Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach or Traverse City Beach today?
Empire, Michigan · Traverse City, Michigan — 36 km apart
Updated 7:03 AM EDT
96Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach
vs
98Traverse City Beach
Too close to call today. Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach scores 96 and Traverse City Beach scores 98, 36 km apart. Pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
Which one, for what
- Neither pulls ahead on anything we measure today — every activity is within a few points. At 36 km apart they are drawing on the same weather and swell, so the deciding factor is the beach itself: parking, crowds, and what you want from the day.
| Activity | Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach | Traverse City Beach | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming | 71 | 74 | tie |
| Families with kids | 79 | — | tie |
| Walking & shelling | 70 | 70 | tie |
| Surfing | 30 | — | tie |
Conditions side by side
| Now | Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach | Traverse City Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | 68°F | 72°F |
| Wave height | 0.7 ft | — |
| Air temperature | 50°F | 51°F |
| Wind | 4 mph | 4 mph |
| UV index | 0 | 0 |
| Next tide | — | — |
Both readings taken at the same moment, from the same sources, so the comparison is like for like.
Frequently asked questions
Should I go to Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach or Traverse City Beach today?
They score within a few points of each other (96 and 98), so pick on what you plan to do rather than the overall number.
How far apart are Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach and Traverse City Beach?
About 36 km in a straight line. Far enough apart that conditions can genuinely differ between them.