Good place to propose on Western Lake / Grayton Beach

[GoBuckeyes]

Hi All; hoping for some 'local help' here. My girlfriend and I have visited SoWal for many many years, and I plan to propose while kayaking.

We have paddled around Western Lake, which is an ideal location for us, but I don't know of any 'safe' places to pull over and walk on a beach area other than the inlet/outlet.

I would prefer something a bit more remote, but I'm really not sure which areas are considered protected and don't want any issues!


Any suggestions? I don't mind driving and doing this on one of the other dune lakes, but we live very far away so I can't look at anything in advance!! We also rent kayaks, so it has to be somewhere that can accommodate that.

Thank you so much, and am VERY excited to make SoWal area the start for our lives together

 

[Lake View Too]

If you are looking for private and remote, I think Deer Lake would be the best lake. You could simply put in at the bridge and head straight south to the dunes and the Gulf.

Another romantic place would be Eden State Park, on the bay. The grounds are beautiful and the old mansion is romantic. It's got Tucker Bayou if you need to weave in the kayak concept.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Deer Lake, I like, but via google maps there doesn't seem to be any sand/beach-ish areas. The way I plan to do this requires sand, preferably where we can pull off and have a small picnic or something. Deer Lake looks great from a nature perspective and we will certainly check it out!

Eden State Park, sort of the same thing... Looking at google maps I see some sandy areas but it's off the canal. Also, will a kayak rental place just drop them off anywhere? We've rented canoes from grayton state park and it was so easy and nice, would prefer something "simple"!!!

 

[Lake View Too]

I just drove by Deer Lake and the water level is way down, exposing mucky shoreline. Most of the lakes don't have a sandy beach except near the outlets. And there you got to deal with people.

I only brought up Eden because that was where I proposed, on dry land, and it has worked out splendid.

 

[TJMay]

If you put in at the public dock in Grayton and head due east, it then curves around to the south and goes through the Grayton Beach State Park into the larger part of Western Lake. There are many spots through there that I go to read and, well just sit and enjoy.

Very beautiful and peaceful.

A true romantic you are!

 

[Truman]

Yep - that's a good plan - you can pull over once you get past the park bridge. The park has picnic tables.

 

[TJMay]

Very true but the places I stop are well before the bridge.

There’s a dune on the south side just as you turn east that would be perfect, IMHO, if I was going to propose.

I've sat and leaned against that dune many times enjoying the beauty of that piece of paradise.

Once, a ranger on an ATV came upon me and told me to move as the dunes and vegetation were protected. I pointed out that there was no vegetation where i was sitting and my footprints started and stopped just a few feet from the waterline so there was no damage being done to anything. He considered that for a moment and said "enjoy your day" and moved on.

Go make a memory.

 

[Truman]

Yep - great spot.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Very true but the places I stop are well before the bridge.

There’s a dune on the south side just as you turn east that would be perfect, IMHO, if I was going to propose.

I've sat and leaned against that dune many times enjoying the beauty of that piece of paradise.

Once, a ranger on an ATV came upon me and told me to move as the dunes and vegetation were protected. I pointed out that there was no vegetation where i was sitting and my footprints started and stopped just a few feet from the waterline so there was no damage being done to anything. He considered that for a moment and said "enjoy your day" and moved on.

Go make a memory.

Yup that is the plan, and that is my concern. I know that when walking through grayton park all of those dunes are protected, so I assume(d) that the dunes accessible from the dune lakes are all protected as well... And of course we are super cautious about not disturbing anything, I just don't want that special moment interrupted in any way by an over zealous park ranger.

I'm just gonna go for it... Plan is to put in at grayton park, and paddle around. I have a feeling that the right spot and right time is going to be obvious




Thanks all!

 

[Kurt]

Yup that is the plan, and that is my concern. I know that when walking through grayton park all of those dunes are protected, so I assume(d) that the dunes accessible from the dune lakes are all protected as well... And of course we are super cautious about not disturbing anything, I just don't want that special moment interrupted in any way by an over zealous park ranger.

I'm just gonna go for it... Plan is to put in at grayton park, and paddle around. I have a feeling that the right spot and right time is going to be obvious




Thanks all!

There are some waters' edge spots. If you get interrupted it could make for a more memorable story for you and the ranger.

Just after the bridge are sandbars and shallow spots that are great for wading - now that would be unique!