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Are you from Michigan, Chicago, or another great Lake state/city? If yes, that's how. There's your answer.
I am actually. However, I spent many a summer in Cape May, NJ as a child (where my dad is from) and I now live in So Cal. The differences of the oceans to me are (1) salt water/briny smell in the air (2) tides (3) bigger waves and (4) more aquatic life. Apart from charismatic megafauna like dolphins and seals and whales, I could do without aquatic life. Had an incident with a jellyfish as a child, now have a bit of a phobia. Not really a surfer either. The one difference I will say is the whole "beach vibe" or scene is definitely better on some areas of the coasts. But I still don't see how the beaches themselves are any different. I mean, it's sand. I guess you can't really dig for crabs (which we did in NJ when I was a kid).
Well, it is a matter of opinion. A lake beach and an ocean beach are not the same thing. Someone may prefer one over the other which is perfectly fine but if they were the same we wouldn't be having this conversation. You cannot compare a freshwater lake to an ocean, like it or not. You may like a lake better, but it's still not an ocean like an ocean's not a lake.
I'm not ragging on Chicago or people from Chicago and I'm certainly not choosing people from Philly or PA - I just happen to agree with them. I love Chicago, much more than Philly. And no matter what people from Philly say, the beaches they go to are not even in their state. Even though it's not an ocean, people from Chicago still have a very nice lake beach right there, something that people from Philly cannot ever say no matter how much they promote NJ's beaches.
True, though this is a Great Lake which is huge and so gives you a view similar to an ocean beach. It also has a beautiful color which I don't generally associate with lakes.
Well, it is a matter of opinion. A lake beach and an ocean beach are not the same thing. Someone may prefer one over the other which is perfectly fine but if they were the same we wouldn't be having this conversation. You cannot compare a freshwater lake to an ocean, like it or not. You may like a lake better, but it's still not an ocean like an ocean's not a lake.
I'm not ragging on Chicago or people from Chicago and I'm certainly not choosing people from Philly or PA - I just happen to agree with them. I love Chicago, much more than Philly. And no matter what people from Philly say, the beaches they go to are not even in their state. Even though it's not an ocean, people from Chicago still have a very nice lake beach right there, something that people from Philly cannot ever say no matter how much they promote NJ's beaches.
This is such a dumb post. What do you mean you can't compare a lake beach to an ocean beach? Additionally, do you not understand that it is a fact that lake beaches are still beaches?
But I still don't see how the beaches themselves are any different. I mean, it's sand. I guess you can't really dig for crabs (which we did in NJ when I was a kid).
Yes, exactly. I grew up going to the beaches in Southern California (my dad was a surfer) and the sand there is actually pretty similar to Chicago's beaches. The only different sand in the US are some of the white sand beaches in the Gulf of Mexico and east coast and also some of the white sands that Michigan actually has on their beaches. Other than that, the sand is actually not a ton different between Chicago and SoCal.
The differences are true that you pointed out, but what most people don't get is that the average person who goes to the sea actually doesn't give a **** about how big the waves are. They're there to have a good time, party, drink/eat, etc. You can do that on many beaches all around the world - lake, sea, or ocean.
This whole thing about "lake beaches aren't beaches" is completely asinine. They're still sand, with water on them, with loads of people, volleyball nets, parties, drinking, food, etc etc. The difference is in the vibe. If you really don't think Chicago's beaches are beaches, then you are just simply not very bright. Yes, everyone knows it's not an ocean. Duh. They're still beaches, I'm sorry.
I have friends here who grew up in Miami, Los Angeles, Bahamas, etc and they still call them beaches. This is just some elitist bull**** going on trying to put Chicago down because it doesn't have an ocean. I prefer an ocean too, but the lake is still fine and the beaches are in fact beaches.
Apparently this is just a bunch of people gathering on a patch of sand near a large body of water, but apparently that doesn't qualify as a beach
Last edited by marothisu; 06-11-2013 at 10:05 PM..
While I am not sure what "yall beaches are just try-hard" means, there are definitely advantages/disadvantages to both types of beaches. My wife is from Minnesota, so we are on the lakes there every summer, and I just bought a house in Dewey Beach, DE and grew up going to the beaches in South Florida my entire childhood.
I find boating, jet skiing, fishing, swimming, waterskiing to all be better on a lake, while I prefer surfing and general ocean town vibe to be more appealing. I typically find things that actually have to do with the WATER to be better in a lake, while activities with a ocean as the backdrop to be better.
I'm going to start using that phrase at work and in daily life...
"yall spreadsheets are just try-hard"
"yall rain are just try-hard"
"yall clean your room are just try-hard"
"yall movies like Die Hard are just try-hard"
But I still don't see how the beaches themselves are any different. I mean, it's sand. I guess you can't really dig for crabs (which we did in NJ when I was a kid).
And you can't experience the ocean breeze, the magic combination of the sun and salt air, high tides that create 4-8 ft waves.
The "Ocean" beach experience is a vacation that you never tire of. The "Lake" beach experience is a way to pass an afternoon. That's how I look at it from someone who has done both coasts, and Chicago.
There are battles that Chi-Town defeats the Philadelphia region but beaches aren't one of them.
As far as beaches? Chicago doesn't pass the eye test.
Southern California, then the East Coast, huge tremendously steep drop The Great Lakes.
And you can't experience the ocean breeze, the magic combination of the sun and salt air, high tides that create 4-8 ft waves.
The "Ocean" beach experience is a vacation that you never tire of. The "Lake" beach experience is a way to pass an afternoon. That's how I look at it from someone who has done both coasts, and Chicago.
There are battles that Chi-Town defeats the Philadelphia region but beaches aren't one of them.
As far as beaches? Chicago doesn't pass the eye test.
Southern California, then the East Coast, huge tremendously steep drop The Great Lakes.
And you can't experience the ocean breeze, the magic combination of the sun and salt air, high tides that create 4-8 ft waves.
The "Ocean" beach experience is a vacation that you never tire of. The "Lake" beach experience is a way to pass an afternoon. That's how I look at it from someone who has done both coasts, and Chicago.
There are battles that Chi-Town defeats the Philadelphia region but beaches aren't one of them.
As far as beaches? Chicago doesn't pass the eye test.
Southern California, then the East Coast, huge tremendously steep drop The Great Lakes.
Wildwood Crest NJ
Lake Michigan
Your Chicago picture is the Dog Beach at Wilson, nice cherry picking. Nobody is denying Lake Beaches are different than Ocean Beaches, but for people to proclaim Chicago Beaches are not real beaches is just moronic.
And you can't experience the ocean breeze, the magic combination of the sun and salt air, high tides that create 4-8 ft waves.
The "Ocean" beach experience is a vacation that you never tire of. The "Lake" beach experience is a way to pass an afternoon. That's how I look at it from someone who has done both coasts, and Chicago.
There are battles that Chi-Town defeats the Philadelphia region but beaches aren't one of them.
As far as beaches? Chicago doesn't pass the eye test.
Southern California, then the East Coast, huge tremendously steep drop The Great Lakes.
Wildwood Crest NJ
Lake Michigan
The location of the beach matters, too. Most of your pictures highlight the beach and the development around the beach rather than the body of water. If that's any indication, then Chicago does have something very distinctive in having that massive downtown and its skyscrapers so close to the beach.
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