Erin P.:  The Dunes provide a great respite from daily life. The dunes have 8 beaches, hiking trails, wetlands and forests. You can also go bird watching, horseback riding and fishing. Camping is available from spring to fall. Since this is a national lake shore, you can also have a guided tour offered by a park ranger! West Beach is the only beach with lifeguards on duty.

Shila:  About 100 feet off shore at Whihala Beach is a 1-acre inflatable sports park which includes slides, monkey bars, jumping platforms, & more. They are a first come first serve business, but you can purchase your ticket in advance to guarantee your admission. You can also rent stand up paddleboards & kayaks. You must know how to swim.

As far as city beaches go, this one is a hidden gem. Far from the people-watching and busyness of North Ave Beach or Oak St Beach, 57th St Beach is quiet, calm, and equally beautiful. It's a perfect spot for families, especially with little kids.

Yoli B:  With sand on your feet and Chicago in the background you will love the time that you spend at Oakwood Beach! Winter outweighs summer here, so now is the time to go take a dip in the lake! Oakwood Beach has restrooms and lifeguards on duty during the summer season. It is also located off the Lakeshore trail so you can ride your bike! Go to Oakwood Beach and have some fun in the sun.

Kristy Pepping:  The beach is located inside Chicago's Jackson Park. The designers of New York’s Central Park, Olmsted & Vaux, laid out Jackson Park. Amenities include: Jamaican food, beverages, restrooms, interactive water fountains, showers, bike rentals, boat launch, distance swimming, beach walk and a parking lot.

Kristy Pepping:  Oak Street Beach is in the Gold Coast/Streeterville neighborhood and offers many amenities and a great view of the city skyline. This beach hosts a number of popular amateur and professional volleyball tournaments throughout the summer. In 2011, Jeff Zimmermann created the mural entitled “You Know What You Should Do.” This art can be found along a wall by the Lakefront Trail at the access point to the Oak Street Beach underpass.

Shila:  One of Chicago's most popular beaches, North Avenue Beach features a unique, ocean-liner inspired beach house. In addition to the obvious sand & water, the beach also has a multitude of bikers, runners, walkers and rollerbladers streaming down the lakefront trail. It's a cool people watching spot. Most notably, though, this beach boasts one of the best views in and of the city.

Yoli B:  Montrose Beach is a special gem in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. This popular beach offers amenities including, concessions, showers, restrooms, rentals, and an ADA beach walk. They also have a dog friendly beach, so bring your pooch along for a swim! Don't leave Montrose without taking a glimpse at the the rare panne dune habitat with migratory birds and endangered plant life.

Lisa R:  Just steps from the Loyola Park Field House, this friendly, life-guarded beach has all the amenities families need including a playground with large climbing structures, a snack kiosk, and nearby bathrooms. Lifeguards keep swimmers close to the shore, making it a popular destination for young families. Distance swimming is permitted just past the ball fields two blocks North at Leone Beach, where there is another popular playground.

Although this is an artificial body of water, it's a neighborhood favorite and still counts as a beach to the thousands of families that use it every year. It's shallow, has sand, and showcases the most beautiful parts of Humboldt Park.

Kristy Pepping:  Gilson Beach is located in Chicago's north suburbs and is 59.2 acres of beach and park front. Amenities include: swimming, Lakeview Center, sailing, sailboat rentals, lighted tennis courts, softball, fitness course, picnic areas, picnic shelter, tot lot and a dog beach.

Yoli B:  Glencoe Beach is designed for loads of family fun with pristine sand and a playground within a rock's throw of the water. The beach has umbrellas for rent, and also has shelters and picnic tables available on a first come basis. All you have to do is pack some snacks, sunscreen and your must-have beach accessories and toys for a full day of fun!

Chrissy OGorman:  Rosewood Beach is a national award winning beach. Nestled against Rosewood’s wooded bluffs is a one-of-a-kind beachfront Interpretive Center and amenity buildings including concessions, restroom and guard buildings. The beach areas and buildings are connected by a boardwalk that runs the length of Rosewood Beach. Rosewood Beach has a toddler play area and a young kid play area as well.

Kristy Pepping:  Stretching 6.5 miles along Lake Michigan in Chicago's northern suburbs, this lake offers a full range of recreation opportunities at one of the most unique and beautiful natural settings in America. Amenities include: boating, bike trails, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping, geocaching, scuba diving and simply appreciating nature. In addition, the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center is the perfect place to get away for a weekend or a week-long vacation.

Shila:  Diamond Lake Recreation Center is 100 acres. It includes a pristine lake, sand beach, grassy areas, and shaded picnic grove. Enjoy Diamond Lake Beach, a quaint, summertime favorite, with soft sand, expansive shoreline, great swimming (complete with a floating SportsPark), kids’ playground/climber on the sand, shaded picnic areas and more. It's also a great Chicagoland location for boating, with paddle boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are available for rent for an enjoyable excursion on the water.

2021 Update: Mundelein’s Diamond Lake Beach will be closed Mondays through Thursdays and open only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Kristy Pepping:  Centennial Beach is located in Chicago's western suburbs and is a swimming experience like no other. Amenities include: bag toss, food, diving boards, washrooms/changing rooms, rafts, handicap access, life vests, lockers, picnic tables, sand play, volleyball, umbrellas, water play features, waterslide and zero-depth entry.

Kristy Pepping:  Phil's Beach is located in Chicago's north suburb of Wauconda. It offers a great sandy beach and water fun for hot summer Chicagoland days. Amenities include: splash pad, concessions, a bathhouse, gazebo, baggo boards, game tables, and inflatable attractions.

Shila:  Hall Quarry Beach occupies a former stone quarry owned by the Batavia Park District. It has been used as a swimming facility since 1920. It features a sand bottom swimming area covering 60,000 square feet that includes islands, slides, and a diving area. There is a playground, concessions and plenty of picnic tables as well.

Kristy Pepping:  Crystal Lake offers two beaches: Main Beach and West Beach. Amenities include: paddle boat, canoe, sailboat, rowboat, kayak, and stand-up paddle board rentals, sailing and canoe lessons, fishing, swimming, picnic tables and a pavilion.