Empire Beach — Attraction in Empire Township

Wow. Always beautiful but there is literally NO BEACH because of high water levels. I am not exaggerating. Please don't stay away because of me saying there is no beach. Water levels can fluctuate and there is plenty of sandy space for you to plop down a towel and some beach items. The facilities are great. There is a basketball court and a nice playground for kids. This is a super busy place on nice days from June through August but it is always worthwhile. Parking is not fee but is reasonable. This is one of my favorite places in the world. More on the high water... Lake Michigan was at a record or near record high water level during our visit on March 1st, 2020. As mentioned, the water levels and amount of actual beach will vary. On this day the wind seemed pretty light but the waves were decently sized. In the northern most parking lot and beach area the waves were breaking and lapping right at the parking lot retaining wall. This means literally zero beach, but the entire area is sand dunes and you can plop yourself down at s picnic bench or in a sandy knoll. Enjoy... and please keep...

Empire Beach is a gorgeous beach in a lovely, quaint town. There is a nice park for little ones to play, and lots of variety rocks on the beach for all the rockhounds out there. Both of my kids loved it. The water is reminiscent of the Caribbean...in appearance only...the color is a clear blue, but it's cold! The sunset is gorgeous at Empire Beach, and there is a hiking trail, Empire Trail, that is a short, easy hike to a beautiful overlook offering a bird's eye view of the water and beach. The Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes are another nearby must do with dueling views of Glen Lake on one side of the dunes and Lake Michigan on the other side. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive offers accessible overlooks for anyone not looking for a hike. Empire is a wonderful place for a family to spend...

Beautiful beach but the parking harassment is out of hand. We have been coming to Empire beach for over 15 years but this will be our last. After driving around the parking lot for 20 minutes looking for a spot we finally find one. After waiting in line for 20 minutes to pay for parking we return to our vehicle to find a ticket. The parking lot attendant that was writing tickets was long gone. We planned on spending the day at the beach then checking out the stores downtown and grab a bite to eat like we normally do every year. After getting a ticket because we had to wait in line to pay for parking we just decided to leave and go to Glen Arbor. We won't be back to Empire or the beach in Empire. If they are trying to drive away visitors from out of town because it is too crowded,...