About
Public swimming pool with diving boards and a designated kiddie area, plus a grassy sitting area.
The pools at Centennial Beach are filled with filtered quarry water and are not heated. The water temperature naturally warms throughout the summer season, typically starting out brisk and becoming more refreshing as the weather gets hotter.
What are people saying (AI review summary)? Centennial Beach is widely praised as a unique and expansive outdoor swim spot, transformed from a former quarry into a beach-like experience. Reviewers highlight its large size, which prevents it from feeling overly crowded, and its diverse areas, including a deep end for serious swimming and diving, and a shallow, sandy entry perfect for children. The atmosphere is described as fun, laid-back, and family-friendly, with attentive lifeguards ensuring safety, including a rigorous swim test for kids. Visitors appreciate the flexibility to bring their own food or use the on-site grill, along with the overall cleanliness and disability-friendly features. While some note the steep non-resident price and occasional issues with children's behavior (taking sand toys), the overwhelming sentiment is positive, with many calling it a 'hidden gem' and a highly recommended summer destination that feels more like a lake than a typical pool.
Location
Gallery
Amenities
-
Accepts Credit Cards
-
Accessible Entrance
Reviews
Listing Reviews
July 6th, 2025Ella
Best outdoor swim spot in the suburbs. Huge - no matter how crowded it gets, you can always find a spot in the grass and in the water. The kids swim test is hard for a reason. You have to be a good swimmer to be comfortable swimming in the deep end and swimming laps (even for adults- you need to be honest with yourself about how well you can swim). If you follow the rules and you're confident in the water, the lifeguards won't bother you. The pool feels more like a lake without all the gross parts of lake swimming. Love that you can bring in food, rent a grill, etc. Highly recommend if you love swimming.
June 16th, 2025Tatjana t
A truly unique and fun summer spot! Centennial Beach is such a hidden gem! It’s not your typical pool—it’s a former quarry turned beach-style swim area, and that alone makes the experience special. I loved the mix of deep and shallow zones, the sandy entry that’s perfect for kids, and the relaxing grassy areas for lounging. The lifeguards were attentive, the crowd was friendly, and everything felt safe and well-kept. There’s also a cute on-site grill with decent food options, and the vibe is very family-oriented but still enjoyable for adults. We came on a sunny week day and it did get a little crowded, but arriving early helped a lot. Can’t wait to come back again. Great for families, couples, or anyone looking for a laid-back, beachy day without leaving the suburbs!
July 11th, 2025Michaela Marks
This is a great place to bring your kids and the closest thing we have to a beach near us. My only problem is the amount of sticky fingers that like to help themselves to your belongings! Today was our first visit and we had to stop at least 5 different kids from stealing our sand toys. Other than that, we appreciated the cleanliness, and that, even though it was busy, it didn't feel crowded. The non-resident price is a little steep, but also needed to keep out trouble. Overall a nice place to bring the kids in the summer!
July 27th, 2024Rosalinda Gean
Great place to spend the day with the family. Awesome that you can bring your own food but if you don't want to there is also a grill inside the beach. There are some chairs but recommend bringing your own as they fill up quickly. Living close by makes the membership well worth it. There are many lifeguards on duty and they do frequent safety checks and if your little one isn't swimming well they have some life vests to use. Disability friendly with ramp/sidewalk down to the beach if the elevator is not working. Also a chair lift to get into the water.
July 7th, 2024Anna Defendiefer
This place brought out my inner child! Visiting Chicago from Ohio and came out of our way to come here — 0 regrets — in fact I want to move here just for it. I’m a diver and back home it’s super hard to find places to let you practice dives. This was a breath of fresh air. I LOVE the huge deep end and the laid back atmosphere. The park and surrounding areas were super clean, including the locker rooms. I am thoroughly impressed and so jealous of (and happy for) folks who live in the vicinity!
Leave a review
Opening Hours
| Sunday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
Drop Us a Line