walleye or lake trout on a chartered deep water fishing excursion.

800-438-5884 www.isitduluth.com

BEYOND THE BEACH

Don a wetsuit and hang on for a wet and wild whitewater rafting trip down the St. Louis River, just 15 miles south of Duluth. Superior Whitewater Rafting runs daily trips throughout the summer.

218-384-4637 www.minnesotawhitewater.com

Headlands Beach

Mentor, Ohio

Stuff a backpack with snacks, water and binoculars, and head to the 450-acre Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve & Marina on the south side of Headlands Beach. The preserve has five miles of nature trails and one-and-a-half miles of unspoiled beach. It is also home to some of the finest coastal dunes in the state and is one of the top birding destinations in the region. If you have the time and energy, visit Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, located on the south side of Headlands Beach.

A 644-acre swamp forest and marsh preserve, the area has a network of scenic trails, boardwalks and observation decks. There is also a decent fishing spot near the breakwall at the east end of the park, where you can dangle a hook to entice bass, perch, bluegill, catfish, crappie and carp.

216-881-8141 www.dnr.state.oh.us/PARKS/parks/headlnds.htm

BEYOND THE BEACH

Watch for blue heron and bald eagles on a canoe trip down the designated “scenic and wild” Grand River. Grand River Canoe Livery offers guided trips and rentals.

800-632-2663, www.grandrivercanoe.com

LOCAL delicacies

When traveling to these top Midwest beach destinations, you’ll also want to try out as many unique dishes at local restaurants as you can.

Even non-fish lovers appreciate the melt-in-your-mouth meat of a just-landed northern walleye (sometimes called pickerel). You’ll find it on menus—grilled, broiled or fried—throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. No need for fancy condiments; a dash of salt and—maybe—a squirt of lemon is all these sweet things need.

Locally grown, hand-harvested wild rice is the side dish of choice on the north shore of Minnesota.

It tastes a bit like long-grain rice, but it’s actually not rice at all; rather, it’s a water-grass seed grown in the cold rivers and lakes of northern Minnesota. Try it with a plate of yellow perch.

GREUNKE’S RESTAURANT In Bayfield, don’t shy away from the local fishermen’s favorite dish: whitefish livers. Bayfield made this dish famous back in the ’40s when it first appeared on the menu. You can get them today at a variety of restaurants. They’re usually lightly battered and fried, served in a heaping pile with homemade tartar sauce, but check out the whitefish liver pizza, too! 17 Rittenhouse Ave., 715-779-5480

RUSS KENDALL’S SMOKED FISH HOUSE The menu features “we smoke our own” ciscoes, trout, whitefish, herring and salmon, but the specialty is the “Brown Sugar Trout and Salmon.” Also try the “eat here or take along” wild rice. 610 E. 4th St., Knife River, 218-834-5995

EMILY’S 1929 EATERY & INN This restaurant’s north shore cuisine features Swedish pancakes; blueberry bread pudding; specialty sausage; wild rice soup and salad; hearty sandwiches; Lake Superior fish; and fish boils Friday evenings February through October. 218 Hwy. 61, Knife River, 218-834-5922

Lake of the Ozarks State Park

Kaiser, Mo.

You really need a long weekend to explore this massive, 17,441-acre park—with 85 miles of shoreline and 12 miles of trails—in central Missouri. If you want to soak in rays and swim in crystal clear waters, visit Grand Glaize Beach or Public Beach #1, both showcasing ribbons of soft, gold-hued sand. To lose the crowds, take a hike along the waterfront and through hardwood forests for upland views of the lake. The lake itself is huge, covering 57,000 acres, with an impressive 1,375 miles of shoreline. One of the best ways to explore is by boat; the park marina offers rentals, supplies, fishing advice and maps of Lake of the Ozarks’ Aquatic Trail.

The unique boating trail features 14 interpretive stops marked by buoys.

573-348-2694 www.mostateparks.com/lakeozark.htm

BEYOND THE BEACH

Don’t miss a lantern-light tour of the Ozark Caverns. Look out for salamanders and bats as you walk under a canopy of stalactites to reach
Angel Showers. The unusual underground waterfall seems to spurt out of a wall of rock, splashing on to the cave floor, and is one of the highlights of the guided tour.

Whitefish Dunes State Park

Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

Okay, it’s not a hidden gem; in fact, this popular Door County state park draws more visitors than any other day-use park in the state. There are many reasons why people flock to this beachy playground along the Lake Michigan shoreline: towering dunes, beech wood forests, rocky bluffs and three miles of golden beach. Added bonus: It’s within easy driving distance to the rest of Door County’s bounty, including 300 miles of shoreline, five state parks, 10 lighthouses, art galleries, vineyards, orchards and bustling lakeside villages. Whitefish Dunes sits on

the eastern side of the Door County peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan. A network of boardwalks and hiking trails crisscrosses the 865-acre park, snaking through wetlands, forests and the highest sand dunes on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Feeling adventurous? The waters surrounding Door County offer some of the best wreck diving in the world. Several local outfitters will take you into the deep to explore sunken schooners and steamers.

920-823-2400 www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/whitefish

BEYOND THE BEACH

Check out the Door County Maritime Museum’s special exhibit examining the history of piracy with hands-on exhibits and artifacts from Queen Anne’s Revenge.

920-743-5958, www.dcmm.org