Swimming holes offer great summer fun
School's out, warm weather's in (almost)… so what else could possibly signify summer better than a dip, tip or splash in a nearby pool? Cool water does satisfy, but this season consider trying out a local swimming hole.
What's a swimming hole, you ask? It's a natural body of water that is large and deep enough to swim in. And the ones you're likely to find around these parts are either surrounded by thatches of plush grassland or velvety sand beaches.
Like most community pools, local swimming holes are well maintained and typically remain open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Some require a nominal entry fee, while others are free. And most have well-stocked concession stands nearby and regular lifeguards on duty throughout swim season.
There are more swimming holes than we have space to cover, so here we'll highlight just a few, just to whet your curiosity and get you out and swimming this season:
Centennial Beach
500 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville
napervilleparks.org • (630) 848-5000
Naperville's Centennial Park includes a sprawling six-acre swim park called Centennial Beach. Many of the park's surrounding facilities were updated during the past year, so before taking a dip, expect to see: a newly renovated bath house, updated locker rooms, family changing rooms and an “enhanced drop off and pick up area and front entryway plaza,” says Sameera Luthman, the park's communication director. “Great care was taken to design the renovations to preserve the historic look and feel, even down to the details of painstakingly selecting the right stone to coordinate with the existing structure.”
The swimming area – once a limestone quarry – is surrounded by thick grass and trees and includes a diving complex and several lifeguard stations. The pool's depth goes from zero at entry and graduates to 15 feet.
“There's a lot to do,” Luthman says of the park's offerings. “It's great for people of all ages, and a lot of fun.”
Centennial Beach will celebrate a grand reopening on May 28. Admission is free.
If you go
Park schedule: May 28-Sept. 5
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday and holidays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Daily admission: $6 for residents; $10 for nonresidents; membership passes available for residents and nonresidents.
West Beach, Crystal Lake
crystallakeparks.org • (815) 459-0680\
There are two beaches in Crystal Lake: West Beach (2330 Lake Avenue, Crystal Lake) and Main Beach (300 Lake Shore Drive, Crystal Lake). We will focus mainly on West Beach here, but either is the kind of place that families of all sizes and ages can splash around in.
Enveloped by big oak trees, West Beach's sandy play area and swimming nooks are bound to offer you a great time.
Swimming options include a zero-depth swim area as well as deeper waters for advanced swimmers.
“Kids can bury themselves in the sand and play in the swimming hole. It's a different experience than a pool,” says Robert Sebesta, recreation superintendent for the Crystal Lake Park District. “It's more enjoyable and more relaxed. It's what I grew up with.”
Yet, Sebesta strongly advises visitors to carefully watch their little ones.
“We have an experienced lifeguard staff and have an outstanding safety record, but parents need to be aware of what's going on,” he says.
And, if swimming it not your fancy, don't worry. You can fish, boat and bike here, too. There are free concerts on Tuesday nights, and there's an old, wooden playground available to further tire out the kids. “It's just a neat place, with a lot going on,” adds Sebesta.
If you go
Park schedule: Memorial Day to Labor Day
Hours: 9 a.m. to dusk daily
Daily admission: $1 for residents; admission is free to seniors 60 and older and children 5 and younger. Nonresident adults, $10; seniors 62 and older, $6; children, 4-15, $6. Seasonal passes available for both residents and nonresidents.
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park, Zion
Lake Front/Park Office, Zion
dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/R2/ILBEACH.HTM bull; (847) 662-4811
This state park, which extends down six miles of Lake Michigan, includes more than 4,160 acres for hiking, camping, boating, fishing and swimming. But consider its beach for the advanced swimmer or for parents when the kids are away, as there is never a lifeguard on duty here. And, as for the depths of the water? Let's just say they can reach Lake Michigan proportions. Yet, with natural walking paths, foamy shorelines and crashing waves, what's not to like here? Plus, there is a private resort on the beach and concession stands along the camp and main beach areas.
#8220;It's a getaway in a rural area,#8221; says Greg Behm, the park's superintendent.
Still he warns park-goers to be careful.
#8220;The lake can be dangerous,#8221; he says. #8220;Make sure you're a capable swimmer.#8221;
If you go:
Park schedule: Memorial Day and Labor Day
Hours: Sunrise to 8 p.m.
Daily admission: Free
Lakefront Park
1019 Lakeshore Drive, Round Lake Beach
villageofroundlakebeach.com bull; (847) 546-2351
The Round Lake area encompasses a large body of water with various swim sites.
One of those is Round Lake Beach, open to residents and nonresidents alike. First-timers may want to look out for the buoy marker that alerts swimmers of the depth differences as the lake goes from zero to 4 feet, says Matt Hartnett, the aquatic and senior center supervisor for the Round Lake Area Park District.
He urges swimmers to pair up for safety's sake. #8220;Don't go by yourself. Swim with a buddy,#8221; he says.
Like other beach facilities discussed here, the lake provides free life jackets to those who need them. And, Hartnett says, you can bring toys, floats, even buckets and shovels for the sand area. #8220;This is a low-cost place to go to enjoy the summer and cool off,#8221; he adds.
If you go
Park schedule: Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
Hours: Open for Memorial Day weekend noon-7 p.m.; then reopening full time June 4-Aug. 14, noon#8211;7 p.m.
Daily admission? Free
Paulus Park Beach
200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich
volz.org/parkandrecbull; (847) 438-5146
There are two beaches in Lake Zurich, including Breezewald Park Beach and the larger Paulus Park. Once the weather figures out that its spring, Mike Perkins, director of Paulus Park, says park-goers and swimmers #8220;will have a fantastic time coming#8221; to this beach that sits on 41 acres of park land.
In addition to the swimming hole at Paulus Park beach (the swimming beach depth tops at 5frac12; feet), the park is also home to a popular water #8220;spray ground#8221; that was built in 2008. While it is mostly for kids ages 12 and under, Perkins says, #8220;I've seen some adults using it as well.#8221;
If you go
Park schedule: May 28-30; June 4-Aug. 14; Aug. 20-21, 27-28; and Sept. 3-5.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Swimming only permitted when a lifeguard is on duty.)
Daily admission (for residents and nonresidents): $8 for persons 18 and older; $5 for children, ages 4-17; seasonal passes also available.