EDITOR'S CHOICE: BEST BEACHES ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN

BEST BEACHES

MICHIGAN

OVAL BEACH

698 Water St, Saugatuck, MI

BASICS

Directions: Ferry boat from Saugatuck, July-Aug., Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat-Sun., holidays 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fee for beach access 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day; daily and weekly

passes

available at the gate.

Large parking areas.

For more info: www.saugatuck.com/beaches.asp

Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Mich., gets raves for its pristine beauty and lots of amenities. Conde Nast Traveler rates it one of the 25 best shorelines in the world; MTV rates it as on of the nation's top five beaches; and National Geographic Traveler rates it one of the top two freshwater beaches in the country. The place is blessed with a winning combination of sugar-sand beach, towering dunes that beg to be explored, plentiful wave action, eye-catching vistas, and seclusion.

You can take the tree-lined route there - it's at the end of Oval Beach Road one mile west of the Saugatuck ferry landing - find lots of parking space and an easy path to the shore. Or, go all nostalgic on North America's only hand-pulled chain ferry boat, which brings you from Saugatuck to a282-step climb up Mt. Baldhead for a panoramic view and a dune grass-covered descent to the beach.

There are lifeguards, swing sets, and a full service concession stand. You can bring your own food and cook at one of the many barbecue grills on a wood deck south of the bluff, there are picnic tables, and thankfully, the restrooms are kept clean. It's a remarkably peaceful site. If you venture too far north you may stray onto private property where clothing is definitely optional. However, the beach now offers a conservation area with hiking paths. On-the-water fun: Boats and sail boats to charter, canoes and kayaks to rent.

NORTHWEST INDIANA

LAKESHORE DUNES BEACH (West Beach)

North County Line Road, Portage, IN

BASICS

Directions: From U.S. 80/94, go north on U.S. 51/Ripley St. 1 mile; right (east) on Melton Rd./U.S. 20 for 0.9 mile; left (north) on County Line Rd. for 1.2 miles; right (east) into West Beach entrance.

Has lifeguards

Opens May 22; walk-in traffic 6 a.m.-sunset; 300-vehicle parking lot includes bus and RV spaces, 7 a.m.-dusk.

Fee in summer

For more info: www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/west-beach.htm

For diversity of habitat the Dunes National Lakeshore is unbeatable, in fact serving as a research area for universities, extending from Gary to Michigan City - but you can simply revel in everything there is to do at West Beach. At the southernmost tip of Lake Michigan, West Beach offers a surprisingly away-from-it-all relief from nearby industrial environs. A few steps lead to a pleasant stroll down a short wood boardwalk and from there to the beach.

This beach offers a handy information board, listing current park activities so you can plan your day with a variety of activities, or just opt for Lake Michigan's famously soft sand and rhythmic, foam-capped waves. Convenience you won't find at most beaches: There's a bath house with showers and lockers, and restroom-facilities are open year-round. Don't look for much in the way of a concession stand, but there's a vending machine and the views will make toting your own grub worth it.

On a sunny afternoon you may be lucky enough to catch live entertainment - the Navy Band obligingly provided snappy jazz one day - and the overall atmosphere is one of folks actively enjoying nature's entertainment. There are lots of marked trails amongst the dunes for hiking, ogling unexpected plants (from arctic to cacti!), and catching glimpses of wildlife. Near some trailheads are self-guiding brochures that explain formation of dunes and how their landscape by the different flora and fauna - great for quiet appreciation or as a natural educational experience for kids. Bird watchers will be rewarded here, but just basking near the shoreline will give you sightings, too.