Chicago Beaches

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Some of the North Shore burbs have incredibly nice beaches, with great playgrounds, sailing lessons and concessions. Glencoe is probably tops. Of course there are ridiculously few areas to park and high fees unless you are resident.

Water stays unpleasantly cool until early August some years -- that is where SW Michigan shines. Water heats up a little more due to currents/smaller river (sewer) flow...

Can you please post locations of some of those?

[Drover]

How are they compared to what?

Compared to, say, St. Croix, they're cold, dank and nasty.

But hey, it's the Midwest, and we have beaches. That alone is quite a novelty.

And yeah, Michigan beaches tend to be nicer. Less pollution, nicer temps, and prevailing winds that even manage to provide enough waves to support a surf shop. Go figure.

[Steve-o]

The beach by the Evanston lighthouse is quite nice! Some small sand dunes with tall grasses poking out of them (very Cape Cod-ish), and of course the lighthouse to add to the overall experience. As others have stated, fees are steep to non-residents though, so be warned.

[cobolt]

I remember we used to hang at the Foster St beach...I'm talking childhood memories here. The water didn't seem so much the health hazard, although as a kid, who thinks of these things? All I know is it was flippin cold water. But I do remember playing in the sand, and always running across fish heads and parts...some silver sort of fish that would wash up on the beach and stink to high heaven. Of course, growing up with it, it just becomes a part of life, but I wonder if that fish flow thing is still going on.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by cobolt

I remember we used to hang at the Foster St beach...I'm talking childhood memories here. The water didn't seem so much the health hazard, although as a kid, who thinks of these things? All I know is it was flippin cold water. But I do remember playing in the sand, and always running across fish heads and parts...some silver sort of fish that would wash up on the beach and stink to high heaven. Of course, growing up with it, it just becomes a part of life, but I wonder if that fish flow thing is still going on.

Alewives

Alewife - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Glencoe Beach

[cobolt]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Alewives

Alewife - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Glencoe Beach

Yep. That be them.

[rose-liloo]

Hello ! I'm 18 and I come from belgium ..I'll go one year abroad in Chicago ..how 's the life there? people are nice ?

[Naperville77]

North Ave beach is by far the best IMO. You can pretty much start and go in any direction along the lakefront and it's pretty much a beautiful walk/run/jog/rollerblade/bike/whatever experience.

[Lookout Kid]

I like Montrose Beach a lot, though if you go there beware of the "Magic Hedge". Unless you're into that kind of thing, of course.

Also, the quaint smaller beaches of Rogers Park are quite a treat. I particularly like the three small beaches along Eastlake Terrace (Juneway Terrace, Howard, and the other one).

I think most people in Chicago are "sit on the beach" kind of people instead of "go in the water" kind of people. Lake Michigan is so cold much of the year, but it can be refreshing when the weather is 95 degrees in the shade.