A Summer Day Along Lake Michigan: Chicago Botanic Garden, Fort Sheridan & Kenosha 🌺
One of my favorite ways to spend a summer day is exploring the Lake Michigan shoreline. There are so many beautiful places between Chicago and Wisconsin, and I never get tired of visiting them.
On July 11, I headed north for a day of photography, starting at the Chicago Botanic Garden and continuing along the lakefront toward Fort Sheridan and Kenosha, Wisconsin.
A Morning at the Chicago Botanic Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe is such a beautiful place to spend a few hours, especially during the summer when everything is blooming.
I spent time walking through the gardens with my camera, photographing the colorful flowers, water lilies, and landscaped ponds.
The water lily displays were especially pretty, with flowers in different shades of purple, pink, and white floating among the lily pads. I also loved photographing the roses and all the colorful summer blooms.
There is so much variety throughout the gardens, from the larger landscapes and water features to the smallest details of individual flowers.
I could easily spend an entire day here with my camera.
Fort Sheridan: One of My Favorite Lake Michigan Stops
From the gardens, I continued north toward Fort Sheridan, a place I've visited several times and always enjoy returning to.
Fort Sheridan is one of my favorite spots along Lake Michigan. I love the combination of wooded trails, ravines, open views of the lake, and the shoreline below the bluffs.
The water was a beautiful shade of blue, and I stopped to take photos looking out over the rocky shoreline. The contrast between the green vegetation, pale rocks, and turquoise water was especially pretty.
I enjoy finding new places to explore, but Fort Sheridan is somewhere I never mind visiting again. The views are beautiful in every season, and there's always something different to photograph.
Continuing North to Kenosha, Wisconsin
I continued up the shoreline to Kenosha, another Lake Michigan town I enjoy visiting.
Kenosha has a beautiful waterfront, with parks, walking paths, beaches, and views across the lake. It's a great place to get out and walk, especially on a sunny summer day.
I love being near the water, and the Lake Michigan shoreline is one of my favorite places to spend time outdoors.
Murphy joined me for some waterfront exploring, and I captured a photo of him with the red lighthouse in the background. He always seems happy when we're out exploring somewhere new.
Between the lake views, the parks, and the waterfront, Kenosha is another place I enjoy returning to.
Summer Days With My Camera
I love days when I can combine several of my favorite things: photography, walking, exploring, and spending time near the water.
The Chicago Botanic Garden was full of summer color, Fort Sheridan had those beautiful Lake Michigan views I love, and Kenosha was a great place to continue exploring the shoreline.
I'm always looking for another trail, scenic overlook, garden, or small town to photograph. Sometimes that means visiting somewhere new, and other times it's returning to a favorite place with my camera.
This was a beautiful July day along Lake Michigan, and I'm glad I took the time to capture a little of it.
Photography by Dawn Bergeron | July 11, 2026
