Ohio Street Beach
Chicago, Illinois · on Lake Michigan · Lincoln (Abraham)
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Ohio Street Beach
Ohio Street Beach is an official, lifeguarded swimming beach on Lake Michigan managed by the Chicago Park District, located in the Streeterville/Lincoln Park area just north of Navy Pier. It is widely regarded as one of the best places to swim in Chicago, the city's closest thing to a downtown swimming hole, and a favored open-water swim training site thanks to its uniquely sheltered, north-facing shoreline.
The beach sits in a small bay along Chicago's downtown lakefront, formed naturally against the infrastructure of the Jardine Water Purification Plant, giving it an unusual north-facing orientation compared to the city's typically east-facing beaches. It is adjacent to Jane Addams Memorial Park and Olive Park, within the Lincoln Park land unit, with the Chicago skyline and Navy Pier nearby.
Swimming at Ohio Street Beach
Swimming is in the open water of Lake Michigan within a lifeguard-supervised swim zone during beach season. The beach is known among open-water and triathlon swimmers because a swimmer can travel roughly half a mile north to the Oak Street curve while staying close to a protective seawall and shallow water, making conditions calmer than most of Chicago's lakefront and suitable for both casual swimmers and serious open-water training.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located just north of Navy Pier off Lake Shore Drive at Ohio Street; reachable via CTA bus routes 29 (State), 65 (Grand), 66 (Chicago), and 124 (Navy Pier), or the CTA Red Line Grand station, per the Chicago Park District.
Parking: Limited street parking only, per the Chicago Park District's official page.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a downtown, drive-up/walk-up urban beach on the Lake Michigan lakefront just north of Navy Pier off Lake Shore Drive; no hike is needed to reach the sand or water. Visitors walk directly from street parking or nearby transit stops (CTA bus or Red Line Grand station) to the beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sandy beach with lifeguards on duty during official swim hours (11am-7pm, beach season), which helps for kids, but this is open Lake Michigan water (not a shallow enclosed pool) and the spot is popular with open-water/triathlon swimmers who swim toward the Oak Street curve, implying deeper water and some current beyond the immediate shoreline. No lifeguard coverage outside 11am-7pm even though the beach grounds are open 6am-11pm, so supervision-free hours should be treated as swim-at-own-risk.
Parking
Roadside
Chicago Park District states only 'limited street parking' is available at Ohio Street Beach; no dedicated lot. No cost was stated on the official page. The beach is also reachable by CTA bus routes 29, 65, 66, 124, or the CTA Red Line Grand station, which the Park District recommends given limited parking.
Hours
Beach grounds open daily 6am-11pm year-round; lifeguard-supervised swimming permitted only 11am-7pm during official beach season (the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day), per Chicago Park District.
On the water
Restrictions: Chicago Park District's beach rules restrict stand-up paddleboarding (along with surfing, body/boogie boarding, and skimboarding) to only Montrose Beach and 57th Street Beach during the in-season period (Memorial Day-Labor Day); Ohio Street Beach is not one of the designated surf/SUP beaches, meaning SUP is effectively not permitted there in-season. No source was found stating kayaks or canoes may be launched from Ohio Street Beach itself, and the official beach page does not mention any on-site non-motorized watercraft launch.
Only Coast Guard-approved PFDs are permitted at Chicago beaches generally, and children in PFDs must have an adult with them in the water, per Park District beach rules. Because Ohio Street Beach is not confirmed as an approved watercraft launch point, treat kayak/canoe/paddleboard use there as unconfirmed rather than allowed.
Rentals nearby
Single and tandem kayak rentals, paddleboard rentals, and guided tours (Historic Chicago Tour, Sunset Tour, Navy Pier Fireworks Tour)
Prices: Rentals start at $25/hour; guided tours $60-$80; 2026 season pass with unlimited rentals is $379
Two locations near the lakefront: Chicago Riverwalk (seasonal, roughly May-Oct, ~1 mile southwest via the river mouth) and a Lakefront location at Monroe Harbor (seasonal, roughly late May-early Sept, ~1 mile south along the lakefront)
Self-guided kayak rentals and one-way kayak journeys on the Chicago River
Nearest location: East Bank Club/River North, 500 N Kingsbury St, Chicago (near the Kinzie St Bridge), roughly 1 mile west of Ohio Street Beach via the river
Backstory
The beach formed naturally in a bay created by the jetty/infrastructure of the Jardine Water Purification Plant, resulting in its atypical north-facing shoreline; historical references note dressing rooms with lockers dating back to 1913.
Ohio Street Beach: FAQ
Does Ohio Street Beach charge a fee?
No admission fee is mentioned by the Chicago Park District.
Is Ohio Street Beach kid friendly?
Sandy beach with lifeguards on duty during official swim hours (11am-7pm, beach season), which helps for kids, but this is open Lake Michigan water (not a shallow enclosed pool) and the spot is popular with open-water/triathlon swimmers who swim toward the Oak Street curve, implying deeper water and some current beyond the immediate shoreline. No lifeguard coverage outside 11am-7pm even though the beach grounds are open 6am-11pm, so supervision-free hours should be treated as swim-at-own-risk.
Do I need to hike to reach Ohio Street Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Ohio Street Beach?
Chicago Park District states only 'limited street parking' is available at Ohio Street Beach; no dedicated lot. No cost was stated on the official page. The beach is also reachable by CTA bus routes 29, 65, 66, 124, or the CTA Red Line Grand station, which the Park District recommends given limited parking.
When is the best time to visit Ohio Street Beach?
Summer, specifically the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, which is the designated lifeguarded swim season.
What are the rules at Ohio Street Beach?
Swimming is permitted only during official beach season (the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day) and only during lifeguard-supervised hours of 11am-7pm; the beach grounds themselves are open daily 6am-11pm.
What water body is Ohio Street Beach on?
Ohio Street Beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
