Metro-East Beaches (Fairview Heights, Carlyle, Fairview: beach, swimming, activities)

[New2SouthernIL]

Where are they!?!?! My family and I just moved to Fairview Heights, IL and would love to go to the beach this summer. Thanks!

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by New2SouthernIL

Where are they!?!?! My family and I just moved to Fairview Heights, IL and would love to go to the beach this summer. Thanks!

Carlyle Lake would be closest i'd imagine.

[jcl234]

I'm not sure what type of beach you're looking for... but skipcromer is right - Carlyle lake (Dam West) is probably the closest thing to a traditional "beach" you'll find in the area (sand, swimming area, good place for a BBQ, but primarily more of a boating lake). Rend lake has similar facilities.

If you're up for trying something a little different (and you can tolerate a 1 or 2-hour drive), you might want to try a "float trip" in some of the spring-fed rivers in southeastern Missouri (Current, Meramec, Huzzah, Jacks Fork rivers come to mind). There you can enjoy many of the same beach activities (swimming, sand, and sun) but you can add a little adventure with a canoe trip and some mild rapids!

[New2SouthernIL]

Oh sorry, I was referring to swimming.

[Central Illinois 1]

Try Creve Couer Lake in West St. Louis Co. (Take 270 to Dorsett exit - go west about 3 miles). This is probably the closest place to go from Fairview.

[AJohnston_STL]

^ Nope, their beach is no swimming. Wife just went there last week.

New2SouthernIL - Hello again, old friend

I asked this same exact question, and it turns out southern Illinois has the STL metro beat on one thing - beaches. So. Ill has the beaches around Rend Lake that are actually quite popular - around here? Not so much, unfortunately.