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Galveston gives you a REAL beach expirence. It's tropical, the towns on the ocean, and theres alot of culture. The water isn't dirty though. It's just dirt from the ocean floor.
Actually, it's the drainage from the Mississippi River watershed which contains (yes, silt but) pesticides, fertilizer, and waste run-off from over 1/3 of the US land mass. Currents take it south from the mouth of the river. It finally settles out around Corpus, which is why the water returns to a natral and cleaner hue in that area. Swim in the murk at Galveston if you like, however.
[quote=jm02;23139215]My guess is most of the TX posters in this thread haven't seen Lake Michigan. I spent years in Houston and enjoyed many weekends in Galveston, but I personally didn't care to venture into the nasty brown water. I was blown away by Chicgo's setting, however. Not saying I'd swim there either (too cold) but given the opportunity of where to linger for a day, the Chicago waterfront holds considerably more appeal for me than the views along the Galveston seawall.
Rather than admit the beaches are prettier in Chicago, I suspect it's just a knee-jerk reaction on the part of a few Texan posters to claim the virtues of Galveston's "silty" setting far outweigh those of Chicago. I'd just consider the source of these comments. The catch phrase "Don't mess with Texas" didn't invent itself.[/quote]
Seawall?????? Why would you go to Galveston and go the the beach in front of the seawall? You go to East or West Beach.
I haven't seen any Texas posters making comments about downtown Chicago who haven't been there. Its the Chicago posters who act like those beaches are magnificent who clearly haven't been to a real beach. And obviously you haven't really read any of the comments if you think any of the Texas posters commenting about Chicago beaches hadn't been there. I think that's a knee jerk reaction on your part.
The subject is amenties and if you like going in the water, Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago is clearly inferior.
Last edited by bu2; 02-27-2012 at 06:42 PM..
Reason: clarify
The subject is amenties and if you like going in the water, Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago is clearly inferior.
I have no objection is you hold this opinion. It is just that, however. I am a long time Houstonian and hold a different one: Galveston has nasty beaches, be they East Beach, West Beach or right off the trashy Seawall.
I'm not going to talk about Wisconsin Lake Michigan beaches since I haven't been there. My reference was to downtown Chicago. Those beaches are scary. People dump stuff in the water. There are places where it looks like sewage is seeping in.
Maybe Oak Street is a bit on the lower side of things, but there are 31 beaches within the city of Chicago, and most of them really aren't "scary". They're not coastal beaches, but no one is saying they are. Lots of people think they're going to be some nasty little beaches on a brown lake like it's a small pond in Missour or something. They do a lot to keep the water clean, sewage seeping into Lake Michigan would be a big no-no. They won't even let any rainwater dump into lake Michigan except when all other options have run out (very rarely). There are certain days of the year when some beaches are closed off to swimming (they're freaks about testing every day), but it's actually normally due to infestations of seagulls that poo everywhere as opposed to human activity.
Some of the beaches even get palm trees during the summer just to be silly.
This is a little dune area next to my house on the north side, about 5 miles north of downtown. There's a wall of highrises a quarter mile behind this pictures on the other side of the dunes, but it's quite peaceful at this spot.
Location: Pittsburgh (via Chicago, via Pittsburgh)
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Originally Posted by Chicago60614
Maybe Oak Street is a bit on the lower side of things, but there are 31 beaches within the city of Chicago, and most of them really aren't "scary". They're not coastal beaches, but no one is saying they are. Lots of people think they're going to be some nasty little beaches on a brown lake like it's a small pond in Missour or something. They do a lot to keep the water clean, sewage seeping into Lake Michigan would be a big no-no. They won't even let any rainwater dump into lake Michigan except when all other options have run out (very rarely). There are certain days of the year when some beaches are closed off to swimming (they're freaks about testing every day), but it's actually normally due to infestations of seagulls that poo everywhere as opposed to human activity.
Some of the beaches even get palm trees during the summer just to be silly.
This is a little dune area next to my house on the north side, about 5 miles north of downtown. There's a wall of highrises a quarter mile behind this pictures on the other side of the dunes, but it's quite peaceful at this spot.
Check out the dunes around Montrose Harbor and the bird sanctuary. Right in the densest area of the city with highrises and traffic all around - a little hidden area of peace and quiet and decent sand and views of the water/skyline.
I always get out there at least once a year (normally after staying at the bars till 5am) to watch the sunrise and then walk home to my condo.
Check out the dunes around Montrose Harbor and the bird sanctuary. Right in the densest area of the city with highrises and traffic all around - a little hidden area of peace and quiet and decent sand and views of the water/skyline.
I always get out there at least once a year (normally after staying at the bars till 5am) to watch the sunrise and then walk home to my condo.
The beaches in Chicago are enjoyable and a fun time to go out, there were a lot of people there when I went. The layout within convenient areas of the city is the trump card though. When so many residents can just walk out to the beach is great. That being said, I don't think they are great beaches in terms of the actual quality, though most of my beach experience is in CA, FL and Puerto Rico. I have also seen the beach there in the winter which forms this giant Sand/Ice dune in the shape of waves and way out into the water. I've never seen anything quite like it. I walked a bit out there but most of it did not look safe.
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