Best Beaches In Chicagoland: 2018 Guide

CHICAGO, IL – The holiday week is looking to be a hot one. And for those who do not have travel plans, it would be the perfect time to check out one of Chicagoland's many beautiful beaches. Or maybe even a couple of them.

We checked in with Chicago-area Patch editors to see which area beaches they like to put their feet in the sand and have included those recommendations below. We were sure to include beaches that have partiularly pretty scenic views or or extra amenities/cool nearby attractions that make them worthy of an outing for you and your family.

• Did we forget your favorite beach? Let us know in the comments section or e-mail the editor at amie.schaenzer@patch.com.

This list could also make a great checklist for area residents hoping to check some, or all of them, off your summer to-do list.

Suburban Beaches

• Centennial Beach, 500 Jackson Avenue in Naperville: Located in the heart of downtown Naperville, Centennial Beach is not quite a swimming pool and not quite a lake. As the Naperville Park District puts it, "Centennial Beach offers a swimming experience like no other." The swimming area includes lap swimming lanes, and floating rafts and piers. On the shallow-end, there is a slide and water play features. Six acres of open grass area and trees provide shade for a picnic and there is a historic bathhouse with lockers, sand volleyball court and bag toss areas. The park district-run beach also has fun programs happening, including paddleboard yoga, beachside yoga, adult float and aquatic fitness classes. The swim schedule is available on the park district website.
• Three Oaks Recreation Area, 5517 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake: Three Oaks Recreation Area feels like a private oasis tucked away from the heavily traveled Northwest Highway. It's hard to believe the now popular beach and fishing area started off as a gravel mine more than 60 years ago. After years of exhaustive mining, fresh groundwater eventually filled the quarry, creating two large, deep lakes. Described as a "cute hidden gem" by one Yelp.com user, Three Oaks opened eight years ago and has been adding amenities, restaurants and even a cable wakeboard park ever since. Admission for Crystal Lake residents is free while non-resident adults must pay $10 for daily admission. Crystal Lake residents with a valid city vehicle sticker attached to their windshield receive free parking while the rest must pay $5 for parking. (But, if you want to save some money and don't want to stay for the full day, admission after 4 p.m. is $5 for adults). The swimming beach is open from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. There is also a splash park, playground, walking paths, picnic grounds, a marina with boat rentals (fishing boats, paddleboats, canoes, kayaks and sailboats), and catch and release fishing. The Quarry Cable Park opened in recent years and offers wakeboarders to be pulled along by cable pulleys and there is also a lakefront fire pit, live music, sand volleyball, baggo, and open-air yoga.The owners of the popular Duke's Alehouse in Crystal Lake run Duke's on the Water at the cable park. More via the Three Oaks Recreation Area and Quarry Cable Park websites.
• Illinois Beach State Park in Zion: Stretching 6.5 miles along the sandy shore of Lake Michigan in northern Illinois, the beach is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation, according to the Illinois DNR website. The 4,160-acre park, consisting of two separate areas (North Unit and South Unit), offers ample opportunities for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping and simply appreciating nature. Pets are allowed on leashes at the state park but not allowed in the beach area or nature preserve. Swimming is a major summertime attraction along the sandy shorelines, and both units provide ample parking. Caution is urged as there are no on-duty lifeguards, so please be careful. More information on Bike Trails, Camping, Fishing, Scuba Diving, Swimming and Hiking Trails.

• Forest Park Beach, 220 East Deerpath Road in Lake Forest: A 29-acre park with a large beach and grass areas, swimming and other water activities. There are sheltered pavilions, a fishing pier, walking paths and a concession stand open during the summer months. You can even buy a glass of wine or beer to enjoy on the beautiful lakefront from the beverage cart. Sailing classes and camps, sailboat and kayak rentals, volleyball nets, and grills are also available for use. Due to the recent ongoing heavy rains, consequent bluff erosion and safety concerns, the north beach access road and the wooden boardwalk that goes down to the beach will be closed until further notice, according to information posted on the beach's website. All vehicles will be asked to access the beach using the south beach access road. More information on the beach, and parking and entrance information, is available on the city of Lake Forest website.

MORE ON PATCH: Bluff Erosion Closes Forest Park Beach Access Road

• Lighthouse Beach, 2611 Sheridan Road in Evanston: Midwest Living lists this beach among the best in Chicago and Evanston, and the perfect spot for sunset views (and you can even reserve a fire pit and toast some marshmallows by calling the city of Evanston to secure a fire permit). The beach has its own taxing district, the Evanston Lighthouse Park District. Over the years residents of the district, through their taxes, have helped to preserve park property and the picturesque Grosse Point Lighthouse, which was designated as a National Historic Landmark (the first such landmark designation of a lighthouse west of the Atlantic Ocean), according to the park district's website. While the grounds of Grosse Point Lighthouse National Landmark are open to the public free of charge year-round, tours of the lighthouse are held seasonally due to weather conditions. The district conducts regularly scheduled tours of the lighthouse June through September, on Saturdays and Sundays at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. Tour admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children aged 8 to 12 years old. Lighthouse Beach, at 2611 Sheridan Road, is the northernmost beach in Evanston, which also has Clark Street Beach, at Clark Street and Sheridan Road; Dog Beach (which is currently closed), located at 1631 Sheridan Road; Greenwood Street Beach, 1401 Sheridan Road; Lee Street Beach, 1111 Lake Shore Boulevard; and South Boulevard Beach, 525 Sheridan Square. From June 9 through Sept. 3 (Labor Day), beach hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A daily pass or season token must be presented for beach admission. For more on all of Evanston's beaches, visit here.
• Gillson Park, Lake Avenue and North Avenue in Wilmette: Gillson Park offers 60 acres of beautiful lakefront property, which includes beaches for people as well as dogs. The park is ideal for picnics, bicycling, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and many other spring and summer outdoor activities. Dogs on leash are allowed in Gillson Park except during special events such as Independence Day. Dogs wearing beach permit tags are allowed off-leash in the fenced dog beach area located between the pier and the harbor mouth at the south end of Gillson Park. Dogs are NOT allowed on the public swimming and sailing beaches. Other amenities in the park include sailboat rentals, tot lot, wallace bowl and a fitness course. Wilmette residents pay $6 for daily admission from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and $2.50 from 6 to 8 p.m. Non-residents pay $10 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and $5 from 6 to 8 p.m. A map of the park can be found here.
• Harold Hall Quarry Beach, 400 S. Water Street in Batavia: Through Aug. 12, the beach is open daily from 12 to 6 p.m. The beach does have extended hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a twilight special offered from 5 to 7 p.m. on those days (only $3 admission for residents and $4 for non-residents). Otherwise, daily admission is $8 for residents and $11 for non-residents. Kids 2 years old and younger are free. Hall Quarry Beach occupies a former stone quarry owned by the Batavia Park District and has been used as a swimming facility since 1920. It features a sand bottom swimming area covering 60,000-square-feet that includes islands, slides, and a diving area. There is a playground and plenty of picnic tables as well. Other amenities include a kids flume, wiggle bridge and splasher, a drop slide, large picnic area, concession stand and sand volleyball courts. More via the Batavia Park District website.

Grab your swimsuit and head on over to Hall Quarry Beach today to enjoy a day of swimming fun! #hallquarrybeach #bataviaparkdistrict #branchoutbatavia
A post shared by Batavia Park District (@bataviaparkdistrict) on Jun 23, 2018 at 9:00am PDT

Suburban Runners-Up

• Glencoe Beach in Glencoe
• Rosewood Beach in Highland Park

Chicago Beaches

• Montrose Dog Beach (Uptown/Chicago), 610 Lawrence Avenue: “MonDog Beach” offers plenty of beachfront where your pooch can run off leash and play in Lake Michigan (labs especially love it). DFA tags (dog friendly area) are required and can be bought for $6, but if you want to risk it, make sure your dog’s vaccinations are up to date.
• Oak Street Beach (Chicago, North Side), 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive at Oak Street and Lake Shore Drive: A beach amid Chicago’s bustling downtown, Oak Street draws neighborhood residents and suburbanites. Offers restaurants, bike rentals, sand volleyball and more, and plenty of fun in the sun.
• Kathy Osterman Beach (Edgewater/Chicago), 5800 N. Sheridan Road: Named for the late 48th Ward alderman and the city’s Special Events Commissioner, Osterman Beach (formerly Hollywood Beach) has been named the “best beach in Chicago” on Yelp.
• Rainbow Beach, 75th Street and Lake Shore Drive: Located within the 61-acre Rainbow Park in a South Chicago neighborhood. A natural area located at the northeast end of the beach includes 9.18 acres of dune habitat. Time Out Chicago ranked as the second best beach in Chicago (in a 2014 article) and noted it is adjacent to one Chiago's oldest public gardens.
• North Avenue Beach (Lincoln Park), 1600 N. Lake Shore Drive: As one of Chicago's most popular beaches, the beach features a unique and popular beach house, which looks like an ocean liner, and has 22,000 square feet of space and "something for everyone," according to the Chicago Park District. You can rent a paddleboard or wakeboard, there's outdoor beach yoga seven days a week and much more.

A post shared by chloekellyx (@chloekellyx) on Jun 29, 2018 at 8:42am PDT

Chicago's Runners-Up

• Foster Beach, 2500 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Loyola Beach, 1230 W. Greenleaf Avenue in Chicago
• 31st Street Beach, 311 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Rogers Park's street end beaches (the last street end beaches in Chicago)

MORE ON PATCH: Chamber Promotes 'Hidden' Beaches Of Rogers Park

Photo caption: Three Oaks Recreation Area in Crystal Lake/Patch file photo