THe Best Area Lakes Near Chicago:
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. The other four Great Lakes are shared by the U.S. and Canada. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third-largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron (and is slightly smaller than the U.S. state of West Virginia). To the east, its basin is conjoined with that of Lake Huron through the wide Straits of Mackinac, giving it the same surface elevation as its easterly counterpart; the two are technically a single lake.
Lake Michigan is shared, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. The word Michigan originally referred to the lake itself, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa word mishigami meaning “great water.” In earlier maps of the region, the name Lake Illinois has been found in place of Michigan.
North Point Marina
Quiet, serene and safe, North Point Marina offers the relaxation you expect and the nurturing you need in a natural and lush recreational setting. North Point Marina is a world-class marina at a world-class value to you: convenient on-site amenities such as boat maintenance and repair, fuel, dry winter storage, transient slips, great room, beaches, ship’s store and restaurant.
The largest marina on the Great Lakes sports a protected floating dock system of 1,500 slips, from 30 to 60 feet. The “one price” slip rental includes electricity, water, TV hookup, free Wi-Fi, sanitary pump-outs, dock lockers, showers and restrooms, restricted parking and 24-hour security. North Point Marina is located in Winthrop Harbor, on Lake Michigan midway between Chicago and Milwaukee.
Chain O’Lakes
The Chain O’Lakes is a waterway system in northeast Illinois composed of 15 lakes connected by the Fox River and man-made channels. Encompassing more than 7,100 acres of water, 488 miles of shoreline and 45 miles of river, the chain is the busiest inland recreational waterway per acre in the United States.
Located on the border of Lake County and McHenry County, about an hour’s drive from the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee and Rockford, the lakes are popular with boaters and fishermen drawing weekend crowds of 30,000 and holiday crowds of 100,000 people. Additionally, the Chain O’Lakes includes Chain O’Lakes State Park, which borders three lakes at the northwest corner of the system. The Fox Waterway Agency, a special local governing body, is responsible for oversight of the Chain O’Lakes.