01
Oak Street Beach
- Famous as one of the best beaches in Chicago for enjoying volleyball, the Gold Coast beach hosts various volleyball tournaments.
- The Oak Street Beach Café is a great place to enjoy beachfront dining while also relishing a spectacular seascape.
- A popular summer hotspot amongst locals and visitors alike, it offers amenities like chair, bike and volleyball rentals, restrooms, and lifeguards.
- The beach mural “You Know What You Should Do” encourages people to keep the beach clean by avoiding littering or feeding wildlife.
Location: 1000 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611
What to Do: Volleyball, swimming, and dining
02
Montrose Beach
- A perfect beach to enjoy an adrenaline rush through watersports, this is also the only coastal destination in Chicago where you can enjoy kiteboarding.
- This Uptown neighborhood beach in Lincoln Park features a fenced-in dog section, making it one of the best Chicago beaches to enjoy with your pooch.
- Known as Chicago’s largest public beach, it offers amenities like lifeguards, volleyball courts, umbrella and watersports rentals, free wifi, and restrooms.
- A dune habitat and migrating bird sanctuary are also there on the beach, attracting plant and bird admirers.
Location: 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago IL 60640
What to Do: Playing with dogs, swimming, volleyball, kayaking, kiteboarding, paddleboarding, etc.
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03
Rainbow Beach
- Rainbow Beach is among the best beaches in Chicago for enjoying the city's skyline, especially at dusk, as well as non-motorized water sports.
- It features two playgrounds, a gymnasium, a fitness center, multipurpose rooms, and handball courts, making it a great location to indulge in a variety of beach activities.
- Sitting next to one of Chicago's oldest public gardens, the Rainbow Beach Victory Garden, the beach also offers you the chance to unwind amid lush landscapes.
- The beach features a natural dune home to flora and animals indigenous to the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Location: 2873 E. 75th Street, Chicago, IL 60649
What to Do: Swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and other non-motorized paddle or board sports, etc.
04
North Avenue Beach
- Located in Lincoln Park, North Avenue Beach is one of the best beaches in Chicago to unwind or enjoy water sports as well as outdoor dining and drinks.
- A huge beach house, an ocean liner-inspired building docked along the beach, boasts one of the most amazing views of the beach's lively ambiance and stunning seascape from its upper decks.
- Featuring amenities like restaurants, cafes, bars, NBA sports, water sports rentals, a fitness center, and shopping kiosks, this beach is always bustling with visitors and locals alike.
Location: 1600 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60613
What to Do: Biking, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, swimming, dining, volleyball, yoga, etc.
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05
Loyola Beach
- Loyola Beach's shallow waters, playground, and peaceful ambiance make it a perfect destination to spend quality time with your family.
- The beach offers a variety of options for unwinding and indulging, from bike, chair, and umbrella rentals to volleyball, tennis, and baseball courts, a fitness center, and a spacious sand area.
- With numerous amateur and professional volleyball tournaments that are held on the beach throughout the summer, it draws sports lovers from across the world.
Location: 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave. (Greenleaf Ave. @ Lake Michigan), Chicago, IL 60626
What to Do: Baseball, volleyball, tennis, walking, clubbing, fitness classes, boxing, etc.
06
31st Street Beach
- 31st Street Beach, also called Margaret T. Burroughs Beach is the place to enjoy a range of water activities and feel a rush of adrenaline, such as surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, etc.
- It serves as a harbor of small boats, allowing you to rent a boat and enjoy a boating trip through the pristine waters of Lake Michigan.
- It is one of the best places to enjoy the breathtaking southern views of the Chicago cityscape while taking a leisurely stroll or a romantic evening walk.
- Adjacent to the harbor, there is an ADA-accessible playground, a picnic area, a public fishing dock, a community room, and much more.
Location: 3100 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60616
What to Do: Jet skiing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, swimming, etc.
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07
Hollywood Beach
- Officially known as Kathy Osterman Beach, its calm waters and absence of boat traffic make it popular with paddle boarders.
- Distance swimming parallel to the shore and paddleboarding lessons and rentals are also available here.
- A silver LEED-certified beach house is another big draw that not only charms with its classic architecture but also proves to be a well-known comfort station.
- It features a natural area that attracts migratory birds, making it one of the best Chicago beaches for birdwatching.
Location: 5800 North Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640
What to Do: Swimming, cycling, volleyball, playing with dogs, birdwatching, fishing, distance swimming, etc.
08
Foster Beach
- This renowned Edgewater destination is a family favorite because of its beautiful setting for picnics and get-togethers with loved ones.
- There is a beach house with refreshments, restrooms, and bicycle rentals.
- With a neighboring dog zone, it is a popular location for those with four-legged companions.
- Distance swimming is from the Center Tower to the beach's north end, parallel to the shore at the boat line.
- There is also an ADA-accessible beach walk and a parking lot to enjoy a hassle-free trip.
Location: 5200 N. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60611
What to Do: Swimming, walking, biking, running, hiking, etc.
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09
12th Street Beach
- The former site of the Meigs Field airport, this beach is known for its stunning panoramic scenery.
- A range of food concessions at the beach along with the facility of restrooms make it a great destination for day outings.
- The beach is also loved for enjoying distance swimming and many other water sports.
- It guarantees a fun-filled day out for families and friends by being home to a prairie reserve, Del Campo’s Tacos, and the Adler Planetarium.
Location: 1200 S. Linn White Dr., Chicago, IL 60605
What to Do: Birdwatching, attending concerts, witnessing panoramic views, visiting the planetarium, etc.
10
Calumet Beach
- A popular place among beachgoers, Calumet Beach lets you beat the summer hot weather by taking a relaxing dip in the cool and pristine waters of Lake Michigan.
- The views of the seascape and the city's skyline from the Calumet beach is mesmerizing, and the ambiance is just perfect for family outings.
- With facilities like playgrounds, food concessions, and public washrooms, Calumet Beach is one of the famous destinations among locals for a pleasant day out.
Location: 9801 S. Avenue G, Chicago, IL 60617
What to Do: Distance swimming, evening walks, family picnics, boating, etc.
