OVAL BEACH IN SAUGATUCK
Want to be on the beach? West Michigan is home to one of the best beaches and destinations for gay and lesbian vacations in the United States - Oval Beach in Saugatuck. With the right combination of stunning sand dunes, seclusion and services, Oval Beach has earned Saugatuck the nickname "Provincetown of the Midwest." Hugging the mostly undeveloped dunes of Lake Michigan's eastern shore, the back dunes area of Oval Beach is perfect for sunbathing in the nude. Beaches like these in Saugatuck are a rare gem: the clean, unspoiled, and pristine beauty of the place takes your breath away. Oval Beach is one of Saugatuck's true treasures.
Awards and National Recognition for Oval Beach, Saugatuck Michigan
Oval Beach in Saugatuck has not gone unnoticed for its beauty. While all of its credits would run for pages, we'll mention a few here:
- One of the Top 25 beaches in the world (Condé Naste Magazine)
- One of the two top freshwater beaches in the USA (National Geographic Traveler Magazine)
- One of the five best beaches in the United States (MTV)
- #4 Best Inland Gay Beach (OutTraveler)
With its own gay and lesbian section, Oval Beach is perfect for gay and lesbian vacations. And if you're fond of nude beaches, Oval Beach in Saugatuck, while not an official nude beach, offers nude sunbathing back in the dunes.
Directions to Oval Beach in Saugatuck
Oval Beach is located at the end of Oval Beach Road, one mile west of the Saugatuck Ferry landing, across the river from downtown Saugatuck.
How to Get There: Take Ferry Street north from the neighboring town of Douglas and follow the signs, or take the ferryboat from downtown Saugatuck to one of the nearby beach trails. From the parking lot, walk right (north) to the gay section.
Unforgettable Gay and Lesbian Vacations in the Oval Beach Area
Planning gay and lesbian vacations in the Oval Beach and Saugatuck Douglas area, you'll discover a welcoming community that thrives on diversity. To put it simply, we're welcome here. Download the gay travel guide with gay friendly business listings for restaurants, shops and galleries, lodging, services, and entertainment in Saugatuck Douglas to see what these gay friendly cities have to offer. You'll also find hundreds of gay friendly business listings on the Gay Saugatuck Douglas website. It's like a Saugatuck Michigan home page for gay and lesbian visitors.
Water Activities in the Oval Beach Area
How about some other water activities? The gay friendly cities of Saugatuck and Douglas have a wide variety of available water activities, including:
- Boats and sail boats to charter, canoes and kayaks to rent
- The sternwheeler riverboat, Star of Saugatuck, offers a pleasant tour of the river and along the shoreline
- The last hand-cranked chain ferry in the United States can take you across the river and an amphibious "duck" offers land and sea service to Saugatuck and Douglas.
Climb Mt. Baldhead Sand Dune
Seeking greater adventure? Consider a hike to the top of Mt. Baldhead sand dune. If you can make it, you are greeted with a stunning bird's-eye view of the harbor and lake. Or, travel across the dunes on a dune schooner ride that will delight young and old alike.
Premiere Gay Friendly Beach Towns:
Saugatuck and Douglas are Michigan's premiere gay friendly small towns. Our beaches are nestled among towering sand dunes and bordered by the winding Kalamazoo River on its way to Lake Michigan.
Both gay friendly cities maintain public beaches on Lake Michigan for swimmers and sunbathers and are popular gay travel destinations. Further south from Oval Beach on Lakeshore Drive is Douglas Beach, Pier Cove Park and West Side Township Park. North of town is Saugatuck Dunes State Park. All have outstanding beaches and sand dunes for exploring and sunbathing. Come on out and enjoy it with us!
