A few questions about the beach

So, I thought I'd try out the Cedar Point beach this year, and I have a few questions:

Should I bring my own beach chair, or do they have chairs already there? I've read articles that state they have chairs available, but I don't know if those are just for Breakers guests.

How do you get to the beach from inside the park? Is the only entrance the one by Windseeker? Or can I get to the beach without having to walk all that way into the park?

Thanks!

The beach is quite long. Isn't the boardwalk entrance, off the main parking lot to the right, a beach access too.

Yes, it is a beach access. Just have to pay for parking (if you don’t have a pass of course).

Yes. There is beach access all the way along the boardwalk from the parking lot entrance by gatekeeper to the Magnum pretzel.

I've never seen beach chairs out there for the past 3 years I've been out on it. I'd bring your own if you want one.

If this will be your first time on the beach be prepared. It's something else in my mind. It's almost like stepping back in time.

We have visited just the beach many times, don’t go through the park. Head back towards GK and passed preferred and bus parking. Usually there are plenty of spots by the Boardwalk entrance right there in the corner. Not guaranteed however so if it is busy you may have to park farther away.

You can just pitch your spot close to the entrance or walk down the Boardwalk to just past the rental shack by Windseeker and the park entrance there. That is our preferred spot as we can run into the park if we want to (boys like to use the their meal plan for some pizza and a quick GK ride late afternoon), beach showers are there, easily rent kayaks, and it is not very far to Breakers and those amenities if needed.

The past few trips in 2019 and one in 2020 there were no beach chairs available for use. I think once in 2019 there were some down that way but but they were chained up. So plan on bring your own if you want one. We have some with backpack straps and cooler pouches from Costco. We also have a couple of beach umbrellas from Costco as well but only bring those if there no clouds. (Wife and kids are pale redheads). Do not know what the chair policy is closer up by Breakers.

We usually pack towels, sand toys, balls, water, nylon beach blanket, snacks etc. in a 125L backpack duffle or two we use for camping. We try to pack light but always seem to bring more than we really need, like kites that we have never flown there. A fold up wagon would work on the Boardwalk but you would need a beach specific one with wide wheels to pull in the sand.

If we do need to park farther away, I just drop the fam and our stuff at the Boardwalk entrance and go park the car. Don’t forget some kind of sand friendly footwear as it can get extremely hot. Water shoes collect a lot of sand but I can’t do flip flops on sand. Don’t bring glass of course.

In some respects I actually enjoy to lake more than the ocean because there is no seaweed and it is freshwater.

Alternatively, you could park in the CPS lot and hike it in by the Boardwalk entrance over there but I have never done that.

Have fun!

Thanks, everybody! I guess I'll be shlepping my Tommy Bahama backpack chair. I feel a bit like a dork walking around with a beach chair slung across my back, but maybe it won't look too weird if it's obvious I'm heading to the beach!

Where exactly is the Boardwalk entrance? I've looked on Google Maps and I can't find it. I've seen a spot that looks like it might be it, but when I zoom in on it I don't see a way to get from the beach to the parking lot without going through the park. Is the satellite photo outdated?

Thanks for your help, everybody!

Yes, satellite photo is outdated. Boardwalk entrance is by the big 1st drop after Gatekeepers lift hill. You can follow the light blue path from the main parking lot (going toward GK) and you will run right into it. Hope that helps.

Thanks again, everybody - I went to the beach yesterday and had a wonderful, relaxing time!

I was surprised at how easy it was to park fairly close to the Boardwalk entrance - even though it's also "preferred parking" I was able to park there and stay all day, even after I was done at the beach, changed my clothes and went into the park. Do the people who pay for preferred parking get a sticker or anything? How does security know who paid for preferred parking and who just goes to the beach?

Anyway, I had a great time and have the sunburn to prove it! :-)

I don't think that's preferred parking anymore, I thought the preferred parking area was the one up near the main gate where they had the temperature checks last year and is fenced in?

I know I've seen a lot of employees park up in that front area and buses are nearby as well but it is away from the main entrance so I'm not quite sure..

The Army Corps of Engineers are responsible/have control of the waterways in the US. That Boardwalk entrance and beach are part, I believe, of required free public access to waterways.

Here in Euclid, a Lake Erie waterfront city, shoreline property owners cannot restrict/charge for public access to the shoreline of their properties. Instead of having much/many trespassing, a group establishes one public pathway among a group of property owners.

Dennis, out of curiosity does the park have to let the public park there for free? Also can they limit access to park hours or do have to allow access on days the park is closed such as the T-W earlier this season?

While that area is not Preferred parking it can fill up with preferred parking on busy days. It’s like the preferred overflow lot.

Can't answer those questions. But I can't imagine CP allowing it to be open 24/7 because of no CP personnel/lifeguards present.

And that required access could be for daylight hours only, a Lake Erie Loch Ness creature might come out at night to gobble people up.

Wait! What's the name of our Lake Monster?!

Bessie.

http://www.rockthelake.com/buzz/2017/12/myth-bessie-lake-erie-monster/

I learned something new that is not in the Cedar Point books. Thank you for the good read. So when I'm reading here is it the basilisk from Snake River expedition may actually be based on local legend and not just something they made up for the ride?

Sadly the linked YouTube video seems to be missing.

I am intrigued by the name and do not fully understand the relation between snakes and cows?

Also the Gemini midway ride 'Monster'.

TwistedCircuits said:

Yes. There is beach access all the way along the boardwalk from the parking lot entrance by gatekeeper to the Magnum pretzel.

I've never seen beach chairs out there for the past 3 years I've been out on it. I'd bring your own if you want one.

If this will be your first time on the beach be prepared. It's something else in my mind. It's almost like stepping back in time.

Not trying to be a smart*** here but how so? Anything we need to think of or prepare for? Thinking of checking out the beach next week. Been traveling to CP my entire life but never been at the point I feel like taking a break and maybe taking a stroll along the beach during my visit until now. Reading through here to get any tips on how to make that a nice experience. Appreciate the input!

It’s a small thing but once you start from the main lot on the Boardwalk the fence prevents you from actually accessing the beach until you get up by the rental shack and Windseeker and there are ramps or stairs. So if you want to plop in that area (in front of GK or that weird yellow thing) you may want to start on the beach from the lot entrance and skip the Boardwalk.

Cargo Shorts said:

It’s a small thing but once you start from the main lot on the Boardwalk the fence prevents you from actually accessing the beach until you get up by the rental shack and Windseeker and there are ramps or stairs. So if you want to plop in that area (in front of GK or that weird yellow thing) you may want to start on the beach from the lot entrance and skip the Boardwalk.

Yeah, I noticed that! I wonder why that is? It would be nice if they had a few set of stairs between the entrance and the Windseeker - that way you could walk on the boardwalk until you hit the spot you wanted, then step down into the sand.

Say, what time is the earliest you can access the beach? Is it when the gates open (not sure what time that is)? I would assume so because you have to pay to park, but thought I'd ask. It'd be nice to be at the beach in the morning...

Well Perimeter Rd. is open 24/7 due to resort guests so the question is do they cone off the main lot and for what hours?

A follow up to this, I believe I read on here that the park isn’t really closed off at night and guests are allowed to stroll through. It think it was in relation to the Marina patrons hanging out at Surf Lounge or partying on the beach until the wee hours and then cutting through the park to get back to their boats. If so they must clear people out by sometime in the morning to prepare for early entry.