Ohio Street Beach

If your early morning swim in Chicago didn’t work out as planned, this is one of the best options to get in some distance swimming later in the day without a cat-and-mouse game with lifeguards, boats, or beach crowds.
Formed in the bay created by the peninsula housing the Jardine Water Purification Plant, Ohio Street Beach is further sheltered by breakwaters creating Chicago Harbor. Chicago Park District designates this beach for OWS training: lifeguards are stationed along the adjoining seawall to support the OWS, rather than impede it, and buoys along the edge of the designated swim area aim to keep boats at a distance.
The only route is north from the beach parallel to seawall, side by side with the Lake Shore Path (and possibly a lot of walkers/runners/bikers). You’ll encountering distance marker buoys as you swim indicating ¼ mile (0.4km) and ½ mile (0.8km) – which is intended to be the end of course. The water is relatively shallow and depending on lake levels and the swimmer’s height, might permit standing up in most of the first ¼ mi.
The view of high rises of lake shore drive passing by as you churn out 1-mile laps also makes this a uniquely good spot in Chicago for OWS.
Outdoor lockers (bring a padlock) allow you stash gear. Otherwise, the café on the beach is the only option for changing and other amenities.
Events like the Chicago Big Shoulders 5km (3.1mi) swim in September reserve the entire bay for a 2.5km triangular route. The Chicago Open Water Swim (Swim Across America) also takes place here.
Connect with swimmers at nearly all hours there in the swimming seasons. Also, numerous groups offer structured training like Chicago triathlon swim clinics (www.chicagotriathlon.com/swim-clinics/) and other local guides.