Chicago has more than 20 beaches with ample space for swimming, sports and soaking in the sun. The beach season runs from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, so enjoy the warm weather while it lasts.
North Avenue Beach
The broad scope of Lincoln Park includes North Avenue Beach, a zig-zagging beach adjacent to baseball fields, volleyball courts, Lincoln Park Zoo (and its nature boardwalk) and the Chicago History Museum. The beach’s southern end is marked by a unique chess pavilion with boards built into its benches.
Ohio Street Beach
Montrose Beach
Montrose Beach, located in Uptown, includes a small harbor, a dog-friendly park and a bird sanctuary. It’s the only beach in the city that allows kiteboarding, and it’s one of two beaches that allow surfing (the other being 57th Street Beach). Unlike Chicago’s normally flat ground, the beach is also connected to the Lincoln Park Cricket Hill, ideal for kite-flying, walking or just admiring the view.
Foster Beach
Couched between leafy trees and the shallow lakeshore, Foster Beach is a sandy space with basketball courts, an outdoor gym and a cafe. It’s north of Montrose, between Uptown and Edgewater, and is near a lively community garden.
Oak Street Beach
Just north of Streeterville’s Navy Pier is Oak Street Beach, a cozy stretch with a good view of the city skyline. It’s easily accessible through pedestrian underpasses beneath Lake Shore Drive, which is directly to the west of the beach. A 260-foot-long mural was designed by Jeff Zimmermann and added to the Oak Street underpass in 2011.
12th Street Beach
Take a bus or walk to the Museum Campus’ Northerly Island Park to find 12th Street Beach. The island is actually a man-made peninsula created in the 1920s and now has walkways, trees, concession stands, restrooms and a one-of-a-kind view of Chicago’s Near South Side. It has easy access to the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and Soldier Field.
Humboldt Park Beach
Chicago’s only inland beach is in Humboldt Park, an expansive green space with sports fields, basketball courts, gardens, playgrounds and a man-made lagoon. The park, named after German naturalist and geography Alexander von Humboldt, houses the country’s only museum dedicated to Puerto Rican culture. Fishing is a common sight at the park, where a wide variety of wildlife — including turtles, geese, ducks, migratory birds and rabbits — enjoy the greenery as much as the locals.
