People flee the heat to the beaches of Lake Michigan | WTAQ News Talk | 97.5 FM · 1360 AM

TWO RIVERS, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — There’s a saying that folks in northeast Wisconsin may be familiar with: “It’s cooler at the lake.”

And with the warm weather continuing through Monday, many are heading to the shores of Lake Michigan to find some relief.

It calls itself the best in Wisconsin: The 50-acre sandy beach is called Neshotah Beach in Two Rivers.

“Here in Two Rivers, we have a really impressive shoreline on Lake Michigan. This is really our premier public beach,” said Mike Mathis, director of Two Rivers Parks and Recreation.

Mike Mathis says when summer temperatures rise, people are drawn to the coast.

“There’s a big beach on Lake Michigan extending south from here that’s also open to the public. So if you’re looking for a little quieter places, maybe away from the crowds, then you can go closer to our pier or even to the other side of downtown,” he said.

On Monday morning, Jerry Krizka and Marina Melikhov explored the conditions along the coast.

“Oh, it’s so much fun. I love it. Our Lake Michigan. It’s like a sea or an ocean, so very, very therapeutic,” said Marina Melikhov of Killdeer, Illinois.

“It’s beautiful. It’s fine. They obviously maintain it. It’s very nice. The water is a little chilly, but I’ll throw them in anyway,” laughed Jerry Krizka of Killdeer, Illinois.

But is it really cooler at the lake? Mike Mathis says it’s usually cooler at Neshotah Beach.

“We actually extend several miles into Lake Michigan, so we’re really at one point here at Two Rivers. So we get all that great cool air,” he said.

And maybe the cool water too.

“It’s Lake Michigan, one of the largest lakes in the world. It’s really refreshing and we see a lot of people swimming. The kids don’t care about the temperature. They’re always in the water having fun,” Mathis said.

There are no lifeguards on duty at Neshotah Beach.

Officials say people need to be cautious and aware of the risks before venturing into the water.