Forest Park Beach — Attraction in Vernon Hills

This beach IS NOT a public beach as categorize in the maps. We were visiting family up in Vernon Hills and planned to visit the Lake Forest beach to kill time until we were supposed to meet them. I searched the map since we are driving more tahn 1 hour away to see our family. We choose this because of the playground for my son in the beach itself just in case he wants to play rather than to play the sand. I am familiar with the areas at the lake side being it a affluent neighborhood but didn't think about the beaches being the sole ownership by the city/village with extreme restrictions for non residents. I do not know the law regarding who can have access to the Lake if it is not a private lot but I thought the State of IL bears the ownership and it will be benefit to all residents like the State of California who owns the beaches.The beach is "owned" by the Lake Forest park district and charges the public who are not residents of Lake Forest to enter the beach. I was fine to pay but what my surprised was, only people with Lake forest stickers can park on the parking lot in the beach, no allowed parking in the streets close to it either. The attendants instructed us that the parking for outsiders is in a church a few miles away and will walk ~10 mins to the beach,walk downstairs and pay $25/each person even with my 3 year old have to pay the same amount. I mean, I am ok to pay to use the amenities since we drove that far but to walk that far because they won't allow you to use the parking lot by the beach and pay that much, I said thank you but no thanks. I felt that they were discouraging the public to use the beach or allowing people to come to the area by jacking up the entrance fee and other restrictions just because it is a affluent neighborhood. So we drove more North and ended in Lake bluff beach, the attendants were more friendlier, there were street parking for the public very close to the entrance and pay $15 /each adults and...

READ THIS if you are NOT RESIDENT of Lake Forest. It's from their website.

NON-RESIDENT USAGE Non-Resident Beach Access & Parking:

The non-resident entrance is located at the south stairs.

There is a $25 daily fee per person. Credit cards only: Visa, MC, Amex, Discover. Sorry, no refunds are given.

There is no onsite parking. There are public lots located in the business district and at the train station. It is a short 3/4 mile walk to the lakefront.

Those interested can purchase a 2021 non-resident parking sticker for the lower north and upper south parking lots for $910, sold at Municipal Services - 800 N Field Dr, Lake Forest.

This is ridiculous, this is why I only come here AFTER labor day when is free! $900 for a sticker is outrageous! The beach is pretty yes, but for that Price I can book a roundtrip to Miami or Puerto Rico and enjoy...

The ambiance was incredibly serene, making it the perfect spot for a walk along the shore. The highlight for me was the playground located right on the beach – it was simply awesome!

One thing to note is that the beach seems to be exclusive to residents, which can be seen as a downside for non-residents. However, I can understand why it's a major upside for residents, as having a private beach would be an incredible selling point. The exclusivity certainly adds to the overall sense of privacy.

Another noteworthy aspect of Lake Forest Beach is its cleanliness. The beach was immaculate, indicating a high level of care and maintenance. It's always refreshing to visit a beach that is well-kept and inviting.

If you're fortunate enough to have access, it's definitely worth taking advantage of...