18 Beaches & Swimming Lakes Near Chicago

The dunes have 8 beaches, hiking trails, wetlands and forests. You can also go bird watching, horseback riding and fishing. Camping is available from spring to fall. Since this is a national lake shore, you can also have a guided tour offered by a park ranger! West Beach is the only beach with lifeguards on duty (subject to availability).

About 100 feet off shore at Whihala Beach is a 1-acre inflatable sports park which includes slides, monkey bars, jumping platforms, & more. It's best to book in advance, though walk-ins are welcome. You can also rent paddleboards and kayaks. You must be at least 7 years old, 45” tall, and know how to swim to enter the WhoaZone.

As far as city beaches go, this one is a hidden gem. Far from the people-watching and busyness of North Ave Beach or Oak St Beach, 57th St Beach is quiet, calm, and equally beautiful. It's a perfect spot for families, especially with little kids.

Oakwood Beach has restrooms and lifeguards on duty during the summer season. It is also located off the Lakeshore trail so you can ride your bike!

This Chicago beach is located in Jackson Park, and swimming is permitted when lifeguards are on duty. Amenities include Jamaican food, snacks and beverages, plus a historic beach house with restrooms, interactive water fountains and showers. There's a pay and display parking lot, too.

Oak Street Beach is in the Gold Coast/Streeterville neighborhood and offers many amenities with a great view of the city skyline. There are chair rentals, food and drinks at Oak Street Beach Café, bike rentals, volleyball rentals and restrooms. Swimming is permitted only during the hours that lifeguards are on duty.

One of Chicago's most popular beaches, North Avenue Beach features a unique, ocean-liner-inspired beach house. In addition to the obvious sand & water, the beach also has a multitude of bikers, runners, walkers and rollerbladers streaming down the lakefront trail. It's a cool people-watching spot. Most notably, though, this beach boasts one of the best views in and of the city.

Montrose Beach is a special gem in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. This popular beach offers amenities including concessions, showers, restrooms, rentals, and an ADA beach walk. They also have a dog friendly beach, so bring your pooch along for a swim! Don't leave Montrose without taking a glimpse at the the rare panne dune habitat with migratory birds and endangered plant life.

Just steps from the Loyola Park Field House, this friendly life-guarded beach has all the amenities families need including a playground with large climbing structures, a snack kiosk, and nearby bathrooms. Lifeguards keep swimmers close to the shore, making it a popular destination for young families. Distance swimming is permitted just past the ball fields two blocks North at Leone Beach, where there is another popular playground.

Gilson Beach is located in Chicago's north suburbs and is 60 acres of beach and park front. Amenities include: swimming, Lakeview Center, sailing, sailboat rentals, lighted tennis courts, softball, fitness course, picnic areas, picnic shelter, tot lot and a dog beach.

Glencoe Beach is designed for family fun with pristine sand and a playground within a rock's throw of the water. The beach has umbrellas for rent, and also has shelters and picnic tables available on a first come basis.

Rosewood Beach is a national award winning beach. Nestled against Rosewood’s wooded bluffs is a one-of-a-kind beachfront Interpretive Center and amenity buildings including concessions, restroom and guard buildings. The beach areas and buildings are connected by a boardwalk that runs the length of Rosewood Beach. Rosewood Beach has a toddler play area and a young kid play area as well.

Stretching 6.5 miles along Lake Michigan in Chicago's northern suburbs, this lake offers a full range of recreation opportunities at one of the most unique and beautiful natural settings in America. Amenities include: boating, bike trails, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping, geocaching, scuba diving and simply appreciating nature. In addition, the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center is the perfect place to get away for a weekend or a week-long vacation.

This local Naperville swimming hole is a historic stone quarry that reaches depths of 15 feet, but zero depth entry makes it a fun swimming spot for all ages. Amenities include bag toss, food, diving boards, washrooms/changing rooms, rafts, a sand play area, water play features and a shallow end waterslide.

Diamond Lake Recreation Beach is located on 100 acres. It includes a pristine lake, sand beach, grassy areas, and shaded picnic grove. Enjoy Diamond Lake Beach, a quaint, summertime favorite, with soft sand, expansive shoreline, great swimming (complete with a floating SportsPark), kids’ playground/climber on the sand, shaded picnic areas and more. Paddle boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are available for rent.