Forest Park Beach
Lake Forest, Illinois · on Lake Michigan · Forest Park And Beach - Lake Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $25
- SEASON
- Varies by conditions
About Forest Park Beach
Forest Park Beach is the City of Lake Forest's official public swimming beach on Lake Michigan, a 29-acre lakefront facility at 801 N Lake Rd with a designated swim area, lifeguards, and seasonal concessions. It is a paid, permit-based municipal beach rather than an informal swimming hole.
The beach sits at the base of a bluff on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Lake Forest, Illinois, within a 29-acre park that includes grass areas, sheltered pavilions, a fishing pier, boat launching facilities, and walking paths. The beach was extensively engineered: after decades of erosion left only a narrow gravel strip, the city and SmithGroup rebuilt roughly 3,400 feet of shoreline with offshore breakwaters, onshore revetments, and a scalloped sand nourishment design, adding a boat basin and waterfront promenade.
Swimming at Forest Park Beach
Swimming is in open Lake Michigan water at a designated municipal beach with lifeguards on duty daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (season starting June 6). Outside guarded hours, swimming is allowed at visitors' own risk, and Illinois Dept. of Public Health rules require anyone under 16 to be accompanied by someone 16 or older when lifeguards are off duty.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach is located at 801 N Lake Rd, Lake Forest, IL 60045.
Parking: No onsite parking for non-residents; nearby public lots are in the business district and near the train station. Residents park onsite with a current City of Lake Forest vehicle sticker; when the lot is full, overflow vehicles are directed to the top south lot or grass along the ring road. Lake Forest residents can buy guest parking passes ($15 each, limit 5 per household annually), and non-residents can buy annual non-resident parking permits ($910).
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up municipal beach; visitors park in an on-site lot (residents) or a public lot roughly 0.75 mi away (non-residents) and walk directly onto the sand within a few minutes. No trail or hike is involved.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Large sandy engineered beach is family-friendly, but lifeguards are only on duty 10 AM-6 PM in season (from June 6) and Illinois law requires anyone under 16 to be accompanied by someone 16+ outside those hours; the shoreline also has constructed breakwaters/revetments and the city explicitly prohibits jumping off rocks/piers, indicating rocky hazard areas nearby.
Parking
Paid, $25/person/day for non-residents (no non-resident lot access, ~0.75 mi walk from public lots); $910/year non-resident permit; residents park free with a City of Lake Forest vehicle sticker or a $15 guest pass (limit 5/household/year)
Resident lots (North and Upper South) require a current city vehicle sticker; Lower South lot is permit-only (purchased at the Recreation Center); when the North lot fills, cars are routed to the top South lot or grass along the ring road.
Restrooms
Yes
Restroom/changing facilities are provided within the sheltered pavilions at the beach per the city park page; the page does not specify a separate dedicated bathhouse building or exact restroom location.
Hours
Park grounds open 6:00 AM-11:00 PM daily, year-round. Lifeguards on duty 10:00 AM-6:00 PM daily in season (starting June 6, 2026). Concession stand open 11:00 AM-6:00 PM daily in season. Boating Center kayak/paddleboard rentals and boat launch pass sales run Thursday-Sunday 10 AM-6 PM (from June 6), with pass sales also available Monday-Wednesday at the cashbox.
On the water
Restrictions: Non-motorized craft (kayaks, canoes, paddleboards) are restricted to designated non-motorized zones ('Cells 1 and 4'); motorized boats and jet skis (waverunners) launch from the main ramp with a same-day-only daily launch pass ($65 for residents); sailboats get limited access via a waitlisted Dry Mooring Compound with crane launch.
Kayak/paddleboard and boat-launch rack/mooring storage permits are available on a first-come, first-served (or waitlist, for sailboats) basis through the city's Boating Center.
Rentals nearby
Kayak and paddleboard rentals, weather and water conditions permitting
On-site at Forest Park Beach, in the designated non-motorized 'Cell 4' area · Thursday-Sunday, 10 AM-6 PM, beginning June 6
Backstory
The beach had eroded over time to a narrow gravel strip at the base of the bluff before the City of Lake Forest undertook a shoreline restoration project with engineering firm SmithGroup, described by a former Chicago Shoreline Protection Commission member as a rare 'trailblazer' project in Great Lakes shoreline engineering, using offshore breakwaters, revetments, and scalloped sand nourishment to rebuild the beach.
Forest Park Beach: FAQ
Does Forest Park Beach charge a fee?
Free/sticker-based for Lake Forest residents with a vehicle sticker; non-residents pay a $25 daily fee per person (credit card only).
Is Forest Park Beach kid friendly?
Large sandy engineered beach is family-friendly, but lifeguards are only on duty 10 AM-6 PM in season (from June 6) and Illinois law requires anyone under 16 to be accompanied by someone 16+ outside those hours; the shoreline also has constructed breakwaters/revetments and the city explicitly prohibits jumping off rocks/piers, indicating rocky hazard areas nearby.
Do I need to hike to reach Forest Park Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Forest Park Beach?
Resident lots (North and Upper South) require a current city vehicle sticker; Lower South lot is permit-only (purchased at the Recreation Center); when the North lot fills, cars are routed to the top South lot or grass along the ring road.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Forest Park Beach?
Kayak/paddleboard and boat-launch rack/mooring storage permits are available on a first-come, first-served (or waitlist, for sailboats) basis through the city's Boating Center.
What are the rules at Forest Park Beach?
Beach operating hours are 6:00 AM-11:00 PM daily, year-round, with lifeguards on duty 10:00 AM-6:00 PM in season; per Illinois Dept. of Public Health rules, persons under 16 must be accompanied by someone 16+ when lifeguards are absent. Prohibited items include pets, drones, firearms, fireworks, sky lanterns, kites, outside alcohol, bicycles/scooters/skateboards, large umbrellas/tents, smoking/vaping/cannabis, and hammocks on trees; beer and wine are allowed only in designated concession areas.
What water body is Forest Park Beach on?
Forest Park Beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
