Best Place For A Beach Day In Lake County, Chicago Area

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Grab your towels, cooler and sand toys — beach season is upon us.

For those staying in town this holiday weekend, hitting the beach could be a great option—as long as the weather cooperates. Hot and humid condition sure in the forecast Friday though a few rain showers and storms are possible Friday afternoon and evening.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected on Saturday, especially in the afternoon and then continuing into Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday will be cooler with periodic showers and a chance for a few storms.

Temperatures are expected to warm back up Monday and Tuesday with spotty storm chances each afternoon, though most areas will likely stay dry.

Related: Beach Among America's 'Top 100 Secret Beaches,' Poll Finds

With that in mind, we've rounded up our favorite beaches in Lake County and the Chicago area:

Paulus Park Beach and Sprayground, Lake Zurich

Address: 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich

Cost: $9 for residents, $11 for non-residents. Children 3 years old and under are free. Twilight rate (after 5:30 p.m.) is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 27 to June 4; 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., June 5 to Aug. 6. Post-season hours of operation can be found on the beach website.

Located along the beautiful lakefront in Lake Zurich, Paulus Park Beach will be open daily starting May 27 and continuing through August. There is a small fenced-in spray park next to the beach, a bathhouse and a concession stand. This summer, the park's Witbit floating inflatable structure will not be available due to staffing shortages.

Phil's Beach, Wauconda

Address: 328 N. Main St., Wauconda

Cost: $8 for residents and $10 for non-residents; senior residents are free and non-residents are $5. The twilight rate is $4 for non-residents and $3 for residents.

Hours: Open daily starting on June 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and continuing through Aug. 13. From Aug. 19 through Sept. 1, open on weekends only from 12 to 5 p.m.

This iconic beach on Bangs Lake in Wauconda was once featured in the classic 1980 film "The Blues Brothers" and reopened to the public three years ago following $3 million in renovations. Phil's Beach was founded in the 1920s by Phil Froehlke, and the beach's great views and popular J-shaped slide drew families to it for several decades, according to the Daily Herald.

In the 1990s, the Froehlke family closed the beach amid concerns over rising insurance costs. In 2016, the family made the decision to sell the beach, and the Wauconda Park District jumped at the chance to get it back up and running.

• Beach Seen In 'The Blues Brothers' To Reopen Wednesday

The beach area includes a splash pad, concession stand, bathhouse, baggo boards, a boardwalk and Wibit inflatables. The iconic J-slide is still at the beach for photo opportunities only.

Forest Park Beach, Lake Forest

Address: 801 N. Lake Road, Lake Forest

Cost:Residents are free ; the daily fee for non-residents is $25 per person.

Hours: Forest Park Beach is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily starting May 26 and continuing through Labor Day.

The 29-acre park includes a large beach with amazing views of Lake Michigan. Park amenities include sheltered pavilions, a fishing pier, boat launching ramp and storage area, walking paths and a concession stand that is open during the summer months. Beer and wine is also available for purchase at the beach's concession stand.

Centennial Beach, Naperville

Address: 500 Jackson Ave., Naperville

Cost: Resident costs: $7 for ages 3 to 17 years old and $9 for ages 18 years old and older. Non-resident costs: $12 for ages 3 to 17 years old and $14 for ages 18 years old and older. After 5 p.m., the cost is $4 for residents and $6 for non-residents.

Hours: The beach's hours vary and can be found on the beach's website.

Centennial Beach is a unique swimming facility, located at 500 W. Jackson Avenue near downtown Naperville, that features a sandy beach, zero depth entry, a large deep-water area and several acres of open turf for relaxing in the shade or sun. The Paddleboat Quarry, located along the Riverwalk near Rotary Hill, offers rentals of paddle boats, kayaks and paddleboards.

Glencoe Beach, Glencoe

Address: 55 Hazel Avenue, Glencoe

Cost: $10 per person for residents and $20 per person for non-residents

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 27 to 29 and June 3 to 9; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from June 10 to Sept. 4.

The gorgeous beach along Lake Michigan includes a sprayground with interactive water play pieces, slides, swings and a playground as well lockers, restrooms and showers at the beach's beach house. Paddleboard, kayak, sailboat, chairs and umbrellas are available to rent at the beach house and there is a snack stand and beach cart also up and running at the beach during the summer months. Volleyball courts with complimentary volleyballs are also available at the beach house.

Rosewood Beach, Highland Park

Address: 883 Sheridan Road, Highland Park

Cost: Free for residents, $10/person for non-residents.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 27 to 29 and June 3 to 4; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 10 to Aug. 13.

Rosewood's swimming beach includes a gorgeous sandy beach along Lake Michigan and a boardwalk that runs the length of the beach. Nestled against Rosewood’s wooded bluffs is an interpretive center and amenity buildings, including concessions and restrooms.

Gillson Park Beach, Wilmette

Address: Lake and Michigan avenues in Wilmette

Cost: $16 for non-residents and $10 for residents. Parking at the lakefront is $16 for residents on a week day and $20 for non-residents. On weekends that amount increases to $20 for residents and $25 for non-residents.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from May 27 to Sept. 4

Gillson Park is a 60-acre lakefront property that includes a swimming and sailing beach, volleyball courts, tennis courts, concessions, a tot lot and picnic areas. There is also a dog beach, located on the south end of Gillson Park, which is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. You must have a permit to use the dog beach.

Three Oaks Recreation Area, Crystal Lake

Address: 5517 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake

Cost: Crystal Lake resident admission is free with valid ID showing residency. Non-residents over 16 pay $10, and children ages 4 to 15 years old are $6. Seniors are $6. The twilight rate (after 4 p.m.) is $5. Parking is free for residents with a valid Crystal Lake ID and non-residents must pay $5 for parking.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., May 27 to Aug. 13. The beach will be closed on week days from Aug. 14 to Sept. 1 and open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.

Formerly a quarry, the city of Crystal lake purchased and repurposed the area, opening it as a recreation area in 2011. The swim beach at Three Oaks has since become a very popular spot in the summer, so plan for crowds if you stop out — especially on the weekends. The beach area also has a splash pad, an outdoor dining area and a bathhouse. You can also rent paddle boats, fishing boats, kayaks and paddle boards, enjoy a stroll along the lakefront or visit the nearby Quarry Wakeboard Park and Grill.

Hail Quarry Beach, Batavia

Address: 400 S. Water Street, Batavia

Cost: $10 for residents, $15 for non-residents. Twilight cost is $7 for residents and $5 for non-residents.

Hours: Hail Quarry Beach is open daily from May 27 and Aug. 13. Check for hours of operation on the park district's website.

This family friendly beach has plenty of fun for all, including a kids flume, a sandy beach and swimming area, a drop slide, inflatables, large picnic areas, concessions stands and sand volleyball courts.

Illinois State Beach, Zion

Address: 1 Lake Front Drive, Zion

Cost: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources does not charge an entrance fee to any state owned or operated land but sites with beaches charge a $1 a day per person for beach use only.

The sprawling and gorgeous beach is located in Illinois Beach State Park, which stretches 6.5 miles along the sandy shore of Lake Michigan. Illinois 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, which makes it a great park to explore, according to the IDNR website. There are hiking and biking trails, camping and more at the park. There are no lifeguards at the beach.

For our city readers, or those suburbanites wishing to visit Chicago's beaches this summer, here is a roundup of the best that Chicago has to offer (click on the links for more info) :

• Oak Street Beach, 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Oakwood Beach, 4100 South Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Rainbow Beach Park, 3111 E. 77th St. in Chicago
• Osterman Beach, 5800 North Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• North Avenue Beach, 1601 N. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Margaret T. Burroughs Beach, 3100 S. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• South Shore Beach, 7059 S. South Shore Drive in Chicago
• 57th Street Beach, 5700 South Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Foster Beach, 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
• Montrose Beach, 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr. in Chicago

Did we miss your favorite suburban beach? Let us know about it in the comments' section.