Surf, sand, sun … in Wisconsin? You bet!
North Beach, a 2,500-foot-long stretch of shoreline along Lake Michigan, makes for a perfect in-state beach day.
Situated just north of downtown Racine, the beach is expansive and flat, and the (albeit chilly) water is typically calm. Which means North Beach is ideal for all ages and everything from swimming to building sandcastles to playing sand volleyball to picnicking.
USA Today ranked North Beach the top beach in Wisconsin, and Parents magazine called it a Top Ten Family Beach.
A long blue walkway makes the beach wheelchair accessible, as well as a cinch for hauling coolers, umbrellas and gear out to your spot in the sand. There’s also a Beachside Oasis concession stand, where you pick up a snack, change clothes and hear live music on summer weekends.
Want even more fun? Just south of the beach is the huge Kids Cove playground, basically ensuring the kiddos wear themselves out and fall asleep on the ride home.