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Summer will officially get underway on Sunday, June 20, 2021. If you're starting to make plans for yourself and the family or friends, here's a suggestion - put this beach on your summer bucket list. Beaver Island beach is only a 15-minute drive from Buffalo. It's located on Grand Island. I went two summers ago and had a nice time. Now, it's not quite as nice as the sandy beaches of the Caribbean, but it's good enough for a low-cost beach day in Western New York! In addition to swimming and laying out, Beaver Island State Park offers a ton of other activities. According to its website,

Beaver Island State Park is located at the south end of Grand Island in the upper Niagara River. The 950 acre park has a half-mile sandy beach for swimming, adjacent 80 slip marina with both seasonal and transient boat slips, fishing access, car-top boat launch, multiple canoe/kayak launches, bike and nature trails, nature center, playgrounds, picnic areas, athletic fields, horseshoe pits, an 18 hole championship disc golf course, an 18-hole championship golf course.

It costs $7 per car to enter the state park. The hours of operation are 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Thursday and 8 am to 9 pm Friday through Sunday. You can get more info on costs for larger vehicles and other activities here.

There is also a restaurant near the beach called The V'Randa. It's open 7 days a week from 4 pm to 10 pm. According to its website, its menu offers a variety of cuisine,

Our menu is diverse and unique with some of the local Buffalo favorites with a twist. The Chef, Peter Emborsky, favors local fresh-sourced ingredients, tasteful presentation and quality dishes. Not to mention his food is addictive!

I took a peek at the menu, here are some of the dishes offered:

- Crispy Brussell Sprouts
- Steak Frites
- Margarita Pizza
- Caprese Salad

You can check out the full menu here. You can call them at 716-707-3820 to make a reservation.

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