Beaches to beat the heat

As the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, Minnesota is a great place to hit the water during the hot summer. Scout out these spots to find your perfect swimming hole, and then pack a picnic and your snorkel or water wings, and enjoy a day swimming at the beach!

All Minnesota state park swimming beaches

Buffalo River State Park and Flandrau State Park have beaches with lifeguards.

 

Some of our favorite beaches:

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Afton State Park
A scenic beach tucked into the wooded river valley.

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Itasca State Park
Over a hundred lakes in the park mean you have lots of options.
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Camden State Park
A spring-fed pool with a sandy bottom.

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Lake Carlos State Park
The lake is clear and deep, perfect for jumping into.
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Father Hennepin State Park
A large sandy beach right on Mille Lacs Lake.

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McCarthy Beach State Park
A nationally recognized sandy beach on Sturgeon Lake.
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Flandrau State Park
A sandy-bottom swimming pond with a great playground.

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Sibley State Park
Rent the picnic shelter at Cedar Hills, just steps from the beach.
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Fort Snelling State Park
A state park with a beach, right in the city!

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Zippel Bay State Park
Miles of white sand beach on Lake of the Woods, one of the world's largest lakes!
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Hayes Lake State Park
A beautifully refreshing spot in northwestern Minnesota.