We enjoyed this. We've been coming here off and on for several years and it was a pleasant romantic evening watching the boats and waves. Highly recommend, indoor bathroom and shops inside the pier building. Great for kitsch and sunset vibes. Thinking about taking a boat tour again sometime! read more

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Well I might not ever make it to the French Riviera, but this one sure is beautiful! I wasn't expecting this to be so beautiful when I pulled up, which was a really pleasant surprise. I didn't realize this is where the tour cruise boats leave/dock from, and what a gorgeous sight it is. The restrooms inside are super clean; and there's a few cute shops too. read more

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We came to Lake Geneva for a day trip and, of course, had to stop by Riviera Beach. It's a sandy beach with plenty of boats out on the lake, and there's a nice sidewalk for strolling as well as benches where you can sit and enjoy the sounds of the water. A relaxing spot to spend part of the day. They got paid street parking or free parking just a few blocks away. There's also a nearby library overlooking the lake. read more

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Not crowded for a Saturday. A little cooler than expected but breezy, sunny and beautiful! Great day out plus an Arts & Crafts Show going on in the park. read more

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Riviera Beach itself is actually a very nice option if you're looking for a beach close to the downtown section of Lake Geneva. The 2 star review is for VisitLakeGeneva.com's unexplainably poor lack of communication which led to our extended family beach trip having to be cut short. The beach is a nice size with plenty of space for large and small groups and the water level has a steady gradual slope to about waist level which seemed to keep the water at a comfortable temperature on this above 90° day. There is a $10 first come entrance fee but you can buy it ahead of time online with a small surcharge. According to information online there are a limited number of passes available per day for the beach so most of our group of 20+ bought passes ahead of time and were glad we did as the beach already seemed to be filling out when we arrived a little past 1pm. We only learned upon arrival by signs posted at the entrance that the beach would be closing at 3:30pm to be cleared as the staging area for a waterskiing show later that day. At no point in purchasing our day passes online were any of us informed that we would not be able to stay at the beach until the usual time of 6pm. One person had even checked the Riviera Beach and Lake Geneva Facebook pages and saw no mention of this cutoff for the day. What made this all the more confusing and annoying was that at one point during the day a man who pronounced himself to be the head of the lifeguards for this section and was checking coolers for alcohol told us that the beach was not closing at 3:30pm and that we would be able to stay but there would be no lifeguards present after that time. So we were all pretty happy that we hadn't spent $11 (not to mention over $20 for parking) for only 2.5 hours at the beach. But then 3:30pm rolled around and they did in fact clear everyone out. I will accept a little bit of the blame in not knowing that the Jaycee's Venetian Festival was happening that weekend and not being fully aware of all that that entailed (it was probably the busiest weekend of the summer) but I am still very surprised that no social media accounts or websites thought it prudent to let visitors know the limitations that were in place for Riviera Beach as well as it's boat launch. My uncle brought his boat and was told he had to go to Fontana Beach all the way on the other side of the lake to be able to get it in the water. When they cleared the beach our group moved to the creek in the Samuel Donian wetland preserve park so that the kids could play in the water while we enjoyed the shade. It's a small park but we were able to at least salvage the rest of the day here but it was obvious that the experience left a sour taste for everyone so I'm not sure we'll be going back to Riviera Beach in the near future. read more

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Visit the Riviera. Nice small stretch of beach near historic downtown in Lake Geneva. Great for a stroll along the 600 feet of sand on a warm summer day. Admission is $8 for the day. read more

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The $8.00 entrance fee to go on the beach is ridiculous. It's better to wait after 7pm than its free. I went around 7:30pm and the beach had less people than earlier. I made sure to social distance myself and kept a nice distance from everyone. Earlier when I was walking along the tier I noticed that people were no social distancing themselves. Nice view especially at night but the beach had a funky smell. It could use a little more cleaning and too many seaweeds for me. I didn't stay long just enough to snap some photos and I was off and away. . read more

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This is a really pretty part of Lake Geneva. We visited last weekend, and there was no social distancing in sight. As you can see in the pictures, the beach was packed, people were having a grand old time, and it was fun. Just beautiful. read more

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Beach is small but clean and comfortable ample space shops & restaurants close to beach as well

The Riviera House is the entrance to the beach as well as the cruise line and rentals. The building itself reminded me of a WPA project built before WWII. The fountain out front and the brick courtyard are a delight to the eyes and a place for tourists to gather. Inside one will find many tourist type stores and concession stands. The bathrooms are something to be desired for the handicapped user. The place is well kept and well visited. Pay them a visit. read more

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It's a nice beach, to be sure. Especially given that you're in the middle of Wisconsin. It was quite crowded, though. And although we felt totally safe with our children, we did see some older guys selling drugs to the rich teens. Could have done without that. read more

Riviera Beach - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

I was very disappointed in this beach. First, there was NO capacity management. It was so incredibly crowded despite the pandemic occurring. There was absolutely no ability to social distance. Second, the website indicates that the bathrooms are being regularly cleaned is a complete lie. They were disgusting. There was feces on the wall of one of the stalls. There was a dirty diaper stuck in between the wall and the handicap rail in another. The beach is very rocky. There was a lot of seaweed and things floating in the water. There are concrete blocks in the water between the buoys that are not marked and I hurt my leg on one of them. There are no adults managing this beach, just a bunch of teenagers. The city really needs to evaluate their management of this beach. I would say that this beach is OK on certain days when it is not so crowded, but you don't know the crowd situation until you get there. I did visit once last year in the evening and it was fine, but I would be very wary in going there again. read more

Great all the way around. Parking is the only issue so come early. Lake geneva loves their 4.00 per hour parkinf and they WILL ticket you so be mindful of it. read more

More overcrowded than you can imagine, I will note that the cleanliness of the sand was surprisingly good given the number of people there. The water however was very full of seaweed and gunk floating everywhere close to the shoreline and the water wasn't clear, you couldn't see more than 6" down. Very average experience. read more

Riviera Beach - Beach area on a hot summer day - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Was at Woodstock, IL last week and decided to do some sight-seeing. I've visited Lake Geneva a few times when I used to live in IL but only during the summer. What a beautiful scene! We had some locals tell us that the frozen lake ice is thick enough that we could drive our cars on it. There were a few cars driving on it and pickup trucks unloading their snowmobiles. Looks like fun. We didn't drive on the frozen lake but we walked on it just a few feet from the shore. Felt safer that way. Thinking of going back here again during Winterfest.... read more

Riviera Beach - Walking on frozen lake. - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

We stopped by for some beach and sun on Fathers Day. It was busy but there was plenty of room to find a spot on the sand. The family and I usually come a few times during the summer and this was the first time our visit was disappointing. I'm not sure if it was because there were a lot more boats in the water from what we've previously seen, but it was Dirty with a capital D. So much garbage in the water, kelp/seaweed on shore, and dead fish. Yup, DEAD FISH. In the years we've been coming by, we've never seen dead fish washed up like that. It wasn't just one. Or two. Or three. There were 4!! 2 small ones, fine.... but 2 big ones as well. Like big enough you'd be happy with that size catch if you were fishing, big. It makes you wonder why there were so many. Is there something with the water? Do they test it as frequently as they should? And that's only what we saw around us. Who knows if anymore had washed up on the shore further down. Gross. Gross. Gross... not sure I'll be wanting to stick my body in that water any time soon. read more

I'm not really a beach person but this one is nice to sit on or be nearby in library park. It's conveniently located near some quick food selections like the local hot dog stand by the library. It's big enough to spread out without being too crowded even in the summer. The amenities are basic but good enough and close by. Check it out from the top deck or on the ground. The lake itself is crystal clear and just beautiful to gaze at on a summer night while the sun goes down. read more

Riviera Beach - Sunset on Geneva Lake - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Pros: Beach is well maintained and its clean. Cons: its $7 per head per day entry charge. beach is small, no water activities like jet ski/kayaking can be done as the rentals are on other side of beach. The water area to swim is very narrow read more

Way larger beach than I expected... it was bustling people on an overcast Sunday! We waited at the beach for an hour or so the catch a Boat tour at the Riviera. The Grand Belle brought us around the lake and had a full bar onboard. It was a nice time read more

It should come as no surprise that everything fun seems to costs a lot in Lake Geneva. At just $7 per adult ($3 for 7-12 year olds), Riviera Beach might be the best family fun value in town. If you get tired of the chlorinated water at your hotel, just make your way down to Riviera-Beach. The beach itself is clean and serene. The only minor complaint I have is the yucky seaweed they allow to grow just beyond the orange buoys as you approach the jumping piers - just hold your breath and kick, kick, kick... Also - I found out later that you can buy a beach pass using a debit or credit card at the parking stations you see around downtown. That would've been good to know as I was desperately trying to get the cash together for my entrance fee and almost didn't have enough. read more

Nice and clean beach! It's the perfect way to spend a hot summer day! It's location is perfect right by the library and near all the downtown shops. It's not a perfect day in Lake Geneva without a beach stop during the summer! read more

Riviera Beach - The full moon over Lake Geneva. - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Great beach for people that are in a part of the country that is completely land locked. The water is typical lake water with lots of stuff floating around, some dead fish on the sand, and lots of gross sea weed. There is a charge to use the beach before 7pm, but usually go after 7pm when it is free, and the parking is free too. Its a great place to walk on the beach and watch the sunset. The biggest downside is the showers suck, and are placed so high up, it makes it impossible to wash your feet when you are trying to leave the beach. Overall, nice place to hang out after dinner or watch the boats and sunset. read more

I went for a walk here while in Lake Geneva. It was getting chilly out so we didn't stay long but it was nice to walk out on the dock and look at the water. You have to pay for parking but it wasn't that expensive. read more

Riviera Beach - Beaches Near Me - Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

On a warm fall day we found ourselves in Lake Geneva after driving around to look at the fall colors. Since it was so nice out we walked down to the beach area to watch the water for a bit (though we mostly watched seagulls hover in the wind and tried to avoid being in the way of selfie-takers). Being the off season things weren't overrun and we stayed up top on the observation deck just taking in the low sun and lapping waves. It's a nice little area that is well-maintained; I don't know if I'd shell out $7 to visit in the summertime, but if I lived there it might be worth it. read more

Came here on the fourth of July with the family for a little R&R since we were all on vacation. They charge a few bucks to get in and give you a wristband which you have to wear the rest of the day. They were kind of rude about explaining the policy since most of us were from out of town and didn't know the rules. You can easily access the main strip where you can grab some food and walk around in your bathing suit and look at some of the beautiful boats and views. It was super crowded on the 4th of July and they checked every single cooler and bag that made it's way in. read more

I am a long time fan as I grew up on/in this lake. It;s now time in my life to bring the grand-kids here to enjoy what I took for granted for so many years as a kid. Yes times have changed and municipalities need to find sources of income so I was surprised when we had to pay to use the beach. Wasn't like that when i was a kid! Guess I'm getting old. The water is still clear and you can still see the bottom in many places. The sun was good, the sand was clean, not to overly crowded. First time users of the automatic dispensing system is a little intimidating at 1st but we made it through the process. Just a loss of more jobs in my opinion. But enough on that subject. We had a great time that day and need to thank the staff that works so hard to make the beach the way it is. THANK YOU! read more

Love the Riviera and the beach!! Do not eat at Ba Bas on the Lake Front! Worst customer service and food around!!! Go to The Canteen instead. Ba Bas was rude and got the order wrong and then blamed me. I ordered two plain hamburgers and got two cheeseburgers. The "owner" wasn't going to fix the mistake until I asked for my money back. She said no since we took a drink of the drink?!?! Awful!!!! read more

This past weekend, we initially had plans to go out of state either to MO or MI to go camping...but plans changed & we still wanted to get away so we decided to go here since its relatively close to home. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the beach here and all the conveniently located restaurants and shops....it was a perfect way for us to end our Labor Day weekend. The only issue I have is that with the charge of $7 (which still isn't much) at least they can pick up the horrible seaweed from the lake...other than that, great times!! read more

This was a terrible weekend. Paying for 2 adults and 1 child. no problem but it was really dirty. lifeguard raking up tons of dead fish. should at least be raked before patrons come especially paying for entrance. will not recommend or come back. read more

Ok lets start off by saying if you have children or pets this is not the beach to go to !!!!! One parking sucks, two you have to pay for parking by a machine which most older people ( or people who are not techs) have a hard time doing. Then you have to pay for your beach passes $ 7.00 adults, $ 4.00 children. ( also by a machine) Since when do you have to pay to access a beach !!!!!!!!!!!! And not only that this beach is small. Well when paying for our beach passes their are no signs up that dogs are not allowed. Every beach I've been to, dogs are ok. So I go to get my $ back and they say, " sorry no refunds" so I had to wait about 20 min to get down the stairs to the beach area where they only have one employee handing out the wristbands and some old guy slow as molasses handing out the change that the machines upstairs don't give to you. I had to then take my wristbands and go back up the stairs and sell them. So the $ 4.00 parking and all the traffic just to get a parking spot, was a complete joke !!!!!!!! And mind you its the tiniest beach ever and was overcrowded. I give props to the beach at the state park. Take the main road past the beach entrance at Lake Geneva follow that road and make a right at the stop sign. Go till you see the state park on the left. It's $ 10.00 bucks to park your car and everyone in car, including my pups are allowed on their beach. No other charges except for the $ 10.00. Their beach isn't huge but their were plenty of spaces to stretch out four beach towels. Kids and husband,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,had a great time. And its a shame with Lake Geneva because when I use to go as a kid, it was all free. Thank God for the state park 5 min. away or we would have been beachless !!! read more