10 Best Beaches in Chicago

Located on North Lakeshore Drive, Montrose Beach is Chicago’s largest beach and easy to access from uptown. It’s a great spot for swimming in Lake Michigan as well as water sports such as volleyball, jet ski, kayak, and paddleboard. Plus, the beach walk offers easy access for wheelchairs and strollers.

Montrose Beach is found within Lincoln Park, one of the most famous parks to visit in Chicago – and home to the Lincoln Park Zoo. This is a great part of Chicago to visit with kids and Montrose Beach is family-friendly with its seafront splash pool and amusement centre – along with food concessions, showers, bathrooms, and car parking. It’s also dog-friendly with a separate area just for pups.

One of Chicago’s most popular beaches, North Avenue Beach is located in Lincoln Park and boasts a wide expanse of sand for sunbathing and relaxing by the famous Lake Michigan. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas and also have a go at a range of non-motorized water sports – such as kayak, canoeing, and paddleboard.

One of the highlights at North Avenue Beach is the beach house, designed to look like an ocean liner permanently docked on the lake and offering incredible city skyline views from the upper deck. There are frequent yoga classes on the beach and designated trails for running, cycling, skateboarding, and rollerblading. Plus, there are many restaurants and bars here, as well as stores selling souvenirs and clothes.

Located in Chicago’s South Side, 63rd St Beach is situated in Jackson Park – one of the oldest and most significant parks in the city. The park is a scenic spot with pretty gardens, lagoons, and lakes – and the beach is home to a natural habitat for migrating birds. It’s easy to access via a beach walk and there’s a car park here too.

If you’d like to explore on 2 wheels, you can hire bikes from Bike Chicago at 63rd St Beach and ride along the shoreline. The beach is also home to the oldest beach house in Chicago, which contains bathrooms, interactive water fountains, and meeting rooms – along with the Belly Up beach restaurant for delicious Jamaican food.

Just a stroll away from Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue, Oak Street Beach is one of Chicago’s most popular beaches on the shores of Lake Michigan. You’ll find everything you need here – you can swim, play volleyball, rent beach chairs, or bikes, and more. There are also bathroom facilities, WIFI, and numerous eating options too, such as the Oak Street Beach Café.

The closest beach to the Magnificent Mile and other tourist attractions, Oak Street Beach is a great place to cool off and have a dip in the lake after a morning exploring the sights of Chicago. The lake has clear, shallow water that’s ideal for kids – and it’s a popular spot for volleyball with the city skyline as a spectacular backdrop.

South Shore Beach is part of Chicago’s South Shore Cultural Centre, which is home to a solarium, theatre, and the Dr. Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery. As well as the beach itself, the cultural centre park also has a nature sanctuary, tennis courts, and golf course, along with plenty of green space for picnics.

The South Shore Beach is easy to access by car with pay-and-display parking available, and an accessible beach walk – it’s also a nice spot for paddling and swimming in Lake Michigan. Water sports aren’t permitted here but there are many activities on offer in the surrounding park and the beach has its own beach house with bathrooms and showers.

Located in the historic 142-acre Rainbow Park, Rainbow Beach is a family-friendly beach in South Chicago, with many activities and natural attractions to offer. Make time to see the native plants and natural wildlife of the Rainbow Beach Dunes, along with one of Chicago’s oldest public gardens, the Rainbow Beach Victory Garden.

With something for every member of the family, Rainbow Beach and Park have 2 children’s playgrounds, along with baseball, basketball, and volleyball courts, a fitness centre, and a gym. It’s fine to swim here and lifeguards are on duty – plus, there is complimentary WIFI available. There are also regular community events so you might be lucky enough to catch a family event or outdoor film screening on your visit.

Loyola Beach is a clean, quiet, sandy beach in the north of Chicago – situated in Loyola Park in the East Rogers Park area. There’s plenty to do in the 21-acre park, including a fieldhouse with 2 fitness centers, a woodshop, and a boxing centre. Elsewhere in the park, you’ll also find courts for basketball, tennis, volleyball, and football – as well as a children’s playground.

The beach itself boasts a natural dune habitat and a 2/3-mile shoreline trail with beautiful views of the beach and Lake Michigan. You can splash about and paddle here – when the lifeguard is on duty – but distance swimming isn’t possible. However, there’s access to the Lake Michigan Water Trail for paddle sports such as kayaking and canoeing.

Named after the founder of the DuSable Museum, Margaret T. Burroughs Beach – or 31st St. Beach – is located in South Chicago and serves up a great choice of activities for beachgoers. Water sports fans will find plenty to keep them happy here, with pontoon boats, paddleboard, kayak, and jet ski rentals – all with great views of the city skyline from the south.

The 31st St. harbour sits next to Burroughs Beach and backs onto a park with a children’s playground, green picnic area, climbing wall, and public fishing dock. The beach also has bathrooms and a beach house. Be sure to head to Pier 31 on your visit for food and drinks with lovely lakeside views.

If you’re visiting the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago’s Jackson Park, 57th St. Beach is a great place to cool off in warm weather. The beach is easy to access from the museum via an underpass and Jackson Park is a peaceful space with pools, lagoons, and pretty gardens to explore.

Travelling with the kids in tow? The 57th St. Beach caters to families with bathrooms and an accessible beach walkway that’s useful for strollers. It’s a great place to swim in Lake Michigan and has a lifeguard station if needed. If you’re looking for lunch, be sure to stop by the Cajun Boil and Shake for family-friendly seafood and pasta comfort food.

Also known as Hollywood Beach, Kathy Osterman Beach is found in the lakeside area of Edgewater at the northern edge of Lincoln Park – and named after a much-loved Alderman of the community. The beach has shallow waters for swimming – plus, access to the Lake Michigan Water Trail. You can also rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards from the Chicago Paddle Project here.

Around a 15-minute drive from city centre, you have a good chance of shaking off the crowds at Kathy Osterman Beach. The northern end of the beach has a play area for kids while the southern side is popular with the LGBTQ+ community. Plus, you can enjoy the attractions of Lincoln Park – from the Conservatory to the Chicago History Museum.