Every summer l we go back to Naperville to see family from Colorado for a couple of weeks. Highlights for 2019, Centennial Beach, exactly as it's been for nearly two decades, but better now watching kids get to swim in a pool that's as big as a quart and clean as a pool. Lifeguards every few feet from you - and I actually love that those teenagers bark at other teens, some as old as them, when they're not following rules, ie encroaching on someone else's safety. High and low dive and a pontoon teens can swim 50 yards over 15' to 18' deep water to hang out with friends and no parents ( the pontoon reminds me of penguins or seals on one their annual remotely and isolated beaches - I'm confident similar biological urges are play for them as well ). There's a rigorous swim test for younger youth, which is perfect bc I'd only feel comfortable with smaller sized kids 50 yards out on the pontoon with twelve to fifteen 16 yo boys and four to five teen females. Every part of the beach area, water and the common ground where hundreds of families chill all day on Sat and Sun. Love it. read more

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We had an extremely disappointing experience before we even made it inside! Before leaving, we checked the Centennial Beach website for information about cooler policies and other guest regulations, and everything made it seem like the beach was open as usual. When we arrived, we noticed a large crowd gathered outside. We walked up to the admissions area, where an employee informed us that the facility had reached capacity due to a major swim event. Because of this, they were only allowing season pass holders to enter and were not selling day passes. We completely understand that facilities have occupancy limits and appreciate the staff for enforcing them. Our frustration is with the lack of communication beforehand. A major event with limited public access should have been clearly posted on the website well in advance so families wouldn't make the trip unnecessarily. To make matters more confusing, the hours listed on Apple Maps and Google Maps were inaccurate, and the website was difficult to navigate. The notice about the capacity restrictions wasn't posted until about an hour before we were turned away. While we were there, we heard several other families expressing the same frustration. No hard feelings toward the employees--they were simply doing their jobs. However, the organization behind the website and event planning should do a much better job communicating closures, capacity limits, and special events to the public. read more

This place has everything, diving boards, deep end islands, a grill. Except you can't use everything. If you have kids, plan on them not being able to use the deep end. They make them do a very difficult swim test (I think so the lifeguards don't have to do their jobs.) that I would not pass, and I am a good swimmer. It's strange to me and kind of crazy, but you can still kill a day here! read more

I really liked this place! Parking is a nightmare and limited but if you're patient it pays off. This is not a pool so don't expect clean and clear water. It's more like swimming at the beach. Lots of geese poop on some of the grass areas but bring chairs and shoes and you'll be fine. read more

Centennial Beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

I love Centennial Beach! My wife and I discovered it this past summer after moving close by - it's such a nice pool! We love all the space surrounding the pool and it never seems too packed, even when they're at capacity. We'll join as members next year! read more

Wonderful time at the beach with my niece and grand nephews. Best place to bring out of town family. Friendly staff and clean water. Snack shop was perfect treat for all. read more

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Nice place, but $5.50 for this sad salad? Foul 10/10 does not recommend. Go with the nachos. read more

Centennial Beach - This was $5.50. Respectfully, 10/10 does not recommend. - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

well this was the worst experience i have had at a bday party. it was fun until the lifeguards were getting in our personal business and screaming at us. and they were very rude. had the worst time. read more

NEVER BRING YOUR KIDS HEREThis place sucks never come here they have a stupid test called the deep water test which is almost impossible to pass unless you're on swim team they make swim 100 meters with perfect form wich most kids wouldn't even know. In auditions to this most kids don't have the endurance to swim this far, this is absurd that you have to swim the whole length of the pool twice with perfect form just to jump of the diving board and swim ten feet back to the deck. I can here with my kids who were begging me to take them for the diving board were devistated to find out the had to wait an hour to take the test only then they told us how hard the test was. So after waiting an hour both my kids who are decent swimmers failed this absurd test when all they wanted to do is use the diving boards. And keep in mind the deep end is over half the pool so if you come with kids you won't have anything to do other then the shallow section wich has nothing to do and is overcrowded even on a random Tuesday. On top of this rude staff yelled at me and my kids for simply walking near the deep end never being you kids here they will be board within an hour and begging you to buy them horribly overpriced snakes. read more

Beautiful beach, sand volleyball and a beach house with restrooms, snack shop, patio seating and on summer weekends there is a small local band with live music. Perfect atmosphere for family, kids and friends galore. Please note there are no lifeguards but if you're a cautious swimmer and are familiar with Lake Michigan, it's a great place to dip in the water. My favorite go-to place! read more

Centennial Beach - Beach & Lake - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

What a great beach for all ages. There's a sandy beach, shallow parts for younger ones, a huge 4 feet pool too play around and another huge section of 15 feet diving and swimming. read more

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Centennial Beach is SO MUCH FUN but has plenty of room to grow. Definitely better than an average public pool because it has the history of once being a quarry. It has since been cemented over and holds a ton of water. Some sections are really deep, which is awesome. The kids area mimics a beach with lots of sand, but that side is kind of gross and chaotic--I prefer hanging out in the deep water and having a ton of space to myself. The biggest downside here are the locker rooms. While historic, they're pretty gross. The changing rooms have no mirrors, which is ridiculous. The one mirror they have is in front of the bathroom stalls but that area is dark. What's the point? While they do have mini lockers in front of the pool, they are in DESPERATE need of a cleaning. Seriously, each and every one was filthy. Nastiest of all--someone left their briefs laying around in front of the lockers. Oddly there were plenty of staff in this area. Did anyone bother to clean up? Nope! This pool area is huge and has a lot of potential, but the bigger the property, the more care is required. Step it up. read more

Centennial Beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

closes with no update to website or phones. Manger was beyond rude. It's just disappointing. We traveled all the way from the city and checked multiple times on the website and phones. Dont waste your time coming here. read more

We LOVE this place!! If you plan it right, you can get a pretty good spot and we always bring our own chairs and picnic bag. We could stay there all day! They also have decent food at their Grill Cafe. read more

I'm a lifelong pool-lover and had to check out Centennial. Could not have been more impressed. It sort of feels like a lake- the water is cold and cloudy, and it's so huge. 4 50-meter lap lanes are open all day long, which is awesome. Swimming laps in a 50-meter lane (without being able to see underwater!) is not for the faint of heart- I got a great workout in here! The deep part with all the diving platforms is super awesome as well. There are a lot of teenagers over there, but they keep to themselves and don't bother the adults who are just swimming around, treading and enjoying the water. It's also pretty cheap to get in even as a nonresident-- the "waterparks" in Tinley and Orland Park are like $20/day and they don't even come close to comparing to Centennial, which is only $14/day (and $7 after 5pm I believe). Location is fantastic, right in downtown Naperville, so many options to go out for dinner after a long day of swimming. Overall, highly recommend!!! read more

Centennial Beach - Centennial beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

Great fun for all. Super clean and so much to choose from. It has a beach, kiddie area, swim lanes and so much more.

If you want to enjoy a great day and have fun. Centennial park is the ave to be. I am truly enjoying my summer this year. I had 5 years of illness w/my sister rip and my mom battering breast cancer that this year I needed to enjoy the beauty of this magnificent park. You do not need to spend money to come and relax and just sit by the river. You can enjoy the flowers, the fish swimming down stream or enjoy the paddler boat rides and it go swim to the Naperville beach. I am truly bless to enjoy this wonderful summer, with my friends and my son Mike and also with my true "Rocky". That loves to walk on a hot summer and bark at everything that crosses his path. read more

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It's a beautiful little getaway in the suburbs. It's a pool with a cozy beach. It's great for a swim and hangout for the kids. My nieces loved it. Adequate parking that's free and admission is affordable. We got nachos from the stands, and they were good too. Only thing that was a bit different, was that every hour or so they'd force everyone out of the water for 15-20 minutes for "testing". read more

A beautiful outdoor pool with a beach feel. Sand in your bikini and everything. Part of the Naperville Park District, located just off the Riverwalk, making for a very pretty spot with the huge trees and evergreens. It's got the zero-depth entry, so it's good for sunbathing or entertaining tiny kids. There's a nearby playground, picnic spot, food vendors and several Riverwalk attractions, depending on the day. 7/28/07 - we love it so much we got the season membership this summer. I continue to be impressed at the safety standards, with the routine safety breaks so kids can touch base with their folks, also giving the lifeguards a chance to make sure no one's drowning. The other thing that's great about it is the size - even on the hottest days you can find a spot in the shade. read more

Besides the bright green pool and the perverts this "beach" was alright. $14 for a fake beach is pretty insane to me if i'm being honest. They take safety very seriously there which I like. read more

What a nice amenity in downtown Naperville. This old quarry-turned-beachy-pool is very large (unlike a YMCA pool, say) so you really get some space. Go early in the day on a week-end (like, at opening) and it's not crowded (it fills in as the day progresses). Residents pay $6 for a day-long ticket, slightly more for an out-of-towner; hard to beat. If you think you'll go a lot, get a membership. Fewer people swim in the deeper areas; my bf and I lazed around on one of the weird astroturf-carpeted floating raft things, swam, and dove in the 15-foot depth end for most of the time, so we didn't have to listen to the screaming and splashing of little kids (we made the mistake of moving to the 4-ft part at one point and were treated to the bellowing of one mother who apparently was convinced that her kid was going to be the next Olympic swimming champ. Ah, summer!) The grassy edges roll lazily, so there are nice little hillocks with shaded places and sunny spots to lounge when out of the water. Watch out for pervy guys walking along the Riverwalk who stop and check out the girls in bikinis through the chainlink fence on the south side, though... Overall, this is a lovely facility to have through the Naperville Park Service. Come swim and have fun all summer long. read more

I love Centennial Beach! I grew up swimming in ponds, creeks and quarries so it feels like my childhood. --only better! My natural waterholes didn't have any kind of filter and certainly not a water slide. Nor a zero depth like Centennial. It's a place that everyone of every swimming level can have fun. And when you want a break, you can sit in the shade with an ice cream cone. The restrooms are clean and modern. The grounds are landscaped and well taken care of. Centennial Beach is childhood at its best! read more

Centennial Beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

My 250th review! So I've lived out in the Naperville area now for 5 years, and just discovered this place LAST year so yeah, a little behind when it comes to finding outdoorsy things to do in the summer. So this looks like one big ginormous pool - though this place has some history behind it so you can read up on that elsewhere, but it's pretty neat. Besides being a ginormous pool, it's technically a "beach". It's a beach with a sandy area, shallow water, deep water, an area to swim laps, a water slide, diving boards, etc. all in the SAME place! On the outer parts of the water there is grass with umbrellas, lawn chairs, BBQ grills, etc. You can literally spend an entire day here in the sun and/or shade! This place is truly great. I'm not sure what the resident price is, but the non-resident price is $10 which is entirely reasonable for a fun day in the sun. You can bring in your own food, coolers, chairs, etc. or for food, there is a place where you can buy food there. For kids there are bins where other kids left behind their sand toys and life vests for the water. This place is clean, and well kept. I plan on spending more time here next summer! I'm a little upset I'm behind in spending time here in the past, so I'll have to make up for it! read more

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I can't believe this is our neighborhood pool! The kids loved going here all summer and next year I think we may take advantage of the 50% off membership if you purchase in July which is a great option if you plan to travel in June or the first half of the school summer holiday. We witnessed an emergency and every single lifeguard was on point doing their job, keeping an eye on the ones in the pool while others rushed to the sight with medical supplies and calling an ambulance...it was a sight to see! It's good to know I can trust them when my children are there. read more

First time here -very impressed!! This is a really cool place!! Spacious -nice balance of sunny and shady areas and plenty of cool things for adults as well as kids!!! I like the diversity of water depths too -basically, something for everyone!!! read more

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Best place to go in hot Summer days. Fun for all family members. My kids had so much fun that day. Nice and friendly staff. read more

Centennial Beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

We were so excited to come to this area. We drove 1 1/2 hours. Paid way too much for our family of four only to realize that there is a very specific swim test for the boys to be able to go to the fun area of the beach. You have to swim over 50 yards with perfect form front crawl while breathing to the side. While this is written in small print on the rules and regulations sign it is not very noticeable. I just want you to know so you won't be disappointed. read more

This is a cool summertime hang out for those of us that don't have a pool. Its a huge park with a GIANT swimming pool. The pool has a zero depth end and the deep end has a few diving boards and floating islands. It's great for all ages. The large sandbox at the west end always has my kids undivided attention. What makes this place super-cool is the large grass area where you are welcome to bring a grill, cooler, beach chairs and have a picnic. They have a in-house grill/ carry out restaurant if your too lazy to haul all the cooking gear out for the day. It's only about 6 bucks for the day and it's in the heart of down town naperville. During the summer holiday season, you can call ahead and reserve an area if your expecting a large group or birthday party. I plan on hitting this place all next year and I think you should too! read more

Centennial Beach - Happy forth of july! - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

So since it's summer and I'm definitely a beach boy, it sucks that my bf lives in Naperville (me too for now) for the next few months. I mean Naperville is AWESOME, in every way, but I was thinking with my summer moods, I'd feel really let down cuz no Lake Michigan unless you make a day out of it. Well, in comes Centennial Beach. Holy Shiz, this is it! So here's the deal: this is a HUGE ASS POOL not a "beach", in fact there's no sand to lie on, only to build sand castles. You really just pay to lay on grass, which isn't so bad. They provide an assortment of chairs and umbrellas for those of you who want it. Important facts: if you're a resident but don't have a Naperville ID or something, just show em a piece of mail (I have a Chicago Drivers License). $12 for non residents of Naperville, $8 for resident adults. $10 NR, and $6 R for kids. Admission is cheapest after 5pm - for obvious reasons. Tip: Go to "adult float"! The park is open for adults from 9-11am, but no kids! They even let you rent out floaties and junk. Super cool, especially since water can be ice cold - but swimmable (just jump in). Doesn't get too packed on Sundays. We were there today from 11-2pm, but it was beginning to get crowded as we were leaving. Though Saturdays is supposed to be torture I hear. Tip: Don't expect to swim the entire time. Every hour they have have a maintenance "everyone get the hell out of the pool" thing. It only lasts for like 5-10 mins each hour, but you get cold after a while. They have a giant slide, different depths to the pool (deeper end is usually empty), lap lanes, diving boards, and some platforms to jump off or lay on in the water. I super super recommend this place. Unfortunately, there are some racist people that can show up. Heard some terrible things from terrible people (keep that crap to yourself). SUUUUUUPER recommend if you're in the burbs and want an awesome experience - totally worth the money! read more

An opportunity for greatness missed year after year. Pros * Location location location * Large well supervised pool and pool area * Grounds are kept clean * improvements to bath house and snack bar Cons * Apparently the pool water is never filtered, thus over the course of the summer the pool becomes a cesspool * Bottom of pool caked with dirt and sunken garbage * Surface of pool covered with floating debris and garbage like band-aids If the Park District can't figure out how to keep the water clean, this place should be closed. read more

I know, I know. Who goes to a beach when it's barely 70 degrees? Well... Yesterday was my wife's birthday and we'd made plans for a long time that on her birthday we were going to Centennial Beach. We'd never been there and were totally excited to find a suburban beach after coming off an awesome beach vacation earlier in the month. When we arrived we were greeted cheerfully by the attendant behind the counter and told to check in on the side of the building near the gate. Through the gate was the amazing open-air bathhouse complete with private changing areas, quarter lockers shower and bath facilities. You then walk down a sprawling spiral staircase into what feels like a garden. The grounds are immaculately landscaped with sprawling grassy areas, huge shade trees and plenty of green shrubs. The whole place is beautiful. The pool itself used to be an old quarry which has been converted into a massive beach. There are diving boards, slides, little floating islands in the MASSIVE deep area (15 feet). The deep area alone is the size of a small lake. Kids hang out in the 4-foot area just off the sand play area. And the whole pool ( keep calling it a pool. I know it's a beach, but what should I say, water?) area is surrounded by comfortable adirondack chairs. You can bring in food to the upper decks, which is awesome in itself. Most public pools don't allow that. (I know, not a pool. Get off my back!) We had a pleasant afternoon lounging around. We tried to go in the water but it was just a little bit too cold for us old fogies. One thing to note. The water is chlorinated, but still appears dark and kind of green. That's cuz this isn't a pool. Should I say it again? THIS IS NOT A POOL! So the floor of the water receptacle is not painted blue like most swimming pools. Capice? Get used to it. I can't wait to return on a warmer day. Especially early morning on the weekend when they have the adults only 18 yrs + swim. read more

I came here today with my two daughters one is 12 and one is 13. They had to take the swim test and my 13 year old daughter passed but my 12-year-old did not. She has been on the swim team at our country club for two years. after they failed her she cried for 10 minutes about it because she was sad. So I think the test was very unfair and judge wrong. read more

This place is such a gem. It's a huge space and logistically it has to be hard to patrol this much water...and you're dealing with seasonal work so you have young kid life guards who probably don't balance a check book yet. This all being said, they do a great job! It's beautiful and organized and whether you're a kid, teen, single adult, you can find some space and enjoy. Concessions are better than a high school football game and probably most concerts but don't expect 5 star food service. You would be dumb if you did that. Enjoy the sun. Enjoy the water. Don't think about how many people may be peeing in the "pool." You'll be fine. read more

Centennial Beach - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

Centennial Beach is what you make of it. It can be fun for the kiddo's, a neat place to grill with the family, or a relaxing time with friends in the "deep end". It's clean, well-staffed, and relatively cheap! For the kids: Lots of area to play in; different games, sand, and even a kids slide. For the teens: This seems like the place to be. For the adults and families: Head towards the deep end or a higher area, and camp out. You won't be bothered. The deep end is great, and I love the variety of diving boards! For a real workout, actually take a swim. It's a workout you won't regret! read more

It's not really a "beach," more of a pool, but once you temper your expectations, it's an enjoyable time. Would be nice if not just the kids area had sand - sometimes I just come with a girlfriend for some sun. Expensive to get in if not resident. read more

As much as I absolutely despise the sprawling suburban ugliness they named after some white settlers, I have to say I like this idea. It's cool how well the Naperville Park District has integrated this park/beach in such a way as to fit in nicely with the Riverwalk, which in turn, fits in nicely with the amenities of the town. Like most suburban Chicago towns, there's really two Napervilles. There's the nice downtown with free parking with the Riverwalk, parks, and nice little homes. Then there's the urban sprawl McMansion-ville that most Napervillians call home. The first one is probably possible only because of the second, but the second totally destroys any shred of urbanity this little haven to the west has. Smaller towns and cities across America would do well to look at some of Naperville's ideas for revitalizing their downtowns and creating walkable, livable spaces along their riverfronts. On the other hand, who knows if such a thing is possible in other towns, for they are without all that "new money" pouring in from the sprawling population of Chicagoland. read more

Visited on a busy Sunday afternoon. Reviews about swimming pretty accurate. Lifeguards take things VERY seriously, and do their job well. If there was attitude, we didn't see it. With the amount of people and little kids, rules just can't be bent. A search for a missing 11-year old was quick, responsive and very well coordinated. Only MAJOR issue was Centennial Grill - with only 2 counters taking orders, expect a 30-45 minute wait just to give your order. Then, there's no sense of urgency to turn around an order, and we could see no coordination nor management prompting the counter workers (look like HS or college kids). When orders came out, they were correct. read more

Ahhh... A romantic day date with my husband at this beach/pool/water place. Okay, not exactly romantic but still fun! The water temp seems cool at first, but was actually really comfortable once you got in. To get away from the vast amount of pre teens and teens, you can go to the deep end and just swim around. (They tended to congregate in large amounts on the floats in the middle. I felt bad that the lifeguards became babysitters for them.) I would definitely come back. I wish I lived closer! read more

I love this place !!! They have lots of fun things to do !! If I were ever to pick a pool / beach I would pick this place totally Try this read more

This place is a hidden gem in the Naperville area. I have lived in Plainfield for as long as I can remember and I have just never taken the time to check out Centennial Beach until now. My husband and I went, packed a cooler and spent the day. We loved it so much thy we became members that day before leaving. Adult float on the weekends is well worth waking up early!! If you are looking for a "beach" close to home I would definitely check it out! read more

Centennial Beach - Water view from our spot! Such a nice place! - Beaches Near Me - Naperville, Illinois