Beaches near Sioux Falls? (Yankton, Vermillion: camping, living, moving to)

[littlebrook]

Hi,

I will be moving to Sioux Falls next month with my family and I am looking for some information on fun family things to do in or around Sioux Falls. Specifically, I heard that there are a number of lakes in eastern SD and I was wondering if there were any nice sand beaches near Sioux Falls where I could take the kids.

Thanks

[rjl78]

Check out Wall Lake west of Town on Highway 42. Or maybe Lake Alvin.

[leroyleroux]

Originally Posted by rjl78

Check out Wall Lake west of Town on Highway 42. Or maybe Lake Alvin.

Ah, Wall Lake. I was trying to think of what the name of that place was, I haven't been there for years.

[jmgg]

Another nice beach just 5 miles southeast of SF is Lake Alvin. One big negative is that the water quality is often suspect since it is at the end of 9 mile creek and gets a lot of fecal material from fields and livestock runoff. They test the water constantly and post the beach if it's unsafe.

Just across the Iowa border to the southeast, approximately 15 miles from SF is Lake Pahoja. This is becoming a very popular lake with a beach and many camping spots. Better water quality than Lake Alvin.

[Jammie]

Yankton used to have a nice beach, too. Has anyone been down there lately?

AND welcome!!! Where are you living now?

[leroyleroux]

Yeah, I had been going to Yankton for years, but never ventured west. There is a great marina type thing over there. That may or may not be what you are talking about.

[littlebrook]

Thanks for the suggestions.

We live in Rochester NY and have a bunch of nice beaches along Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. I have a 4 yo son who loves the beach and I would love to be able to tell him that we can still go and play in the sand and water when we move out to Sioux Falls.

I see that Lake Herman and Lake Vermillion are located not too far from SF. Do these lakes have nice beaches?

Thanks

[fatman66]

Originally Posted by littlebrook

Thanks for the suggestions.

We live in Rochester NY and have a bunch of nice beaches along Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. I have a 4 yo son who loves the beach and I would love to be able to tell him that we can still go and play in the sand and water when we move out to Sioux Falls.

I see that Lake Herman and Lake Vermillion are located not too far from SF. Do these lakes have nice beaches?

Thanks

I'm also from Rochester NY and considering moving to Sioux Falls. Small world.

[MJ1986]

Originally Posted by littlebrook

Thanks for the suggestions.

We live in Rochester NY and have a bunch of nice beaches along Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. I have a 4 yo son who loves the beach and I would love to be able to tell him that we can still go and play in the sand and water when we move out to Sioux Falls.

I see that Lake Herman and Lake Vermillion are located not too far from SF. Do these lakes have nice beaches?

Thanks

Welcome to South Dakota and Sioux Falls!
Wall Lake is a good one just west of Sioux Falls. It won't compare to Lake Ontario though!
Both Lake Herman and Lake Vermillion have beaches, but I'm not sure what they're like, unfortunately. I'll see if I can dig up more info/pictures or something to help.
The Iowa "Great Lakes" (Okoboji) are in NW Iowa, near Spirit Lake. It's about 100 miles from Sioux Falls, so its nice for a weekend getaway.

Originally Posted by fatman66

I'm also from Rochester NY and considering moving to Sioux Falls. Small world.

A small world indeed!

[rjl78]

I was down Yankton way in 2001. I like that area. Lake Poinsett is another nice get away but further than Wall Lake, Lake Alvin, Lake Vermillion and so forth. To the north a way.