Overview
The North Shore is a collection of affluent communities located in Cook and Lake Counties north of the city limits of Chicago. While the definition of the region is somewhat fluid, it generally includes the lakefront communities located between the northern edge of the City of Chicago and south of the Wisconsin border.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 20°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Jun. (climate data from nearby Chicago)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ORD Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago — 13 mi away (major hub). Directions
- MDW Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago — 23 mi away (major hub). Directions
Metra's Union Pacific-North line runs through the core North Shore communities along the lakefront, while the CTA Purple Line connects Evanston and Wilmette to Chicago's rail system.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Wilmette — Baha'i House of Worship, Wilmette Theatre, Wallace Bowl.
- Day 2: Evanston — Northwestern University, Shakespeare Garden, Grosse Point Lighthouse.
- Day 3: Skokie — Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Village Green Park, Skokie Sports Park.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in North Shore
Wilmette
City / town · 23 listings
Evanston
City / town · 22 listings
Skokie
City / town · 16 listings
Glenview
City / town · 14 listings
Northbrook
City / town · 11 listings
Northfield
City / town · 10 listings
Highland Park
City / town · 8 listings
Lake Forest
City / town · 7 listings
Winnetka
City / town · 7 listings
Glencoe
City / town · 3 listings
Understand
The North Shore is one of the wealthiest areas of the United States, and dining and shopping opportunities abound. Many movies have been shot or set in the North Shore, including Home Alone, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles, and Mean Girls.
Cities
Lakefront suburbs:
- Evanston — The southern anchor of the region, Evanston is home to Northwestern University.
- Wilmette — Home to the Baha'i Temple.
- Kenilworth
- Winnetka — Home to New Trier High School, the highly-rated public high school which is often associated with the North Shore.
- Glencoe — A large affluent community at the northernmost point of Cook County.
- Highland Park — A large, affluent community located in southern Lake County.
- Lake Forest
- Lake Bluff — The northernmost community in the region.
Other suburbs sometimes considered to be part of the North Shore:
- Skokie
- Glenview
- Northfield
- Northbrook
- Deerfield
Other destinations
Major attractions in the North Shore are the Chicago Botanical Gardens in Glenoe, the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette and the Illinois Beach State Park in Zion.
Get in
Metra's Union Pacific-North line runs through the core North Shore communities along the lakefront, while the CTA Purple Line connects Evanston and Wilmette to Chicago's rail system.
Nearby
Morton Grove
City / town · 1 listings · 6 mi away
Deerfield
City / town · 9 listings · 7 mi away
Niles
City / town · 7 listings · 8 mi away
Park Ridge
City / town · 12 listings · 9 mi away
Des Plaines
City / town · 20 listings · 10 mi away
Mount Prospect
City / town · 3 listings · 11 mi away
Rosemont
City / town · 26 listings · 12 mi away
Buffalo Grove
City / town · 29 listings · 12 mi away
My experience
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