Rules
- Swim only when lifeguards are on duty.
- Follow lifeguards’ instructions.
- Only Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) are permitted. Person-children wearing PFDs should have adult present.
- No smoking.
- No alcohol.
- No dogs on the beach.
- Do not feed birds or wildlife.
- Dispose of trash and recycling in appropriate containers.
- Grill in designated areas only and dispose of coals in red barrels.
- Keep accessible beach walks clear. No bicycling, skateboarding or rollerblading is permitted in these areas.
- No surfing or kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is ONLY permitted at Montrose Beach.
Description
The Chicago Park District introduces the newly improved Natural Swimming Beach at Humboldt Park. The Humboldt Beach renovation project focused on reducing municipal water consumption and improving water quality through implementing environmentally sustainable designs. The beach swimming area was redesigned and separated from the exisiting lagoon system by the creation of a land mass with native plantings. A 10-foot deep water pocket and aeration bubbler system was installed to keep oxygen at reasonable levels to discourage harmful algae growth, improve circulation, and reduce water temperature. The swimming area was replenished with new sand and will soon have native vegetation to help filter pollutants. The revamped natural swimming pond and beach area is an innovative design that is low-maintenance, chemical-free, and environmentally sustainable.
Humboldt Park Beach is Chicago's only inland beach, located on the historic Humboldt Park lagoon. Humboldt Park totals 219 acres and features a field house with fitness center, two gymnasiums, meeting rooms and an inland beach. Additional green features of our facility include: an artificial turf soccer field, junior soccer field, lagoon, a replica of the Chicago Cubs stadium, “Little Cubs Field,” and a stable building, now the Puerto Rican Arts and Culture Museum and baseball fields, tennis courts and playgrounds.
No distance swimming is available at Humboldt Park. Distance swimming is available at many Lake Michigan beaches.
For questions regarding Chicago beaches, email beaches3@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
History
Humboldt Park was named for Alexander Von Humboldt, a German naturalist and geographer famed for his five-volume work Cosmos: Draft of a Physical Description of the World. His single visit to the United States did not include Chicago. The creation of Humboldt and several other Westside parks provided beauty, linked together via Chicago's historic boulevard system.
With the support of the community, Puerto Rican leaders in Chicago leased the historic Humboldt Park stables near Paseo Boricua that house the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. It is the only museum in the nation that is completely dedicated to the history of Puerto Rican culture.