Soak up the summertime sun at sandy beaches in Chicago and the surrounding area. Pack your buckets, your shovels, plenty of snacks, and you have a day of family-friendly fun. Read below to find the best spots, as well as parking and admission details. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
Main Beach in Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake Park District Beach
300 Lake Shore Drive
Crystal Lake, IL 60012
(815) 477-5404
Daily fees or season pass required. Open daily from 9:00am – dusk; watch for special end-of-season hours. Children ages 3 and under are free, as is parking. The concession stand has hot dogs, nachos, and other various snacks available for purchase.
West Beach in Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake Park District Beach
2330 Lake Avenue
Crystal Lake, IL 60012
(815) 477-5009
Daily fees or season pass required. Open daily from 11:00am – 7:00pm, until August 9, 2024 (weekends only from August 10, 2024 – September 2, 2024). Children ages 3 and under are free, as is parking.
Evanston Beaches
(847) 448-4311
Five beaches for public swimming. The season began on May 25, 2024. Daily ticket or season pass required. Check their website in advance for daily beach conditions. Parking availability varies by location. None of the beaches have concession stands, so guests must bring their own food.
Glencoe Beach in Glencoe
55 Hazel Drive
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-1185
Daily admission is only available to visitors after 12:00pm on weekdays. Weekends, holidays, and arrival before 12:00pm on weekdays is reserved for season pass-holders and their guests. Season passes, guest and daily passes can be purchased online in advance. Street parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Smaller snacks, such as chips, sweets, drinks and vending machine items are available for purchase at the snack stand.
Sunrise Beach
455 Sunrise Avenue
Lake Bluff, IL 60044
(847) 234-4150
Free for residents; non-resident must pay for daily admission. Children under 2 are free. While there are charcoal grills available for use, guests will need to bring their own food.
Forest Park Beach in Lake Forest
801 North Lake Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
(847) 234-6702
Free for residents; non-resident are charged a daily fee of $25 per person. There is no on-site parking for non-residents, guests will need to park in the business district public parking lots. Concessions are available for purchase at the north pavilion.
Gillson Park/Beach in Wilmette
North Entrance
Lake Avenue & Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
or
South Entrance
Sheridan Road & Michigan Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 256-9661
Daily and season passes available. Additional parking fees apply. Swimming is available from 9:00am – 8:00pm from May 25, 2024 to September 2, 2024. The Beach House is home to the Fat Shallot, whose menu, which includes sandwiches, sides, kids meals, and drinks, can be found on their website.
Petersen Park Beach in McHenry
4311 Lakewood Road
McHenry, IL 60050
(815) 363-2126
Season passes are available, or daily fees apply. Canoe, rowboat, paddleboat and kayak rentals available for 18+ (ages 12-17 permitted with written permission from guardian). Drinks, ice cream and candy are available for purchase at Petersen Park Beach.
Centennial Beach in Naperville
500 Jackson Avenue
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 848-5092
This man-made beach was created from an old quarry. Daily resident and non-resident admission fees apply, with season passes also available. Free parking is available in the lots outside the beach. Concessions are sold at the Centennial Grill, which now has online ordering for faster service.
Illinois Beach State Park in Zion
1 Lake Front Drive
Zion, IL 60099
(847) 662-4811
Admission is free, but there are no lifeguards onsite. Ice and firewood are available for purchase. Camp, swim, bike and more at this 6.5-mile long beach along Lake Michigan in northern Illinois.
Chicago Park District Beaches
The Chicago beach season opened May 24, 2024 and goes through September 2, 2024. Lifeguards are on-duty during the season from 11:00am – 7:00pm. Admission is always free for beaches in Chicago. We recommend checking the Chicago Park District website for daily information on openings and swimming conditions before you make the trip. Parking and concessions vary by location.
- 12th Street Beach: 1200 S. Lynn White Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
- 57th Street Beach: 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
- 63rd Street Beach: 6300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637
- Calumet Beach: 9801 S. Avenue G, Chicago, IL 60617
- Fargo Beach: 1300 W. Fargo Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Foster Beach: 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
- Hartigan Beach: 1123 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Helen Doria Beach: 1040 W Columbia Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Howard Beach: 7519 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
- Humboldt Park Beach: 1440 N. Humboldt Drive, Chicago, IL 60622
- Juneway Beach: 7751 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
- Lane Beach: 5915 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660
- Leone Beach: 1222 W. Touhy Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Loyola Beach: 1230 W. Greenleaf Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Margaret T. Burroughs Beach (31st Street Beach): 3100 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, Chicago, IL 60616
- Marion Mahony Griffin Beach: 1208 W. Jarvis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Montrose Beach: 4400 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60613
- North Avenue Beach: 1601 N. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, Chicago, IL 60611
- North Shore Beach: 1040 W North Shore Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
- Oak Street Beach: 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
- Oakwood Beach: 4100 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60653
- Ohio Street Beach: 600 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
- Osterman Beach: 5800 North Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, Chicago, IL 60640
- Rainbow Beach: 2873 E. 75th Street, Chicago, IL 60649
- Rogers Beach: 7705 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
- South Shore Beach: 7059 S. South Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60649
- Tobey Prinz Beach: 1045 W Pratt, Chicago, IL 60626
Other Nearby Beaches
The Warren Dunes in Michigan and Indiana Dunes (we like Lake View Beach and Dunbar Beach) just over the border are also great choices! We recommend going early so you can find a parking spot.
If your family has a favorite beach not far from Chicagoland, or if there’s one you think we should include in our list, let us know in the comments below.
