Beaches Within a Short Driving Distance of Champaign-Urbana

There are beaches within a short drive from Champaign-Urbana, providing families a taste of sandy fun

You don’t have to drive 10-plus hours to get to the ocean to enjoy the beach. In fact, you don’t even have to drive two hours to Lake Michigan. Central Illinois has a number of beaches to offer and as long as you don’t mind lakes instead of oceans, your family should have a great time!

Pack for a Central Illinois beach trip the same way you would for the ocean — sunscreen, snacks, towels and chairs, for sure. Some of these beaches involve a short walk from the parking area to the swimming area. You’ll also want to bring a little cash as most of the Illinois state recreation sites have a small fee to enter, and cash will keep things simple (and might be your only option in some locations).

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, 40 minutes from Champaign-Urbana

Willow Pond, the largest of Middle Fork’s three ponds, underwent a complete renovation during 2022. The district announced the reopening of the beach to swimmers in June 2023 — bringing the total number of public-access beaches in Champaign County back to one. (If you go, let us know about your experience.)

Clinton Lake, 45 minutes

This is a man-made lake built for the purpose of cooling the nuclear power plant in Clinton. This means it’s always warm … some days, it is TOO warm, if it’s hot outside that is! Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. $2 per person. No credit cards accepted at the beach. Tip: you can pay with credit at the Boondocks restaurant and show receipt to enter.

You can bring your own food in coolers if you wish (no glass allowed, no alcohol allowed) or you can leave the beach area to eat and re-enter before closing time at 7 p.m. People definitely bring tents, chairs, blankets, and all the usual “beach” gear you might expect here. Water shoes are recommended because this is not a soft, white sand-type of beach and there are a lot of rocks around. Also, no lifeguards are on duty, so remain in the (shallow) buoyed area to play.

Moraine View, 45 minutes

This beach is on the smaller side and has been closed for several years. It was open in 2023, but you still might want to call ahead to confirm it’s open if you mainly want beach time. If you go, let us know about your experience! Beach hours are set to be 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Other ways to enjoy Moraine View are its stellar kayaking, hiking and camping.

Lake Shelbyville, 90 minutes

A little farther than Clinton, Lake Shelbyville offers a number of different beaches. The lake itself meanders through miles and miles of Central Illinois land and is quite popular with boaters in the area. There are several state recreation areas, too, which is where you find the beaches.

The Dam West Recreation Area is quite large and offers a big playground nearby. For an additional fee, you can also visit the nearby Shelbyville Family Aquatic Center near Dam West. Sullivan Beach just installed a new beach mat, allowing full access to wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, or other wheeled pedestrian assistance vehicles.

There are two public beaches located on Lake Shelbyville:

Dam West Recreation Area (Ninth Street) in Shelbyville
Sullivan Beach located just outside of Sullivan
Lithia Springs Beach, which is for Lithia Springs campers only

Fees are $5 at the honor vault. Beach hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. No alcohol allowed and no food or drinks allowed on the sand. Beaches open for the season in mid-May.

Indiana Dunes, 2 hours and 15 minutes

This is the longest drive on our list; we wanted to provide at least one Lake Michigan beach option and this one will give you an option without driving into the center of Chicago traffic. While the dunes are open year round, the West Beach (where you’ll want to head for beach-y fun) is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. One vehicle enters for $25.

Because of the sheer size of Lake Michigan, you may be tricked into thinking you’re at the ocean here. There’s also more “waves” to be had here than some of the other, smaller lakes we’ve listed above. Because who doesn’t love jumping in the waves?