The Best Water Parks and Beaches in Chicagoland!

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Posted By: Jill Borkowicz June 17, 2019

For those extra toasty summer days, we have an awesome list of the best outdoor water parks and beaches in Chicagoland! You don’t have to go far to feel like you are on vacation at one of these fun, family-friendly spots. Be sure to check the website before going for all the details on hours, pricing and more.

Outdoor Water Parks in Chicagoland

Forest Park Aquatic Center
7501 Harrison
Forest Park, IL 60130
(708) 366-7500

Paradise Bay Water Park
437 E. St. Charles Rd.
Lombard, IL 60148
(630) 627-6127

Sea Lion Aquatic Park
1825 Short St.
Lisle, IL 60532
(630) 964-3410

Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park
8301 S. Janes Avenue
Woodridge, IL 60517
(630) 985-5620

Bensenville Water Park & Splash Pad
1100 W Wood Street
Bensenville, IL 60106
(630) 766-7946

Rainbow Falls Water Park
200 Rev Morrison Blvd,
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
(847) 437-9494

Pelican Harbor
200 S. Lindsey Lane
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
(630) 739-1705

Raging Waves
4000 N. Bridge St.
Yorkville, IL 60560
(630) 882-6575
Check out Annie’s summer 2019 review of Raging Waves with tips and tricks for your visit!

The Kangaroo Falls playground area at Raging Waves.

Centennial Park Aquatic Center
15600 West Avenue
Orland Park, IL 60462
(708) 349-4386

White Water Canyon Water Park
8221 W. 171st Street
Tinley Park, IL 60477
(708) 342-4200

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Hurricane Harbor Water Park and Riptide Bay
Six Flags Great America
1 Great America Parkway
Gurnee, IL 60031
(847) 249-4636

Magic Waters
7820 N Cherryvale Blvd
Cherry Valley, IL 61016
(815) 966-2442

Deep River Water Park
9001 East US Highway 30
Crown Point, IN 46307
(219) 947-7850

Beaches in Chicagoland

Be sure to check online or call to make sure beaches are open for swimming and to check current conditions. Sometimes, weather or bacteria can close beaches.

Evanston Beaches
(847) 448-4311
Six public swimming beaches; more info on eachhere. Daily pass or season token required.

Glencoe Beach
55 Hazel Drive
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-1185
Daily admission fees or season pass required. See Meghan’s tips for a day trip to Glencoe Beach!

Gillson Park/Beach – Wilmette
Lake Ave & Michigan Ave
Wilmette, IL (North Entrance)
and
Sheridan Rd & Michigan Ave
Wilmette, IL (South Entrance)
(847) 256-9661
Daily admission fees apply.

Forest Park Beach
Lake & Deerpath Roads
Lake Forest, IL
(847) 810-3930
Free for residents; non-resident parking fees apply.

Illinois Beach State Park
Lake Front
Zion, IL 62863
(847) 662-4811
Free!

Sunrise Beach
455 Sunrise Avenue
Lake Bluff, IL
(847) 295-6586
Free for residents; non-resident daily fees apply.

Petersen Park Beach
4311 Lakewood Road
McHenry, IL 60050
(815) 363-2168
Daily fees apply.

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Main Beach
Crystal Lake Park District Beach
300 Lake Shore Drive
Crystal Lake, IL 60012
(815) 477-5404
Daily fees or season pass required.

West Beach
Crystal Lake Park District Beach
2330 Lake Avenue
Crystal Lake, IL 60012
(815) 477-5404
Daily fees or season pass required.

Chicago Park District Beaches
Free!
We hear the most families going to North Avenue Beach (pictured at the top of this article), Oak Street Beach, and 31st Street Beach in the city, but here’s the full list so you can check out all of the beaches Chicago has to offer. Although the beach does not have an entrance fee, parking fees apply. We also recommend checking the Chicago Park District website for swimming conditions before you make the trip.

  • 12th Street Beach: 1200 S. Lynn White Dr., Chicago, IL
  • 57th Street Beach: 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • 63rd Street Beach: 6301 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Calumet Beach: 9801 S. Ave. G, Chicago, IL
  • Fargo Beach: 1300 W. Fargo Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Foster Beach: 5200 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Hartigan Beach: 1123 West Farwell Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Helen Doria Beach: 1040 W Columbia Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Howard Beach: 7519 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL
  • Juneway Beach: 7751 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL
  • Lane Beach: 5915 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL
  • Leone Beach: 1222 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Loyola Beach: 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Margaret T. Burroughs Beach (31st Street Beach): 3100 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Marion Mahony Griffin Beach: 1208 W. Jarvis Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Montrose Beach: 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • North Avenue Beach: 1601 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • North Shore Beach: 1040 W North Shore Ave., Chicago, IL
  • Oak Street Beach: 1000 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Oakwood Beach: 4100 S. Lake Shore Dr. , Chicago, IL
  • Ohio Street Beach: 600 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Osterman Beach: 4600 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Rainbow Beach: 2873 E. 75th St., Chicago, IL
  • Rogers  Beach: 7705 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL
  • South Shore Beach: 7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago, IL
  • Tobey Prinz Beach: 1045 W Pratt, Chicago, IL
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Another option for great beaches not too far away: the Indiana Dunes. Pack a cooler and make it a day trip!

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.

Keep coming back to Kidlist for more outdoor fun all summer long!

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About the Author

Jill Borkowicz
Jill is thrilled to be sharing her insight and knowledge of local fun on Kidlist! As an Oak Park native, Jill and her husband settled in La Grange Park in 2007 and couldn’t be happier with the community they call home. Raising two lovely daughters, ages 8 and 10, Jill is always on the lookout for cool things to do as a family. She is passionate about yummy food, an organized abode, creative entertaining, frugal finds, travel adventures, a healthy spirit, and overall family fun. Jill’s favorite wintertime activity with the fam? Ice skating followed by hot chocolate! Summertime family favorite? Long pool days with friends that end with a BBQ!

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