Ohio is home to some of the best beaches in America.
The Great Lakes shoreline has some of the most picturesque stretches of sand in the country, and there are plenty of inland lakes that offer a perfect place for swimming or fishing. So where should you go? Here’s our list:
10) Put-In-Bay (Lakeside) – This small island on Lake Erie offers full service marinas and dockside restaurants with live entertainment. It’s also just steps from downtown Sandusky, which is only an hour away from Columbus or Cleveland by car or train. 9) Indian Mounds Park Beach – The beach at this park near Dayton provides a breathtaking view of Lake Anna as well as boating
1. Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park is considered to be the best beach in Ohio. It is located on the northern shores of Lake Erie. It is a popular place for fishing and boating. Huntington Beach is also a great place for people who love to ride jet skis or fly kites. The beach has many activities for people of all ages and levels of physical fitness. There are also plenty of picnic tables, grills, and playgrounds, so it is easy to find a shady spot for children or adults that need to spend some time out of the sun. There are also plenty of facilities that offer outdoor showers, restrooms, snack bars, and lifeguards on duty daily during the summer months (Memorial Day-Labor Day).
2. Kelleys Island State Park
Kelleys Island was named for the first permanent white settler in the Lake Erie Islands. The island is connected to the mainland by a two-lane bridge. This beach is also located on the northern shores of Lake Erie and is considered to be one of the best beaches in Ohio. Because the island is located more than 60 miles from any other land mass, it is a rare gem with many beautiful properties. The State of Ohio has leased the land that surrounds Kelleys Island to Malibu Development Company since 1977 which has helped support the development of parks and beaches on this island as well as offer a great place for boating, fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.
3. Mercer Slough Nature Park
Mercer Slough is considered to be the third best beach in Ohio because of its location on an island that is surrounded by crystal clear water. The park offers a great place for families with children who want to swim and play in the water. Mercer Slough is an excellent place for sunbathers who are looking to spend their days relaxing on the sandy shores of the river. The park also offers plenty of spots for fishing, boating, and bird watching. It is an ideal location for people who want to spend their day outdoors away from the hustle-bustle of everyday life.
4. Lake Loramie State Park,
Lake Loramie State Park is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise that offers a beautiful sandy beach on the shoreline of the lake. It has plenty of picnic shelters as well as grills so people who visit this park can enjoy their day outdoors without having to pack a picnic lunch. There are also beautiful walking trails, boat ramps, fishing docks and plenty of areas where people can watch the sun set over the lake. The park is located about 3 miles south of Minster on State Route 124.
5. Huntington Beach at Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is known for its natural beauty. It offers plenty of recreational activities as well as hiking and nature trails. The park has four areas that are open to the public where people can enjoy swimming in the water, playing volleyball and having a barbeque at Huntington Beach. This beach is located near the Brecksville entrance to the park and is a perfect place for the whole family to spend an entire day outdoors.
6. Lake Hope State Park, Leesburg
Lake Hope State Park has plenty of activities that are designed specifically for people who want to enjoy the water. There are boat ramps that offer access to Clear Fork River in addition to a swimming beach where people can enjoy the sun. There are plenty of scenic views as well as recreational activities such as boating and fishing. Overall, Lake Hope State Park is an excellent location for people who want to spend their summer days outside in a natural environment.
7. Wildwood Lakefront Park, Bentleyville
Wildwood Lakefront Park is located on the shoreline of Wildwood Lake. It offers picnic shelters and grills so that visitors do not have to pack a picnic lunch if they do not want to or bring in food from home when they visit this park because there are no restaurants nearby. The park has plenty of areas where people can watch wildlife while swimming in the water; it also has places where people can boat, fish or windsurf. Overall, Wildwood Lakefront Park is a beautiful place that offers a great location for people who want to spend some time outdoors during the summer months.
8. Rocky Fork Reservation – Beach
Rocky Fork Reservation is located about an hour south of Cleveland in southern Ohio and it offers beachgoers plenty of activities throughout the park. The parking areas at this park are equipped with 18 picnic tables among other amenities so visitors can spend their day outside without having to worry about not having enough places to sit down and enjoy the food they brought from home or had delivered by restaurants nearby. The beaches in this area tend to be on small bodies of water surrounded by forests made up mostly of hemlock trees; however, there are some deciduous trees mixed in.
9. Lake Milton State Park, Morrow
Lake Milton State Park is located on the shore of Smith Lake and it has two areas for visitors to enjoy the lake; Beach 1 is a sandy beach while Beach 2 offers both sand and gravel. The park also has plenty of recreational activities such as fishing docks, boat ramps, nature trails and tennis courts where people can take a break from swimming in order to play a game of tennis or go hiking through the beautiful nature trails that run throughout this park. Overall, Lake Milton State Park is an excellent place for people who want to spend their days outside during summertime without having to leave Ohio because it is located about 30 minutes south of Akron off of State Route 44.
10. Water Works Park, Cleveland
Water Works Park is a public park that was designed by the Cleveland landscape architect George Kessler in 1878. The property was purchased as part of the city’s water system and eventually became a popular location for people to visit during the summertime to enjoy nature and swim in one of three pools or go boating on Lake Erie. In recent years, it has also become a popular place for people to start urban farming initiatives because residents are able to get free plots of land where they can grow their own produce, herbs or flowers; there are about 80 plots available each summer at this park. Overall, Water Works Park is an excellent location for people who want to spend time in a natural environment during the summer months.
11. Kinsman Park, Beverly
Kinsman Park, located on Shoreline Drive near West 76th Street in Beverly Hills County Park is a sandy beach that offers plenty of opportunities for people to enjoy an activity day outdoors during the summertime. In addition to swimming and boating, there are several volleyball nets where people can play this sport when they visit this lakefront park; it also has places where swimmers can do water aerobics or bring their own personal flotation devices if they want some extra support while they swim in the water at this beach. Overall, Kinsman Beach is one of the best beaches in Ohio and it is well worth checking out when people vacation along the Lake Erie coastline.
12. North Chagrin Reservation, Gates Mills
North Chagrin Reservation is located on the shores of the Cuyahoga River and it has plenty of amenities that are designed for visitors to have a great day at this park in southern Ohio. The park’s most notable feature is its beauty; it features sandy beaches on Lake Erie where people can swim while enjoying themselves outdoors or take a moment to relax under one of the many picnic pavilions that are dotted throughout the area. Visitors also enjoy boating, fishing, biking, picnicking and volleyball at this beautiful site; there are even areas where people can go geocaching to find out more about their surroundings when they visit this site. Overall, North Chagrin Reservation is a great place to spend the day for people who want to get close to nature and enjoy activities on Lake Erie during their summer vacations.
13. Commodore Perry’s Monument, Put-In-Bay
Commodore Perry Memorial Park is located on South Bass Island in Lake Erie and it honors the United States naval commander Matthew C. Perry who led an expedition that opened up Japan to trade with the West; he also fought in the Mexican American War and married a sister of President Millard Fillmore’s wife in 1860. The monument at this site claims that Admiral Perry’s famous 1853 visit led him to name the area Port Clinton; however, some historians have rejected this account because they claim there is little evidence that he actually said this name during his visit. The area is a fun place to visit for people who want to spend their time in an outdoor location that offers plenty of opportunities for them to relive the story of Commodore Perry while on vacation along Lake Erie. Overall, Commodore Perry’s Monument is considered by many historians to be one of the most important locations in Ohio and it deserves a visit from all tourists when they are vacationing at the Lake Erie shoreline.
