Beat the heat: Ride transit to Chicago area water parks and beaches

Summer in Chicagoland has arrived bringing concerts, street festivals, and trips to the beach, but also some serious heat. Luckily, transit can help you stay cool. Take CTA, Metra, and Pace to various beaches and water parks. Additionally, visit the City of Chicago's Cooling Centers map to access air conditioned spaces during heat waves.

City of Chicago

Accessibility tip: Chicago has tons of public swimming pools, but not all of them are accessible. By going to the Chicago Park District website, you can view all pools and screen them by amenities including, zero depth entry, ADA Ramp, and ADA lift.

Downtown Chicago

Crown Fountain at Millennium Park

If you are visiting downtown or maybe just need to relax after a long day at the office, check out the Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. In addition to being a fantastic piece of public art, the faces (all of local Chicagoans) projected on the 50-foot sculpture “spit” streams of cool water into the plaza all summer.

Address: 201 E. Randolph St., between Michigan Ave. and Columbus Ave.
Chicago, IL 60602

Transit Information: Millennium Park is just east of the Washington/Wabash station on the CTA Orange, Pink, Green, Purple, and Brown Lines, the Lake stop on the Red Line, and the Washington stop on the Blue Line. The park is also served by the Metra Electric Line and CTA buses #3, 4, 6, J14, 20, 56, 60, 124, 146, 147, 151, and 157.

South Side

Chicago Water Sports Rental

Take your Lake Michigan experience up a notch at Chicago Water Sports Rentals located at 31st Street Harbor. Get your adrenaline fix on a jet ski or float around in a kayak to take in the skyline from a whole new angle. Nearby 31st Street Beach is always a great option for free swimming, too.

Address: Harbor Dock J, E. 31st St, Chicago, IL 60616

Transit Information: 31st Street Harbor can be reached by CTA bus #35 which makes connections to the CTA Red Line at 35th/Sox station, the CTA Green Line at 35th-Bronzeville-IIT, and the Metra Rock Island Line’s 35th St. - Lou Jones station.

Palmer Park Pool

Palmer Park is more than just a public pool. In addition to the regular swimming, this park has spray features, a playground, and three water slides. It’s also fully accessible with ADA lifts and stairs.

Address: 201 E. 111th St. Chicago, IL 60628

Transit Information: Palmer Park is served by CTA bus #111. Alternatively, the park can be reached by taking the Metra Electric service to 111th Street station; from there it's a six-minute walk west.

West Side

Garfield Park Pool

Located at the Garfield Park Fieldhouse, this six-lane pool is a great way to end a trip to this iconic Chicago park. The pool has designated time for swimming laps, youth swim, teen swim, and adult swim, so make sure to check out their web page ahead of time.

The Garfield Park Conservatory is another must-see Chicago destination that can keep you out of the sun this summer. It's located just north of the pool on the opposite side of the CTA Green Line's Conservatory-Central Park Drive station.

Address: 100 N. Central Park Ave. Chicago, Il 60624

Transit Information:

Garfield Park can be reached by CTA buses #20 and 82. The park is also right by the Conservatory-Central Park Drive Green Line CTA station. From all these lines it is just a short walk to the center of the park where the Fieldhouse/pool is located.

Fosco Park Pool

This West Side pool stands out for its accessibility, with a zero-depth entry and an ADA lift. Plus, the pool is indoors, so you can use it to beat the heat, or the winter blues! This pool also has designated times for different swimmers, so be sure to check their website before your visit.

Address: 1312 S. Racine Ave Chicago, Il 60608

Transit Information: CTA Bus #60 will drop you off right at Fosco Park pool. You can also catch the #12 on Roosevelt by walking 2 blocks north from the pool. Both buses head downtown giving plenty of transfer options.

Northwest Side

Humboldt Park Beach

Far from Lake Michigan? No problem. Chicago has a manmade beach on the city’s northwest side in Humboldt Park. Warm up playing in one of the park’s many sports fields and then cool off at the sandy beach.

Address: 1400 North Humboldt Drive Chicago, IL 60622

Transit Information: Humboldt Park can be reached by CTA buses #70, 72, and 94. Biking may be a good option, too, since the park is about two blocks south of the Bloomingdale Trail (aka the 606), and protected bike lanes were added to Humboldt Drive in 2026.

Portage Park Pool and Water Playground

Swim some laps at the eight-lane public pool in Portage Park, leap off a diving board in their diving well, or bring the kids to the interactive water playground. With so many options there is something water related here for people of all ages.

Address: 4100 N. Long Ave. Chicago, Il 60641

Transit Information: Portage Park Pool can be reached via the #80 CTA bus. The #80 bus connects to the nearby Metra UP-NW and CTA Blue Line at their respective Irving Park stations.

North Side

Montrose Beach

Located by Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, Montrose Beach is so much more than just a great place to swim. This area off the lakefront trail is also home to a beautiful bird sanctuary, kayak rentals, dining, and the Wilson Skate Park. This beach also has a designated dog area so you can bring the whole family to the lake.

Address: 4400 N. Jean-Baptiste Pointe Dusable Lake Shore Drive Chicago, Il 60613

Transit Information: Montrose Beach is served by CTA Bus #78. While the weather is nice, consider taking a Divvy bike from the Wilson Red Line station. The ride to Montrose Park is less than 10 minutes, and you have the option to connect to the whole Lakefront Trail. Ventra card users with a 30-day CTA pass are eligible for a $5 credit toward their rental.

South Suburbs

Green Lake Family Aquatic Center

This summer spot has the thrill of a waterpark and the tranquility of nature rolled into one. Tucked into the 585-acre nature preserve of the Sand Ridge Campus, this park comes fully loaded with slides, a bucket dump, and a lazy river.

Address: 1100 River Oaks Drive, Calumet City, Il 60409

Transit Information: The Sand Ridge Campus is served by Pace buses #358 and #364. Pace bus #353, which connects to the CTA Red Line, can drop you off an 11-minute walk from the waterpark. Sand Ridge Campus also has an extensive biking network, so consider rolling to the nature preserve and cooling off in the pool after.

West Suburbs

Park District of Forest Park Aquatic Center

Need a reason to travel to the end of the Blue Line that is not O'Hare? Try going the opposite direction to Forest Park to check out the Aquatic Center. With four slides, a diving board, splash pad, and wading pool, this spot has it all. Not to mention the skatepark, tennis courts, and playground that are next door.

Address: 7501 Harrison St, Forest Park, IL 60130

Transit Information: The Aquatic Center is near the Forest Park Blue Line station. Get off at the end of the line and walk 10 minutes west. Pace bus #307 also operates nearby offering north-south service along Harlem Avenue.

Northwest Suburbs

Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center

Another great park for people of all ages, Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center in Des Plaines has slides, a splash pad, a lazy river, and more. Check out the Des Plaines Park District website for hours and information.

Address: 2025 Miner St, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Transit Information: Mystic Waters can be reached by Pace buses #209, 226, and 250. If you’re coming from downtown Chicago, take Metra’s UP-NW Line to the Des Plaines stop, which links up with Pace bus #209 and 250.

North Suburbs

Skokie Water Playground

Splash and play at the Skokie Water Playground, an outdoor water park with five slides, spray features, and a lap pool.

Address: 4715 Oakton St, Skokie, IL 60076

Transit Information: The water playground is near the Oakton-Skokie stop on the CTA Yellow Line, CTA bus route #97, and Pace bus route #210.

These are just some of the best places to cool off in the region. Check out the Chicago Park District website for a full list of public beaches, public pools, water parks, and spray features.

Did we miss any of your favorite transit-accessible spots to cool off? Tag us on social media at @rta_chicago to share your adventures in the Chicago region.