Life's a beach

I took the girls to Douglas Beach Sunday night. There are fewer people on the sand after 6 p.m. and a few hours in the water always wears down the kids before bed. A parent's dream.

We enjoy spending time at the beach, but they've all been so crowded the past month because of the heat. Trying to find a place to park at the free beaches is a chore -- it's like everyone's Dutch around here or something.

Something for nothing

For free beaches, Douglas is the best for me. You do have to walk down (and, therefore, back up at the end of the day) 103 steps. Worse is that the bathroom -- a good thing to have at the beach -- is by the road, so if you're on the sand, it's back up 103 steps for the kids to use the facilities, then back down again.

Sunday night, the bathrooms at Douglas just stank. They were terrible. Someone needs to hose out those concrete stink holes. But, any concrete stink hole in a storm, I always say.

The sand here is clean enough and the shoreline has fewer rocks than other beaches. The kids love that.

Last night, someone brought his guitar and was strumming away as the sunset. It was so relaxing that I just laid back in the sand while the kids played in the water. I listened to the guitar and watched the boats drift by.

Another good free beach is Pier Cove off Lakeshore Drive. Fewer steps than Douglas and the sand and water are about the same. The problem here is there are fewer parking spots than Douglas and no bathrooms.

If I'm in the mood for a trek, I enjoy Laketown Beach. This is truly beautiful and the views from the dunes are striking. But therein is the issue. You've got to hike up countless steps to get to the beach. It can be taxing with small children and after a day in the waves. The bathroom is a port-a-potty and stinks in the heat.

Another good hike is the Port Sheldon pier. It's up by the Consumers power plant on Pigeon Lake. I just love going right by the coal-powered facility. The walk out to the pier is lengthy but scenic past docks and the river. There are plenty of benches to sit and rest on. The view at the pier is awesome. There are bathrooms at the start of the journey, but you don't want to be caught with a full bladder out on the pier. You'll never make it back.

By the way, there is a township beach right before you get to the road winding up to the power plant. I've never gone swimming here, but it looks nice. No stairs to the beach and permanent restrooms with a small playground. I've biked up here a few times and enjoyed the view and bathrooms.

Break out the greenbacks

For paid beaches, the best for me is Oval Beach in Saugatuck. You can park right up to the sand, you have a view of the Saugatuck pier and can walk to it, if you're adventurous. There are lifeguards on duty -- the only beach in the area with trained people -- and a nice set of restrooms and a concessions stand.

One drawback: The sand under the water is rocky. The kids hate this and I've stubbed my toes here a million times.

This beach is the closest thing around here that reminds me of summers spent along the Atlantic Coast where you could walk to the beach and just behind you was a boardwalk with food stands and shops. Oval Beach is just a wisp of this.

West Side Park is now a paid facility for Allegan County. Same price as Oval Beach -- $5 during the week -- but not worth the money if given a choice between the two. West Side has adequate restroom facilities and a playground and grills for cookouts. However, you have to walk down steps to get to the sand and there are no lifeguards.

Holland State Park is OK -- I've only been there a few times. You get a fantastic view of the Holland pier and lighthouse. You can watch recreational boats come in and out, but better yet, you can sometimes catch a lake freighter coming in. Cool!

It's busy all summer -- I think the most-visited park in the entire state -- and that's why I don't go there in the summer. Just too many people.

Saugatuck State Park is only for the brave. It's hiking through dunes and on trails to the beach. Don't bring the kids. Pack light.

Others

There are other beaches, from South Haven State Park to Grand Haven State Park and City Beach, as well as several street-end beaches up and down the coast.

There are dozens of access points at smaller lakes, such as Hutchins Lake, Dumont Lake and Ely Lake.

I always recommend exploring these, especially in the off-season. Maybe you'll find your own gem.

Thought: No matter what beach you use, you're going to get sand in your pants ... and that's not always a bad thing.