Okay, so I’ve been wanting to find a good beach near Chicago for a while now. I mean, living in the city is great and all, but sometimes you just need to get away from all the hustle and bustle, you know? And what better way to relax than by spending a day at the beach? So, I started doing some digging online to see what my options were.
Turns out, Lake Michigan is the place to be! It’s huge and has tons of beaches all along the shore, even going up into Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and, of course, Michigan. I started reading about all these different spots, trying to figure out which one would be the best fit for me.
I looked at a bunch of different factors like water quality, how crowded the beaches were, and what kind of stuff there was to do around there.
One place that really caught my eye was Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Sounds amazing, right? It’s up in the Empire area, and everyone seems to be raving about it. Apparently, it’s got these huge sand dunes, which I’m super excited to see.
So I started looking into how to get there from Chicago.
I checked out some maps, figured out the best driving route, and even looked into public transportation options, just in case. I also started browsing through photos of the area, and man, it looks incredible! There are these beautiful lighthouses, and the beaches themselves just look so peaceful and inviting.
After looking up all the info, I finally decided to go check out Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It was about a 5 hour drive from Chicago to Empire, where the dunes are located. So I packed a bag, grabbed some snacks, and hit the road.
The drive was pretty smooth. After 5 hours, I finally arrived.
As soon as I got to the beach, I was blown away. The sand was so soft, and the water was crystal clear. I spent the whole day just lounging around, taking dips in the lake, and exploring the dunes. I even climbed to the top of one of the dunes, and the view from up there was absolutely breathtaking. I could see for miles and miles, and it just felt so good to be out in nature, away from the city.
Here are some things I did at Sleeping Bear Dunes:
- Hiked to the top of a dune for an amazing view.
- Relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the scenery.
- Swam in the clear, cool water of Lake Michigan.
- Took lots of pictures of the beautiful sand.
Honestly, it was one of the best beach days I’ve ever had. I’m so glad I decided to make the trip. If you’re looking for a great beach near Chicago, I highly recommend checking out Sleeping Bear Dunes. You won’t regret it!
