There are numerous beaches to go kitesurfing in and
around the Chicago area such as places in Indiana and
Wisconsin and not to mention some inland lakes. Some
may require 3 or more hours to get to from Chicago.
Most of the beaches listed here are within 1 hour drive from Chicago with the exception of Tiscornia in St. Joe which is 1:45 and Little Sable Point which is just over 4 hours. Both these beaches are in Michigan.
An overview of wind patterns in Chicago:
Summer: SW and West winds
Fall : NW winds
Winter : NW ,W and beginning NE winds
Spring : NE to SE winds though SE being a rarity.
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MONTROSE
BEACH
Located
on the North side of Chicago. Take LSD (Lake Shore Drive) and
exit
Montrose Ave. and head east. Turn right on first street and head
towards flag pole.
Chicago
Park Districts Montrose Beach is the unofficial kite beach for the
Chicago area. The beach is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day,
meaning lifeguards are on duty and lots of swimmers are present.
The beach is closed from after Labor day to the day before Memorial
day. But is still accessible to kiteboarders, kayakers and windsurfers.
Montrose Beach is a shallow beach, so it is necessary for beginners
to walk out into waist deep water to do the water start.
The
beach can be pretty dangerous during the summer months when the
beach is open due to the number of beach users.
Recommended Montrose beach wind: NW greater then 320
degrees, N, NE, E and SE up to 135 degrees.
PLEASE!!!
Follow rigging area and ride area on map to avoid problems with
local lifeguards. We want to keep Montrose Beach accessible to us
kiteboarders.
These guidelines were compiled through negotiations
by our team of local kiteboarders and the Chicago park
District in a “test basis”. Pls. follow them
so we do not get banned again.
Read
the guidelines here |
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E-coli report only, Please do NOT call for wind
conditions. 312-742-7526
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MAP
OF THE MONTROSE BEACH |
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| 63RD / 64TH ST. BEACH CHICAGO: BANNED KITEBOARDING BEACH- NO KITEBOARDING ACCESS |
Directions: Coming
from Downtown Chicago using "LSD" Lake Shore Drive
(41) head South, you may exit 57th. St and follow the
winding road. Make a left turn on Hayes St. this is
actually 63rd. st and drive east toward the beach.
This beach is shallower then Montrose
beach
and has flatter water on NW and N wind days due to a
break wall which protects the beach. E.coli number is
312-907-3592. The head lifeguard, AJ requests that
kiteboarders sign in/out with their office for safety
purposes. This is also a Chicago park district beach
and is open/close with the same schedule as Montrose
beach.
Recommended 63rd./ 64th beach wind: NW greater
than 320 degrees, N, NE, E, SE up to 135 degrees.
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| MEIGS FIELD CHICAGO: BANNED KITEBOARDING BEACH- NO KITEBOARDING ACCESS |
Directions: This is a small
beach, which is the only Chicago beach that caters to
true S wind riding. This beach is only for
intermediate to experienced kiters with very
comfortable upwind and water re-launching skills.
There is a big pipe close to the water's surface
around 20-30 yards from the shore, don't worry, though
it seems like your board will hit this, it actually
won't, I don't recommend popping a jump right over it
though.
Recommended Meigs beach wind: SE and S winds, South
winds should not exceed 180 degrees or wind becomes offshore.
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| WOLF LAKE INDIANA aka Lobo Lake: |
Directions: From
Downtown Chicago, use 90/94 E and exit via the Skyway,
there is a 2$ toll when using the skyway. Approx. 2
miles past the toll plaza exit on Indianapolis Blvd.,
drive past the Big Horseshoe casino sign and you will
make a right turn (S) on 41. Drive approx. 1 mile and
you will see the Wolf Lake entrance on your right side
and a White Hen pantry opposite the entrance. Drive
time from downtown Chicago is approximately 45
minutes. $5 parking fee for non Indiana residents
during summer. Inquire about season parking passes to
save money.
Wolf Lake is an Inland Lake that is used very
frequently by windsurfers. This beach is notoriously
gusty due to SW winds and a tiny island that produces
a wind shadow close to the shore. Wolf is also very
weedy during the summer and a floatation vest is
recommended for safety with the weeds. Due to all
these factors: gusts ,weeds and windsurfers, Wolf is
recommended for intermediate to advanced kiters only.
During Winter when the lake is fully frozen over,
Wolf is also a great kitesnowboarding area.
Recommended Wolf lake wind: W and SW winds. S is also
rideable but difficult to get out off and back to the
grassy starting area.
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| WHILHALA
BEACH COUNTY PARK,
INDIANA |
This beach is close to Wolf Lake.
Directions: From
Downtown Chicago, use 90/94 E and exit via the Skyway,
there is a 2$ toll when using the skyway. Approx. 2
miles past the toll plaza exit on Indianapolis Blvd,
make a right turn into the Horseshoe casino sign which
leads to the Casino, go PAST the casino to the end
where you will see the parking. The Lifeguards are
keeping the side of the beach closest, NW side, free
from swimmers to accommodate us kitesurfers. Park
Office number is 219-659-4015; do NOT call for wind
conditions. Drive time from downtown Chicago is
approximately 45 minutes.
Recommended Whilhala beach wind: W,NW, N , NE and E
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| MILLER/LAKE
ST. BEACH INDIANA |
Great wide and long beach for beginners to
advanced riders. Lake and Miller are actually the same beach
but the launch area is less then ¼ mile apart.
Directions: From downtown Chicago take I90/94 to the
Skyway, $2 toll, continue on the skyway until you get
to the I65/ Rt. 12 exit (Indiana) . Take the first
right which is Rt. 12 east and drive until you see
Lake St. , make a left on Lake St. and drive through
the town. FOR: Lake St. beach: just drive on Lake St.
all the way to the beach. For: Miller beach: after
making a left on Lake St. you will turn right on
Hemlock then left on the dead end which will take you
to the Marquette Park entrance, this park is a one way
loop, so if you overshoot where you wan to go you will
have to go around again. Just go slightly past the
Bathing Pavillion ( Roman looking structure ) and you
will see the road break in two, take the small road to
the right which heads to the parking lot and walk up
the dunes.
Recommended Miller/Lake St. beach wind: W, NW, N,NE
and E winds.
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| Zion beach, Zion IL. |
Direction: From downtown Chicago: Take the Kennedy
90/94 West, then take the Edens Expway 94 north to Six Flags Great
America. Exit Grant st. and head East. Take Rt. 21 North which
becomes Rt 41. Make a right onto Wadsworth. Take Wadsworth all
the way to the beach.
Recommended Zion beach wind: N,NE,E,SE and S
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Waukegan beach, Waukegan IL |
Directions from Chicago: Take the Kenndy 90/94 west
, take the 94 Edens expressway North going to Six Flags Great America.
Exit Rt. 120 and travel East. Take Rt. 120 east all the way to
the beach dead end. Make a left on the dead end then make a right
turn right after the RR tracks.
Recommended Waukegan beach wind direction: NE, E and SE.
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Just like the water, there are
lots of places to go kitesnwoboarding during the winter. Some are
fields or
forest preserves by the suburbs while others are
frozen lakes in Wisonsin, Michigan and Indiana etc. I
am keeping this where to ride area to places close to
the city and to areas i have personally ridden and
tested. This places are NOT the most ideal places to
kiteing compared to frozen lakes like Koshkonong in
Wisconsin but make do if you prefer not to drive far
from the city.
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Northerly Island ( Old Meigs Filed )
Directions on Mapquest, 1500 S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago
IL.
Drive like going to the Adler Planetarium. While
driving east towards the museum, make a left on the
last small street before the Planetarium, this will
lead to the Meigs airport tower.
Parking: Park by the Old Meigs Airport Tower. You will
notice the park is fenced but there is easy access
behind the Tower building where there is no fence.
This place works best for Northerly winds N, NE, E as
it is right off the lake. There are a few trees but
nothing to worry an intermediate rider. This place can
accomodate only about 3 to 4 kiters at a time. Full
bar safety leash always required.
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LaSalle Park ( LaSalle and Lake Shore Dr. )
Directions on mapquest 1800 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago
IL.
BANNED KITEBOARDING BEACH- NO KITEBOARDING ACCESS
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This is a small park field with a few football posts
and trees in the fringes but works very well for N to
NE winds. This place works best when it is blowing
over 30 knots as it is slightly further inland and
conditions here are slightly tamer then they would be
by the lake. Intermeidate kiting skills are required
with full bar kite safety leahses required. This place
will accomodate about 4-5 kiters at a time.
Parking: You may park by Clark and walk east 1/2 block
to the park or use the Lincoln Park Zoo parking lot
with the entrance along Fullerton, this will actually
take you direclty to the park itself.
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TiscorniaPark( St. Joseph, MI)
Acceptable Wind Directions: SW, W, NW, N
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Directions: Take I90 or I294/I80/94 from the city south around the lake through N. Indiana into Michigan. Exit I-94 to St. Joseph (red arrow highway) and follow it for several miles into the downtown area. Take Main St. through town (North) and go over the bridge. Take the first right turn to Edgewater Drive. Turn left at the stop sign and follow road to stop sign. Right on Upton Drive. Left to Marina Drive. Left to Ridgeway Drive. Right at the Tiscornia Park entrace sign. Pay parking fee.
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Little Sable Point (30 mins North of Grand Haven City)
Acceptable Wind Directions: S, SW, W, NW, N.
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This place rocks when it is blowing S or SW. If the sky is clear and temperature hot, this combination heats up the dunes. The heat difference between the hot dunes sand and colder water make for excellent thermals. When you have these favorable conditions and the forecast is calling for wind in 10-15 knots you can be sure to have much more wind then the local forecast due to the thermal effect of the dunes.
Directions: The drive is about 4.5 hrs. Grand Haven has most of the accommodations and just drive the 30mins to Little Sable. Take I90 or I294/I80/94 from Chicago around the lake through N. Indiana toward the Michigan border. Continue on I94 into Michigan towards St. Joseph. Take I196 toward Grand Haven. I196 becomes Rt. 31 when in Grand haven. Take 31 North through Grand Haven about another 45 minutes North to Shelby Road exit.. Take Shelby West exit towards Lake Michigan. You will ride for about 5 miles on Shelby until it dead ends. Make a right at the dead end and follow it to the end. Follow marked directions that lead you to the “Lighthouse”. There is parking close to the lighthouse, pay parking fee or else you will get a 10$ ticket. Climb over the dunes. The rigging area is just walking distance South of the lighthouse. On S wind directions the wind is a little gusty close to shore but cleans up considerably just a few feet off shore. |
