The Best Chicago Beaches – Family-Friendly Chicago Beaches

Chicago city is blessed with 26 miles long Lake Michigan shoreline featuring 27 free beaches. There are few paid beaches along the shoreline further north in the suburbs, but along the City of Chicago you get open free playground on the beach, yes you are right, beach experience in the middle of the city.

Every year Chicago Park District officially opens up beaches on Memorial day and closes down on Labor Day weekend for the winter season. This 26 miles of open and free lakefront is managed by the Chicago Park District for locals and visitors recreational activities. Admission to Chicago’s all beaches is FREE. I must say, there is never a dull moment at one of these beaches if you go for a walk, jog, paddle, swim, sail, bike or just to explore and relax along Chicago’s lakefront. You must follow restrictions about swimming or any water activities at before you visit any Chicago beach.

Following is the list of my favorite Chicago beaches that you may find useful during summer season. You can find out the Chicago Park District’s complete list of Chicago beaches.

• 12th Street Beach – 1200 S Linn White Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
• 57th Street Beach – 5700 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60611
• 63rd Street Beach – 6301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637
• Calumet Beach – 9801 S. Avenue G, Chicago, IL 60617
• Fargo Beach – 1300 W. Fargo Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
• Foster Beach – 5200 N. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611
• Hartigan Beach – 1123 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60626
• Helen Doria Beach – 1040 W Columbia Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
• Howard Beach – 7519 N Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
• Humboldt Beach – 1400 N Sacramento Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
• Juneway Beach – 7751 N Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
• Lane Beach – 5915 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660
• Leone Beach – 1222 W. Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
• Loyola Beach – 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave. (Greenleaf Ave. @ Lake Michigan), Chicago, IL 60626
• Margaret Burroughs Beach – 3100 S. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60616
• Marion Mahony Griffin Beach – 1208 W. Jarvis Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
• Montrose Beach – 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60613
• North Avenue Beach – 1601 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
• North Shore Beach – 1040 W North Shore Av, Chicago, IL 60626
• Oak Street Beach – 1000 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
• Oakwood Beach – 4100 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60653
• Ohio Street Beach – 600 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
• Osterman Beach – 4600 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640
• Rainbow Beach – 2873 E. 75th Street (75th St. @ Lake Michigan), Chicago, IL 60649
• Rogers Beach – 7705 N. Eastlake Terrace, Chicago, IL 60626
• South Shore Beach – 7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60649
• Tobey Prinz Beach – 1045 W Pratt, Chicago, IL 60626

My Top Favorite Chicago Beaches

Montrose Beach

Montrose Beach is located in Uptown neighborhood at 4400 N Lake Shore Drive, it is one of the largest beaches in Chicago. Montrose Beach offers many amenities including kayak and vollyball rentals, showers, food court and restrooms. During beach season, swimming is permitted when life guards are on durty between 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. You can bring your furry friend to Montrose Beach as north end of the beach is dog friendly. Distance swimming is allowed near tower 4, north of boathouse, parallel to shore.

Oak Street Beach

Oak Street Beach is located in Gold Coast/Streeterville neighborhoods at 1000 N Lake Shore Drive. The Oak Street Beach is one of the popular beaches among locals and visitors during summer season. The beach features all common ammenities and recreational facilities such as chair rentals, volleyball rentals and bike rentals. This beach is famous for volleball tournaments throughout the summer season.

Beach lovers can enjoy distance swimming parallel to the shore from Division street to the Chess Pavilion. I loved the mural created by Jeff Zimmerman, “You Know What You Should Do”, yes, that big 260 feet long mural reminds the beach lovers to help keep our beach clean and refrain from feeding wildlife.

North Avenue Beach

North Avenue Beach is located north of Downtown Chicago at 1600 N Lake Shore Drive. It is one of the most famous beaches in Chicago, and has been popular among locals and visitors. The ship shaped beach house features upper ddecks and portholes for excellent views of horizon. The North Avenue Beach is always busy with bikers, runners and walkers during summer season, especially weekends are crowded.

The North Avenue Beach offers several amenities and recreational options such as bike rental, Sun and Moon Beach Yoga, luxury lounge chairs and umbrella rentals, wakeboard and paddle board rentals, souvenirs and more. Not only that, now you can rent jet skis at the North Avenue Beach from Windy City Watersports.

If you enjoy playing volleyball then make sure to call in advance to rent volleball courts and equiment. Court will cost you $10 per hour and equipment you can rent for $10. I recommend you to reserve at least a week before you are planning to play volleyball at the North Avenue Beach. Yes, too bad, you cannot play volleball game spontaneously! This beach tends to get super crowded during Chicago Air and Water Show.

Helen Doria Beach

During beach season, swimming is permitted when life guards are on duty between 11:00 am to 7:00 PM. This beach used be known as Columbia Beach until 2016, when Chicago Park District renamed it in honor of Helen Doria. I would say it’s one of those hidden gems in Chicago. You will be surprised to catch excellent views of downtown skyline from the beach.

12th Street Beach

12th Street Beach is located at 1200 S Linn White Drive on Northerly Island, south of Adler Planetarium on Chicago’s Museum Campus, close to Shedd Aquarium. This beach features non-motorized boat as well as distance swimming permitted parallel to shore at boat line. The Northerly Islad was initially created in 1920, and later in 1927 entire island was filled in, which was converted into peninsula. Swimming is allowed during summer season when life guards are on duty between 11:00 am to 7:00 pm.

In my opinion, it is the perfect place to view Chicago skyline from the Museum Campus.

63rd Street Beach

63rd Street Beach is located at 6300 S Lake Shore Drive in Jackson Park. Swimming is permitted during summer season when life guards are on duty between 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. I love the historic beach house building at 63rd Street Beach. The renowned designers of New York’s Central Park, Olmsted & Vaux, laid out Jackson Park along with the adjacent Midway Plaisance and Washington Park in 1871. During 1888, the paved beach made from granite bricks was extended to cover the entire lakefront in Jackson Park. In 1899, when Chicago’s innovative Drainage Canal began diverting the sewage to other locations, the lakefront became the popular place during summer season.

You can also rent bikes from Bike Chicago rental place at 63rd Street Beach.

Loyola Beach

Loyola Beach is located in the East Rogers Park. There are plenty of recreational things to do during swimming season. This beach features walking trail along the beautiful beach and Lake Michigan. During summer season, this beach becomes the popular hangout place for Loyola students. No distance swimming is available. Overall, serene beach with great views and

It’s pretty cool to hangout on the beach right in the city! If you are looking to spend 2-days in Chicago then download my sample 2-Days Getaway guide for free!

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