All summer long, Lake Michigan called to me.
I craved the openness and vastness that the Great Lake creates. I wanted to stare at the water and walk along its beaches and feel miles away from daily life. I wanted my kids to splash in the waves and skip rocks and have a simple beach day.
Fortunately, my sister shared this desire, so one hot July day, we piled the kids into the car and headed to Sheboygan, to Kohler-Andrae State Park.
This state park is a gem, boasting more than two miles of beautiful beaches and sand dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan. There are also more than a hundred campsites, but we were here for a beach day.
After entering the park (which requires an annual state park sticker), we checked out the beaches on the south side. Apparently lots of other families had the same idea, as these smaller, cove-like areas were pretty packed. So we headed to the north side of the park, where we found a more expansive and less crowded stretch of sand.
After plunking down towels, sand toys and a cooler of snacks, we ran to the water. Given the size of Lake Michigan — more than 22,000 square miles! — we were expecting to step into ice water. We were delighted to find that the water wasn’t too chilly. In fact, within minutes we were all dunking heads and splashing around.
We spent hours swimming and “surfing” the small waves on boogie boards. It was a ton of fun and a relief from the large flies that would swarm when we hung out on the beach.
While we visited during a sweet spot in the summer with warm, swimmable water, there’s plenty to do when the lake is chillier. Our kids dug in the sand, searched for cool rocks and practiced skipping stones across the water, and we took turns walking along the beach, which quickly became more wild and rugged as we stepped away from the beach towels. And we all enjoyed watching sailboats skim the horizon and dogs play in the surf, as this part of the beach is pet-friendly.
Another highlight of the day came after we changed out of our swimsuits and packed up the car. From the parking lot (we were in lot 2), we stepped onto a boardwalk that led through a small woods and into a stunning open area surrounded by bluffs. A half-mile trek took us to a loop and a lake overlook, and it was the perfect way to stretch our legs before heading home.
Swimming and hiking with gorgeous Lake Michigan views? We definitely consider that a great beach day!
Katie Vaughn is the editor and co-founder of Northerly. She is a University of Wisconsin-Madison and Stanford University-trained journalist with experience as a writer, reporter, editor, blogger and author. She lives in Madison with her husband, daughter and son, and is always up for an adventure.