Lake Barrington Shores

Lake Barrington Shores is a gated, resort-style condominium and townhome community spread across 510 wooded acres in Lake County, Illinois, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. Built between 1973 and 1997, the community comprises 1,317 attached homes ranging from roughly 933 to 4,600+ square feet, with one to four bedrooms, attached garages, and most featuring first-floor primary suites. Homes here include townhouses and condos with side-gabled and half-hipped roofs, wood and clapboard exteriors, and mature trees lining winding roads — many residents compare the feel to Galena, Illinois. The centerpiece is private 96-acre Lake Barrington, ringed by a three-mile walking and biking path that winds through 36 acres of forest preserve. Residents enjoy sailing (with open sailing Saturdays and races Sundays), fishing, kayaking, and a sandy beach with a boathouse that keeps kayaks and fishing boats available for use. A full marina operates on the lake shore. The community is emphatically NOT age-restricted — while it's popular with retirees and active adults and is often listed on 55+ directories, the population includes young families, singles, and middle-aged residents alongside older adults. The social hub is The Lodge at The Shores, the community clubhouse, which houses a fitness center, indoor pool, ballroom, library, meeting rooms, sauna, hot tub, and Fireside Lounge. A separate outdoor pool sits just behind the clubhouse with expansive decking and a baby pool. Across the street, the sports park includes eight tennis courts (both clay and asphalt), pickleball courts, bocce ball, basketball, volleyball, and a softball field. A warming hut serves cold-weather activities. The Lake Barrington Shores Golf Club — an 18-hole, 6,392-yard par-71 layout designed by Larry Packard (the same architect behind Innisbrook's Copperhead Course near Tampa) — is now owned by the HOA after a 2025 purchase. Landscapes Golf Management was selected to operate it, bringing renewed food-and-beverage operations, new membership programs, and daily-fee options for residents. The course winds through tree-lined fairways and sloped terrain, with hole 17 presenting a dramatic approach shot over water. Social life is run by a full-time activities director who coordinates dozens of clubs and activities: bridge, men's bridge, mah jongg, Brushstrokes art, billiards, table tennis, bowling, a very active veterans group, a book club, sewing and gardening clubs, tai chi, Zumba, yoga, water aerobics, men's and women's golf leagues, and a tennis association with tournaments and drop-in play. Dining inside the community includes Za Za's Tavola Italiana and the Panini Bar at LB Mart. Summer concerts and festivals are held lakeside. HOA fees range from $472 to $1,119 per month depending on unit type and include lawn maintenance, common grounds and amenities, and management. The community is gated with a manned security entrance, and all amenities require resident ID. Location is exceptional — shopping is five miles away (Jewel-Osco, Trader Joe's, Bank One Plaza), the Barrington Metra station is under five miles (one-hour ride to downtown Chicago), Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is about four miles north, and O'Hare International Airport is roughly 27 miles south. The Wisconsin border is a 40-minute drive.