the beach is beautiful, very clean and a lot of security read more

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I don't know about the beach itself, since I have not been down to the water lately, but the taco stand at the beachhouse at this beach was a godsend after a long ride on the lakefront bike trail. We had not counted on getting so incredibly famished, but we were, and fortunately we had brought along a few bucks of emergency money. We spent about seven dollars on four veggie tacos that were delicious and fresh and just what we needed to hit the spot at that particular moment. The young guy and his mom who were working there were super-nice. We got out tacos just like we wanted--with avocados, beans, cheese, onions and cilantro (sour cream and salsa also available). In general, this is a good place to park and start one's bike riden on the lakefront trail in either direction. Just north, there are gorgeous prairie gardens behind McCormick Place and a wooden viewing area from which to take it all in. Heading south, there's The Point in Hyde Park and the South Shore Cultural Center. Update: the taco stand has been replaced by a Connie's Pizza outlet--boo. read more

I love what they have done to this place!! My dog loves this place, especially at night. It is pretty empty at night and she loves going for swims. Also we run along the lake every other day and I feel safe and we really enjoy the views. read more

Holiday weekend but just the right amount of empty, without feeling weird. Everything you need except lockers. And the 31 bus was not running, boo. read more

This is an OK beach for families/kids. It has a lovely view of the Chicago skyline and it's easy to get to (I55 South ends, it's the first exit). The parking is decent if you get there early. The beach crowd is also decent if you get there early. That's the trick. Otherwise, you are waiting to find parking, it starts to get crowded, and the beach/sand area is small. There are bathrooms but they are public bathrooms and they are not very clean. There is a concession area with Connie's pizza advertised (byof). There are three lifeguards which is nice and the place feels pretty safe. There is also a huge playground. Not a bad idea to park here and ride your bike too. Overall, it's decent to take your kids to get your beach fix (this coming from a Miami beach girl!). read more

I visited the Pier at the beach last Friday and I must say the DJ was superb and the crowd was mature and mixed! I hear that each night has a different theme, so I will be visiting again very soon! read more

31st Street Beach - Great view of the skyline - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Keep it trendy and Nice people! Great drinks..$5 margaritas which are nice and strong. Better to bike up than drive. Small patio be prepared with a blanket for the beach, no seats if you arrive late. Music everything Wednesday thru Sunday! Veggie burgers keep changing... Keep with the bean burgers from Costco please! Fries off the chain....awesome for those eboncly challenged. read more

31st Street Beach - Hubby and I at 31st st. Beach, great exercise that day. - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nothing is wrong with this beach. It can be quiet at times. This time, it was pretty packed since it was a holiday and to top it off the weather was spectacularly hot (90+). Since there are plenty of trees you can basically find shade anywhere (but on a section away from the beach itself). They also have a bathroom and changing area, which is also nice (just not the smell of urine). Bring your own bucket and pail for more fun! Or a volleyball would suffice! read more

Never driven here so I can't speak to the parking, but I have found that beach parking is rarely available at many beaches. I love 31st street beach. Crowd is largely families, there is a skate park and I've accidentally gone to beach parties here with dj wayne williams randomly performing. A lot of space for everybody in the evening. Ideal for a romantic night watching the skyline. read more

THis beach has always been quite calm for many years compared to the other up north. For sure, its a gem for the south siders looking for a peaceful getaway to the lakefront. I frequent the location on my long marathon training runs and have always enjoyed stopping at the beach house for a quick look at the water and passerby. Its wonderful that the Park District and the Army Corps of Engineers finally devoted resources to fixing the embankment along with the beach. Its been well deserved. And with the new harbor to grace that location in the coming years, activity from boaters will surely liven up the area. Keep it up Chicago read more

This beach/park deserves some recognition. Located at 31st Street and Lake Shore Drive, it's the closest lake front park to our neighborhood AND there are plenty of parking spots :) Despite the beach crowd when the weather is hot, there is a nice new bike trail and very long concrete pier along the shore with an incredible view of the skyline. It's my new favorite place to take my dog for a walk (just watch out for occasional glass shards). If you live on the south side, it's worth the trip to check it out. It makes for a nice picture spot too :) read more

Even though the cloud gate is the landmark of Chicago, I love this little beach even more. Blue and clear water, fresh air and beautiful view. read more

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This beach needs a more recent review. I went here for an evening picnic and there was no one on the beach, but there was a bunch of people at the pier restaurant. It was nice to have easy parking, good view of the city from the south side. My only complaint is the guy singing at the pier, he was terrible and the combination of the actual live mixing (pretty sure no one was monitoring him or if he set it up he has no idea what he's doing!) that pretty much was the most annoying thing about the beach experience. I will probably update this if I ever go to the beach on a busy summer day. read more

A beautiful beach that is on Lakefront path but really off the beaten path since it is not downtown. There is a wonderful new park there as well that guarantees fun for kids and adults alike. read more

I am indeed a fan of this beach. The harbor is beautiful, the new playground is really cool, there is sandy beachfront and it is just far away enough from downtown to keep out wandering riffraff. Colorful painted trees make it easily visible from Lake Shore Drive. Less one star because of the parking, which is confusing and more expensive than it was only a year ago, and the ads painted on the sidewalk. Really? Can we please keep the lakefront billboard free? read more

This is where you will find me most weekends. I love this beach! The view looking North is Amazing and this beach is surprisingly clean. I always ride my bike, so I don't have to worry about parking. read more

Lovely lakefront spot during the summer and a landmark that means I'm close to home when I reach this spot on Lake Shore Drive.

We have been boaters here for 5 years. This place has been wonderful until the crazy mass infiltration. The BEACH OVERFLOW PARKING NEEDS TO BE eliminated ASAP. Now there is police everywhere and trash all over the place and people with no manners. How sad that a place can transform like this.... and for the visitors please have some respect! read more

This was a great beach until recently. The Chicago Park District has started growing prairie grass every where. The green space for picnickers and family activities is practically gone. The park district is more concerned about the birds than they are the people who pay taxes. There was already a bird santuary, but now there is prairie grass on both sides of the path. With construction of the harbor, the prairie grass and the green space that was eliminated because of additional parking spaces, the area for family activity is very sparse from 35th to 26th Sts. Recently, a jogger was attacked. No wonder. It's a catasthropy waiting to happen. read more

Wi-fi and option to eat a plus, diversity and menu selection not so much. Kind of basic.

I went there for the first time (spur of the moment decision) this past weekend and was very pleasantly surprised. Although there was some confusion about whether or not there was parking available (a person near the entrance said there was none but the paid garage had spaces), we found a space right away. We also found the convenience store, bathrooms, restaurant, deck with live band, playground, boat docks, not the mention the beach!! We are used to going to Montrose beach, and although it was a little more compact than Montrose, they pack a lot into this space! I will definitely be back if I am in the area! read more

Forget about North Ave beach (except of prestigious vball). This beach is bigger and better. Much more parking available, plus the skate park for the skaters!! The water is cleaner over this way too..... read more

So great! Water features at the park, great playground, right on the beach, amazing views, easy parking. Our favorite new spot.

Not the best beach but it is my neighborhood beach. Great thing about this place is that there is meter parking right next to the beach. It also isnt overcrowded. It's great for people who like to go alone (like me) or for people who don't like look for parking for an hour. I don't go in the water nor do I grill there so I can't review on that. read more

This is my favorite beach of all time. The beach is clean, not crowded, and sizeable. There is a skate park nearby and access to the lake shore drive path. Because it isn't so crowded, I can practice rollerblading without feeling like I'm holding up a line. Also, there's a harbor on the other side of the beach. I like to dangle my feet over the pier and just sit and relax. So cool! read more

I really tried to give this beach a chance, but honestly I think the flies have taken over. Each time I have gone there there are more and more BITING flies, and they are relentless. I couldn't even enjoy 30 min of sun bathing/swimming because they followed me out to the water.... It was a big ball of suck at this beach.... skip it , or bring your bug spray and fly swatter ! read more

Great little beach that's not too crowded of you get there early. I loved it so much I'm going back tomorrow. It's pretty clean and very peaceful. Near by parking and really cool kids playground nearby! read more

AHHH The beach! I go here very often on Sundays while I see to my clients needs over the weekend(my workweek starts on Friday and ends on Monday). The time I spend with my grandchildren is very important. The food, ugh! We have so many GOOD restaurants here in the Chi. Why the HELL did they put this high falutin' hot dog stand here? Wings-9.50 that SUCK, dry, uninteresting. Polish with fries-5.50, dry sausage, dry bun, UGH! Bring a picnic basket. The frozen drinks are the only thing that kept me going to that hot dog stand. The dead painted trees among live ones is creepy. The play area is great for my under 5 year old children with ALOT of play things to do. Yeah, there are boats in the harbor. The kids don't care for a boat they can't get on. Oh yeah, while you are tanning, watch out for the guy with the ice cream cart, he will run over you weather you buy a frozen treat or not. read more

Me and my boys go there for walks, chase geese. And experience the negative ions of lake Michigan....

What a great afternoon I had here. I've never been south on lake shore drive and I must say I delightfully surprised. I spent the afternoon here with my mom spending some girl time with my mom. The beach was easy to get to and the parking was a breeze. Very clean and peaceful for a weekday. Great view of the skyline and everything north of there. I will be there again! read more

What a difference a renovation makes! So clean, close to home, easy parking and none of the annoying kids running by kicking sand in your face (North Ave*cough*). read more

best view of the city...clean beach most of the time...life guards..and a little snack shop. The one star removed because I always see tug boats and borderline tankers out there and not sure how I feel about that being so close to the beach....Still, great for families and parking is a cinch read more

One of the best parks in the city! Boating, Skateboard Park, Cheap Parking, Bike Path, Lake Michigan, City Skyline, enjoy!

Went to this beach a couple times because a friend lived nearby. Such a good beach!! Not as crowded as the main beaches in Chicago. The little clubhouse is nice with bathrooms & food. The beach even has wifi that reaches pretty far. Lots of families. There's a lifeguard on duty. Would definitely recommend it here if you're trying to have a relaxing afternoon laying out! read more

Small beach and bristly sand, scratchy on feet. Not too busy on a Sunday afternoon, cyclicsts, walkers, joggers, doggies and us marching towards the Marina along the seawall hand in hand - about two miles methinks and very pleasant. read more

This is the closest big, open lakeside area to where I live and I AM SO LUCKY because it is probably the best one. There are funny sculptures, rocky portions to climb, a harbor, and a standard sand beach with lots of kids which is always a good sign because kids always know what's up. The undulating grassy expanses means the possibility of optimum sun-tanning orientation at ANY TIME OF DAY. read more

I'm not always to easiest to please with the beach experience, but this is my go to destination in the city. It's not nearly as crowded as some of the more popular spots, like North Ave or Oak St. It's easy to park, clean, and even has a restroom and concessions! The views are excellent and there are a lot of great rental places on the harbor if you're looking for sports. read more

I didn't have any trouble finding a parking spot at this beach, and I went around 1 in the afternoon. Parking is free, so what do you expect? So I cant say anything bad about that, the beach itself is a nice beach, sand is clean except for the occasional goose/duck poop. The water was fairly clean as well. Very diverse crowd. Some punk kids but nothing to ruin your day over. Over all it was a very nice time. You can go out more than "6 feet from shore". I'd say maybe 20 ft , so there is plenty of room to swim. Great beach to take the kids to. read more

Pros: Parking Not that crowded. Well at least when i went. Cons: The water was super dirty the sand was super rocky the bathrooms super dirty I will go again just because its close to my house and there is parking, but OMG was that water disgustingly dirty. read more

The view of the skyline from this beach is amazing. The water is usually pretty clear, all the more amazing considering that the beach is enclosed by a jetty on each side. The crowd is mostly families with young kids but you'll notice a few couples here and there and it's a pretty diverse crowd. The parking is horrible especially since lots of people use the lot for access to the bike trail or grilling in the park. And in typical Chicago fashion people park wherever they damn well please and rarely show consideration for other drivers. All in all, once you get on the sand (which is pretty coarse) your day will be a little better. Just don't sit close to the water or you'll get hit with a little kid's mudball. read more