Do you love to comb Great Lakes beaches in search of unique treasures? Are you looking for top beaches along the southern Lake Michigan shore? From marbles to pottery, unique rocks, fossils, and other treasures, Wisconsin’s southern Lake Michigan shore is home to beautiful beaches brimming with unique finds. In this article I’ll share three of my favorite Lake Michigan beaches for beach glass and other unique treasures.
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History of Glass in the Great Lakes
First, a bit of history…… The Great Lakes have historically been a dumping ground for glass and industrial waste from factories, plants, and mills. In Lake Erie, for example, a General Electric plant in Conneaut, Ohio operated from 1941 to 2008. The plant dumped excess glass from the production of incandescent light bulbs into the lake to reduce beach erosion. The glass primarily used in the production of these light bulbs was cobalt blue or black amethyst. This is known as vitrite glass, commonly found along the shores of Lake Erie in this area.
Glass Production in the Great Lakes
In the late 1800s, glass was primarily produced in the eastern United States in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. From these states, glass was transported across the country (at great cost). Glass was first produced in Wisconsin in 1880, when the first glass company was established in Milwaukee.
Where to Find Beach Glass?
Today, along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, beaches closest to the urban centers of Chicago and Milwaukee offer the best opportunities to find beach glass. Bottles, pottery, and other glass smoothed and polished over many years by the power of Lake Michigan smooth sharp edges to create rounded, weathered pieces. Common items found along Lake Michigan Beaches include pottery, glass bottle fragments and bottle stoppers. Additionally, an abundance of crinoid fossils and the occasional marble can be found.
Beach Glass Fun Fact
……Did you Know? Beach glass, pottery, and fossils are smoothed and rounded more quickly in fresh water than in salt water due to the lower pH of fresh water.
Beach Glass at Simmons Island Beach – Kenosha
Located at 5001 4th Avenue in Kenosha, Simmons Island Park and Beach is my favorite location for beach glass, and one of my favorite beaches in Kenosha. Over the years, I have found an abundance of treasures here including beach glass in various colors, fossils, pottery, and one marble. Additionally, I have found porcelain dating back to the 1920s!
Best Time to Find Beach Glass
Calm days that follow big summer storms provide excellent opportunities to search for treasures. Beach glass, crinoid fossils, and pottery pieces are churned up and brought to shore by large waves. If you enjoy quiet and a good sunrise, I recommend checking out Simmons Island Beach early in the morning. Beachgoers fill the parking lot by late morning. As such, afternoon and evening are busier; however, if you’re the social type, this is a great time to mingle with beachgoers.
Beachcombing Gear
For beachcombing, I have found that a waist pack is a comfortable option to store my finds on hot days. Osprey’s Archeon Pouch is a great option for hands free beachcombing. Additionally, the Daylite Mini Waist Pack is the perfect size pack for my beach finds, with a zippered main compartment, external front pocket and interior mesh organizer.
Simmons Island Beach Hours
The beach is open daily from sunrise until 10pm. Bathrooms are located in the recently renovated Beach House (also on the National Register of Historic Places). The Beach House also hosts a beer garden with food and beverages, in addition to renting out recreational equipment.
Beach Glass at Grant Park Beach and the 7 Bridges Trail – South Milwaukee
Located at 100 E. Hawthorne Avenue in South Milwaukee, Grant Park is a 400-acre park stretching over 2 miles along Lake Michigan‘s shoreline. Within the park are picnic areas, the historic Frederick C. Wulff Lodge, and two observation decks overlooking the lake. The 7 Bridges Trail, once featured in Midwest Living Magazine, is located within Grant Park. I highly recommend checking it out!
Grant Park Beach
When you visit, take your time and enjoy the long 2 mile stretch of beach. Expect to find glass in a variety of colors. In past visits, I have found amber, green, clear, and cobalt blue. For the fossil lovers, crinoids, trilobites, and brachiopods can also be found along this beach.
Yooperlites!
Occasionally, you can find “Yooperlites” at Grant Park Beach. These fluorescent sodalite stones rich in syenite, giving them a yellow glow with a UV flashlight. Yooperlites are most commonly found in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and along the Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior, though these sodalite stones are found throughout the Great Lakes.
Yooperlite Facts
While they appear opaque and ordinary in daylight, they glow beneath ultraviolet (UV) light due to a mineral called fluorescent sodalite. Sodalite absorbs ultraviolet light, emitting it as visible light, seen by the human eye as bright orange or yellow.
Guide to Finding Yooperlites
Check out this helpful guide from Pure Michigan offering tips for finding Yooperlites! You can purchase an inexpensive UV flashlight to determine if your finds are indeed Yooperlites.
Beach Glass at Schlitz Audubon Beach – Bayside Wisconsin
About an hour north of Simmons Island is the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, at 1111 E. Brown Deer Road in Bayside, Wisconsin. Schlitz is a gorgeous nature center comprised of 185 acres, 6 miles of hiking trails, and an observation tower. Admission to Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is $10, ($7 for ages 3-17 and military members).
Beach Access at Schlitz Audubon Center
To access the beach at Schlitz Audubon Center, you’ll need to pay the $10 admission fee to enter the beach via the paved hiking trail at the center. The admission fee is absolutely worth it; during your visit, be sure check out all that Schlitz has to offer. In addition to the beach, you can hike the trails, observe unique birds, and find unique native plants along the hiking trail.
Common Finds at Schlitz Audubon Center
Beach glass of all colors and hues can be found at Schlitz beach. The most common colors I have found are shades of green, brown, amber, yellow, and opaque white “milk glass”. Historically, arsenic was added to the glass in order to yield its opalescent, milky white appearance. Milk glass was popular both in the United States and England between 1835. In the late 1980s it was used to make tableware, vases, and candles.
Finding Beach Glass at Schlitz Audubon Center
Learn more this article from Schlitz Audubon Nature Center about searching for beach glass: Finding Beach Glass at Schlitz Audubon Beach.
Best Lake Michigan Beaches
In this article I’ve highlighted just three of my favorite Wisconsin beaches along Lake Michigan‘s southern shore. However, there are dozens more! You’ll find that each beach has its own unique charm and unique treasures to offer. Get out there and enjoy Lake Michigan’s many beautiful beaches!
If you find yourself at Simmons Island Beach on a Saturday morning between May and October, be sure to check out the Top Farmer’s Market along Lake Michigan’s Shore – Kenosha HarborMarket!
Learn more about my recent adventures!
April 1, 2025 by Erin
Marquette Michigan, located on the southern shore of Lake Superior, is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Home to 20,000+ residents and known for outdoor recreation opportunities, this historic city on Lake Superior’s southern shore is a must visit!
Marquette Michigan, located on the southern shore of Lake Superior, is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Home to 20,000+ residents and known for outdoor recreation opportunities, this historic city on Lake Superior’s southern shore is a must visit!
Happy Treasure Hunting!
– Erin
