West Beach

West Beach: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this beach: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.

Best time to visit West Beach

Season: October to March; rough seas and lifeguard warnings June to September.

Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.

Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.

Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.

How to reach West Beach — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 42.23378, -88.36576. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near West Beach

• Colonel Gustavius A. Palmer House · fort · McHenry · ~7 km · Must-see
• Woodstock Square Historic District · park · McHenry · ~14 km · Must-see
• Illinois Railway Museum · museum · McHenry · ~17 km · Must-see
• Moraine Hills State Park · sanctuary · McHenry · ~17 km · Must-see
• Carpenter Park · park · Kane · ~19 km · Must-see
• Play Island · lake · Lake · ~22 km · Must-see
• Santa's Village AZoosment Park · park · Kane · ~23 km · Must-see
• Barrington Bog Nature Preserve · sanctuary · Lake · ~24 km · Must-see
• Volo Auto Museum · museum · Lake · ~24 km · Must-see
• Bangs Lake · lake · Lake · ~24 km · Must-see
• Volo Bog State Natural Area · sanctuary · Lake · ~26 km · Must-see
• Barrington United Methodist Church · church · Cook · ~26 km · Must-see
• Lake County Discovery Museum · museum · Lake · ~27 km · Must-see
• Wooster Lake · lake · Lake · ~28 km · Must-see
• Elgin Public Museum · museum · Cook · ~29 km · Must-see
• Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge · sanctuary · McHenry · ~30 km · Must-see
• Elgin National Watch Company · fort · Kane · ~30 km · Must-see
• Elgin Fire Barn Number 5 Museum · museum · Kane · ~31 km · Must-see

See everything within a day’s drive of West Beach

Other beaches & coast near West Beach

• Big Foot Beach State Park · beach · Walworth · ~47 km · Must-see
• Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park · beach · Lake · ~63 km · Must-see
• Illinois Beach State Park · beach · Lake · ~64 km · Must-see
• Centennial Beach · beach · DuPage · ~68 km · Must-see
• Chicago Harbor Lighthouse · beach · Cook · ~93 km · Must-see
• Racine Reef Lighthouse · beach · Racine · ~94 km · Must-see
• Wind Point Lighthouse · beach · Racine · ~98 km · Must-see
• Indiana Harbor East Breakwater Lighthouse · beach · Lake · ~123 km · Must-see
• Indiana Harbor · beach · Lake · ~124 km · Must-see
• Bradford Beach · beach · Milwaukee · ~126 km · Must-see

All beaches & coast in Illinois

Frequently asked