Beaches in Chicago

Chicago is a bitter, windy, and freezing cold city in the winter – so whenever the sun decides to poke its head out and warm up the icy waves of Lake Michigan, Chicagoans flock to the stellar beaches to get a little color, play some sports, and pretend they’re somewhere tropical.

When it comes to beaches in Chicago, there are really two that come to mind for great sand, sun, fun, and day drinking. The first is North Avenue Beach. Once Memorial Day rolls around, this desolate sandy landscape turns into a sea of buffed and bronzed twenty-somethings. The beach features nearly fifty volleyball courts and is also known for its massive restaurant and bar on a landlocked cruise ship called Castaways.

Another great Chicago beach is Oak Street Beach. Although it’s relatively small compared to some of the other thirty or so sandy escapes, Oak Street is by no means less popular, especially among the see-and-be-seen Chicago crowd. Although there are sports to be played here as well, Oak Street is more relaxing and the go-to spot for simply working on that tan.

There are tons of Chicago beaches to choose from and whenever the weather is warm you can’t really go wrong with any of them. So if you’re looking for some sand-filled sports, fun beach-side bars, or just a quiet place to read with some Vitamin D, then the beaches in Chicago between Memorial Day and Labor Day will serve you well.