Best Beach: Lighthouse Beach

The peaceful atmosphere of Lighthouse Beach is the exact reprieve Northwestern students need from our bustling campus. 

Tucked away along Sheridan Road and only a 10-minute walk north of campus, Lighthouse Beach is named after the neighboring Grosse Point Lighthouse, which was constructed in 1873 in response to multiple shipwrecks near the Evanston shore. Beyond the historical lighthouse, the area contains a cute garden, playground and beach. 

Lighthouse Beach is especially picturesque in the spring and summer, when the garden’s wildflowers provide a pop of color to the lakefront. On warm days, you may find people sitting in folding chairs immersing themselves in a book or children running in the sand.

A walk along Lighthouse Beach always leaves me feeling rejuvenated. I’ll often end my time there sitting on the rocks, using the quiet solitude to contemplate what I’m doing with my life. So next time your chemistry midterm gets you down, I invite you to head up to Lighthouse Beach.

Email: lilyshen2026@u.northwestern.edu

Twitter: @llilysshen