Swimming Holes

Western New York is known for its 11 Finger Lakes and two Great Lakes, but smaller lakes, ponds, creeks, rivers, and beaches offer even more ways to cool off in summer. Many guarded swimming areas are open from mid-June through Labor Day, but please check ahead, as water quality and weather can affect conditions. Unless otherwise noted, swimming is limited to designated areas and times when lifeguards are on duty.

City of Rochester

Durand Eastman Beach features the designated swimming area as part of a greater 5,000-foot sandy Lake Ontario shoreline. Visitors can use staircases or a ramp to reach the beach from the Lot A parking area.

Ontario Beach Park features a sandy swimming beach on Lake Ontario. Look for the blue accessibility mat near the bathhouse, which provides a smooth path from the boardwalk to the water’s edge.

Monroe County

Hamlin Beach State Park offers guarded sandy beaches with bathhouses in Areas Three and Four. A blue accessibility mat provides a smooth path from the paved walkway to the water. Dogs may swim in Lake Ontario at the unguarded beaches in Areas One and Five.

Greater Rochester

Kershaw Park offers a guarded sandy beach and bathhouse at the north end of Canandaigua Lake near the city pier.

Deep Run Park, on the eastern shore of Canandaigua Lake, features a small rocky beach for swimming and a bathhouse.

Onanda Park, on the western shore of Canandaigua Lake, features a rocky swimming beach and bathhouse.

Sandy Bottom Park Beach features a guarded sandy beach for swimming on Honeoye Lake, along with a nearby bathhouse.

Long Point Park in Geneseo features a rocky beach for swimming on the western shore of Conesus Lake.

Keuka Lake State Park offers a large sandy beach and bathhouse at the north end of Keuka Lake.

Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva features a sandy, shallow swimming beach and a large sprayground with 100 water jets.

Sampson State Park, on the east side of Seneca Lake in Romulus, features a small sandy beach and a bathhouse.

Cayuga Lake State Park in Seneca Falls features a long, narrow, pebbly sand beach for swimming.

Sodus Point Beach Park features a sandy beach on Lake Ontario beside the pier, with a bathhouse and concessions nearby.

Darien Lakes State Park in Darien Center offers a sandy swimming beach on Harlow Lake. Bring a packed lunch to enjoy on Picnic Island.

Surrounding Counties

Stony Brook State Park in Dansville features a sectioned-off swimming area in the cold waters of Stony Brook. Wading is not allowed elsewhere in the gorge.

Rushford Lake Beach in Caneadea offers a public swimming beach near Rush Creek Road at the southern tip of Rushford Lake.

Allegany State Park in Salamanca features sandy swimming beaches at Quaker and Red House Lakes.

Buttermilk Falls State Park in Ithaca offers a stream-fed swimming pool beneath Buttermilk Creek’s lower falls.

Robert H. Treman State Park in Ithaca features a stream-fed swimming pool beneath Enfield Glen’s waterfall with a diving board.

Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg features a narrow, pebbly sand beach on Cayuga Lake with a floating swim dock. A bathhouse and concession stand are nearby.

Myers Park in Lansing features a small rocky beach beside one of the three Cayuga Lake lighthouses.

Long Point State Park in Aurora, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, features a small grass-and-stone swimming beach and a bathhouse.

Fillmore Glen State Park in Moravia features Dry Creek’s stream-fed swimming pool and a roped-off wading area.

Clift Park in Skaneateles features a grassy shoreline with concrete steps leading to the guarded swimming area on Skaneateles Lake.

Lakeland Park in Cazenovia features a guarded sandy swimming beach on Cazenovia Lake, a car-top boat launch, and a bathhouse.

Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville features a guarded swimming beach on the shore of Green Lake, known for its turquoise water and unusual geology. At nearly 200 feet deep, this meromictic lake remains remarkably clear because its surface and deep waters do not mix.

Verona Beach State Park features a sandy, shallow swimming beach on Oneida Lake and a splash pad.

Sylvan Beach features a sandy swimming beach on Oneida Lake, next to Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, which is inspired by New York City’s Coney Island.

Oneida Shores County Park in Brewerton features a shallow, sandy beach on Oneida Lake, a designated area for inflatables, and a bathhouse.

Fair Haven Beach State Park features a guarded sandy swimming beach beneath Lake Ontario’s towering shoreline bluffs.

Sandy Island Beach State Park in Pulaski is one of the few west-facing beaches along Lake Ontario. According to New York State Parks, it contains the only significant freshwater dune site in the Northeast. A boardwalk protects the dunes and beach grass while providing access to the guarded swimming beach. A bathhouse and concessions are located near the parking area.

Krull Park in Olcott Beach features a small sandy beach on Lake Ontario adjacent to Lakeview Village Shops and Olcott Carousel Park. A splash pad is across the street.

Beaver Island State Park, on the south end of Grand Island, offers a sandy swimming beach on the Niagara River, 14 miles upstream from Niagara Falls. The park also features kayak launches, trails, and a nature center.

Woodlawn Beach State Park in Blasdell features a mile-long sandy beach on Lake Erie with a bathhouse, concession stands, and views of the wind turbines along the shoreline south of Buffalo.

Evangola State Park in Irving features a sandy swimming beach with a bathhouse along the Lake Erie shoreline beneath towering cliffs.

Where are your favorite swimming holes around Rochester?

I’d love to hear from you—please reach out and share your thoughts and experiences.