I'm a CA native now living in the Midwest so miss the beach. I've been to Chicago many times but…read morenever thought about going to the beach. Last summer we finally went to Lake Michigan and was surprised that it looked just like the Pacific Ocean. The water was blue and clear (not like the muddy brown lakes of NE and IA). This year we decided to stay in Evanston instead of doing downtown Chiacago again. We went to Lighthouse Beach with our 6 year old and 3 year old. It was a great beach. There is a play ground by the beach, a parking lot, bathrooms, life guards, and lots of areas for shade if you want to stay out of the sun. It was beautiful and convenient. The only downside is that it costs $12 per person if you are a visitor. So for a family of 4...it gets pricey. But I guess that helps to keep the beaches nice. Def a beach to visit if you are in the Chicago area!

Grew up not far from there. Take the family there on occasion. Small, nice, and quiet. There is a…read moretucked away fire pit that can rented out and you can go there at night (no life guards then of course). You can take a cool stroll around the old light house as well.

Got to check out this beach in Winnetka if you're around here, because this is a pretty nice beach…read more It's located beside a residential area, but it's big enough to attract outsiders. Tower Road Beach is of course located along Tower Road. Along with the beach, there's also a park area. There's also of course a tower. Beach is big and as a result attracts some grunginess. It's usually pretty crowded when it's summer. This could be even more crowded, but it's not because it's harder to get to. It takes awhile. The worst thing is all the endless stairs. It takes a long time to get to from the park area. There's so many fucking stairs. Besides that, the tower isn't that impressive even though the beach literally gets its name from it. This looks like a boring old utility tower for the most part. Even though it's not that good, it's one of the nicer beaches. It's close to a residential area so many of these people claim it as their own. The worst thing about it is there's too many stairs.

I love this beach. It is clean and fun place for kids as well as grownups! If your looking for a…read morespot to relax and enjoy the view.. this is the perfect place to do just that!

Spent the last day of summer at Glencoe Beach and it was beautiful. It was off season so no life…read moreguard and the house with bathrooms wasn't open but they did have port o potties. Their regular season from Memorial day to labor day the beach costs and it's mainly from members on the weekend. But since it was the season it was free. It was decently crowded with everyone soaking up the last nice day. They have a playground for kids, plenty of shelters to rent for a party, volleyball net, a pier to walk along and place to rent boats, and paddle boats. The front of the beach is rocky and going into the water have to walk over rocks to get the sandy part of the water. But loved the water as it was clear and felt good to swim in. Very nice beach to relax on.

ALWAYS a good time at Glencoe Beach! The location is absolutely beautiful with clean, sandy shores…read moreand stunning views of Lake Michigan. It's perfect for swimming on a warm day. I loved how well-maintained the beach is, and everyone was so friendly! They also have grills and plenty of seating, making it great for picnics and gatherings. Plus, the surrounding neighborhood is gorgeous, adding to the overall charm of the area. Highly recommend for a fun, relaxing beach day!

I used to spend many summers here, every summer for 15 years a long while ago…read more New tiered decks and elevators to get down to the beach. There used to be showers in the middle deck too. The beach is still small and smaller since part of the lower deck used to be part of the beach when I was here years ago. They give you beach passes for the residents. The beach access is at the end of Kenilworth avenue. Nice lake views from the top most deck.

This is hands down, the best of all beach's in Chicago's Northshore…read more I went here just recently and am very satisfied with how nice and well maintained it is. people are very cautious during times like these and maintain a distance. There is a pier with an elevator and staircase to get to beach front, picnic tables on pier and balcony closer to beach front.

Went here after dinner at Clarke's Rogers Park Restaurant…read more Hartigan Park & Beach are located just a few blocks away from the restaurant *(Clarke's Rogers Park). My friend and I gathered washed up stones on the beach- which was fun, sank our feet into the sand, and watched the stars come out while my friend played an acoustic guitar and sang. It was a very peaceful experience. Hope to return in the near future again!

Forget North Avenue, this is the beach/park you should be paying attention to. One of the things I…read moremost loved about Chicago was the fact that, in every neighborhood, there were beautiful things to discover. So it is with Hartigan Park. Outside of Rogers Park residents, who knew that there was a green space with beach and playgrounds and (my favorite) community art in the form of beach chairs? Judging by the lack of crowds when I/we visited, not many. If you're one of those who are in the dark, change that. Look at these photos. Commit to taking a field trip and explore your city. There are so many pretty parts that await. May weather is coming.

It took over 15 years living in Chicago before I visited a beach. This one was the first!…read more Leone Beach Park is one of the northernmost beaches in the city. Leone Park Beach is named after an employee who managed folks along the entire north side, and lived above the beach house until his death. There's a swim ban in this park, though, due to the water quality. So that knocks out a big reason for going. Though you can go bake on the beach if you want. There's a good-sized parking lot here, and it's a pay lot. There's a playground and somewhat natural area surrounding it (at least it looks like it--I couldn't tell what may have been blooming there). I was surprised to see one of those Amazon lockers there, so apparently you could get your stuff shipped here. There's also basketball courts here, and lawn area, for non-beach-based recreation.

12/29/20 - Gorgeous beach front right off of Touhy Ave. W/a parking lot right there. My neighbor…read moreand I arrived just before sunrise. The sun was still below the horizon the sky was aglow in this beautiful reddish orange coloration of the sun rising. The sun was still below the horizon when we got there. We were able to capture many pictures of the reddish orange glow as the sun brought beautiful coloration to the sky. Slowly the sun came up over the horizon as the big orange ball came out of the lake (93 million miles away). It doesn't matter how many times I see it I never get tired of this magnificent ball of fire that gives live to every living thing on our planet. There were a number of people out and about on this chilly 23 degree winter morning all to see the sun come up again over Lake Michigan. Some just to spectate, some to walk or run, yet others out walking their dogs. I love Chicago. There was some small wave activity along the shoreline. The breakwaters were covered w/frozen ice w/seagulls sitting or standing on the concrete. The beach stretches to the south from their w/native grasses along the sidewalk. You can see the Chicago skyline that can be seen from many points along the shoreline each w/a slightly different vantage point, but always gorgeous.

Hidden local gem. Keep it secluded. No big party's or events. Nice quick stop at sunset or sunrise…read moreon the commute to somewhere else.

Small, but beautiful. Soft sand. Not too many rocks along the shore. Walkable pier where many sun…read morebathe without having to step in the sand. They launch kayaks and canoes. There are steps and a ramp to get to and from. Decent sized parking lot with time restrictions during the weekdays. Fun playground near the parking lot. Always an enjoyable time when we come. Weekdays: $5 for Winnetka residents. $10 for non-residents. Weekends and holidays: $15 res/$30 non.