America's Best Small Beach Towns You've Never Heard Of

28. Grand Marais, Michigan – Lake Superior’s Hidden Coastal Star

Tucked along Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Grand Marais is a sleepy town where Lake Superior shows off her wildest moods—from mirror-still sunrises to stormy drama. With access to the eastern gateway of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the area offers jaw-dropping sandstone cliffs, hidden waterfalls, and uncrowded trails. The beaches are strewn with agates and driftwood, perfect for treasure hunters and solitude seekers alike. Downtown, you’ll find cozy cafés, a weathered lighthouse, and Midwestern friendliness in full force. Grand Marais is proof that you don’t need an ocean for a world-class beach escape—just the right slice of shoreline.