Silver Beach County Park Reviews

Great beach loved it nice bathrooms and concession stand went there and enjoyed summer jam country concert. A great experience friendly staff

Beautiful area. Fun for even the cold weather. We walked out to the fishing area and watched them braving the cold for what they said as really good Salmon.

We found ourselves in St. Joe on accident this weekend. What a great find! We figured we would check out the beach. It is wonderful. There is a ton of great stuff there. Parking was easy and cheap. The beach is beautiful and lots of space. Beach volleyball, life guards, bathrooms, concessions, playground, splash pad, really everything. We will be spending a weekend or 2 here this summer.

It is a beautiful beach, unfortunately due to the influx of Chicago people during the summer months it is all but unusable. No available parking, and they leave their trash lay on the beach :( It's a shame to see such a wonderful area being overrun by Illinois license plates.

My advise for locals, get there early and stake out a good sized spot before "they" show up.

My advise for Chicago people, stay on your side of the lake...

Just to the west of St.Josephs downtown district is Silver Beach. If you wish you can get great paid parking, or You can opt for a free parking spot with a long walk. Beach is clean. Sand is soft, not full of rocks. There is a clean beach house to change and restrooms which are also well kept. No alcohol is allowed on the beach, and in season the sheriffs police do patrol. Get there early during the season for a good spot.

I've only visited in the autumn and found Silver Beach to be a clean, lovely, family friendly place. It must be wonderful in the summer. There are restaurants nearby along with an interactive fountain if Lake Michigan isn't enough to cool you off.

Nice big beach with views of the lighthouse. Toilets and consessions are close by. Skip the consession stand though and grab a pizza at the pick up window at Silver Beach Pizza just behind the big water fountain that everyone can run through. Great day at the beach!

We enjoy this beach, we come here every year,walking the long pier to check out the lighthouse, or renting paddle boards.

We were in town for a wedding and decided to stop by the beach. The carousel was open and the kids had fun ($3 ride per person). It is a great beach, clean, relaxing and beautiful sights. Although we were disappointed that the light house is not on the beach side of the pier. You can only access it from the Tiscornia Park to the north. There is a fee to park in either lot, no credit cards accepted. However if you are going to the beach, you can park on the street near Ryebelles and take the 5min walk to the beach. The beach side pier is nice for great pictures, use caution if you decide to walk to the end of the pier past the blue fence barrier.

After a meal at Silver Beach Pizza, take a walk throughout the park and south pier, wand then watch the sun set. Lots of folks having fun and enjoying the lake front.

Lovely beach with concession stand, an indoor carousel, playground and nearby park. Beach was clean and fairly crowded in the afternoon, lots of volleyball players but the morning was empty. Lovely spot on Lake Michigan. Parking on beach $12. Free parking a couple blocks away.

Having toured down from Holland (and further south) noticed that a great number of beaches at St Josephs and beyond had a $10 parking charge yet those further north did not. If I was spending the whole day on the beach it wouldn't be an issue but for just an hour It was prohibitive (I parked on road for free). The walk up to the lighthouse was nice and there are good facilities.

What a wonderful beach and park! This is one of the reasons why we return to St. Joesph every year! Beautiful, sandy beach to relax or build a sandcastle. Great place for kids to swing, slide, or climb on the jungle gym! Food stand and restrooms on sight too. It's a must see!

The Sunsets there are amazing ! Really worth to see it ! Come along with friends and family too, since there are great places to enjoy and walk around there.

We absolutely love this beach and town. Perfect sandy beach and beautiful lake water. Lots of stuff for all ages. Park area for kids right on the beach, beautiful pier, carousel and great pizza. Even when the beach is busy there is tons of room.
Definitely will continue to come back.

It's a great beach, great location, great lake (Great Lake :) ) - but it is a public park. VERY busy and LOTs of people. And it's free - so expect all kinds of people. We encountered several entitlement-minded people who believe that everything is about them, regardless of how it affects others. They threw sand and water that landed on senior citizens sitting on the beach... no apologies. Splashed toddlers, almost ran over toddlers, again, no apologies. Instead, their dad decided to come warn us to "watch your own kids, not mine" even though nothing had been said to the kids, just the mom, asking her to keep them from the sr. citizen. The dad said "move if you don't like it, I ain't tellin' my kids what to do or not to do!" Obviously...!!

Other than that, and ALL the trash that irresponsible people leave behind or throw around, it was great. Do prefer the less-populated Lyons Beach just down the shoreline

Silver Beach is family oriented, clean, food vendors, nice beach, loved walking out to the lighthouse too! If you want exercise, you can walk the sandy trail to the beach, to the lighthouse, or up the, what feeled like a zillion steps, up to the town area. It was a beautiful day, 77 degrees. Enjoyed watching the boats go by farther down the beach area. It's a must see and enjoy beach!

I think St Joe gets overlooked because South Haven is so well known but it is a beautiful beach year round.

Very clean beach. Grandkids enjoyed walking on the beach. Water was a little to cold to swim. Enjoyed the park

This is a hidden gem - everything is just perfect - it has activities for everyone - walking along the pier - cooking out - watching the sunset - being on the beach - it's just fantastic and a happy place

It is a beautiful county park located in St Joseph Michigan. The beach is very nice, there are concession stand and playground for children. The boardwalk is nice for walking year round. The Carousel at Silver beach is open during the summer.. A trip to the Silver beach pizza is always great.very good food.sometimes parking can be a problem. The town of St Joseph is a very nice cobblestone town and offers many quaint little shops and restaurants to chose from. Definitely a place to put on your vacation list. Many nice quality hotels in the area to stay at.

This was so awesome to see during the winter! There was snow and ice in the water and ice covered on the bridge. One of the coolest things I've seen.

This was amazing. Such a clean beach and I felt comfortable taking off my sandles. They definitely take care of their beach daily. It was so perfect. Beautiful sunset.

This beach is very crowded. It is across the river from the lighthouses. Do yourself a favor and go to the beach where the lighthouses are at Tiscornia Park.

Silver beach looks a lot like South Beach in South Haven, MI. It has a view of a lighthouse, a long, skinny shoreline to the left, playground equipment, and concessions. The sand was not quite as clean as South Beach--there were a lot of little twigs in it--but there were other attractions such as BBQ grills, a dressing room, some short sand dunes, volleyball nets (North Beach has that), and a separate water attraction just off the beach. There is also a carousel near the water attraction and a restaurant.

The water is pretty clean (if you get there in the morning). We were there on July 4, so with the number of people visiting that day, it wasn't very clean by the end of the day. The ground is soft in the water so you don't have to worry about your feet hurting with rocks and stuff. There is something to do for everyone in the family at this park. St. Joseph also has a cute downtown, but the sister city, Benton Harbor, is mostly deserted. I'd definitely recommend this beach as one to go to on Lake Michigan.

Made a stop there while on a vacation to Chicago and Indiana Dunes and was blown away. This is as good as any beach I've been to on the Gulf of Mexico. Very clean, nice tourist activities nearby (the carasel, restaurants and shops in downtown STJ, the lighthouse, etc). Next time we're staying here instead of IN Dunes.

This is a very nice park. good location to swim, picnic, walk. very clean easy parking and a nice little drive if you dont want to park and get out. looking at the lake is beautiful. I grew up n this area and had the opportunity to revisit this past summer. still a fun place to go even at age 65

Just went for the day with wife and toddler. We arrived around 11am on a Saturday, and as expected it was packed. A little pricey for parking ($12), but with the lot right near the beach, it made carrying stuff a lot easier. Sand was clean, food/drink shop was on site, and restrooms were clean. Water was cold, but that's expected in Lake Michigan

Our family just wanted to do a quick walk by the water and pier. Parking was $12 for a daily pass. Almost better off purchasing an annual pass for $36 if you visit more than one time.

We tried to visit on Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. We have truly never seen so many people on a beach. Mostly high school kids. Parking was expensive and it was very difficult getting in and out. Absolutely not!

Go to ANY of the other beaches we visited in the area. ALL are upgrades to this place.

In mid September, weather was sunny, in 80's everyday. Since I'm 72, I went to sunbathe all week after 3 PM, quieter at that time of day. It was divine.

Thus was our first stop of our exploration of Michigan. This is a nice little beach. Since it was October, in the middle of the Coronavirus, it wasn't too crowded. There were college kids playing beach volleyball, a few people in the water, and cool art around the beach. It was a nice place to spend some time.

Very nice park. Clean beach, pier to walk out on to see lighthouse. Really cool water feature for kids and an old fashioned indoor carousel.

We went to photograph the sunset. We got some good shots over a half hour but you have to walk to waters edge as the benches are on the sidewalk and a lot of passers by will walk in from of your camera. Otherwise ok.

I was super embarrassed with this public lake front beach location. Clean, fun, and everything you need in walking distance.
I definitely recommend this for anyone and everyone wanting to have a beach day with friends and family.

Beautiful. Relaxing. Clean. Love this spot to stop and relax for the day. We drive from the Chicagoland area a few times a year to spend the day here and have lunch and walk around downtown St. Josephs.
We love the views, how clean it is, and the ever changing beauty of the Lake Michigan shoreline! Great place to come with family, friends, and kids!!

We came to visit family that moved to St. Joe 2 years ago. I will be honest, Silver Beach & St Joe by far exceeded my expectations. This place is one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

Great place to visit if in the area. Very clean beach and surroundings. Great for the family if you have kids. Easy access to parking some free, some you pay for but closer to beach. Plenty of restaurants close by in town. Great place for seeing the lighthouse and getting some R&R.

Visited here Sunday right at sunset. With "waveburgs" tall as 10-15'tall that you could walk out on was just beautiful. Seeing huge chunks of ice what looked like a mile off shore and the sun setting was a "godly" moment.

Really great beach with lots of parking, great food options, very kid friendly. Will be back! Silver Beach pizza was good but the beach and splash pad were the hit. Amtrak super close as well

St. Joseph North Pierhead Inner and Outer Lighthouss, St Joseph Michigan.
Awesome, exhilarating and breathtaking all rolled into one. Wonderful sunset and the Lighthouses were more than we had expected to see. If you are ever in the area please take time to stop and take it all in. Plenty for all to see and do for young or not so young. Worth the walk out to the every end of the pierhead to appreciate it all.
Had to leave our footprints in the sand too.

September 2017 was a warm month! So my daughter and I went, my first time. I loved it. The beach is huge and so pretty. It was a long walk from the car through deep sand. We arrived early around 10-1030 am on a Saturday. We picked a perfect spot to sit, but as it got later more people showed up and sat on top of us. It wasn't that crowded either. I will definitely be going again summer 2018!!

We loved the beach area!!!! Very nice, clean, safe, and easily accessible. I can't wait to go back. Lots of play ground area for the kiddos and a big fountain area as well. Very fun for sure. Highly recommend!

Highly recommended for a fun, family excursion! What a great time that we had walking around the beach and surrounding town. Beautiful!

The beach was the best. Very clean and not crowded. They had a place you could be snacks - even tho they were a little pricy. They have very nice bathrooms. They charged $15 for the day parking. You could get a couple blocks away - on the street parking - if you went early enough in the morning. There is a splash pad, a carousel and a depot that sold pizza. It is a beautiful place to spend the day.

Beautiful sandy beach and shallow water for a swim. Out family favorite due to closeness to home. We have been here several times and never get bored.

Clean beach walking distance to carousel, splash pad, Silver Beach Pizza (call ahead for seating) nice playground on the beach and very nice restrooms/changing rooma

A great place to visit!

Free. No admission. Parking can be free, if you don’t mind walking a little bit. If not, you can pay to park in their parking lot.

Silver Beach County Park/Silver Beach Amusement Park. Exploring Downtown Saint Joseph. Michigan. 9/1/18.

The beach is wonderful year round. Beach, water, pier and walking sculpture park are only a few of its great charms. Just off the beach is a indoor carousel. Spend an hour or a day, you will love this gem on Michigan's west coast.

Beautiful soft sand beach within walking distance of downtown St. Joseph, MI. Sitting on the beach we watched freighters go by, listened to the gentle sound of waves lapping on the shore. You can rent stand up paddle boards, or buy boogie boards and sand toys at the shop on the beach. There is a play structure for kids right on the beach, volleyball nets for the athlete in you, and adjacent to the beach is a giant splash pad, and an enclosed carousel for kids to ride. We skipped rocks on the more secluded part of the beach. The one down side is that you have to pay to park. (We just walked from our hotel (about 8 minutes).

Love this place. It is our refuge once a year to return to and absorb the beauty of St. Joseph. Outside of outlandish parking prices... this place is perfect

Our first southwest Michigan beach vacation was beyond all our expectations and Silver Beach in Saint Joseph was the primary reason. We have always loved Lake Michigan having lived in Chicagoland for 12 years but this beach caught us all by pleasant surprise.

It's like time stood still around 50 years ago. The sand is perfect. The amenities like rest rooms, children's indoor carousel and an outdoor splash park are amazing. The pace is relaxed and slow. There is little distraction or noise save the lake waves and the seagull calls.

The occasional Amtrak train arriving and departing with its unique whistle behind you adds to the sense of nostalgia. And beautiful, clean and casually elegant downtown Saint Joseph on the bluff above you accessible by a most unique stairway tops everything off.

We will be back hopefully many times with future grandkids and family. The prices are reasonable. You really think you're in Florida or the Caribbean if you didn't know better.

We spent the afternoon here with the children and were very happy with the spacious beaches. They were also clean and gave plenty of room to enjoy the lake. The public bathrooms were also clean.

There were a couple of playgrounds good for ages 5-10 maybe and a small shack that sold snacks and soft served ice cream. We took a walk to the light house but decided to admire it from a distance since we could not see how to get across from where we were. The view was beautiful just the same. If you walk up to the parking area you'll also find a pizza shop and an indoor carousel. All in all a great place to spend the afternoon.

Life guards were present and the swimming area is separated from the boat area with buoy markers.

Clean beach with nice parking. Our family arrived early...approx 1030am. Had no trouble with parking and were able to get a nice close spot to the water. It got pretty busy come 1230/1. Was impressed with the amount of lifeguards. A nice, Clean and family friendly beach! We are looking forward to returning!

Had dinner in town then headed to the beach to catch the sunset. $12 to park right on the beach, $7 to park in a lot by the fountains a couple blocks from the beach. Free parking (if you can find an open spot) in the lots in town but you have to walk down a lonnnggg ramp or lots of stairs to get down to the beach. My daughter was in a boot due to an ankle injury so I dropped my family off at the beach, they have a drop off area. Then I parked and walked down to join them. Sand is nice and the water was clean. I can imagine this beach gets very crowded.

We drove up for the week for our first time. We traveled the coast from Indiana & North to South Haven. After visiting beaches in South Haven, New Buffalo & St Joseph, this one was our favorite. There were lots of things to do here; carousel, splash pad, shops in town, Silver Beach pizza & more. Parking is $12 near the beach, but you can park up the hill & take the stairs down for free. There was a time limit on the parking. Nice area & we really enjoyed it.

It was hot, the beach was crowded, but not so crowded we couldn't find a spot fairly close to the water. Lots of amenities here, playground, food stand, pizza place, and splash pad. At first saw lifeguards walking around, then they manned the towers. There are buoys marking how far out you can go, people were called in twice for going outside the area. Water stays shallow all the was to buoys, its a little over waist high for adults, at least at midday. Parking is high $15 so we parked a ways out and walked. If I had kids and tons to carry, would have paid for parking. Water is cold, swear its warmer at Tiscornia.

We visited St. Joe's for a long weekend the end of October. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was beautiful and in the 70s all week. We walked along Silver Beach our first night there and it was so nice to see all the people picnic-ing, kids playing on the beach, lots of couples out for an evening stroll. I fell in love that evening with this quaint little beach town. I am a fan of the gulf of mexico in FL and it's so far to get there- but when I need a beach fix- I'm heading north. Lake Michigan did not disappoint. It is beautiful with it's dune grasses and the view of the lighthouse was spectacular. We walked out to the end of the pier as the water was very calm that night. On Sunday night we tried to do the same and the rain was getting ready to come in and we did not make it very far on the pier at all as the waves were coming up pretty far on the pier and we were headed to dinner in town.

This's a great park located at downtown St. Joseph which ties up with lake, sand, lighthouse, fountain, etc. Clean beach has a plenty of outdoor activity spaces, such as beach volleyball, kayak , playground for kids.Nice walk around the beach and toward to the lighthouse where is the great spot for taking a picture of sunset.

The first time we went, it was a family weekend getaway. Its maybe an hour away from us so figured we didnt have anything to lose. We got a hotel and spent 1 day at the beach and playing on the playground, the next day we did the museum, carousel, pier, and the kids activity place (unsure of the name of it now...) watched boats and a barge, walked around the shops up the hill. Amazing time and talked about alot! The 2 time was just my husband and i, wine tasted, lunch on top of roof looking out at the lake, walked almost the whole beach, farmers market......for families or a much needed date its worth the drive!!!

This was a nice city beach. We spent the afternoon catching up with a friend. I didn't love the $15 parking but with the event in town we had little choice. Pro tip: If you don't have a ton of gear, park in town and walk down the stairs. Bathrooms were moderately clean. Sunset was great.

This beach has no shade, but is otherwise family friendly with a life guard on duty, very soft sand, plenty of amenities nearby, and clear water that is shallow enough for a toddler to wade in. When we were there, the waves were very calm. Only downside is that it was rather busy (mid-day on a Tuesday in July).

Love this beach! Perfect for kids young and old! Nice facilities. Snack bar, playscape, lifeguards, volleyball courts and beautiful original statues; what's not to love???

Beach was great. Bathrooms need to be cleaned more often. Always have a wonderful time there! So relaxing and everyone is friendly.

Lots of trash and wind blown sand, appears to be a budget cut and not maintained as it was in previous years.

This was a great find and such a beautiful area. It’s a busy area this time of year, but so much to do and check out. Definitely a great stop with kids!

We had a blast at Silver Beach! Nice clean beach, fun,waves, and a concession stand with super expensive food. It’s $12 to park near the beach but worth it as finding parking is almost impossible and usually 2or 3 hour limit. Stay for the sunset, you won’t be sorry. Walk out to the lighthouse and you might see a barge going up the river!

Beach and waterfront: A (wonderful beach setting and safe swimming in fun waves)
Bathrooms: F (filthy - puddles of overflowed urine on mens' bathroom floor - badly in need of modernization)
Lifeguards: D (more time spent talking with each other than watching swimmers)

We hope to come back next summer, or find a similar area beach with cleaner/better bathroom amenities.

Nice beach place to hand around particularly on a sunny day. It is near the beach has a great view of the light house which is a very historical monument.

Wether you are here for leisure, visiting friends or business, you must stop a minute and go to Silver Beach, the white sand and big beah makes it great, you can take your cooler, play a little Voley Ball, walk arround go to the pair, a variety of activitys or just relax on the sand of this amazin beach.

This is a great place to gather with others to watch the sun set over Lake Michigan. The clean sand beach is also an excellent place to spend the day sunning and playing in the water. Be aware that there is paved parking, but the cost is $12/car.

First time there! The setting is great. Child friendly. Lots to do. The lighthouse is such a picture perfect view. The park is so well maintained! I would not hesitate to take children there. But it is popular and very busy. And if you get tired of the beach there is plenty to do on State street along with several eateries and wineries! Take a weekend and check it out!

Love to have sand under my feet! Wonderful place to go sit enjoy the view! Reflect on the day, no matter what time of the year!

Nice, clean, and assessable. We enjoyed a relaxing day on the beach. Good parking, nice amenities with clean restrooms and food venter on the beach. The view of the lighthouse and boat traffic was spectacular. Near the carosel,Silver Beach Pizza, and the fountains. Also near the nice downtown area. We loved being there.

Very Clean and peaceful place to visit while visiting Benton Harbor. Great views , fountains nearby for the little ones to play, and a tasty restaurant to visit within walking distance ( Silver Beach Pizza--awesome!!)

I had booked five rooms five couples used each term as we were attending a wedding. We spent two nights there and each and everyone of us five rooms 10 people they were so accommodating hotel was very clean maintenance and housekeeping. Do a wonderful job that was flooring in the room no carpet which I love.
They left us check in early because some of the rooms were ready. They were great…. SIA Check this in and whenever I spoke with him on the phone, he was super nice and friendly, even left us the umbrella to walk to the venue for the wedding…… very accommodating!!! Complementary was simple, but great!!! Thank you to all 😍🥰😍🥰

Wished we knew about this place sooner. Gosh it is absolutely beautiful. The pizza, the waterpark and the view of the Lighthouse was perfect. St. Joseph, Michigan.

The beach is beautiful, clean, and a great spot to go and be able to relax and enjoy the best of the great lakes.

Silver Beach was our family's first stop on our Michigan trip, and it was absolutely beautiful! It was raining most of the morning and we decided we should at least walk around. The sun started shining and the pristine sand and beautiful clear waves were such a treat! Very nice amenities at this beach as well. I highly recommend for anyone stopping in St. Joseph.

Beach was beautiful and clean very nice views and nice town! The parking was a rip 15$ didn’t know you can park at top of hill in town all day free and walk! Wouldn’t have minded the 15$ but the bathrooms are gross I would say they need a shovel power washer and bleach to clean them and I am not too picky but all the money people are paying and you can’t clean them people are gross too and I agree but they hadn’t been cleaned in days it looked to me!

We spent some time at Silver Beach on our recent vacation in Michigan. What a beautiful beach! Clean sand and a lakefront that is free of rocks! It has good facilities and offers a playground and splash pad for the kids. I highly recommend this beach if you are looking for a nice day in the sun! Much better than New Buffalo Beach which was rocky and dirty. No comparison!

This is a big beach and there is plenty to be done here. There is a carousal, crazy water spraying that kids go absolutely bonkers for. Close by you can get a slice of the best pizza in town, Silver Beach Pizza. Walk the pier, go see the lighthouse, check out boats speeding by, and be safe! The only negative at this beach is how crowded it is. I don't like being in close quarters to many people I've known for yesterday, but not a chance in hell that I wanna be that close to the dude wearing a speedo, on buttcheek touching my towel. Time to burn that towel. Keep em' off your towel, especially dudes with speedos on, and youll have a pretty awesome day doing everthing else this place has to offer.

Silver beach is very nice - clean, fun playground equipment, bathrooms and a food stand. It is extremely crowded on the weekends, but was better during the week. Can walk to the carousel and splash pad as well.

We stopped by on a day when the weather was in the 90's and very humid. Needless to say the beach was packed. Even so it looked as though there was room for more people and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Couple of life guards were on duty and there was a building for food and refreshments so you didn't have to leave the beach area.

We enjoyed going to Silver Beach and the nearby St Joe Lighthouse. A must see if you’re in the area.

Beautiful sand and usually calm and clear water. Great snack bar. Bathrooms could use more cleaning. Lots to do in this quant little town.

We went here for the first & last time 8/26. It was $12 to park and while the sand was clean, the bathrooms were just short of horrific. We walked around the beach area for about 3 hours or so.

I love the beach here in Saint Joseph. It is really cold water since it is Lake Michigan but the beach is wonderful. The views here are amazing.

Beautiful area, great place to enjoy the warm summer weather and watch the stunning sunsets over lake Michigan. Past the beach there is a great area to walk and enjoy the water.

A family must. Right in downtown St Joe’s. Ride a beautiful carousel, enjoy the water guns and splash fountain area and beautiful beach. Watch the trains go thru the station too!

Still the most beautiful sunsets around the country are in Michigan...
I've seen them in Florida, and California, and Michigan still ranks number one!!

Silver Beach County Park was worth a visit. We went specifically to see the lighthouses. They were reviewed separately with mention of the beach and downtown. Though we didn’t partake in beach activities, families appeared to be enjoying themselves. It’s important to note that one set of restrooms were closed and the ones connected to the bathhouses were very dirty. Overall, however, we enjoyed exploring this area.

Wonderful sandy beach with usually calm waters. The area also has playground equipment for when the kids tire of building sand castles. Bring an umbrella as the sun can be brutal. Water can be warm even later in the summer and early fall.

Just got back from a 3-night vacation here. I love this beach, and love floating around on the waves w/a boogie board/noodles while out in Lake Michigan. Love the white sand, the convenient restrooms, changing area, and concessions. This beach does get busy, but it's still fun. It was $12 for an all-day parking pass for us to park here, but it's only $6 if you live in Berrien County.

We walked over after visiting the fountain and was impressed with this beach. While the beach is obviously the main attraction, they had a good sized playground for kids to enjoy as well. The place is well maintained in general. My wife and I went for a nice walk and there is a long pier you can go on as well. Definitely better than your typical country beach and would go back.

It was hard to find a parking spot in the first place and then when I looked toward that direction it was so overcrowded I did not even care to try to fight the crowds. I went to tiscornia beach and even though I had to pay to park it was much much less crowded and peaceful, and I was parked close by the beach.

Visiting Michigan from the southern US, I was in awe at this quaint beach along Lake Michigan. With the carousel, playground, and snack shack, it was truly like something you would see on a movie. The beach is clean, but was VERY crowded on the July day that we visited. I would definitely plan on getting here early if you are planning on getting a prime beach spot.

Great beach. Even in the winter. We went for a short beach walk. Was nice to hear the waves break as the ice was riding on top. Even saw a guy making a sand angel. While the wind was cold. Beach was better than work. Note: beach gets very busy in the summer. Some times hard to find a place to park, get there early.

Complete with life guards, volleyball nets and plenty of sand. We had a great time and the beach wasn't too crowded.

Large clean beach with big playground area, restrooms, concessions.
A charge for parking which will fill up. Free parking at the top of the bluff with a long staircase down to the beach.
Plan on spending the day here.
Fantastic splash pad for all ages too.

Love walking on the pier to the end by the light house. The beach is beautiful but the water is too cold.

Spent numerous summers on this beach and pier fishing for perch. Fantastic place to spend the day or weekend

I visited Silver Beach with my husband for a weekend getaway. We arrived and could not park in the main lot because we didn't have cash. It is $12 to park, cash only. We found another lot down the road by the splash fountains for only $7, and it took card. The lots fill up fast, so get there early! The beach has concession stands, bathrooms, volleyball courts, and a playground. There is something for everyone. The sand is so soft and white, and the water is clean and clear.

We love beaches and this was a very good one. Somewhat crowded but I wouldn't expect less with school starting soon.

We bought our family with young children to the beach for July 4th fireworks and will definitely not do that again! Very crowded with uniformed foot patrol everywhere probably for good reason thinking of drugs and alcohol. There was a flash mob of about 50-60 youths marching through the beach within 20 feet of us. We were concerned for our safety and were nervous about a potential volatile situation breaking out. This is not what I had in mind to celebrate the 4th of July with my family. There must be safer places around St. Joe other than Silver Beach to bring families for the fireworks.

This place is quite populated but fantastic sand and clear water. There are plenty of food spots around and the area. Also there are lots of shops.

This is the main go to in St Joe. If you're looking to park for the day this is your spot. Bathrooms and Concessions on site. Lifeguards on duty. Walking distance to downtown. Fountain and Carousel closed at this time 8/2020

We spent the day here on our way home. This is now my favorite Michigan Beachtown! I really like many others (South Haven, Holland, Grand Haven, etc...), but If I can’t live in Cali, this has that perfect summer beach vibe! Walking trails, food on the beach, adorable St. Joe overlooking Lake Michigan, it’s awesome! I’m going back next weekend-hopefully, have more reviews too!

We've been to this beach a few times before, and it's always an enjoyable visit. Restrooms are on site, Lifeguards are on duty during the summer, the town and Silver Beach Pizza are a short walk away, the beach is clean, there's a pier for you to walk along, and for children the Compass Fountain and Carousel are also nearby. We just spent two days there with our 4 kids ages 4-16.

This beach deserves high praise! Not only is it beautiful and well taken care of, it offers swings, slides, food vendors, restrooms and plenty of benches to relax on. Bring your own chairs, umbrellas, kites and sunscreen. The sheer beauty of this park takes care of the views.
Parking is $10. For nonresidents of St. Joseph and a smaller fee for residents.
It also includes a Lighthouse and pier. Lots of fishermen line up to catch the fish, and most are pretty good at talking to you about their latest catch.

Everybody enjoyed the water spray area and the beach. Beautiful and clean beach. We ended up here because Warren Sand Dunes was closed unexpectedly. We drive through a ton of traffic coming from Chicagoland, so if you're driving the same way, leave early in the morning, because traffic in Indiana added over an hour to the trip.

What a clean beautiful beach and park. There is so much to do here. The water park is stunning and so much fun for kids from 2 to 102.

Here's one of those great Lake Michigan town beaches, easily available and offering something for everyone, from the kids to the gramps and everyone in between. Adults can mosey on up the hill to the town for shopping. Kids can play to their hearts content in all the amazing wonders of a beach.

We found this beach to be a very clean strip of sand with ample life-guards on duty. The sand was very soft, not having all the gravel like New Buffalo's beach. The beach is close to the parking lot and has excellent changing facilities.

This is such a beautiful beach, but extremely crowded in the summer months. Restrooms, changing stalls and a concession stand easily accessible. Plus nice park equipment for kids to play on. A little expensive to get in and park if you don't have a pass.

Large beach on Lake Michigan with lots of different activities. There are volleyball nets and enough room that you don't feel crowded out. There is a carousel and a water feature which is quite interesting. There are some good food options including the best pizza you will find in the area. The changing facilities and washrooms are really good and are well maintained. If you do park at the beach, it is $12 for a full day for non-residents.

The local governments have done good with this beach. There is a decent amount of parking available for a fee if you want to park right smack dab on the beach. Otherwise, we parked on the hill (downtown area) over looking the beach (free 2 hour parking) and just walked down. Short, easy walk which goes by the carousel. There are two play areas for kids of varying ages right as you walk in. Further in and closer to the water is plenty of room to spread out and claim a spot. There are also volleyball setups for those who want to play. Keep your alcohol hidden as there seems to be a Sheriff presence much of the time and a sign that states no alcohol. Definitely a great spot to relax!

If you've been to any other beach anywhere in the world, take a pass. Parking is expensive, restrooms are dirty. Stay at your hotels pool and save time and money.

This was a good day trip, we drove from the Ann Arbor area, about 2.5 hours. The beach was wide and clean the water at the beach area was shallow letting the kids go farther out from the beach. Being my first time to Lake Michigan I was not prepared for how cold the water still was. The area around the beach was nice with a large splash pad across from the carousel.

We came here to see the sunset! Absolutely beautiful. I would recommend all to come out to see the sunset at night.

Very cool little beach town. The whole area is very clean and the beach area is bustling with activity. We were just passing through for the day and had a great time eating at Bucks and sight seeing.

Beautiful Sunset and relaxed environment. Sand, volleyball, sunset and nice beach, all you need is your bathing suit and extra time.

This probaly one of the best on lake Michigan, With all the things to see and do in St. Joe, then on a hot summers day, to be able to take a dip to cool off.............NICE ! Since it is a county park, there is a charge to park, but you can spend the day.

Went here with my boyfriend back in July & I absolutely loved it! I’ve never seen anything more beautiful! It was clean and very safe to be there at night!

We made sure we were at the beach each night so that we could see the sunsets. Even when is was cloudy out, the color spectrum's were beautiful.

This beach area seems to be the heart of st joseph. We usually dont go to this beach bc it is very crowded. We went this last trip and it was actually very nice. Huge beach area so able to get your own space near the water. Water had a decent amount of garbage and pollution which I didnt love to see. Boats seem to get very close as well.

We have been up and down the west side of Michigan and this beach is great. There are wonderful volleyball courts, various play areas, green space and excellent water access. There is lots of parking but it is a cost. Made the spot and check it out.

Lots of picnic tables. We brought pizza from down the street. After lunch we walked the path by the beach. Bathrooms were clean. $15 for parking. Helicopters were flying over and were very loud. I'm not sure if this is an all the time thing but it was pretty annoying.

This is nice park with a variety of activities. The entrance fee is $15.00 per car, per day. This fee is reasonable if you plan on staying for a few hours or more. However, if you are trying to take picture of the sunsets over Lake Michigan and are only in the park for an hour or less, this fee is unreasonable. There is a park across the river where you can park for much less.

You want to go on vacation to Silver Beach Mi. The beach is wide open and plenty of parking on the street or in the $10.00 parking lot. Shopping and restaurants within walking distance of each other. We will be going back.

I grew up there and my father in a small cottage along the beach in 1902. In the 50s and 60s I spent most of my free time at the Silver Beach amusement park, fishing off the piers, and swimming and exploring the dunes at Lions beach and Silver beach. St Joe was a great town to grow up in and the schools were top notch - U of M Engineering grad.

We were in town visiting a friend that has 2 young kids, so this was a great spot to check out. We took the kids to the smaller, less Sandy play area. The kids had a good time with their mom while we checked out the beach, lighthouse and the river. The views were so beautiful but there were so many people it was hard to enjoy much of the beach. I know it was a week or two before school starting but wow there were a ton of people, especially for a Wednesday during the day. I think I would find a quieter beach in the future.

We make a day trip here from Chicago a couple of times a year. The park has a decent sized parking lot (you have to pay to park), changing facilities, a beach, a playground, a snack bar, and lots of people. Don’t miss the nearby carousel.

This was a very nice area to enjoy the lake. We were there off season so it was practically empty. I would think this would be a nice place for a family with kids to stay and enjoy the beach and water. We walked out on the pier close the light house. It was a bit cold and windy but that was our only day there. If I lived in that area I would definitely go back for a few days

Great park for kids of all ages!! A splash pad, science center, carousel and beautiful beach! Loved my time there!!!!

We stayed 3 nights in St. Joseph. The beach is nicer than most in Florida! There is a concession area, playground, life guards and also the whirlpool compass fountains and the silver beach carousel..which are great activities for the kids (ours are 2 and 11). Silver Beach Pizza (which is excellent) is only a few steps away as well. Once you walk into town which is just up the hill, there are many food options and cute little shops. Something for everyone here!

1st time visit with absolute recommendation for family with young kids. Very nice sand beach and access. Nearby water splashes are bonus.

This is a neat park. You can take either the stairs or the ramp down to the waterfront. The sunsets from the observation deck are very pretty. The splashpad is really cool because every now and then they turn on the fountains which make a drenching, firehose style spray.

Pros: clean restrooms, food and drink available, very nice sand in and out of water and large.
Cons: must get early to get a parking spot, steps and ramp to beach very tiring.

We had a great time at Silver Beach! It was clean, they had bathrooms as well a kids play area. With little kids, this was definitely helpful. Nearby they have food, a nice little downtown with shops and it's easy to get around. During the time we went it did get a little crowded but we were still able to find a spot.

This beach has it all for all ages!
You can just relax on the beach or
Talk a nice walk down to the pier.
they have many volley ball nets set up.
for small kids they can play in the sand or play on one of the pay ground areas.
there is a snack place to buy snacks and drinks.
there is a fee to park but if you park in town, parking is FREE
But it is a long walk.
the beach is clean and soft to walk on no rocks
will come back again and again.

Beautiful beach. Parking is easy and close. Lighthouse and sailboats coming in and out are picturesque

Nice place, nice view, happy people, this is Silver Beach County Park, a place the reminded me a beach.

Our 1st time to Silver Beach County Park, but definitely not our last! The sand is as powdery soft as the Florida Gulf Coast beaches that we love. Only difference is SB is the beautiful color of light brown sugar. The water is crystal clear. “No Salt/No Sharks”. SBCP offers very clean bathrooms, outdoor showers, a nice beach concession stand offering a fast food fare and cold drinks as well as sunscreen and beach/water toys for the kiddos if you forgot to bring your. A playground on the beach and beach volleyball courts too! Parking is only $12! Bring your cooler, beach chairs and umbrella and spend the entire day! You won’t be disappointed!

This is a beautiful park. There is actually an Amtrak stop here. There is a giant fountain to play in and a carousel. Parking, bathrooms, swimming, picnic areas, food....bring the kids. Only problem 72 steps up and down or a ramp, but it’s worth it.

Beach much nicer than it used to be. Clean, no rocks on beach or in water. By the little downtown area, places to eat, changing rooms, lifeguard.

This is a nice beach with a nice view. But, goodness its crowded. We Went on a weekday in the Am and it was next to impossible to find a spot where someone was not sitting on top of you. The sand there is so deep its a workout to get anywhere near the water. There is no shade at all. Make sure you bring a sun umbrella. The great part about this beach is that it is near so much. We parked for the day wandered around Downtown St. Joseph and went to the fountain. To tell you though save in parking if you don't have small kids. There is free all day parking just up the hill.

The beach and water were great, but the amenities left a lot to be desired. They charge $15 per car for non residents. There were no working foot showers to rinse sand off your feet and the bathrooms were absolutely disgusting. So much so that I couldn’t even stomach using them. A portapotty would have been cleaner. With the amount of revenue they are bringing in from this park alone, the bathrooms should be cleaned hourly, if not more, on a a busy weekend beach day. Also, it does not seem that they monitor how many cars are entering vs. leaving so we drove around stalking the parking lot for a good 30 minutes before we finally snagged a parking spot. Bottom line, arrive very early or late if you want to find parking spot easily and don’t expect a lot for the $15 entry fee.

On a solo drive back home after visiting friends in SE Michigan, I got off the interstate for a relaxing break at this lovely beach. It was late enough in the season when I visited that there were no admission fees, and very few other people were walking on the beach when I was there. The views were outstanding.

After shopping at the cute downtown in St. Joe & too early for dinner, took a ride down to silver beach. It was chilly, with people wind surging on the water. It was beautiful with the sun reflecting on the water. Beware during the season there is a charge for parking.

Paid 12 dollars for parking but we enjoyed the large sandy beach area. Plenty of rentals and not crowded for a Sunday Funday. The bathrooms were clean and concessions were available.

This is a great beach. It's a drive for me but I love to come and spend the entire day and watch the beautiful sunsets. A great place for all ages. There are many things to do and spend the entire day such as; walk the pier, splash pad for kids, volleyball, and of course just enjoy the soft sandy beach. The pizza place across the street has great pizza.

This is a great location to take walks and visit with people. It is also a great place to watch the magnificent sunsets over the lake looking towards Chicago.

a very popular and impressive beach with a play area, restrooms and food concessions. the swim area is outlined with buoys and manned lifeguards to watch over everyone. there are other areas outside of the swim and beach area, still in the park, along the shoreline including small pockets in the dunes, paved trails leading to a channel for boats and lighthouses one can walk to. there are many tables, benches and bbqs within the park for use. the restrooms are clean and taken care of and there are water fountains with foot showers to clean off the fine grained sand. we were extremely lucky to have a beautiful day and evening for taking photos of the sunset. admission is $12 for an all day pass with plenty of parking for easy access and the ranger mentioned that we could leave and come back later as long as we had our pass, which we did. Lake Michigan never disappoints with its rolling waves and sandy bottom.. definitely will return to this fantastic beach and its amenities.

Great family beach! Plenty of parking on a Tuesday in June that was perfect weather (hot). Lot never filled up. Bathrooms adequate, close to beach. Beach a close walk from parking lot. Lifeguards didn’t start till around 11:00. Plenty of space to spread out. Some smokers and vapers unfortunately, but mostly nice people. Nice, clean water, but tons of biting flies on the beach. Excellent concession stand with friendly staff. We wish the feet showers have been working. Instead, we walked a short distance to the enormous splash pad across the park. Neat design. Safe and cute area. Would return.

We visited a few minutes after sunset and the colors on the water were magical. If we’d stayed longer I would have enjoyed walking along the pier.

The beach is very clean with a big kid area. The pizza place by the beach is great. And they also have a carousel.

Silver Beach is a popular place to visit. It's maintained well, there's volleyball nets, and you can rent paddle boards, kayaks, etc. It's always fun to walk down the shore and down the pier to see the light house, watch the boats, and watch fishermen. You can also see beautiful sunsets at night that lots of people like to sit on the bluff and watch. There's lots of places for food near by, as well as other fun things to do.

Nice clean beautiful beach. we had so much fun. I was a wonderful vacation. Wasn’t to crowded lot of activities around for the kids.

Stopped here while driving on hwy 196 to another destination. It was quite cold but still a beautiful spot to jump out of the car to stretch our legs and enjoy the view. There is a park play place for kids but everything else is shut down for the off season months. Parking was free but there is an entrance fee when it's in season. Great opportunity for a quick stroll along the beach with lots and lots of beautiful super fine white sand.

I have been going to silver beach my entire life. Now I take my kids and historically we love spending the day. Today we went for the first time this year. Everything was as usual however the beach was filthy. There was not a a square foot of sand without some kind of debris, cigarette butt, lid, cap, straw, etc etc etc. I found it somewhat disturbing and frankly gross.

Parking is reasonable price. But you can walk from free places up on the bluff in St Joseph. Go early and stay all day. the whole family will enjoy.

This is a neat park. On the weekends it tends to be pretty crowded, but it's a great place for families with the fountain, carousel, and Silver Beach Pizza nearby.

Just walking along the walkway and enjoying the lake view at nearly any time of day. Go for the Traverse City Cherry at Kilwins! Best freshwater beach in America!

What a beautiful beach! Love the sunsets and the cool breeze during warm summer days. The beach is very clean, but crowded during summer months. I came here mostly during shoulder season (fall/spring) taking a stroll on the beach or pier. Although I've been to many great lakes beaches, I have to say, Silver Beach is one of my favourites. Lots of amenities during busy summer months, but quiet during off season.

very clean - playground equipment for kids. Lots of volleyball setups. sandy beach - no shells, rocks and goes way out into the water. water was very clear. Cool and refreshing.

Well maintained beach with easy access and parking. There is a few to park, but plenty of free parking if don't mind a small walk. Clean restrooms, security was present, not overly crowded.

We absolutely loved this beach! It was so clean and there was so much to do - dunes to climb, playgrounds, a short walk to the light houses. There was also food and restrooms nearby as well. I also noticed some families with young children enjoyed being in the shade of the trees while on the beach.

Its also a short walk to the carousel, splashpad, and pizza as well.

This beach used to be very quiet. Not anymore, in summer it's still a great place, kid friendly with an enclosed carousel for kids to ride and a large splash pad just a short walk away. The splash pad is free. The carousel is very affordable.The weekends get very crowded by noon and the sunsets are unbeatable.

Long stretch of fine sand, as well as nearby facilities, make this an ideal Great Lakes family beach!

After a day's travel, and a several wine tastings, we made it to St. Joseph for the evening. A walk down a steep ramp (stairs are available) brought us down to the Silver Beach County Park. There is a large splash pad area where folks can run around/under several sprinklers, and also an indoor carousel, as well as a very busy pizza place. Right thru it all is an Amtrak train stop. The beach is large, and the sand is soft, the water was calm, the sunset gorgeous.
As you will see from the attached photos of the lighthouse/pier from both sides, it is amazing how completely the waters can change in 12 hours! Unfortunately for us, our fishing charter was cancelled and we headed home ... maybe next time we'll spend more time here ...

What a wonderful place to spend the day! You can lay on the beach and soak up the sun while you read your favorite book, or you can walk along the paths and out on the peer as you take in the beauty of the water, the long grasses gently moving with the breeze and the light house as it stands out at the end of the peer keeping an eye out for danger. If you are hungry, there are plenty of wonderful restaurants all within walking distance.

Great location for a long-weekend, including a wedding in the gazebo overlooking Lake Michigan. The reception was near the beach, in the same building as the carousel, near the splash pad. Guests enjoyed the beach location, scenery, sunsets, restaurants, volleyball courts and the downtown area.

This is a great beach with a large playground nice bathrooms concessions and just behind it has a great splash pad. This is a gem of a beach.

Very crowded, not a place to go if you do not like crowds. Weekdays are way better.
Do the carousel, it’s only a couple dollars . There’s a huge splash pad, a great place to cool off.

My family and I spent a week in the area, and went here several times. The beach, and the water were nice. It is a very big beach but still seemed crowded at times. It is within walking distance to several things to do. The playground, concessions, and restrooms are all in the same area. Worth a visit, and we will probably be back.

I felt like I am in Florida right in the Midwest. Excellent beach, wide, clean, lots of sand with downtown 2 min away

Silver Beach was clean and beautiful. The water was clear and warm enough to take a dip in. It was a little crowded, but we found enough room to build our sand fortress. A day at Silver Beach was the perfect way to end our week in Michigan.

Silver beach is a go to for us locals in the summer. It is a fantastic place to lay out and tan during the summer. It's fun for family and friends alike.

Limited parking for a fee so get there early or wait in line. It is a popular place. Beautiful shoreline along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. Relatively clean considering many people visit here. Restroom facilities were clean and available despite COVID-19 restrictions. A few pathways with benches some of which are shaded. Access to the lighthouses and the Maritime Heritage Trail.

A picturesque little dune landscape at the shore of Lake Michigan. As its name implies, this park contains Silver Beach, which was ranked among the top beaches in the country for families a few years ago. I visited in the off-season (late September), which meant that the amusement park, beachside restaurant, and other amenities were closed. The beach itself seemed to be a nice spot for swimming and sunbathing, and I really liked the cement sidewalk path through the dunes that leads out to the pier. It’s nice to think that even a person with limited mobility would be able to get out into a beach environment and appreciate the beach grass up close.

Clean and beautiful! So much for the kids to do. There’s a playground at the beach and a splash pad! Perfect for families! Food, beach shop and close to other downtown attractions! The sunset is certainly beautiful after a fun filled day!

Beautiful but gets very crowded in summer. Do NOT ever go out onto the pier past the blue barriers when waves are breaking over it. Many people have drowned. Otherwise though, it’s safe and so awesomely beautiful. From here you can safely photograph the lighthouse.

Just an all around beautiful, clean and family friendly beach. The sand is so fine and soft, not rocky when you’re walking into Lake Michigan. Stay all evening to watch breathtaking sunsets!

St. Joe is located on the south west corner of Michigan near the Indiana border. This small city is a real gem. Silver Beach is by far in my opinion the best in the area. It's very clean (although it had quite a few wood chips/sticks this time) but overall it's a great beach. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer. There is a great snack stand/supply stand where you can buy what you need if you need lunch or a snack or forgot a beach chair. There are big bathrooms, rinse showers outside, and in general it's just a really nice place to relax at the beach with your fam. It's pretty busy in the summer so if you come early you can get your choice of spot. If you drive down to the beach lot parking is $12 for the day which is reasonable. If you would rather get free parking you can do so on up near the main road, just be prepared for a hike down as it's about 52 steps down or a narrow path if you have a stroller. The other really cool thing is before you get to the beach there is a giant splash pad that is awesome, a really cool huge carousel that has other things attached to it including another snack area, rocking chairs, and a nice gift shop and I believe a kids museum type area. Up near the road there are all kinds of shops downtown including ice cream shops, dinner spots, and cool places to shop for whatever you want to get while traveling on vacation.

The water-park-fountain is huge and great fun! Children were laughing and squealing, having a fantastic, safe time.

We had a wonderful two days at the beach here. It is always clean and pleasant. We look forward to coming back again soon!

Beautiful clean beach that features food stand, restrooms, playground, volleyball courts, dunes, picnic pavilions, sculptures, and shallow warm waters all summer. Lifeguards in summer and paddle board rentals.

It is not very large and does not have many attractions but the silver beach in winter is a very nice, traquile place to be. There are winds for sure and it can be freezing but the wind hides all noises and the place is so peacful you can actually unwind. Beautiful sunset and in case it gets too cold you can always find refuge in the excellent Silver Beach pizza and pub. Another attraction is the train and the revolving bridge on the St. Joseph river - a must see for train lovers.

This beach has the feel of a tropical beach with it's white sand. This beach is nice, clean no debris and garbage around this area, it is well kept. Families were out with their picnic baskets. There were lots of Surfers out surfing like in tropical areas, this place is a hidden Gem in the Midwest. We are so glad we found it we were looking to go somewhere nice, tropical feel but not have to get on an airplane, so we drove straight East to St. Joseph's...Pure Michigan. This is our new weekend get-away!

The Beach is well maintained & clean. There are very nice amenities such as; Nice playground, volleyball nets, outdoor showers to rinse off the sand, concession stand, clean bathrooms ect.... You can rent kayaks/ paddle boards & other things. The water is very clear, you have a visible sandy bottom. Life guards were present. Looking forward to revisiting.

We took our kids to Saint Joe’s as young kids 30 years ago. Now we are taking our grandkids to Saint Joe’s and boy, has it grown! We highly recommend this area... between Silver Beach pizza, the Compass splash pad, the wonderful beach with nice restrooms, snack stand and the carousel we couldn’t ask for any more fun. They were too old for the great playground right on the sand!
The only down side is that I think the beach could be cleaner. So many cigar tips, and other debris. I think they need a beach Zamboni (like in Florida) to clean the sand... or people to quit polluting it!
Hotels are very pricey near the beach. We stayed just off of 94 and it was much more reasonable. Only a 16 minute drive to the beach and they have free parking downtown if you don’t mind walking a bit or on the beach parking for $12.00/day. We liked that they had lifeguards posted also.
We will go back again... 😊

Beautiful beach! The water is so clear. Soft sand. My kid enjoyed the playground. Absolutely loved it and will be returning.

We didn't have long to spend in St. Joseph, so hit this beach first. Be aware that it's $12 to park right at the beach. Nice, sandy beach with playground, nearby splash pad, and carousel. Also, food is available to purchase ($$).

Can be crowded in the summer holidays but can always find a spot to lounge. The county keeps it clean, theres concessions during the summer

Beautiful beach on the lake. In summer it must be really great. At the beginning of spring very cold indeed.

Even though it was Spring and 55 degrees, the park was lovely to visit. We cannot wait to come back in the summer. The beach is so pretty and clean. There is a playground and it is a good place to come for a walk.

Soft sand, good place for volleyball or kids to play, high price for parking--but lots of close parking available.

Visited this beach twice during our stay. This was a clean beach with a lot of people, so if you want to people watch, this is the place. Lots of volleyball setups in the sand.

This beach was very clean, the water is clean. It was very crowded but we did get there early to get a good parking spot and spot on the beach. The downtown area is amazing. We are for sure going to come back to this beach soon.

With the lighthouse off in the distance this beach has a wonderful view. When we were there people crowded near the water but there was plenty of area just a few yards from the beach where you could play volleyball, football or frisbee. You could even walk down the pier and jump into the lake.

There are several places to eat, either on the beach or within walking distance. There are also kayak and paddle board rentals.

I love Silver Beach and go there multiple times each summer. The beach is clean and well maintained with nice playgrounds and concessions and bathrooms. It's easily one of the most beautiful beaches in Michigan, and very picturesque with it's lovely lighthouse. There are so many family friendly things to do nearby: carousel, playing in the compass fountain, pizza at Silver Beach Pizza in the train depot, the Curious Kids' Museum.

We visited on October 10th, 2022, so it was starting to get colder down near Lake Michigan. However, we did not let that stop us from getting in some very nice photo opportunities of the park area and the light houses just across the lake inlet. In the daytime, there were still shops open downtown with all of this easily close enough to walk to. Some downtown restaurants were still open in the evening too. Nothing negative here. We parked near the beach after 5pm and at that time.... there was no charge to park unlike this summer when parking fees were about $15.00.
Enjoy!
J.

We went to St. Joseph for a one day trip. My experience has to be prefaced with the fact that it is purely a review of Silver Beach, that is the main attraction in this park. I did not do the carousel or other attractions. I went early in the morning, close to 9 am and left by noon. It was a nice day on 7/2/18 with only a high of about 77 F, great day to hit the beach.

The water of Lake Michigan is cold, so it takes a little getting used to and once you get past the debris till knee high, and get to chest high water, it is cleaner, and quieter if you wish to stay away from the little kid swimming area. My 10 year old daughter was riding the waves too, just about a few feet shallower than me. You can go about 15-20 feet farther and not exceed 6 feet of depth.

It was close to July 4th and once the crowd starting piling in, it got crowded. So, get a larger than life rug or comforter to get your space bigger than what you need, if you need a little breathing room because that is the only space you can call yours :) when it gets crowded. My wife and I have just 1 kid, but are very much understanding of the balancing act that parents have to play between watching their kids constantly vs enjoying the vacation themselves, so we tend to be patient with a few little rascals :). But if you cannot, I'd suggest going to the Tisconia Park beach where you have the pier and lighthouse, close to the same stretch of sand and beach as Silver beach but far less kids.

The stretch of sand was smooth and not rocky, my kid ran into another kid from Indiana of her age by accident and hung out for a bit in the water. The water was beautiful and unlike Florida, you probably did not need to worry about sharks that much. We stuck around for 2-3 hours and we were out soon enough. Extremely enjoyable experience!!!

Silver Beach at St Joseph's Michigan has everything you want in a lakeside attraction. Clean, safe, good amenities, great sand! Being at the edge of the three Rivers gives you a scenic view of the lighthouse and the guaint town of st joseph. The beach offers reasonable and decent parking for its size. The spalshbpark nearby offers a fun way to rinse off. There's a children's playground too right on the beach. A stone's throw walk from Silver Beach Pizza assures you have satisfying day trip at the beach.

We were able to catch a sunset here on the last night of our trip. Lots of great sidewalks that take you along the beach and to the pier. Watched several kite boarders for a while. Several benches along the way to take in the view.

This beach is definitely a place for family. It has a huge playground and splash water fountain for those who don’t care for the sand. If you get a chance walk down to lighthouse.

The beach was clean. The View was amazing. The water was freezing, but kids had an amazing time. Enjoyed it tremendously. Parking was too bad of a price and a good time was had by all. Kayak rental was available, bike paths, and concessions.

Beautiful beach. During our vacation we decided to walk down to the beach after an afternoon of shopping. We had a toddler with us who had the best time playing in the sand and dipping her toes in the water. The beach wasn't crowded at all. It was the perfect end to our long afternoon.

We’re always on the hunt for beautiful Michigan beaches and this one is up there! We had perfect mid-80s weather and the consistent breeze complimented the beach and water play just right! Girls 6 & 8 loved the manageable, but exciting waves...beats the salty ocean. Silver beach is a popular beach site with extensive playground, but on the other side of the lighthouse walkout is another, more secluded beach area. Tropical, fine-grained sand, which is the same in the water; perfect for families and kiddos. Showers to clean off body and feet, food and beverage stand and bathrooms available close by. Very convenient. Also about 100 yards from best pizzeria I’ve ever been to; Silver Beach Pizza! Really had a great time and definitely plan to return!!

St. Joseph and Berrien County have a gem in Silver Beach County Park. Lot's of nearby attractions and restaurants draw constant crowds during the summer season. Whether walking or fishing off the pier, lying in the sun, walking the sandy shoreline, playing volleyball, hearing a concert, or swimming in this fresh water lake, the rhythm of the waves soothes and calms the soul.

Clean, well kept beach with facilities. Nice walking along water or climbing dunes. Can get quite crowded in summer. Pay to park.

Close to the Silver Beach Carousel. Nice beach with a great playground area. So many beaches to choose from...

The beach is super--with a pier you can walk on--way out. Also a great carousal---I mean great----just near by. Also in the summer they have a massive area with a water plat park and every 15 minutes these giant spouts blast water--must be a ball---$6 to park---$12 if your out of county

Really nice beach. They rake the sand everyday and there are lifeguards on duty (after 11am). Plenty of sand and swim area. It costs $12 to park nearby if you're not a resident. However, there is plenty of free parking a little further away from the beach if you get there early enough. The splash pad and carousel were closed due to Covid-19.

The beach is a huge area with white sand and supports hundreds od people. There are life guard stands with 2 lifeguards at each. The water was great with gently lapping waves to play in. There is a giant splash pad just off the beach and a lot of eateries to choose from.

Stopped by here and loves this place. Walked out to the lighthouse. It is a nice place for the family.

This park has a nice beach and a life guard on duty duing the summer months. It does alllow fishing on the south pier but fishing should be very early morning due to the tourest traffic in summer months. It is a very busy park but offers activities for children of all ages.

This beach is amazing. Feels like California with so many sand volleyball courts. Great sand, wide open spaces. Lifeguards on duty. Very clean. Didn’t walk that far but saw places for food and rest rooms. Paid the $7 to park. Super easy and close by. No doubt some of that money goes into the upkeep. Will be our only beach when we vacation next year! All ages of people including very young kids.

The park is absolutely beautiful. Nice clean beach, carousel, and near several eateries in the downtown area. Sunsets are amazing.

Good place to go.
The restrooms need a little more attention. It's a busy beach. Lots of people. Toilets were dirty, from heavy usage.

Went for a 2 day get away and really enjoyed this area. Silver Beach was very clean, had super soft sand, parking at $12 for the day, and clean restrooms and showers too! There were lifeguards as well. We definitely will be back!

One of the hottest days in years. There were hundreds at the beach. The water was 58 degrees. At least a hundred in the water. The beach is clean. Very enjoyable!

Berrien County has done a fantastic job developing and maintaining this beach. Only problem is when the Indiana people come and dump trash all over it instead of putting it in the available trash barrels.

With plenty of light-colored sand, folks shouldn't have a problem finding a spot for their beach blanket, umbrella and beach chairs -- if they arrive early! There are modern restrooms and a good pizza restaurant nearby. But be forewarned, there's a fee to park in the Silver Beach parking lot!

Beautiful lake views, clean beach with washrooms near by. Great place to walk, even if you decide not to lay on the beach. Breathtaking views. The lighthouse makes for perfect photo opportunities.

We had a great time at this beach and the kids loved it. The beach itself is clean and well cared for. The playground is nice. We brought both breakfast and dinner once to eat lakeside at the covered picnic tables which offered a unique experience and was nice in these times of covid.

However, the restrooms and changing areas were not very clean, and the trash cans were overflowing.

Also, the food stand, which is a private business, is pricy on their ice cream at least.

TIP: If you are from out of the area and plan to drive to the beach more than twice, buy a season pass for $40. It is $15 per entrance otherwise. I'm not one to skimp on parking fees and park off site only to have to walk forever. Maybe you are. The $40 for 5 days of unlimited entrances was worth it to us.

I visited 4 beaches along the southern portion of Lake Michigan last week. Silver Beach was my favorite! Here are the highlights: soft sand - no bugs, warmest water, smallest waves, long sand bar so you can walk about 15 yards and still not be under water, beautiful sunsets, and the "best pizza under the bluff" is here!!! Do not skip this pizza place! I highly recommend their 5 cheese pizza (you can add toppings to it if you'd like but it was great without any)!! Just over the bluff you will find some great places to eat, drink, grab dessert, shop, etc. It's not a huge beach town but it's a great place for a get-a-way!

nice and beautiful beach. very fun to walk around and i felt like i was on the ocean. the spray park and silver pizza were great also

We drove up here from Benton Harbor in time to watch the sun set over Lake Michigan. It did not disappoint. It had a great splash pad for kids to play on and we rode the carousel and generally had a blast here. The beach was a bit more crowded than I like, so we went south to Warren Dunes. My only 2 complaints about the area was that the restaurants close at 9 or 10, and the sun has barely set by that time. Could not find a place to eat. My other caveat is that it is leashed dog-friendly and some rude person did not clean up after their dog. Ugh! The pier does NOT have a railing, so keep your children and pets close by.

We love it here, there are several places on the beach to go without the crowd. We have a good time here every time we go. Will go back again.

This is a great family beach. The and is very fine and soft to the touch of your feet. The park also has food, drinks and clean restrooms. There a volley ball courts to provide entertainment for all ages.

Recent years has gone downhill - no longer a safe spot to go for holidays as the gangs and drug and alcohol users flock to the area and party as well as fight amongst each other. A family member was pushed down walking to the car with his beach gear when we decided our plan of building a family memory for the 4th of July was not going to be here. We left before the fireworks due to the disrespectful, crude and rude population that invaded the possibility of having a nice family time. It's too bad as this spot has the wonderful splash pad, carousel and beautiful scenery.

I wish this was my local beach! I can't get over how great the sand was! This was worth the trip. We went on a weekday early (b/c of the heat) and by noon, it was getting more crowded, but not overly crowded. We had plenty of space. Many brought umbrellas, etc. Kids loved it. Great sand to make castles. Clean water. We walked the one pier (across from the lighthouse). Nice little walk. Playground nearby was great too. A must do if in St. Joe! We parked up the stairs in a free lot (lots of stairs!!! and I couldn't find a ramp or elevator anywhere). Seems like if you want to park closer to beach (no stairs) that you pay for parking.

Families: free parking, bring a picnic lunch or lots of places to buy pizza, hot dogs, etc. Play equipment, the beach.
Couples: long walks with beautiful scenery, shops, lots of places to eat.
Perfect Day for all!

Have visited many times. Very enjoyable Be sure to check out the shopping within walking distance. One of my favorite spots in the Midwest.

Great beach for play - jumped waves and built castles. Sunset was beautiful! Playground nearby, too, and changing building. Lots of nice restaurants nearby.

This is a classic Lake Michigan beach - great sand, a lighthouse, near downtown, with playground equipment, terrific views, and nicely maintained. There's even a pier for fishing (!) and walking.

Nice clean beach. Stayed at VRBO that included an annual pass which was nice. Right in downtown St. Joseph which is nice, close to a huge splash pad, the Amtrak station, and a pizza restaurant. Has a fishing pier, bathrooms, playscape and a nice wash area to clean the sand off. It was hot and the water was cold so that was a good combination.

What a beautiful place. We went off season and it was amazing. Can't wait to go back this summer. Lots to do in a little town.

This park is very well kept and I feel a bit nicer than South Haven, which is where we go quite a bit in the summer. There are more play gyms for the kids, plus grills, pavillans, walking paths and alike along the beach for families. You also have nice sizes concession and bathrooms along the beach.

Up the way a little bit, you have Silver Beach Pizza, which is very popular. For that I would recommend you call ahead, pick it up, and walk tot he beach to eat it. The place is ALWAYS busy and service not always the fastest.

There is plenty of parking around on the streets and at the beach, but in the summer months, you will have to pay to park there. You can always park in town or a side street and walk in which is what we do.

If you walk to the river, they also have a pier you can walk down, the same as South Haven. It is not as long, but for those who do this tradition, you have it all the same. There is an overlook, or bluff, with plenty of benches so you can watch the sunset.

It is a very clean park and beach. A great place to hang out with family members of all ages. We usually spend the day there with our tents and grill food and play in the water. I highly recommend it,

I always hesitate telling people about Silver Beach because I'd like to keep it for myself. However, it's too good not to share. It's the perfect distance for a day trip. The sand is luxurious. The changes houses are adequate and modern. Outdoor showers to rinse off. Lifeguards on duty. Concessions. Splash pad, carousel, so many things that make it a great family day. Plus, it's in St Joseph with plenty of boutiques, souvenir shops, restaurants, ice cream, etc.

This beach is a favorite of ours. Get here early to get a good spot up front! Check out the live beach camera on the silver beach website. The bathrooms are clean and in good condition. They also have vending machines by the parking lot.

This is such a clean place for a family to visit. Family members of all ages will enjoy this outing.

We live in St Joseph and always go for a walk in the beach , as the weather gets warmer , the place gets full of joy and everyone loves it ! Really a great place to go !

The beach is beautiful, but the prices are not. We were in a Class C camper, so we were charged for two parking places, at $12 each for non-residents. So we ended up paying $24 for a couple of hours on the beach. I hesitate to think how much they would charge a larger motorhome to park.

What a beautiful park! It was cold and windy it was still SO pretty! A great place to watch a sunset! The beach was very clean. The parking this time of year was free, but the bathrooms are closed. You have to walk to the indoor Carousel about a block away. Can't wait to visit on a warmer day! They have a long pier with a light house on the end you can walk out to the end. Still an amazing place!

Good place to visit if you are visiting benton harbor area. Good food options are available near by the beach area. It is recommended travel with swim suite if you want to swim.

We loved Silver Beach! My 7 and 4 year old boys loved the playground on the beach. The beach itself was pretty clean, and so was the water. We went on a Saturday at the end of July. We got to the beach at 8:30AM and had no trouble getting parking near the beach or getting a spot near the water on the beach. It was very busy by the afternoon. The lots were filled, and the beach was packed. There was still plenty of space in the water, though. We enjoyed the splash pad and carousel just inland from the beach as well. We will definitely return to Silver Beach!

Not warm enough for the water, but took some beautiful walks on the beach. Lots of art. A farmers market and you can walk pretty far out on the pier. Great place to fish and watch the world go by

Barely anyone at the park on a winter's weekday. Beautiful sunsets. Impressive icy dream scapes. Impressed.

The beach was wonderful. Lots of activity. Volleyball, sunbathing, swimming, walkers, runners, and an activity I think is called kite surfing or wind surfing. Lots to see and be a part of for everyone. Before we left they were warning people to get out of the water because of dangerous rip tides. A wonderful place to be on vacation!

Great for all ages. Walk around, play on the playground or in the sand. Bathrooms onsite. Our kids had so much fun even in October!

The winter of 2019 was a rough one along the Southwest Michigan coast of Lake Michigan. there lake didn't freeze up like it normally does and the waves had caused a lot of erosion. Silver Beach doesn't look like it normally does. It appears that half the beach has been washed away. Hopefully 2021 is a better year for the beach, because it's one of the nicest beaches around.

I was there for photos. The wind was strong, the waves high and the clouds perfect, for what I was looking for. The beach had a handful of surfers and 4 kite surfers doing their thing. The pictures of the surf and lighthouse turned out great. I could only go down half of the pier as the other half was closed. The water was washing over it so you'd have to have be crazy to have gone out further anyway.

It was a lousy beach day, but a great picture day.

Clean, well maintained and a wonderful place to spend a day! Heads up, you'll likely pay to park, but it's not too expensive!

I like that there is a playground, a big one with swings and benches for parents to sit while the kids play. It was cold the day we went but the beach looked clean, save for a couple of flip flops and socks we saw... I would def. go back in the summer to this beach.

Great beach with life guards. No alcohol and no pets allowed. Sand is clean and the entire area is great to relax. They also have volley ball courts, food, bathrooms, etc. Main street (downtown) with shops, wine tasting, restaurants, etc is walking distance - making it easy to walk and enjoy a little bit of town activities and then head back to the beach. Kids can also enjoy and it's safer with no pets and no alcohol.

This part of Michigan is truly a gem. The beach is stunning. The sand is smooth. Lucky to have this close to home. I was surprised at how crowded at was on an overcast Friday, but it’s because it’s that nice

Walked the trail and the Lighthouse. Very enjoyable. Great rest rooms for clothes changing. Parking can be expensive for out of state travelers. Use the free parking in St. Joe, but it is a long walk to the park.

We were in St. Joseph Michigan and staying nearby the beach and headed to the beach. My granddaughter had a great time playing in the sand, though she definitely did not realize how cold Lake Michigan can be in May, especially when the weather has been unseasonably chilly. We felt that the beach was clean and well-maintained and on the day that we were there, it was not overcrowded. Speaking of the weather, the wind picked up later during the time that we were there and we learned how much the Lake Michigan beach sand can sting.

A bit of Jersey Shore right here in Michigan. Fun for all ages. Home to the famous St. Joseph lighthouse. Pretty and spacious beach with fountain for kids to play in, park, fun food eateries and indoor carousel. Amtrak service daily right at the beach! Coolness! Climb the killer set of stairs and the lovely downtown St. Joseph welcomes you with restaurants and shops.

We are an East Coast family, so our beach experiences were always on the Atlantic. We were not sure what to expect from a beach on Lake Michigan, but on our way back from Chicago, we took a detour to St. Joseph and decided to check it out.

We enjoyed both the town and the beach. There is a fee to park at the beach, $15 for non-residents. It is probably worth it, since the town is up a pretty steep hill, but it is walkable, if you want to save on parking and don't mind the walk.

The beach seemed well taken care of, and there were snack stands and playgrounds around for the kids. But we probably spent most of our time at the splash pad, just a short walk from the beach.

Our family really enjoyed our St. Joseph experience. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the Midwest and need a bit of a beach fix!

Yes, Silver Beach PIZZA is awesome. The Shadowland where the carousel is located is also awesome. BUT Silver Beach itself, NOT awesome.
Take it from a local's perspective, over the years this beach has become overcrowded, dirty and during a holiday weekend - borderline dangerous.
It is located within walking distance of all the things I listed above, however, if you really want a nice long day at the beach go to Jean Klock Park or Tiscornia on the other side of the lighthouse instead.
With the increase of things to do around Silver Beach, during the peak months of summer, the parking fills up quickly, it's expensive and it's caused a lot of traffic down by the beach now too. It's not really patrolled as much as it should be and I feel like it's starting to be known for underaged drinkers to sneak alcohol on the beach and get out of control. There have been a few shootings resulting in minor injuries (thank god they were only minor) over the past few summers. The bathrooms are very crowded and not kept up. It's just gross.
Being someone who grew up going here, now I avoid it at all costs and wouldn't take my kids there for the day and definitely not in the evening.

Pros:
• Walking distance from Downtown, Silver Beach Pizza & the Carousel
• It's a beach. Generally, beaches are my happy place

Cons:
• Parking is limited and expensive
• Lots of traffic in that area due to the parking situation
• Bathrooms aren't kept up
• Underaged drinkers are getting out of control due to lack of law enforcement presence (newsflash - a parked sheriff's patrol car with dust and built up sand around the tires isn't fooling anyone, we all know it's a sad excuse for a decoy)
• Can be dangerous in the evening hours when said underaged drinkers start to pack it up after drinking and being in the sun all day

Lake Michigan, White sandy beaches, rides for kids, volley ball nets, jetty for fishermen, lighthouse, amenities,
Picnics, enormous fun fountains for kids to enjoy. All day parking at a cost of $12.
If you want to visit restaurants and shops they are only minutes walk away, so is the Amtrak.
Stop if time and enjoy!
We had a great day here.

We love it here...our Midwest beach. We paid 12 for parking after 5pm...it was good for us got a great spot. Walked all around and sat by the water for the sunset. Going back for sure. Beautiful place. It was busy but not too crazy.

Silver Beach in St. Joesph is beautiful! Our family loves ocean vacations but we live n middle American so the closest drive to a beach is 12 hours or more. We visited Silver Beach Labor Day weekend of 2016. It has beautiful sand and the sound of the Lake Michigan waves hitting the shore is so calming. The color of the water is majestic. The light house is very pretty as well. The beach includes a playground, volleyball courts, restrooms/showers, and a concession area. The walk from the parking lot to the beach isn't too bad either. There is also lots to do within walking distance of the beach....souvenir shops, restaurants, ice cream shops, etc. Memorial weekend of 2017 we visited the Indiana Dunes beach and while we enjoyed ourselves my husband and I both said we prefer Silver Beach.

The beach was clean and the water was wonderful. Went swimming and a walk on the pier - within walking distance of town.

Visited in October and it was quiet and clean. I bet in the summer it is packed. Beautiful views of the Lighthouse.

Great little beach and Park. Very nice beach and park. They keep it very clean and lovely. Check out the special ride Carousel, in side the building.

Amazing, I lived in Michigan for 47 years and have just found this beach. Clean water, soft sand, plenty to do. People were also great.

This place is a happy place for me. Kids playing in the playground, sand or the lake. People chilling and enjoying the company of their family or friends. I always loved seeing the nature, lake, birds, flowers, people watching seeing people enjoying the beach, swim, relax and do some fishing! The sand is fine, lake is clear and cold, I wish I brought my swimming gear and took a dip even for a little while. There are playground, jet skis, yacht, etc. There are also alot of bench and tables for eating or a picnic, bbq grills, trash cans and toilets in this place. Parking seemed to be plenty.

Please be warned if you see this post, this individual is taking photos of YOU and YOUR FAMILY!!!!! Please be safe.

As a frequent visitor of silver beach I have to say my most recent visit was by far the worst. My friend and I wanted to have a relaxing day and come to the beach before it got too cold. While at the beach, we were laying on the sand and a lady we didn't know came up to us. She said, "Hey, do you ladies know this guy in the white hat, he was taking pictures of you and walked away". We told her we didn't and noticed he and the group he was with were keeping eyes of us.
As we made our way to the front to leave he put his camera in my face and took photos of my friend walking away. My friend did her best to let someone know there was someone going around and taking photos of women and children, but she was met with, "Sorry there are laws that prevent us from going up to him". So because nothing was done this person is still on the loose taking photos of you and your children.

P.S I literally have a photo of him taking pictures of people but apparently that wasn't enough to warrant a request for a sheriff/cop.

We drove up from Indiana a couple years ago just to check this town out after being told what a treasure this place is. We have been back every year since. The beach is beautiful. There is a playground on the beach, and splash pad area. The town has little shops to stroll through, little ice cream shops, and bike rentals. Something for everyone!

Go for the sunset. Fantastic sand. Seemed clean and public restrooms were available. Very close to the pizza place.

Such a beautiful beach. Lighthouse and lots of play sets on the beach. The carousel and pizza place were awesome!!

Silver Beach is a great place for families. The water doesn't get deep until pretty far from shore, and it's a gentle slope at the shore line. The sand is nice (no shells though) and even when it was crowded we had plenty of place to spread out with our chairs/blanket/sand toys. There is free parking at the top of the hill but it's A LOT of steps from there to get down to the beach. We paid to park in the lot right at the beach. There's bathrooms and changing rooms (but not the best quality/cleanliness), a snack bar (snow cones, ice cream, hot dogs, hamburgers), a playground, huge splash pad, sand volleyball nets, a carousel and Silver Beach pizza all within a few minutes walk from the water's edge. The children's museum is at the top of the steps by the free public parking. We would like to return here again.

Our friends in St. Joseph, MI live adjacent to the park right next to the beach. The park was a nice area for walking their Yellow Lab, but the wind, cold, and sand blown streets makes the beach less than hospitable during this time of year. Surfers clad in full wet suits were still attempting to catch the elusive waves. The view of Lake Michigan is still beautiful from here, and the lighthouses on the pier still make a scenic background. Our friends kept saying, "Come back in the summer".

Read reviews and most of them said filthy restrooms. Come on St Joseph clean them up. St Joseph is a lovely place so you want to keep it that way.

Drove up here while visiting northern Indiana. Very nice beach with lifeguards and amenities. There are good bathrooms, a concession stand for lunch, and expensive beach toys if you forgot anything. Beach is kept clean and you can walk over to the nearby jetty and watch the boats come and go. There is also a large play set and splash pad for kids. Everything to make a great summer day with the family

Nice veiws of the sun set over lake Michigan. Nice place for a romantic evening stroll on the beach or one of the piers.

Beautiful beach with views of the lighthouse, a great spot for walking and enjoying the lake, taking photos, eating lunch, or swimming in the summer.
We have a child under one and he also enjoys looking at the lake.

The bathrooms here were very nice for a beach-side changing/restroom area; they were fairy clean (sand inside them is to be expected), well lit, and roomy.

We usually come here during the off-season because in mid-summer if tends to be crowded, plus we come more to take photos and enjoy the beach, not so much for swimming.

In early fall it is beautiful, not too cold to be near the water but still with less people then mid-June.
Check when things in the area close for the season because if you come too late in the year there will be hardly any restaurants or shops open.

The beach was crowded and there appears to be a lot of corrosion, as there is a big drop off from the beach to the water. There are signed up that alcohol is not allowed, where other area beaches allow it.

Overall I'd recommend other area beaches over this one.

We checked out many of the beaches near St Joe and it was our favorite. Most spacious, cleanest sand, and the water was the cleanest. it was easy for the kids to enter the water because the beach was flat. Having the city close by was also a plus, right by the playground, carosel, splash pad, pizza, etc.

Great Beach ! My family and I had so much fun! Hard to find parking but overall a good , clean beach . The only thing that put a small damper on our beach experience was a very rude and aggressive officer but we didn’t let it ruin our day !

Just learned of St. Joseph recently. Was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. My wife and I will be returning soon with our adult children when they come into town.

Saw the fireworks show at the beach for the 4th of july. It was very packeted but overall it was a nice beach. There were several policeman patrolling the grounds to make sure everything went smoothly.

What a nice park. We didn’t need to,pay to get in. The views very awesome. One thing I found very strange was one day there was a sign saying sorry for the inconvenience but the restrooms were closed due to the weather. Not sure what that meant as it was a beautiful day. Overall , it was a nice park.

One of the best beaches we've been to in Southwest Michigan. Super clean water and beach. The snack shop has good food but pricey. There are lifeguards here which made me feel safe.

This is one of the best beaches to go to. It does not only have a beach, there is a gorgeous carousel and giant splash pad. Concessions are not terribly priced and there is a pizza place nearby. The beach is very NICE. I highly recommend spending a day here but there is not a lot of parking.

Silver Beach is, in my opinion, the nicest beach in the area. It's heaving with people in the summer months, but on a late September Saturday afternoon, it was perfect. breakwater keeps the waves at the beach in check (mostly), so you get a more calm experience. On the north side of the lighthouse, the surf was 5 times bigger and pretty dangerous for most people.

As far as the beach itself, the sand is very nice, there is a large changing area and refreshment stand, a really good park lots of activities. The beach is also very large in both length and width, so there is a good chance you can find a less busy area to settle in. You can also walk out on the pier and get a good look at the lighthouse on the other side and walk towards town to the carousel, the giant splash pad and the lower part of the Kid's Museum. Maybe best of all, Silver Beach Pizza is right there too. If you're lucky, you will get to see a train come through too.

First stop on our visit. Great beach with lots of activity. Walk around and explore or bring your stuff to spend the day sitting on the beach and playing in the water. Enjoy great walking paths and sidewalks to explore the area. Worth making this visit. There is parking fee here, but you can park up the hill and walk a little to avoid the fee. Sunset is beautiful.

The park and beach are very nice. There are picnic tables where you can eat your lunch or dinner. The views of Lake Michigan are awesome. Fun for all!

Beautiful beach! Clean sand, clean water, clean changing rooms. On a Wednesday the parking was plentiful at the beach. The splash pad was a great way to wash the sand off before heading home too.

We loved Silver Beach. The kids had a great time not only at the beach, but in town too. Lifeguards seemed to be paying attention because I heard them whistle when people got too far out. Since I have kids, this was comforting. The fact that they have beach volleyball courts, a playground, decent restrooms, beautiful view was awesome. My only complaint was that the beach was a bit dirty. I'm not sure how often they clean it up, but it could have used it the Sunday that we were there. We will definitely make a return trip next summer.

An easy place to bring young children. The beach slopes off gently and it is not very crowded on week days. If the wind is from the west, the water is warmer than usual.

We took an impromptu trip to this beach so we could say we saw Lake Michigan. It was so beautiful, we used the bath house to change and went swimming! A concessions stand provided towels for purchase at $12 each. We hunted for shells and saw the sunset. Bathhouses are ok, not super clean though.

What a beautiful beach !
So well maintained and clean , shops and restaurants at a walking distance.
Fun for all ages

Very nice beach. Plenty of activities for children including a playground and swings. It’s within walking distance to the splash pad and carousel. Get there early is you what to park. The parking lot was sold out by 10am.

The title says most of it. The beach itself was beautiful. The sand was clean and soft. The staff are coming around constantly to empty cans etc. The playground area was lovely and kept my high energy 4 year old out of cold lake Michigan for a few hours. There is a concession stand right on the sand that had decent food. Parking was supposed to be $12 but they didn't have change for my $20 so they waved me through. I thought they'd catch me on the way out but no one bothered. The bathrooms/changing rooms were definitely in need of cleaning, but many other beaches don't even have this type of amenity. Definitely would go back.