Rainbow Beach

Located in the southern portion of Chicago, Rainbow Beach – also previously known as Rocky Ledge Beach and Lake Michigan Beach – is a curve-shaped beach with light brown sand and a nearby rocky breakwater. This beach is a part of a larger recreational park named Rainbow Beach Park. Rainbow Beach is open between 11 am to 6 pm.

Rainbow Beach has lifeguards from the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day – during this time, lifeguards are on duty here between 11 am and 7 pm. In addition to lifeguards, the beach and the area around it have many other amenities including Wi-Fi connection, nearby grassy recreational areas, a nearby playground, basketball courts, a beach house, a public gym, biking and walking paths, a community garden, restrooms, football field, volleyball courts, playground, and tennis courts. Dogs are not allowed at Rainbow Beach.

Rainbow Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, hiking, picnicking, wildlife watching, swimming, paddleboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, and boating. If you like long distance swimming, there is a long-distance swimming area near Rainbow Beach.

If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or surf-ski near Rainbow Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves. Swimming near Rainbow Beach is permitted only within the designated swimming areas and when the lifeguards are on-duty. If you like taking pictures with amazing views, Rainbow Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of Chicago and Lake Michigan.

Rainbow Beach offers wheelchair access for visitors with disabilities and it has an accessible walkway for people with disabilities.

Getting to Rainbow Beach is easy – this beach is located near 2873 East 75th Street. There is a paid parking lot near this beach. 

Rainbow Beach is named after the United States Army’s 42nd Rainbow Division that fought bravely during the First World War. 

There are many attractions near Rainbow Beach. Rainbow Beach Dunes Natural Area is a natural area that is located near the northeastern end of Rainbow Beach. This natural area has sand dunes and wetlands and it also has native plants – this natural area is a great bird watching site and you can see many kinds of resident and migratory birds here. Pullman National Historical Park is a national park that is a 20-minute drive away and it preserves the company town of Pullman, which was the first planned industrial community of the United States. The national park has many interesting historic buildings and exhibits that offer a unique insight into local history including an exhibit hall, a museum, and historic hotels.  Promontory Point is an artificial peninsula that offers amazing views of Lake Michigan and has interesting limestone revetments. This peninsula also has biking paths, firepits, and public artworks. It also hosts seasonal swimming events. DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center is dedicated to preserving and showcasing African and African-American culture and history – this museum has a collection of more than 15,000 objects including paintings, historic memorabilia, and sculptures.  If you are looking for another attraction near Rainbow Beach, Midway Plaisance Park is a recreational park that has many amenities including winter gardens, an ice skating rink, statues, public artworks, a soccer field, and grassy recreational areas.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Rainbow Beach. Virtue Restaurant is a popular restaurant that offers many delicious southern-style dishes including seafood and grits, lemon chicken, and short ribs – this restaurant has been featured in MICHELIN Guide and Esquire magazine. Majani Soulful Vegan Cuisine serves amazing vegan dishes including vegan gyros, barbecued cauliflower, tacos, sweet potatoes, and jerk tofu. Surf’s Up South Shore is known for serving excellent chicken wings and seafood and it also serves delicious sandwiches, tacos, Southern United States-style dishes, and fries. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Rainbow Beach, Red Rooster Restaurant serves many amazing dishes including fried chicken, seafood, sandwiches, tacos, nachos, and chicken wings. Another good and affordable restaurant near Rainbow Beach is L and G Family Restaurant that serves amazing breakfast dishes, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, steaks, barbecued ribs, and pastas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Rainbow Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a pool, a sauna, a sundeck, a gym, an ATM, a convenience store, multiple restaurants, a bar, and a gift shop. Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Sophy Hotel that offers many amenities including a lobby with a fireplace, a lounge with a library, a restaurant, and a bar.  The 4-Star Marriott Marquis Chicago is another upscale hotel that is a 17-minute drive away and offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, fitness center, convenience store, and a gift shop. 

A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place that is a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, and a Starbucks cafe. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Rainbow Beach, 3-Star Wyndham Chicago South Loop offers many amenities including a restaurant and a fitness center.