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Illinois Beach State Park

3.7 (104 reviews)

Illinois Beach State Park Photos

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Pam D.

If you are looking for a quick day trip and live in northern Illinois or Southern Wisconsin, Illinois Beach State Park makes for a relaxing day of hiking, sun, swimming, picnicking or wind/kite surfing! There are 2 entrances to the park: North and South. We visited the south end which is located off Wadsworth Road. There is no fee to visit the Park or Beach. There are several areas to park depending upon where you would like to be located. I recommend bringing a tent or umbrella, beach blanket and chairs. There is a Camp Store which has a snack bar but, why not BYO? Illinois Beach Resort is located inside the park and offers Dining at Nolan's. Check the website for dining hours, the restaurant is not always open. You can spend 1+ hours at the Park. Wear comfy shoes for the hiking paths and bring suntan lotion for the Beach. The only downside: the brick enclosed "port o potties", super stinky. Also, NO pets. The Beach was super clean (no litter or cigarette butts), Park Rangers were continuously patrolling and plenty of room on the Beach for everyone!

the little gremlins forgot to wipe
Ansley M.

Beach was lovely, and the bathrooms, so clean, smells so delightful, there was poop on the ground and pee on the ground, gross

The old bathhouses
Matt H.

A beautiful day at the park was made better by the illusion that absolutely no one else was there at all. Or at least that's how it felt for the longest time. Sure, wind-strewn balloons and water bottles were trapped here and there among the pebbles at the beach. Long grass on the more rustic trails was laid flat from the footfalls of our predecessors. Oh, and there were other cars at the parking lot. But for the longest time, it was nature, uninterrupted. Fish swam up to the edge of the Dead River, momentarily filling the space two ducks had just vacated. The waves rolled against the many rounded stones. And the sun and wind came to an agreement to balance each other out in perfect equilibrium. At the resort and north, there the people be. Perfume carried on the breeze. A bit of broken glass shone in the parking lot. And what I assume is the new concession/bathhouse building (mid-construction) lurked in the trees behind the 1960s structure it both emulates and seeks to replace. More time could be spent here, but more love could be shown for the place, too. Some of the trails were less than clear, and (obviously) some of the infrastructure is due for an update. As long as the lake doesn't change, this'll be a place to come for some time.

Yahoooo... fall fun
Todd G.

Always enjoy Illinois beach state park. Been coming here for years and always enjoy those fall and winters. The beach has been getting bit grown in... I like it but used to be a lot more sand. yahoo

Fanny G.

How come I didn't find this before, when is so close?! This is exactly the type of campground I like. Wooded, big distance to your neighbors, steps to the beach, short drive to grocery stores and fast food. This is IT. I'm coming often next camping season! Bathrooms are clean. Showers are big. Only negative, bring your own toilet paper.

Atul S.

A scenic place to visit. There were no entry fees even and access to the beach is easy with enough parking next to it. Mobile restrooms were not so clean but it seems it was off-season since there were very few people other than some tour buses that we saw. For a quick stop, this is a nice place. Plenty of options for camping here too.

Lake Michigan
Dee H.

DOG OWNERS: I searched online before I visited the park and it says you can bring dogs to IL State Beach Park, but when I got there I learned that you can only take them to a few areas. Dogs are pretty much only allowed on the paved sidewalks (Including the one along the beach) and the forest-y area near the office. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach, trails, or nature preserve areas, which is understandable. It's probably best to leave them at home if you really want to explore. I'd recommend IL State Beach Park if you're going to the beach or looking to take a walk along the lake since it's peaceful and clean. Beware of flies though!

Prickly Pear cactus
Jickles H.

Illinois Beach State Park is the best state park in northern Illinois. The campground has large sites for tent and RV camping, the beach features the last remnant of 'beach ridge shoreline' in Illinois, and the Dead River Trail will bring you to clusters of cactus growing here! Yes, prickly pear cactus in Illinois!! I've camped in many Illinois State Parks and none offer the large sites Illinois Beach does. All for $25 a night. We camped last week and our tent was a couple of hundred yards from Lake Michigan. The trails will bring you through an oak woodland and savannah, dunes full of rare dune grasses and the famous cactus, and were set aside as a state nature preserve in the early 1960s. This place is a rare glimpse into what the northern Illinois shoreline looked like before it was settled.

Map of the Park
Christine L.

So I've only been to the South Unit, but what we've seen there has had some nice views! As others have mentioned, one of the nice things about this State Park is that entrance/parking is free, yay! Jeremy C. and I have come by a few times on a whim to walk off brunch from N and T's Restaurant in Zion. We really had no idea where we were going or what the place had to offer but there's quite a bit to explore. The first time we parked at what seemed to be the main parking area right by the beach in the South Unit. The beach at this particular part of the park is pretty nonexistent, it's like 3 feet of pebbles and rocks that people try to cram into. We walked a little farther North on the path to find an area that was less crowded but still pebbly. There were decent views and plenty of water and rocks. The second time around we parked near the Nature Center (closed on Sunday) and we walked half of the Dead River Trail and half of the Dunes Trail. They were very different types of trails but both were very interesting, neither were particularly clearly marked except at the trailheads but were decently easy to follow. The Dead River Trail (1.8 miles) offered more shade from the trees and the trail was pretty narrow and not kept super well as there were some plants growing into the trail we had to walk through. But we did see frogs hopping across the trail at one point which was pretty neat. The Dune Trail followed closer to the shoreline and had several access points to the beach, it's wide and well paved, but doesn't offer much shade. The beach area here is beautiful, plenty of sand, although the area right by the water still has lots of pebbles. If you're looking to go straight to the beach there's also a short trail from the parking near the Nature Center that goes directly to the beach aptly named the Beach Trail. Overall I'd say the best experience if going for a day is to head to the Nature Center and pick one of the trails from there!

The beach with wind surfing.
Josh G.

We visited on a cool, crisp Saturday afternoon. It was very windy, too. There were a lot of people here for a wedding at the Beach Resort but otherwise, I did not see too many people at the park. Parking was plentiful and they have lots everywhere. We walked along the beach, which was relaxing to hear the waves crash against the rocks and the wind go through the trees. It was quite relaxing and a far cry from the popularity that is Starved Rock, another State Park, that is always busy. We also attempted to walk two different trails, one red, and the other yellow, but with the ample amount of rain the night before, a lot of the paths were underwater. It was wild seeing all of the old structures that are at least fifty-years old still standing. It felt like a throwback to a different time when this area was more popular. There are concrete buildings along the beach that at one point looked like it would have been a concession stand, bathrooms, etc. Overall, I really enjoyed the park. It wasn't crowded, which for me is a huge plus. I wish the walking trails weren't underwater but that's what you get for going the day after a big rain storm. I'll be back in the future to enjoy the scenic park.

Amber Z.

My family and I started a newer tradition that we camp at Illinois Beach State Park once a year. The campsites fill up quick in advance so it takes some strategy to plan but worth being within walking distance to Lake Michigan as you camp. There is a very lively atmosphere on weekends but much quieter during the week. There is a little store to buy fire wood, snacks and other essentials and nice (for park standards) restroom and shower areas. Book a site if you want to camp in style!

Beautiful park!
Lisa M.

Camp ground: Very nice. Plenty of space between camping spots. Wasn't many people camping during the week. Full park with no camp sites available over weekend. We thought it would be noisy over the weekend. Very quiet. Several people had campfires going. Lots of kids riding bikes~With this in mind drive slow. We seen several people driving faster than speed limit. Showers were extremely clean. Could use new shower curtain but that's miner. The water pressure is hard and awesome!! Several playground areas for kiddos. Super friendly staff. Eager to answer your questions. Campground is well kept and very clean. Regarding beach past resort area: We drove by day after our arrival (7-9-19) to see where to put our kayaks out. To many people just hanging out in the parking lot. Decided our Jeep might get broken into if we went out in our kayaks. Very clean beach. Several people out swimming. No life guard on duty. Beach appears to be littered with trash. When you get closer you realize it's big white rocks and lots of shells. Perfect place to build a sand castle. No dogs aloud on beach area. For us to many people hanging out in parking lot for no reason. Loud music playing from their vehicles. I thought if they charged to get to the beach that would get rid of allot of people just hanging out for no reason. Would be a fun place for a family to hang out on the beach, play in the sand, and swim.

Corina M.

Last wekend was our first time out here. It was a pleasant surprise. It was clean, it was not crowded, easy parking and great for the kids. I was worried that there may be areas where the little ones could get into some danger, but it was a very family friendly & safe area. There were rangers doing rounds too. We saw that there were campgrounds there too so we are very excited to go back! As long as you always clean up after yourselves, we can continue to have beautiful beaches!!!!

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A lovely place for walking around and enjoying the preserve as well as Lake Michigan!

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Ask the Community - Illinois Beach State Park

Is there a clothing optional or nudist part of the park?

We would like to know

Is there a nude section of the beach?

I don't know

Are the showers (new bathhouse) open?

They were in July.

How have the horse flies been lately? I normally go to the more secluded area. I only went once this year and I literally got attacked by horse flies. I was bitten so much I covered myself with a towel and ran back to car.

Bring a small spray bottle containing window spray (like Windex). When faced with horse flies, deer flies, or other flying pests - spray them with the window spray. It won't kill them, but they will not be able to fly as well - until they dry off.… Read more

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Illinois Beach State Park

The second time around we parked near the Nature Center (closed on Sunday) and we walked half of the Dead River Trail and half of the Dunes Trail.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

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Ray Bradbury Park - Ravine

Ray Bradbury Park

4.7(6 reviews)
4.8 mi

Beautiful park named after the famous hometown author. It's one of the must see places in Waukegan,…read morebut it's usually pretty quiet. Ray Bradbury Park is located in a residential area, so it's isolated from tourists. A lot of people don't know where it is either. That helps keep them away and you can enjoy it better without crowds and stuff. As for the park itself, it's actually not that big. It has an entrance off a side street, close to a few houses. There's a marker noting history of the Waukegan River and the ravine that was mentioned in Bradbury's Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer. Cool for book nerds. For sure it's cool for anyone obviously. Bradbury was even at the park dedication and met a few excited authors and fans. The marker has photos and information. Has no parking lot because this is a residential area. It's usually not busy so street parking is pretty much okay. There's not a whole lot of people who know where this is, so it doesn't get lots of tourists.

The great Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan in 1920. His writings include…read moreFahrenheit 451, and of course The Martian Chronicles. Several of his novels are semi-autobiographical. In stories such as Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer he reinvented Waukegan as Green Town. He wrote about a park, drawn from childhood memories, in Dandelion Wine. In 1990 the park, located a few blocks from his boyhood home, was rededicated as Ray Bradbury Park. Bradbury himself, was on hand to do the ribbon cutting. The park is not large, but it has a neat stairway that drops down into a deep ravine. It is easy to imagine Bradbury as a child, exploring this magical place. It obviously left a lasting impression on the great writer. Go pick up a copy of Dandelion Wine, wait for a nice sunny day and let Mr. Bradbury take you on an adventure as you explore his park. You never know what you may discover!

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Playground

Ray Bradbury Park - Information

Information

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Illinois Beach State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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