East Bay Park — Attraction in Traverse City

This was my favorite place to swim in traverse, but I went today and it smelled sooooooo bad that I couldn't swim or stay. I checked online for any info, but nothing. The bathrooms, which are a regular flush toilet, smelled like kitty litter and whatever fluid they fill porta pottys with, it was overwhelming. There was septic pumping equipment on-site just sitting around the bathrooms... But even near the water it just smelled like the bathrooms did. So nasty. Given the high water and that it's August, maybe they just need to pump real bad. I dunno. I'd give it 5 stars under normal circumstances cause I enjoy how shallow it is and how far you can walk out in the crystal blue/green water. But man...

It can be hard to rate a park but let's give it a shot. Yes, there are nice restrooms (closed in winter, obviously). Yes there is a playset for younger kids. Yes there are grills. Yes there is a nice beach... and the extra good thing about this particular beach is that it is relatively shallow for a longer distance out into the water in comparison to other parks on East and West Grand Traverse Bay. Despite the relative shallowness I'll tell parents what they already know: please never take your eyes off your kids when near water. This beach faces east so an adventure here on a clear, early morning will net you a...

Nice little park..okay amount of parking spaces...m & f restrooms/changing rooms are pretty clean...water levels in bay are up so boat and jet ski launches much easier. In the morning sun come up in your face so in the evening it's behind and with tree coverage you aren't getting too much sun late. Not a lot of picnic tables but lots of grass for your own small grill and seating. Closest store is a mini Mart & gas place about 3/4 mile...