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Traverse City State Park

1132 US-31 N · Traverse City, MI

Why you should go…

Tucked between US-31 and the bay, this state park offers a sandy swimming beach, a wooded campground, and easy access to downtown Traverse City just a few miles away. Its shallow, gradually sloping shoreline makes it a popular pick for families with young kids.

  • #state park
  • #beach
  • #camping
  • #lake michigan

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Traverse City State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Clinch Park

    Free

    A downtown Traverse City beach and marina where West Grand Traverse Bay meets Front Street.

    2.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Traverse City

    Free

    Northern Michigan's Cherry Capital, wrapped around Grand Traverse Bay with wineries and sandy beaches.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Grand Traverse Pie Company

    Under $25

    The original location of a Michigan pie shop built on the region's tart cherry crop.

    3.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Shopping
    Local Gem

    The Village at Grand Traverse Commons

    Free

    A former 19th-century asylum campus reborn as shops, restaurants, and gardens.

    3.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

    Under $25

    Towering perched sand dunes climb straight up from the Lake Michigan shoreline.

    24 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Petoskey State Park

    Under $25

    A Lake Michigan beach where visitors comb the shoreline for Michigan's official state stone.

    53 mi awayMore like this