Lakes & Beaches
Three freshwater lakes, miles of saltwater shoreline, and the honest story of who can use what.
Water on every side, and two lakes in the middle.
For an island this size, there's a lot of water to enjoy - two real freshwater lakes (plus a tiny third) and roughly 14 miles of saltwater shoreline. Some of it is open to everyone; some of it belongs to the Riviera community.
The honest version: most lake access sits inside the Riviera and is for members and their guests. Public water access is real but limited - a couple of lake spots and a handful of saltwater beaches. We lay out exactly which is which below, so nobody drives across the island expecting to swim somewhere they can't.
The lakes.
Anderson Island has three freshwater lakes, two of them sizable. Florence Lake is the larger of the two and the only one where gas motors are allowed - the island's spot for small powerboats and water skiing. Lake Josephine sits inside the Riviera, ringed by member homes and access parks, and is kept electric-motor only and quiet.
Public lake access is limited. On Florence Lake, Tom White Park reaches the shore, and the beloved Ol' Swimming Hole (Lowell Johnson Park) - sandy beach, floating dock, swimming areas - is the island's public swimming spot, currently closed for construction. Everything on Lake Josephine, plus the Riviera's lake parks, is for members and their guests. Tiny Pine Lake, in the Riv's Gordon Nece Park, is really just a children's fishing pond.
Who can use what.
The single most useful thing to know about island water access.
Get the Anderson Island Assistant app.
The Anderson Island Historical Society maintains a genuinely excellent parks guide in the island app - a map-based breakdown of every park, where it is, and what you'll find there (trails, beaches, facilities, and more). If you're trying to picture where any of these spots actually are, it's the single most useful reference on the island.
Tap a park in the app and it opens a full page the Historical Society built for it, with photos and detail you won't find anywhere else. For the Riviera's own lakes and parks, the club keeps a page at rivieraclub.org/parks (members and guests).
Beaches & shoreline.
The island's saltwater edge is where the best public access is. Roughly 14 miles of it wraps the island, and the Park District has opened several stretches to walk, beachcomb, and watch for seals, eagles, and the occasional pod of orcas offshore.
One real caution: tides here swing nearly 18 feet, and some tidal flats turn into deep, sucking mud. Check the tide before you walk out, and don't cross mudflats you don't know.
The marquee beach: roughly three-quarters of a mile of public shoreline below a forested trail, with Olympic Mountain views and a salmon-nursery inlet. See Parks & Trails for the hike in. Watch for Vega Bay tideland viewpoints along the connected Wildlife Park trails.
Trails to a quiet beach with strong wildlife viewing. A newer trail reaches the Old Brickyard, with a low-tide beach loop down to the Stairs.
A small Park District access on the north end facing Eagle Island. Parking for about three cars, an overlook, and steep stairs down to the beach. Dog-friendly. Easy to miss - that's part of the charm.
There are stairs down to the beach right by the island's ferry terminal. If you've got time before a sailing, it's an easy place to stretch your legs and put your feet near the water.
The roped-off lake swimming areas at Interlachen (Florence) and Ray Park (Josephine) are for Riviera members and their guests, not public beaches.
There are no pools on the island.
Swimming here means the lakes or the Sound. The roped-off lake swimming areas at Interlachen and Ray Park are inside the Riviera - members and guests only. For public swimming, the Ol' Swimming Hole at Lowell Johnson Park, on Lake Florence, is the spot - sandy beach, floating dock, and a slide - once it reopens from construction.
Saltwater swimming is cold year-round and the tides move fast. Know the water, and keep an eye on kids near the tidal flats.
More things to do.
Parks & Trails
The forest trails and beach hikes that reach much of this shoreline - Andy's Marine, Jacob's Point, and the salmon-stream parks.
Read MoreBy Boat or Kayak
Paddling and private boating to the island, where to put in and land, and the tides and currents to know before you launch.
Read MoreThings to Do Overview
The full rundown of what's here - parks, lakes, golf, paddling, and the museum - and what's open to the public.
Read More