MANISTEE COUNTY — USA Today has nominated Manistee’s First Street Beach “Best Beach in Michigan” for the second year in a row. Popular voting has begun and will run until May 19 to determine the winner.
Manistee’s First Street Beach in Manistee County won in 2024, so 2025 will mark back-to-back wins if the beach gets the most votes from the public. Voting is one per person per day per device. So vote often!
Voting for USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice for Best Beach in Michigan ends at 11:59 a.m. on May 19 at this link.
USA Today assembled an expert panel to narrow the choices to must-visit beaches across the state as part of its Readers’ Choice selection for 2025. The beach took third in 2018.
Pristine First Street Beach is one of Manistee County’s largest beaches and recreation areas. It boasts multiple parks and playgrounds, a full-service concession stand, ball fields, fish cleaning stations and permanent bathrooms. It’s clean, it’s spacious and it has something for everyone.
“Manistee County has 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 10 Lake Michigan beaches, each as beautiful as the next. It’s really special one of our beaches is named in such high regard across all beaches in the state. So a win in any of our communities brings attention to all our beaches,” Sammie Lukaskiewicz, executive director of the Manistee County Tourism Authority, said. “We need everyone to vote so we can win back-to-back.”
First Street Beach includes Douglas Park, which has multiple baseball and softball diamonds, basketball courts and lighted tennis courts. Four playgrounds also make up First Street Beach.
Though dogs are not allowed on the beach between Memorial Day to Labor Day, it has its very own, revamped dog park and a dedicated dog beach on the waterfront below the observation deck near the Lions Pavilion.
There are separate picnic areas with charcoal grills available for an afternoon, an 18-hole disc golf course, boat launch and access, Rocket Park, Lighthouse Park, showers, fish cleaning station, Lake Gulls concession stand, a waterfront Hampton Inn by Hilton with a full-service restaurant, a 16-foot slide and “Origins,” an interpretive sculpture park and historic site that tells the story of Manistee with a series of steel sculptures.
“What makes a great beach all depends on the traveler,” Lukaskiewicz added. “Some prefer wide stretches of sand with ample activities and throngs of people to watch, while others desire deserted shorelines with calm waters. And First Street Beach has all that – and more.”
The beach is ADA-accessible and has a life vest and safety station.
First Street Beach is the start (or end) point of the famous Manistee Riverwalk and is undergoing a strategic master plan. The beach is maintained by the city of Manistee and used by tourists and locals alike year-round. Concerts, fireworks, fishing tournaments, you name it – all take place at First Street Beach throughout the year.
Parking at the beach is free. The boat launch is $10.
For more information about First Street Beach, view a live cam to check out beach conditions or to book your Manistee County beach vacation, please visit www.VisitManisteeCounty.com.
