Oval Beach — Attraction in Saugatuck

Oval Beach is gorgeous! We went on a Tuesday in June. We got a later start than I had hoped, so I was worried about parking and crowds. We arrived at the park between 9:45 and 10 am. Much to my delight, the parking was PLENTIFUL and the beach was not crowded. It did get more crowded as the day went on, but it was totally manageable. The sand was soft and beautiful and not hot in most places. Our main experiences with beaches have been along the Gulf Coast, and this beach was very different in a good way. We did not have to dodge jellyfish or seaweed. The sand was clean and not littered with trash and cigarette butts. It wasn't surrounded by high-rise condos and beach umbrellas. It was beautiful! The water, even in June, was very cold, so not getting to swim was a bummer for my teenagers, but we enjoyed playing in the sand, sitting and watching the waves, and going for a walk over the sand dunes and down the beach. We also watched people flying kites, people in sailboats, and a couple of sailboarders. So much fun to watch! There was a nice playground and concession stand as well as bathrooms with places to change and showers to wash off the sand. We did have to pay for a day pass, but it was well worth the money, even though we only stayed for...

I visited one of Southwest Michigan’s most famous and highly rated beaches with a visitor from Texas yesterday. The beach of course is beautiful. The water was wonderful. However, let me just say that for a tourist destination beach the maintenance of the restrooms was abominable. There is simply no excuse for not cleaning the Porta potties and the restrooms the first thing at least every Monday morning. We walked into a total Third World disaster on Monday afternoon. It was obvious that the restrooms had not been cleaned since the weekend, especially the Porta potties. To advertise this as a tourist destination, shame on the city of Saugatuck for taking $15 and exposing us to such filth with our families. Clean it up! As a native Michigander, I was embarrassed to have my friend visiting from Texas see this lack of care as the city of Saugatuck benefits economically from our visit. In addition, there are no life rings or life-saving assistance information posted anywhere near the beach. Add to that, no cell service and good luck surviving an emergency...

This beach is wonderful. My family and I spent the week in Saugutuck and we visisted Oval beach every day. The water was actually bearable which was shocking considering the time of year. Aside from the beach, there are miles of trails that connect from dune to dune, frequently occupied by deer (they are very hard to get close to). My brother and I took a trail up to this giant white globe that is all the way on top of the highest hill, and there is a massive staircase leading down to the river on the other side. The beach is perfect for the sunset, and the hill with the white globe is great for the sunrise. The beach itself is nice, although a little small. There is a brick building by the parking lot with bathrooms (closed due to COVID) and many picnic tables on the sand looking out towards the lake. There are endless oppotunities for great photographs, especially during sunrise/sunset. I would highly recommend Oval beach, it is a beautiful gift from god for those of you who love...