4 Best Places in Illinois to Ride Your PWC

If you’re into personal watercraft recreation, count yourself lucky to live in the beautiful state of Illinois. We’ve got nearly 3,000 lakes, three large reservoirs and the Illinois River, and many of these locations welcome people with PWC (personal watercraft, often to by the Kawasaki brand name “Jet Ski”). And let’s not forget that one of those lakes is a whopper. Illinois has 63 delicious miles of coastline on Lake Michigan, 22 of which within greater Chicago. 

Here are a few of our favorite places to go out for a ride on a sun-drenched day. Lots of these spots offer PWC rental. If you’re ready to buy a powersports vehicle for land or sea, winter or summer, please stop by Nielsen Enterprises in Lake Villa, Illinois, today. We’ve got everything from zippy lil’ scooters to trikes, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs and snowmobiles. Ask about our easy financing application!

Lake Michigan

Let’s start with the biggie! Take your PWC out on Lake Michigan from an access point in Chicago, the North Shore, or elsewhere. You can enjoy unsurpassed views of the Chicago skyline, plus access to plenty of great beaches where you can pull up for a break or even a campout. The Illinois section of the lake amounts to about 1,500 square miles, so you can do some serious exploring without leaving the state. 

Illinois River 

The Illinois River runs approximately 273 mile within the state before draining into the mighty Mississippi. It’s a slow, low-flow river so it’s great for marine recreation. Two particularly popular and attractive put-ins are at Starved Rock State Park and William Stratton State Park. Starved Rock is famous for its dramatic rock formations and William Stratton is super family friendly, with lots of shady parkland and beaches for the non-boaters to enjoy. 

Lake Decatur 

This 2800 acre reservoir is within the city of Decatur, Illinois, east of downtown. 30 miles of shoreline deliver both wildlife vistas as well as marine recreation. It may be the City’s primary water source, but it’s also a lively place for year-round water recreation activities including swimming, water skiing, PWC and angling. 

Chain O’ Lakes State Park

At Chain O’ Lakes in northeast Illinois, a number of lakes are connected by the Fox River and man-made channels. The scenery is epic and it’s a great place for all kinds of outdoor recreation, with campgrounds, picnic areas and trail systems, some of which welcome horses and/or bikes. It’s also a destination for anglers and hunters, so Chain O’ Lakes will please extended groups with abundant wonderful recreation opportunities. 

With so many options, it’s time to get out there on your lean mean water machine! If you need any help with repairs, service, or shopping for a new or used PWC, please hit us up at Nielsen Enterprises. We’ve got two showrooms in Lake Villa, Illinois, one for Marine and one for Powersports, where we serve a loyal customer base from Chicago all the way up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.