I implore you, if you are within an hour of Evanston Illinois, go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_House_of...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD_House_of...
The easternmost portion of Northwestern's campus also has a nice walking/biking path along the lakeshore with a great view looking back towards the Chicago skyline.
https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/beaches
Swimming in the Great Lakes is very dangerous, especially if you are not familiar with the behavior of the lakes.