Idle Isle Park — Attraction in Muskego

Even as a resident of Muskego, I never recommend this beach/park to ANYONE. Here are the reasons: 1. The Beach is absolutely DISGUSTING!! It's like a giant ash tray with all the cigarette butts the kids dig up! 2. The water stinks like dead fish and rotting seaweed and you'll usually find both those things along the shoreline. 3. The water is all stirred up from the almost constant flow of boats at the launch right next to the beach and swimming area. 4. Because the water is all stirred up with muck you come out of the water covered in small bits of seaweed and (my personal experience) Bathing suit tinged brown! 5. The grass - and even wild plant life along the shoreline - is mostly trampled from so much foot traffic - big eyesore! 6. There are so many trailered in boats that park right on the beach & idiots that drive right through the swimming area it's absurdly dangerous. I never let my children go outside the shallow rope unless I'm in the water right there with them so i can watch out for boats and other watercraft. 7. Because this beach is the only closest public beach (not on Lake Michigan ) to Milwaukee, there are a lot of 'out-of-towners' who sometimes have poor manners and little regard for other people there. (Smoking, swearing, screaming - angry screaming!) Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all saying this is just non-residents causing the poor social scene here.( I am not meaning to point fingers or be prejudice, but you can pretty certainly tell when someone is from the more 'condensed' parts of Mil. .?). 8. The playground equipment is broken and doesn't really have age specific areas, so it can be dangerous if you have a littler one. Another thing about the playground is that the ground cover is WOODCHIPS. Kids will go back and forth from the beach to the playground without shoes on get splinters! (happens to my kids all the time!) 9. I could go on and on with terrible experiences I've had at this park/ beach within the past 10 years. I've lived within a mile of this park my whole life and it has never been so bad!

*On a positive note; There are some things I still love about the park. I love the big open grassy space under all the hundreds-of-years old trees. They're really something cool to see, and it's great for kids to run around in the shade of these giant trees. I also love seeing large family gatherings at this park - no matter what where they're from! It's heart warming to see these families get together, grilling out, and watch the children run around and play. Many of these gatherings are not directly at the beach front anymore, so other people aren't feeling like they're in the way of get-togethers. I think this is really considerate. especially for the poor trampled grass trying to...

Being from out of town, it was very disappointing to find that most of the park, last night, had been cordoned off by persons planning on arriving at the park for the fireworks display, but not present when others arrived, earlier. We were not so politely told that the space was "mine" and that the tape used had designated that purpose.

(4) Picnic Areas and Use (b) It shall be unlawful to use any portion of the picnic areas or of any building or structures therein for the purpose of holding picnics to the exclusion of other persons, except by permit; nor shall any person use such area and facilities for an unreasonable time if the facilities are crowded.

Along with the consumption of alcohol, which was very wide-spread and open.

(d) Alcoholic Beverages 1.No intoxicating liquor shall be sold, stored or consumed in any park,

Too, is Muskego ever going to join the 21st century and prohibit the smoking of cigarettes in public places, especially those where it would be impossible to avoid second-hand inhalation, such as the tiny space of...

Beautiful park. Very clean and well maintained. They have a snack shack, bathrooms and kayak rentals. Plenty of room for picnic, beach area and you are able to grill. There is a playground for kids. All patrons help keep this park very clean. There's also areas where you can fish. Definitely recommend this park.

Parking is tight and limited but they do have overflow parking at park Arthur. I do recommend a wagon or something like it so you can walk n wheel your stuff over to the beach. On-site parking fee does apply but not at Park Arthur....