Rosewood Beach
Highland Park, IL
Rosewood Beach is Highland Park's award-winning beach below wooded bluffs, split into a guarded swimming beach, a recreation beach, and a nature cove used for ecology programs. A boardwalk runs the length of the beach past a one-of-a-kind beachfront Interpretive Center, restrooms, and sand rinse stations. It's the most polished beach on the North Shore.
A thoughtfully designed beach with a boardwalk, nature cove, and guarded swimming, though it gets busy and parking costs nonresidents.
How we score beachesCheck the Interpretive Center's schedule for kids' nature programs on the beach; they fill up in summer.
Parking at Rosewood Park on the bluff; check posted resident and nonresident fees.
A road and paths lead down the bluff, and a boardwalk runs the length of the beach.
The guarded swim beach runs through the summer. The nature cove and boardwalk are pleasant for walks in spring and fall.
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