The Top Chicago Beaches, Recommended by Locals

As soon as the weather starts to warm up in the Windy City, Chicagoans come out in droves to soak up the sun on the shores of Lake Michigan. While the destination might not initially come to mind as a place to break out the umbrellas and take a refreshing dip, beach culture is huge in Chicago. Each year, after enduring as much as they can of the Midwest’s infamously blustery and frigid winters, many city dwellers shed their layers of scarves and coats and head to places like Hollywood Beach and Lighthouse Beach to swim, read, dance, and relax. Most of these beaches easily connect via the Lakefront Trail, which offers one of the most beautiful hikes for viewing Lake Michigan.

Ask a group of Chicagoans about their favorite beach, and you’ll get a variety of answers. The best beach for you largely depends on how you like to spend your leisure time. Do you want to ride your bike along the waterfront or dig your toes into the sand? Do you want a serene retreat from city life or the perfect perch for people watching? To help you plan the most rewarding excursion to one of Chicago’s beaches, we asked some locals for their recommendations. One of our sources is an artist who has visited every beach in Chicago, while another works in the tourism industry promoting cultural exchange. To supplement their insightful tips, we also conducted a substantial amount of online research using forums and city guides.

For an option that can keep you entertained for hours, head to 63rd Street Beach. Located in Jackson Park, this unique destination has a memorable and historic beach house where you can use the restroom, shower, and unleash your inner child while playing among interactive water fountains. One of the best features of 63rd Street Beach is its rustic pier, perfect for finding a few moments of peace from the hustle and bustle of Chicago life. Otherwise, expect to hear plenty of laughter from folks playing beach volleyball and maybe even the beating of drums from the famed 63rd Street Beach drum circle. On the water, you might catch sight of kayakers floating alongside swimmers. While in the area, make sure to check out the Garden of the Phoenix, Jackson Park’s secret lakeside garden filled with Japanese flowers.

A visit to 63rd Street Beach can also be an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in Chicago’s history (it is, after all, one of the best U.S. cities for history buffs) and learn how much of the lakefront has been constructed on landfill. The 63rd Street Beach House, as it is known today, dates back to 1919 and was constructed in the Classical Revival style. In fact, Jackson Park itself was originally constructed in the 19th century by the same designers of Central Park in New York City. Back then, the sandy beach was much smaller because too much sewage filled the water to safely allow swimming.

Located in Lincoln Park, Foster Beach was established in the 1950s as part of a landfill extension project. Today, the beach offers a well-equipped beach house where you can grab snacks, use the restroom, and rent bikes. An ADA accessible beach walk is also available. Swimming is common there during “beach season,” which lasts from the end of May until the beginning of September. One of our sources told us that Foster Beach is great for families, with a generous amount of shallow water in which children can play. She also reported that you can expect to smell the delectable aroma of smoked foods wafting from countless outdoor grills, as well as “Mexican street food everywhere.”

While visiting Foster Beach, take advantage of the opportunity to explore other aspects of Lincoln Park. The Lincoln Park Zoo, for example, is famous for being one of the only free zoos in the United States and a worthy contender for your Chicago bucket list. There, you can come face-to-face with such animals as pygmy hippos and chimpanzees. The Lincoln Park Conservatory is likewise free to visit, though advance bookings are recommended. This botanical garden is an excellent place to take a stroll while learning about both native and exotic plants.

At the time of this writing, Rogers Beach Park had closed for the season due to erosion. Check the Chicago Park District website for important updates before heading to this or any other beach in the city.

Rogers Beach Park can be pleasant and serene, though it has the potential to get crowded on sunny days. If you are an early riser, make sure to come to Rogers Beach Park for the sunrise; you will be treated to a picturesque view over Lake Michigan and see plenty of locals casting their lines into the water.

According to Chicago native Joe M. on Yelp, this beach was “immaculate” when he visited in July 2024, with plenty of lifeguards and weekday parking. Additionally, he suggested that out-of-town visitors download the Yodel Portal and Park Evanston apps in advance to pay for beach entry and parking, respectively. Rogers Beach Park is particularly great for families because Noah’s Playground for Everyone is right next door. This playground is an ideal spot for kids to roam among both manmade and natural environments, and it offers many accessible features for individuals with disabilities.

Among locals, Rogers Beach Park is frequently known as Lighthouse Beach. This is because it offers a view of the historic Gross Pointe Lighthouse, the construction of which finished in 1873. A National Historic Landmark, the lighthouse still functions today, and you can even climb its 141 steps on a guided tour.

According to one of our sources, Montrose Beach features a stretch “where you can swim in deep water with a magical view of downtown,” plus a picturesque sand beach to sink your toes into on a barefoot stroll. On its southeastern end, the beach’s dunes are ungroomed, allowing for a variety of threatened and endangered plants to thrive in their natural habitats. Meanwhile, the main recreational area features kayak and volleyball rentals, a boat launch, snacks, restrooms, and showers. This is also the only beach in Chicago that allows kiteboarding, and one of only two beaches where surfing is permitted (the other being 57th Street Beach). If you want to bring along Fido, a special dog section is available on the beach’s northern end.

If the views, natural features, and watersport opportunities haven’t hooked you, though, just wait until you hear about the bird sanctuary next door. Visit in the spring, and you’ll be able to witness thousands of birds stopping for a nibble and a quick rest before continuing on their migratory journey northward. See how many different species you can spot; more than 300 are known to pass through the sanctuary.

Oak Street Beach has repeatedly been ranked as one of the best beaches in America. However, you should be prepared for a crowd when you arrive, especially during the summer. Even in the early 19th century, upwards of 55,000 people flocked to this beach on sunny days.

Today, it certainly has the amenities to match its popularity. You can rent beach chairs, volleyball equipment, and bikes; chow down on refreshments at Oak Street Beach Café; swim along the shoreline; and make use of the ADA accessible beach walk. And you can do all this while enjoying some of the most stunning views of Chicago’s skyline. In fact, if you visit at night, you will be treated to a spectacular view of the city’s twinkling lights; you’ll find that the view of the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse is particularly stunning during winter.

Before visiting, take the time to learn more about this iconic beach. Built on a landfill, Oak Street Beach has been around for well over a century. Its fascinating history sheds light on tensions between wealthy private homeowners and public beach users, as well as environmental concerns like how feeding the seagulls can create unsafe swimming conditions.

Kathy Osterman Beach, often called Osterman Beach for short and known as Hollywood Beach or Ardmore Beach among locals, can be found on the northern end of Lincoln Park. Built on landfill during the mid-20th century, this beach remains an excellent place for birdwatching during the spring and fall seasons, as well as a popular swimming spot during the summer. One of our sources told us that the crescent-shaped beach boasts a long shoreline particularly popular among the LGBTQIA+ community. She explained that you can feast your eyes upon wonderful city views while treating your ears to fun Chicago house music. The beach’s shallow water also makes it great for kids.

The beach house at Kathy Osterman is LEED-certified, meaning that it is energy-efficient and constructed with sustainability in mind. However, the building does not look like it comes from some futuristic society. Instead, the single-story “comfort station” reflects a laid-back Chicago aesthetic typical of other Chicago Park District buildings constructed at the end of the 19th century.

Margaret T Burroughs Beach, located in Burnham Park, is the place you want to be if you are in the mood to dance and listen to house music. Notably quieter on weekdays, it can also be a great destination for families. Kids can enjoy an ADA-accessible playground, while the park offers a lovely green roof picnic area situated above a parking garage. From the beach’s trails, you can soak up fantastic views of Chicago’s skyline while walking or biking. Additionally, you can use the shoreline for swimming, boating, and fishing. In fact, you’ll see plenty of boats floating in the adjacent 31st Street Harbor. Before leaving, make sure to walk out along the pier to snap some high-quality photographs.

It’s worth noting that you might also hear Margaret T Burroughs Beach referred to as 31st Street Beach. However, it was renamed in 2015 to honor an African-American artist, wordsmith, and educator who founded two art institutions in the city. Her legacy of inclusion and respect persists in tangible ways at the beach, such as a floating demonstration that took place in 2019 to draw attention to the murder of Eugene Williams, an event that initiated the 1919 Race Riot.

To be clear, Ohio Street Beach is not in Ohio. In fact, it is positioned in the Streeterville neighborhood with a northward facing view, making it one of the best places to view the Chicago skyline. Although Ohio Street Beach was originally established to take some of the population pressure off of nearby Oak Street Beach, our sources told us that the former can nevertheless get quite crowded.

Even so, Ohio Street Beach is readily accessible and an especially fun place to hang out if you love swimming. That’s because you can swim half a mile along the seawall, where the shallow waters help provide an extra dose of security. However, you can only enter the water when a lifeguard is on duty. Typically, you will have the green light to take a dip between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the beach season (which begins on the Friday preceding Memorial Day and wraps up on Labor Day). However, like other Chicago beaches, you can visit Ohio Street Beach beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 11 p.m. year-round.

The Lakefront Trail easily connects this beach to other beaches and points of interest along the shores of Lake Michigan. For example, not far from Ohio Street Beach is Navy Pier, where you can refresh yourself with a wide range of food and beverages after you are done playing.

Just outside the city and less than an hour from downtown Chicago, Openlands Lakeshore Preserve at Fort Sheridan is a 72-acre oasis of fresh air, hiking paths, prairieland, and, of course, a lakefront beach. As a protected habitat, you might be able to spot at least six threatened and endangered species of plants during your visit, in addition to countless migrating birds. Two additional ecosystems — bluffs and ravines — complement the lakefront, making this a well-rounded trip into nature. Not to mention, you can learn more about the area’s history and natural features by reading informative signs posted along the trails. Meanwhile, the art installations may captivate and inspire you to think more deeply about your relationship with the lifeforms surrounding you.

The beach is ideal for those who really want to tune into the sounds of wind rustling tree leaves and birds hopping through the underbrush. You can access it by walking along trails through restored prairieland. The shore ranges from rocky to sandy, and it’s not uncommon to have the beach to yourself or share it with just a few other visitors. While swimming, boating, and wading into the water are forbidden, feel free to pack a tackle box and cast a line into the water. This is also a wonderful spot for a picnic; don’t forget to pick up a Midwestern specialty like cheese curds before leaving the city. All and all, Openlands offers plenty of fun family activities if you’re in the Chicago area.

There are approximately two dozen beaches throughout Chicago, and each destination has a unique vibe and is worth visiting if time allows. However, most tourists will only find time to visit a few. This list is therefore meant to help visitors understand the different merits of some of the most popular beaches. In creating this guide, we drew from the expertise of two Chicago locals. One has lived there for most of her life, while the other has called Chicago home for the past eight years. Their varying perspectives — including that of a cultural exchange professional and that of an artist — helped contribute variety to this list. In addition to their suggestions, we conducted extensive research on a few other highly-rated beaches within the city using online forums and city guides. Safe, welcoming beaches were prioritized, as well as ones that have received many positive reviews during the last year.

While nearly all the beaches on this list are located within Chicago’s urban sprawl, there is one notable exception: Our last pick, Openlands Lakeshore Preserve, came highly rated from one of our sources, and we also have personal experience visiting it. We chose to include this destination because of its environmental significance, while also noting that it is easily accessible by public transportation and for tourists with a car.