My guesses the beaches in southern Michigan/Northern Ohio are closest.

 

And the coldest.

And the coldest.

 

No joke! The one time my family ever went on vacation over spring break when I was a kid, we went up and stayed on Lake Michigan . I think we all had near death experiences from hypothermic shock. That water was COLD!

No joke! The one time my family ever went on vacation over spring break when I was a kid, we went up and stayed on Lake Michigan . I think we all had near death experiences from hypothermic shock. That water was COLD!

 

True, the water will still be chilly (maybe 60 or so) even in July. Temps there will range from 80-90. I can't imagine getting in the water in MI during spring break.

 

The Charleston area beaches sound nice and I didn't realize they were that close. For those that are further south in KY, that sounds like a good option. Perhaps a couple hours longer than the west side Lake Michigan beaches but you are getting an ocean beach experience there.

 

Also, there is a big difference between west Lake Michigan beaches and any other lake beach I have visited. The beaches on the west side of Lake Michigan are just as nice as most ocean beaches.

This place is barely 5 hours away. The great lakes look and feel like the ocean. Leave the house at 9:00 check in at 2:00 on the beach at 3:00. Top it off with a day at Cedar Point if youre a rollar coaster fan.

 

http://www.resortsandlodges.com/lodging/usa/ohio/northwest-ohio/south-beach-resort.html

This place is barely 5 hours away. The great lakes look and feel like the ocean. Leave the house at 9:00 check in at 2:00 on the beach at 3:00. Top it off with a day at Cedar Point if youre a rollar coaster fan.

 

http://www.resortsandlodges.com/lodging/usa/ohio/northwest-ohio/south-beach-resort.html

 

I have been to Lake Erie a few times. The water seems more like lake water there to me. I googled Marblehead Beach images and some of pictures of the beach look pretty good. Some of them don't look so good. I would like to hear about your beach experience there and the water.

 

The thing I liked about Lake Michigan is the water seemed more like ocean water (no salt of course, but a clean feel to it) and the beaches along the Lake Michigan coast are very close to what you find on the oceanfront. Lot's of wide, white sand.

True, the water will still be chilly (maybe 60 or so) even in July. Temps there will range from 80-90. I can't imagine getting in the water in MI during spring break.

 

The Charleston area beaches sound nice and I didn't realize they were that close. For those that are further south in KY, that sounds like a good option. Perhaps a couple hours longer than the west side Lake Michigan beaches but you are getting an ocean beach experience there.

 

Also, there is a big difference between west Lake Michigan beaches and any other lake beach I have visited. The beaches on the west side of Lake Michigan are just as nice as most ocean beaches.

 

It was Spring Break, and there was all this water there...just waiting for us to jump in. (...we were young and dumb.)

We just got home from Dauphin Island, Alabama. It is an 11 hour drive from NKY. Nice place if you want a lot of beach time. Not much else there, but the people are nice, the beaches were not crowded, and house rentals were reasonable.

I have been to Lake Erie a few times. The water seems more like lake water there to me. I googled Marblehead Beach images and some of pictures of the beach look pretty good. Some of them don't look so good. I would like to hear about your beach experience there and the water.

 

The thing I liked about Lake Michigan is the water seemed more like ocean water (no salt of course, but a clean feel to it) and the beaches along the Lake Michigan coast are very close to what you find on the oceanfront. Lot's of wide, white sand.

 

The Marblehead peninsula is very nice. Sticks out pretty far into the lake and tends to get a better wave and surf feel than most of the other beaches. It stays shallow for a pretty good piece which is great with kids. I agree with you that michigan has a better ocean feel, but Erie is much more shallow and the water is usually a lot warmer. I've always found the water there to be clean.

True, the water will still be chilly (maybe 60 or so) even in July. Temps there will range from 80-90. I can't imagine getting in the water in MI during spring break.

 

The Charleston area beaches sound nice and I didn't realize they were that close. For those that are further south in KY, that sounds like a good option. Perhaps a couple hours longer than the west side Lake Michigan beaches but you are getting an ocean beach experience there.

 

Also, there is a big difference between west Lake Michigan beaches and any other lake beach I have visited. The beaches on the west side of Lake Michigan are just as nice as most ocean beaches.

 

I used to live in Milwaukee. Even in August, you couldn't get me to go into Lake Michigan. While living there, my friends and I would go around the lake to Benton Harbor and South Haven to camp and jeep. The beaches there were great.

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, from Louisville you can be in Alabama in less that four hours. Its around five/six to the beach, but it is teally clean, lots of very nice places to eat, and lots of room. Hardly any College type parties going on, (my boys got flashed many times in Panama City) and other stuff going on, I mean a lot. Lamberts is a one great reason to go and eat.

 

You can drive close to 80 if you choose to. (Guru sorry) Try to avoid Nashville during rush hours. I-65 and then a very nice four lane road. Jellyfish can be a problem in August.