Surf’s up in Chicago – how to surf in Lake Michigan

The words ‘Chicago’ and ‘surfing’ don’t usually belong in the same sentence, but surfers would argue otherwise.

Midwest surfers are making lemonade out of being landlocked and taking to the Lake Michigan surf.  And, Chicago’s actually not a bad spot for it.

Lake surfing waves are produced by wind, making Chicago’s famous windiness essential to catching a wave. The bigger the storm, the greater the waves, and the biggest storms tend to come in the fall and winter.

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So while commuting through the wind and cold in the winter is strenuous enough for most people, Chicago surfers suit up and dive into Lake Michigan (when it’s not frozen, that is).

“Surf season is whenever the winds blow and the water isn’t frozen,” Chicago surfer Dave Benjamin told the DePaulia in an interview in 2015. “Nothing else really matters.”

Intrigued? Do your research before you go so you don’t end up arrested. Surfing is highly regulated, so you have to make sure you’re in the right place. The Chicago Park District has some guidelines to check out before you go.