Property History
The 6-acre lake at GetAway Bay was formed in 1962 when the sand was dug out in order to be used in building US-23. The then owner, Earl Heath would charge 25 cents per car to enjoy the lake. Earl's son, Chuck Heath, made the property a household name, and it was one of the hottest places to be in SE Michigan for several decades. An e-coli breakout occurred at a different Heath-named beach, so Chuck Heath changed the name of the property to Clean Water Beach in order to differentiate between the two.
After being closed for several years the property was acquired by new owners who named it Milan Beach. It remained dear to many, but was not given the amount of attention that it required.
Matthew Kerry purchased the beach in April 2022 and inherited a property in desperate need of maintenance, cleaning up, and revival. There is hopefully an exciting future for GetAway Bay that will take time to unfold. In the meantime, we will continue to offer warm sand, crystal clear water, and a fun atmosphere for all to enjoy.
The Future
There are big plans in store for GetAway Bay. The vision is a chic day resort that also offers between 12-20 “Glamping” style overnight units. Admission will be split into two levels. The club level will grant access to modern and comfortable furniture, towel service, plumbed bathrooms, and waitress service from the GetAway Bay Bar and Grill. General admission will still be available for those who want an affordable day in the sun with their family.
Overnight units and an on-site bar and grill come with a whole heap of regulatory oversight, infrastructure upgrades, and, of course, capital investment. The hurdles will delay these upgrades for at least the next year. In the meantime however, you can look forward to a constantly evolving beach resort with new docks, water attractions, and an epic floating island. (I also have some fun ideas for Halloween.) I only ask that you be patient as we try to maintain and staff a quality atmosphere and property that the community and state can be proud of.