Phalen Beach

Beach admission is free. The adult open-water swim course requires registration, priced at $20 for residents / $30 for non-residents (end-of-season pricing noted on the official page).

Guarded sand beach with waterfront-certified lifeguards on duty during posted hours, plus a splash pad open longer hours (9am-9pm) for younger kids who don't want open water. City rules require under-12s to be accompanied by an adult at all times, and 12-14 year olds must check in with an aquatics supervisor to stay unaccompanied, which points to a managed, family-oriented beach environment.

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Free parking at the beach (1400 Phalen Drive, St Paul); no fee mentioned for admission or parking on the city's aquatics page.

A self-serve rental kiosk (Whenever Watersports) operates directly on the beach offering single/tandem kayaks and paddleboards. The prior dossier also notes on-site canoe/kayak storage racks, implying personal small craft use on the lake is common. No official source was found stating rules on personal motorboats, jet skis, or horsepower/no-wake restrictions for Lake Phalen, so that is left unset rather than assumed.

Beach operates in-season, June 13 through September 7 (2026 dates, weather permitting); guarded hours run roughly noon-8pm in peak summer, shifting to noon-7pm from August through early September.

Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times; youth ages 12-14 who want to stay unaccompanied must first check in with an aquatics supervisor. The open-water swim course is restricted to registered swimmers age 18+ and follows a marked counterclockwise buoyed route.

Phalen Beach is on Lake Phalen, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.