Soak up the summertime sun at sandy beaches in Chicago and the surrounding area. Pack your buckets, shovels, and plenty of snacks, and you are sure to 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!
Beach season typically starts Memorial Day weekend and ends on Labor Day, but be sure to check the specifics of operating days and hours for your chosen beach before heading out!
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. 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. Children ages 3 and under are free, as is parking.
Evanston Beaches
(847) 448-4311
Six beaches are available for public swimming. Daily ticket or season pass required. Admission is free for kids under 1. 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. Children under age 3 are free. 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. Bonus – there is a sprayground available at this beach for some extra fun!
Check out Meghan’s article on her family’s visit to Glencoe Beach!
Rosewood Beach
883 Sheridan Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 831-3810
A Rosewood Beach Access Pass (free for Highland Park residents) is required and a Lakefront Parking Decal is required for all vehicles at lakefront parking lots. Lifeguards are present during swimming hours.
Sunrise Beach
455 Sunrise Avenue
Lake Bluff, IL 60044
(847) 234-4150
Free for residents; non-residents must pay for daily admission. Children under 2 are free and there is a discount for active military members. 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 or train station 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. The Beach House is home to the Fat Shallot, which offers sandwiches, sides, kids meals, and drinks.
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). There are Wibit inflatables that resemble a floating playground. 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 opens Memorial Day weekend. Lifeguards are on-duty during the beach 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.
If you’re not quite feeling up to a beach day, but still want to have some fun in the water, check out our article on local waterparks!
