Info on Chicago Beaches and Winters... (school, college, restaurants)

[jessemh431]

Hi everybody. I'm interested in going to college in Chicago, but coming from LA, I need a beach. So, I can see a few pics of you beaches, but can you actually go swimming in the water there? Also, how warm is the water. Do they get very crowded since there are many chicagoans and not much beach? For how long every year can you go swimming in it if you can?

Then, about the winters. Anything below 60* for an Angeleno is cold, so I understand I will be very cold. But, I've been in upstate NY (Utica) during the winter, and was wondering if its much worse in Chicago. Also, when does winter weather begin and end? Is the winter longer than the summer?

Thanks for any replies ahead of time.

[jessiegirl_98]

Regarding the beaches, they are open memorial day to labor day. You can go swimming in the water, but I don't because it's pretty gross (got a horrible rash from the water once...). If you do want to go swimming, the farther north you go the better because the waste of the city flows towards the South. And, yes, the beaches get absolutely packed in the summer.
I would say that winter is longer than the summer, especially with your definition of what winter may be like since you are used to 60's +! Just stock up on cold weather gear! Also, the lake makes it pretty cold here with wind and everything!

[Manigault]

I have done upstate NY and Chicago in the winter. The climates are surprisingly comparable but Chicago has far more clear days than they do in NY. And, yes, swimming in the lake is out of the question after Labor Day.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

It'll be a change, that's for sure. I moved here from South Carolina, and it's taken me years to get used to winters here.

It starts getting cooler around now (though there will still be some really nice, warm days) and starts getting cold in October. The real winter weather hits around late November. It stays cold until April and doesn't get summery until June.

Here's the thing, though. Summers here? Amazing. If you go to school here, you HAVE to stay for the summers. People here love the summer because winter sucks. It seems like every restaurant and bar has outdoor seating, beer gardens, giant windows that open up the whole place, etc. There are street festivals and block parties. It really is the best.

Also, during winter there are still things to do. The city and its residents are used to the cold and it doesn't shut everything down.

I have to say, though, if your main questions are about beaches and weather, I'm wondering if Chicago is the right place for you. Have you been here? It's an amazing city, but for someone who 'needs a beach' and is cold when the mercury dips below 60, it seems like a rough fit.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

Regarding the beaches, they are open memorial day to labor day. You can go swimming in the water, but I don't because it's pretty gross (got a horrible rash from the water once...). If you do want to go swimming, the farther north you go the better because the waste of the city flows towards the South. And, yes, the beaches get absolutely packed in the summer.
I would say that winter is longer than the summer, especially with your definition of what winter may be like since you are used to 60's +! Just stock up on cold weather gear! Also, the lake makes it pretty cold here with wind and everything!

Just a note - the city doesn't dump any of its waste in Lake Michigan, not even rain runoff. Once every year or two they open the locks and dump wastewater(rainfall) in the lake if we get a really huge storm, but otherwise it's treated and sent out towards the Mississippi River.

I've been swimming in the lake off boats many times, and it's actually MUCH cleaner than any river or average lake you'll find in the midwest. I was quite surprised at how blue the water was, and that you can see you feet when you're in the lake. I wasn't right at the beach though, that might be more cloudy from all the sand. There are 29 public beaches within the city of Chicago, and tend to get very packed during the summer.

Winter is quite cold, but I'm sure you've heard all about that, ha. Average high in September is around 75, but I know next week is suppose to be in the 80's all week, so it goes up and down a lot. October is usually 60's with a few 50's and 70's. November is normally 50's, but it gets down to the 40's around Thanksgiving. December, January and February are 10's to 40's. Last winter wasn't too bad until almost February. I do remember it being almost 60 around New Years - but definitely don't count on that every year. March is seriously anywhere from 30's to 70's, it changes every day. April is maybe 50's to 70's, and then it warms up from there. Summer is the only really consistant period, 70's to 90's every day.

Here are a few pics of the Chicago beaches, they started throwing palm trees in during the summer now at a few beaches.

[jessemh431]

about the temperature, i could handle down into the mid-30's. 60 is just cold for me because I don't expect it here. when i expect cold weather I can tolerate it a little bit more. so how often does the temperature drop into the 10's and 20's as highs.

i'm not coming to chicago for the weather and beaches, but I am interested in going to college in the area b/c you have some very nice ones. also, the city is just amazing i think. i didn't like it when i first learned stuff about it. i though it was just trying to copy NYC with The Loop and LA at the same time with the suburbs. but, now i see it differently. NYC is actually trailing Chicago now. Chi. has tons of new buildings going up, while NYC cant grow anymore. i used to think the skyline was ugly in how it hugs the coastline, but it really is growing on me. from google earth, it seems like there are thousands of bars and restaurants in downtown. so would i have fun in chicago since it seems like there is so much to do?

[via chicago]

i would say the beaches in Chicago proper are more geared towards laying on the sand rather than actually swimming, although obviously you can. if the bacteria levels get to high, the beach gets shut down so you dont have to worry about being in the water if its unsafe b/c they do test it multiple times a day.

also if you have a car, its worth taking a drive up to some of the beaches in michigan for a weekend. now THOSE are incredible (esp Ludington State Park). IMO they rival anything on the coasts...white sand, endless expanses of blue, little crowds, freshwater...absolutely stunning. the tribune magazine had a great feature this past spring covering the best midwest beaches:
A great lake: The best of the Midwest's sandy shores (broken link)

[Chicago60614]

December, January and February can see anything from -20 to 60. I know this year we were around 60 on New Years, but then in February it got really cold for about 2 weeks straight. I think the one thing that keeps you sane in the winters, is that while it does get down into the 10's and 20's for a week or so at times, it usually warms back up into the 40's within days. It's not that winter is cold the WHOLE time, it's more that the temps go up and down and up and down all winter long. It "averages" around 32 during the winter months.

Just check out the record highs and lows:

October high: 92 degrees
October low: 24 degrees

November high: 80 degrees
November low: 0 degrees

December high: 69 degrees
December low: -20 degrees

January high: 67 degrees
January low: -24 degrees

February high: 71 degrees
February low: -12 degrees

March high: 84 degrees
March low: 0 degrees

April high: 91 degrees
April low: 13 degrees

May high: 94 degrees
May low: 32 degrees

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

It'll be a change, that's for sure. I moved here from South Carolina, and it's taken me years to get used to winters here.

It starts getting cooler around now (though there will still be some really nice, warm days) and starts getting cold in October. The real winter weather hits around late November. It stays cold until April and doesn't get summery until June.

Here's the thing, though. Summers here? Amazing. If you go to school here, you HAVE to stay for the summers. People here love the summer because winter sucks. It seems like every restaurant and bar has outdoor seating, beer gardens, giant windows that open up the whole place, etc. There are street festivals and block parties. It really is the best.

Also, during winter there are still things to do. The city and its residents are used to the cold and it doesn't shut everything down.

I have to say, though, if your main questions are about beaches and weather, I'm wondering if Chicago is the right place for you. Have you been here? It's an amazing city, but for someone who 'needs a beach' and is cold when the mercury dips below 60, it seems like a rough fit.

This is pretty accurate.

[triton1]

I have been to chicago's beaches a few times and most of them are not too attractive. Most of them have a lot of gravel and pebbles at the shoreline, making it next to impossible to build sandcastles, some have a lot of seaweed washing up on shore, and the water can get a bit murky in places. The waves off lake michigan, however, can be quite awesome. Winters in chicago, on the other hand, can only be described as follows; wicked and brutal!