Location:
1208 W. Jarvis Ave.
Chicago, IL 60626
Location Notes:
Jarvis Ave. @ Lake Michigan
Located Within:
Mahony Griffin (Marion) Park
Rules
- Swim only when lifeguards are on duty.
- Follow lifeguards’ instructions.
- Only Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) are permitted. Person-children wearing PFDs should have adult present.
- No smoking.
- No alcohol.
- No dogs on the beach.
- Do not feed birds or wildlife.
- Dispose of trash and recycling in appropriate containers.
- Grill in designated areas only and dispose of coals in red barrels.
- Keep accessible beach walks clear. No bicycling, skateboarding or rollerblading is permitted in these areas.
- There is no paddle or board sport access to the Lake Michigan Water Trail at Marion Mahony Griffin Beach.
- No surfing or kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is ONLY permitted at Montrose Beach.
Hours
Facility Hours
Hours Notes
The beach is open from 6 am to 11 pm, but swimming is only permitted during the beach season when lifeguards are on duty from 11 am to 7 pm, in designated swim areas. The beach season runs from the Friday before Memorial Day, through Labor Day.
Description
Located in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the North Side, Marion Mahony Griffin Beach offers visitors a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The half-acre beach offers beach goers a place to soak up the sun and enjoy the cooling waters of Lake Michigan during Chicago’s hot summers. Whether you are looking to relax on the sandy beach soaking in some rays or getting active, Jarvis Beach is a great summer destination.
There is no distance swimming available. See Leone Beach for information on the nearest distance swimming.
For questions regarding Chicago beaches, email beaches3@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
History
Jarvis Beach and the adjacent Jarvis Street take their names from R.J. Jarvis, a friend of the Rogers and Touhy families. These two families founded and subdivided Rogers Park.
In Rogers Park, the beaches met the summertime recreational needs of the many residents who lived in the numerous apartment buildings built in the eastern portion of the community between 1900 and 1930. Although lifeguards staffed small municipal beaches such as Jarvis Beach, the beaches had no changing rooms or other facilities.
Jarvis Beach Park is among the 18 street-end beaches acquired by the Chicago Park District from the City of Chicago in 1959. By 1937, the city's Bureau of Parks and Recreation operated 27 such beaches; some of these were in existence as early as 1921.
Parking/Directions
Parking
Limited street parking
Public Transit
The following public bus & train routes serve this beach:
CTA Bus Routes:
147 Outer Drive Express
151 Sheridan
CTA Red Line Station:
Jarvis