St Louis, MO, is a city with a lot to offer. There are plenty of things to do in the area, including hiking and biking trails. You can also go fishing, golfing, or ice skating at one of the many different parks in town. With all these options for outdoor fun nearby, it’s easy to forget about our famous beach—until you need one! If you live close enough to get here by car (or bus), then we recommend these 15 closest beaches near St. Louis:

1. Creve Coeur Lake

This lake is an artificial lake in St. Louis County, Missouri. Creve lake offers sandy beaches, picnic tables, and playgrounds for families to enjoy the outdoors and is home to a fishing pier that lets you catch your dinner!

The park has numerous activities for kids of all ages—including an outdoor amphitheater where performances occur throughout the year. In addition to water sports like swimming or boating (which includes renting kayaks), there are plenty of ways you can enjoy yourself on land: hike through this beautiful park!

2. Castlewood State Park

Castlewood State Park is in Jefferson County, Missouri, a great place for boating and swimming during summer. This park has many attractions for visitors of all ages, including fishing piers and hiking trails.

Castlewood State Park Beach is one of the best beaches near St Louis that you can visit on your travels around town! The beach offers activities like kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding if you want something different than swimming in the lake (which also is an excellent spot for swimming). The beach also has restrooms with showers available, so there won’t be any stress about finding somewhere else after getting back from enjoying yourself at this beautiful spot close to your home base–you’ll always have enough time left over before needing another shower after coming back from work every day, and maybe even after having lunch at home too 🙂

3. Washington State Park

Washington State Park is a great place to spend time in St. Louis County, Missouri. It’s located on the city’s north side and features several miles of sandy shoreline along its namesake lake. If you’re expecting an easy way to get out on the water without worrying about driving or paying for transportation, this area has plenty of options!

You can also enjoy fishing at Washington State Park—especially during springtime when many basses are around (and they’re hungry). If you don’t want to fish yourself, try renting one of their boats or jet skis while relaxing by some beautiful waterside views.

The other activities that people tend to do here include swimming (or just floating around while listening), boating/water skiing/snorkeling/swimming between islands offshore, and so on! There’s also a large campground with over 200 campsites where people can stay overnight if they wish

4. Keyesport Beach

Keyesport Beach is a public beach on the Mississippi River that is open year-round. The park has a boat launch nearby, so you can take your boat out to explore or fish for bass or walleye. This location does not offer lifeguards, but it’s still considered safe for swimming if you follow some basic safety rules:

• Always swim between the red and yellow buoys (the red one indicates no swimming).
• If there’s an incoming tide, stay out of the water until it passes through again.

5. Grand Glaize Beach

Grand Glaize Beach is in Granite City, Illinois. It’s a famous beach that offers lifeguards, restrooms, boat launches, and fishing opportunities. The beach is also the closest to St. Louis, so you can take advantage of its proximity while relaxing on this sandy stretch along Lake Michigan.

Grand Glaize Beach has two parking lots — one for vehicles and one for RVs or buses — making it easy for visitors to find their way around town without worrying about getting lost in traffic or parking issues! There are plenty of picnic areas nearby and showers available at the park if you get tired from walking around all day long (or want some time alone).

6. The Fugitive Beach

The Fugitive Beach has many great features in Washington State Park. For starters, there aren’t any lifeguards on duty—you’ll have to take care of yourself! Also, no drinking or smoking is allowed on the beach. Finally, pets are not allowed, nor are alcohol or alcohol containers (so don’t bring those).

Some rules you should know before setting foot on this sandy strip enlists: no fires allowed; only glass containers (including cans); camping isn’t permitted at all; You need to remove the fire rings before leaving a campsite

7. Lake Shelbyville

Lake Shelbyville Beach is on the west side of Lake Shelbyville, Illinois. There are two access points to this beach: one at the south end and one at the north end. You can swim, fish or boat here — it’s great for all ages!

The park offers restrooms, picnic tables, and grills that you can use during your visit (but please keep them clean).

8. Lake Boutin Beach

Lake Boutin Beach is a great place to go swimming and fishing. It’s a popular spot for family picnics, so you can bring your food or buy some from the concession stand. At Lake Boutin Beach, picnic tables, grills, and restrooms are available on-site. The beach area has a nice view of the lake with plenty of room for everyone to spread out!

9. North Avenue Beach

North Avenue Beach is a popular spot for sunbathing and swimming in St. Louis, Missouri. It’s also one of the most famous beaches in America due to its proximity to downtown and scenic views of the city skyline. The beach is an official state park, which means it has access to some amenities such as restrooms, picnic tables, lifeguards on duty at all times (even when there isn’t any water), etcetera.

North Avenue Beach is at 2700 North Avenue in Downtown St Louis Park — just a short walk from Union Station and Lindell Station (both major train stations). If you plan a visit with your family members or friends who live elsewhere but want something nearby where they can get off their feet while waiting for trains/buses, then North Ave Beach might be perfect!

10. Finger Lakes State Park

Finger Lakes State Park Beach is located in St. Charles County, Missouri, and offers parking for $2 per car. The park opens at 7:00 am and closes at 10:00 pm, and there are no entry fees to enter the beach area (although you will need to pay for parking).

You can find Finger Lakes State Park Beach by traveling south on Interstate 70 from Lambert International Airport and west on Route 141 from O’Fallon, Illinois. Or, north on Route 100 from Frontenac, Missouri — whichever route you choose; it’s easy to find once you’re there!

11. Wakonda State Park

Wakonda State Park Beach is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. On-duty lifeguards are available during the summer and offer free parking for those who want to take advantage of it. Restrooms are public at this location if you need them, but there’s also a restaurant called “Trader Joe’s” that serves food year-round.

This park provides an excellent spot for swimming with its calm waters and sandy bottom (perfect for kids). Wakonda State Park Beach also has picnic tables where you can sit down with your family or friends after spending time at one of their many beaches throughout St Louis County!

12. Public Beach #1

This Public beach is on 1400 N University City Blvd, St. Louis. Free parking is available at the beach weekly and on weekends. You may also park in nearby garages if you prefer not to leave your car at the beach.

Restrooms are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the summer months (April-October). There are no restrooms on-site, but they’re only a short walk away from Public Beach #1. Amenities at the beach include Picnic tables with umbrellas; lifeguards on duty every day from 8 am until 6 pm; a concession stand selling snacks/drinks for purchase at reasonable prices; free Wi-Fi available throughout the entire park grounds

13. Rocky Falls Beach

Rocky Falls Beach is in Cuivre River State Park, and you can reach it via a short hike. The beach is public, but no lifeguards are on duty during peak hours. You can also enjoy a picnic in the parking lot before taking a dip in this popular spot!

The beach has restrooms, a campground, and plenty of parking, so it’s easy to find somewhere to stay when visiting Rocky Falls Beach with your family or friends.

14. Cuivre River State Park

Located just off I-44, Cuivre River State Park is one of the most popular destinations in St. Louis County. The park has various amenities and activities, including an arena where you can enjoy live concerts or performances by visiting artists. There’s also a children’s play area with jumpers, slides, and swings for your little ones to enjoy.

The Cuivre River State Park beach is on Big Bend Lake in Bridgeton, Missouri (about 30 minutes from downtown St Louis). It’s a great place to catch the sun during spring break or summer vacation!

Several parking areas are available for your convenience; however, please note that there are no restrooms within the sandboxes, so plan your family trip accordingly. If planning isn’t possible, take advantage of our free showers at our swimming pool which holds six lanes!

15. Klondike Park

Klondike Park is the closest beach to St. Louis, located in St. Charles County. The park offers a great place to go swimming, boating, fishing, and camping. You can also enjoy hiking trails throughout the park as well.

If you’re looking for a beach with a little more urban feel, head to Mardi Gras Beach in St. Louis. The park is located ideally at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and features volleyball courts, picnic areas, and boat docks.

We hope you’ve enjoyed a stroll down memory lane and learned a thing or two about the best beaches near St. Louis, MO. These are some must-visit spots when we need some time off or just want to chill out on the water.