Winthrop Harbor: Your Gateway to the Lake Plain
Some of the rarest natural beauty in the Midwest is hiding in plain sight, and Winthrop Harbor sits right at the heart of it.
Stretching 15 miles along Lake Michigan between Waukegan, Illinois and Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Lake Plain Coastal Preserves protect the region's last remaining dune and swale ecosystem. This is an ancient landscape where beach ridges trace back 3,000 years, where more than 930 plant species and over 300 animal species thrive, and where you can still find a stretch of wild, natural shoreline unlike anywhere else in the Chicago area. Protected by a coalition of more than 20 organizations working together across state lines, the Lake Plain joins eight extraordinary sites into one continuous coastal corridor. And Winthrop Harbor is your front door to all of it.
A Lakefront Town Built for Exploring
Begin your visit at North Point Marina, the largest freshwater marina in the country and the anchor of Winthrop Harbor's lakefront. Watch the sunrise over the water from the boardwalk, launch a boat, book a charter fishing trip, or settle in for food and drinks at The Tropics or Harbor Brewing Co. after a day on the lake. From here, the preserves open up in every direction.
Just beyond the marina, Illinois Beach State Park offers miles of restored, natural shoreline, with wide sandy beaches, dune trails, and some of the best birdwatching and fishing access in the region. A short distance inland, Spring Bluff Forest Preserve protects rare wetlands and rolling dune ridges laced with quiet walking paths. Connecting it all is the Robert McClory Bike Path, which runs right through Winthrop Harbor and links the lakefront communities along the coast.
Whether you come to hike, bike, fish, paddle, watch for migrating birds, or simply spread out a blanket on the sand and let the lake set the pace, the Lake Plain rewards the curious and the patient. This is the coast that time forgot, people protected, and nature reclaimed — and it is all within reach.
The largest freshwater marina in the country. Your home base for boating, fishing charters, food, and lakefront access.
Learn more →Miles of restored natural shoreline, wide sandy beaches, dune trails, and exceptional birdwatching and fishing.
Learn more →Rare wetlands and rolling dune ridges with quiet walking paths just a short distance inland from the lake.
Learn more →25 miles of flat, tree-lined trail connecting Winthrop Harbor to the full Lake County bike network. Newly paved in 2025.
Learn more →Over 40 charter captains run fishing trips out of North Point Marina. Salmon, trout, and perch on Lake Michigan.
Learn more →The Lake Plain corridor is a major flyway for migrating species. Shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl throughout the seasons.
Learn more →Plan Your Trip
Winthrop Harbor sits about 50 miles north of Chicago and just a short drive south of Milwaukee and Kenosha, making it an easy day trip or weekend escape. The village rests right at the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, putting the full length of the Lake Plain corridor within easy reach.
Make North Point Marina your home base. Park, walk the boardwalk, grab a bite, and use the marina as your launch point for the beaches, trails, and preserves nearby.
Spend the morning on the restored beaches at Illinois Beach State Park, take an afternoon hike through the dunes at Spring Bluff Forest Preserve, ride the Robert McClory Bike Path, or head out on a charter fishing expedition straight from the lakefront. Birdwatchers will want to keep an eye out for the shorebirds and migrating species that make the Lake Plain a regional treasure.
Every season has its own appeal. Summer brings boating, swimming, and beach days. Spring and fall offer cooler trails and exceptional birding as species move along the shoreline. Even a quiet winter walk along the dunes has its own kind of beauty.
With the marina, the beaches, the preserves, and local food and drink all within minutes of each other, Winthrop Harbor is an easy place to slow down and stay awhile.
For maps, trail details, site guides, and everything you need to plan your visit across the full corridor, explore lakeplain.org.