Writing this review pretty late but since I'm planning another visit here soon, this beach has been top of mind. I was here last July and had the best time! The area is clean and gorgeous with scenic views of the skyline. The beach is huge with plenty of space to spread out. There's bike racks nearby for rentable electric bikes. There's a paved path perfect for running, walking, or cycling. The bathrooms weren't too bad for being outdoors - I've certainly seen a lot worse in public parks. The water was clear and blue with some gentle waves. Although the temp is cold, it's super refreshing on a hot day. Can't wait to be back! read more

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I go to the beach often and every time I want to buy food and there always out of everything. If I was the owner the first thing I would do is fire the manager. The place is a gold mine and they never have any food.... read more

Osterman Beach is my favorite beach in Chicago! Even on busy days. It never feels TOO crowded. People who frequent this beach are mostly locals or Loyola college students. It's a great beach for anyone: families, friends, dates. The sand is clean and lifeguards on duty in summer. read more

I recently was told Chicago is the 3rd coast and I see why after visiting this beach. I had visited Chicago once before this visit and heard about beaches on the lake and assumed they were beaches, but nothing special! To my surprise I was wrong. Lake Michigan has a long coastline of Beaches all the way up to Wisconsin and they are filled with activities comparable to beaches in Florida. This beach is considered the "Gay Beach" however there are lots of other people/communities there. If you're in the LGBTQ community you will have a good time as there are other people to socialize with and meet. The beach is a bit north from other beaches in the city but not by much! I would definitely visit again. My only con is the beach needs more options to purchase food and drinks. read more

Such a nice clean beach! By now, at this time of the year, it's closed already. It means that there are no longer any lifeguards present in the beach area. Otherwise, you can still walk around and enjoy the view and the fresh air. We visited on the Labor Day weekend. It was completely packed with people! Families with children, couples and singles ... I noticed the lifeguards were very active, regularly walking up and down on the waterfront, and rowing on the little boat on the border line where the swimming was not allowed. I'm coming here again! read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It's a hidden gem. It's quite expansive. It's got a Rainbow light house. It's got facilities Lots of space for everyone. Speaking of rainbow, this beach i heard us frequently visited by the LGBTQ community. There's also a large park area behind the beach and it's relatively close to foster beach so lots of options. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Lovely, amazing, wonderful beach. Lots of LGBTQ+ folks, people of different ages and body shapes and sizes, ranges of physical abilities, racial diversity, families. Even though it's so close to where LSD ends, and the nearby traffic situation is intense, once you are on the beach, the city is only a skyline and a memory. read more

Great beach with soft sand, large concession area, restrooms, close to parking and public transportation. It welcomes all walks of life, so you have a diverse crowd all along the beach area. A nice long pier allows you to walk into lake waters and enjoy the waves crashing at your side. Nice, welcoming and clean. It's a great spot just north of Chicago downtown. read more

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AKA gay beach. AKA hands down best beach in Chicago. Waaaay way up north far away from the mobs of high school crumboiis with beers in their backpack. My motto is: the more speedos the better. Many volleyball courts to play on. If it's a summer/fall weekend with great weather- guaranteed good time. You forgot your speaker? Your playa neighbors will be jammin upbeat fun songs. Ok to bring alcohol bc it's a mature beach- but if the cops ask- I never said that. Wine in a swell or hydro flask is the way to go. Rosè (cold) All Day. Not kidding best beach no bigots allowed!! And if someone asks you if you need help applying sunscreen... they flirtin read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Enjoying a beautiful September day on the beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best beach ever. Clean water and sand with lots of space to stretch out. The southern end is the "fun" end, while the northern end is more chill and kid friendly. To be frank, the southern end is super gay and provides some of the best people watching in Chicago, periodt. Enter from Bryn Mawr (Southern end) or Ardmore Ave. (Northern end). The paleta guy comes through regularly. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Beautiful low key beach. Quiet and relaxing. Not too crowded. Parking is tough so plan ahead! Concession stand looks great.

Rosa J. may have been introducing many local eateries, but she's definitely no beach babe. Goddess of Chicago Transit Authority decided to send Rosa J. and Daddy J. to the Historic District of Edgewater. Approximately ten (10) to fifteen (15) minutes worth of strolling eastbound to the lakeshore, I began to see kids running around with their bathing suits. After a stormy evening destroying lots of infrastructures in the city, chilling at the beach seemed to be a popular choice for many Chi-town residents. I typically have some sort of phobia using public restrooms. Nevertheless, the restrooms at Kathy Osterman Beach were quite decent. There's a concession stand that sells light snacks and alcoholic beverages (Nacho Mama). I wasn't prepared to jump into the water this afternoon. Swimming isn't my cup of tea anyway; taking a relaxing walk certainly suits the "foodie on foot" Rosa J.'s style. The Kathy Osterman Beach starts/ends near Sheridan Rd. Now it's time to jump on the CTA 147 (Michigan/Outer Lakeshore Dr. Express) to look for a cup of iced chai somewhere near the Loyola Red Line station. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Beautiful beach to go to when the weather is nice! It is very gay friendly and has a nice pier you can walk out to take a picture on. The sand is great and they offer several volleyball courts where you can bring your own net and setup for a game or two. The downside here is that it can be very crowded at times and the crowd can sometimes reveal a little much, especially if you stumble upon this with as a family with any kids with you. Otherwise, highly recommend bringing a towel down and laying out on a nice day. read more

I love this place so much. Best beach ever. I lived steps away for 5 years and there was never a dull moment. Even in the midst of winter or the worst of the summer storm, the lake always has something to offer. It just a beautiful piece of land, cozy, eclectic, diverse, friendly, clean, and lots of fun. The sunrise was my inspiration, my source of tranquility and energy. I will forever miss this place. Hope will be back sometime. read more

My wife and I spent the afternoon at Hollywood Beach for the first time last August and we loved it! While this is a Chicago beach, we definitely got a Haulover Beach-like vibe that day. We've seen a few comments regarding minimal swimwear at this beach, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that men in bikinis were the norm and women in thongs were common. Several women were topless, and there were more than a few guys in thongs. We watched one woman walk topless down to the water and back for a cool dip in the lake. This was only our first visit, so I can't say that this was an average day at Hollywood Beach, but we'll be back to check it out again! Well done Chicago. We appreciated the open-minded attitudes, the diversity, and the acceptance. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love this beach and the parks around here including Berger Park. Just hoping that there will be better security at the beach and parks because there are a lot of kids, families, dogs etc... I suggest police and park security and staff make more rounds to protect everyone and keep everything safe. I hope the alderman will continue to try keeping the beach and parks clean and protected. read more

Best beach in the city! Gays on the south end, families on the north end, hermaphrodites in the middle. Tell em, Josh sent you! read more

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This beach is my favorite beach across many states, including ocean comparisons. I love this beach. This beach makes me sing songs about how much I love this lake. I've lived on the way and west coast and this beach is better than the cape or any place over been in Cali for chillin with No exertion. It's easy to get to Clean Food and water and bathrooms and showers are all available Water is clean Gay boys are friendly and polite Few children, no dogs Every thing I want from a beach and more. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - And paddle board rentals - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kathy Osterman Beach, aka Hollywood Beach. I just call it the gay beach. Like many others have said, it is one of the nicest beaches in Chicago. The beach, water, and facilities are all very clean. There is also a concession stand that serves food, beer, and cocktails. During the week, the beach is not crowded at all. On a hot weekend, it gets packed, especially on Sunday Funday. Even though its crowded, it isn't difficult to find a spot near the water. There is no parking, so ride your bike or take the Red Line to Bryn Mawr and walk a few blocks east. Speaking of biking, this beach needs one (or five) of the new bike corrals that are being installed across the city: http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/07/05/rack-em-up-chicago-to-reach-25-on-street-bike-corrals-this-summer/. On the weekend, it is difficult to find bike parking. Chicago is lucky to have this beach. When I lived in Los Angeles, we didn't have a gay beach like this. And LA is a beach city (sort of). Friendly and so much fun! read more

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BACKGROUND Living on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago has to be one of my most favorite things. As always, I love to do my research and find out some information on the location I'm visiting, so I can use my reviews for reference. And this is what I found from various sources. Lake Shore Drive, as the name states, is the drive along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. In between the drive and the lake is the beach. Although contiguous, the beach divided into regions, and usually take the name of the east-west street that runs perpendicular to the lake at each beach's location. The beaches in Chicago are an extensive network of waterfront recreational areas operated by the Chicago Park District. The Chicago metropolitan waterfront includes parts of the Lake Michigan shores as well as parts of the banks of the Chicago, Des Plaines, Calumet, Fox, and DuPage Rivers and their tributaries. The waterfront also includes the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Sanitary and Ship Canal. Historically, the waterfront has been used for commerce, industry, and leisure. Leisure, such as fishing, swimming, hunting, walking and boating, was much more prevalent throughout the river sections of the waterfront system early in the 19th century before industrial uses altered the landscape. By midcentury, much leisure shifted to Lake Michigan as a result of industrial influence. The first City of Chicago Public Beach opened in Lincoln Park in 1895. Today, the entire 28 miles Chicago lakefront shoreline is man-made, and primarily used as parkland. There are twenty-four beaches in Chicago along the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan. KATHY OSTERMAN BEACH Kathy Osterman Beach was formerly called Hollywood Beach. Located at the 5800 North block where Lake Shore Drive ends at a curve that feeds into Sheridan Road (near Hollywood Avenue and North Lake Shore Drive) in Edgewater, this crescent-shaped beach serves two groups. The northern half is largely a family beach and the southern half is largely a gay and lesbian beach. The northern half of the beach has shallow water which makes it kid-friendly and there is a long boardwalk ramp to allow closer access to the shoreline for strollers and wheelchairs near the Ardmore Avenue entrance. Beach volleyball is popular here. There is a beach house and concession stand, which opened in 2010. Unique among Lincoln Park's northern beaches there is no nearby parking lot. KATHY OSTERMAN Kathy Osterman was a Chicago politician who lobbied vigorously for passage of Chicago's Human Rights Ordinance in 1988. As a result, Osterman was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community in 1993. On May 1, 1992, Osterman married radio political commentator Bruce DuMont. Later that year she died of cancer. On July 22, 1993 Ardmore Beach in the Edgewater neighborhood was renamed Kathy Osterman Beach. CONCLUSION The Chicago lakefront is gorgeous, but to call it a beach is a bit generous; it's certainly not a destination "beach" in the traditional sense. It is definitely a wonderful place for locals to hangout during the spring-fall months. 4/5 RECOMMEND read more

Great beach! What's really nice about this beach is that it's neatly tucked in behind several Sheridan Road high-rises and there's virtually no access by car. So unless you're on foot or bike, you might not even notice it. In fact, I never did notice it until recently even though I must have passed by it on the Hollywood exit of the Drive a thousand times. Even when you pass within feet of it on the bike path, it's obscured by some trees and bushes and you can easily pass it by without realizing how big and beautiful it really is. Looking at it on Google Maps, it's about twice as large as Foster Beach but doesn't attract nearly the number of people that Foster does because there's no parking lot at Osterman. The easiest way to access Osterman Beach is from Ardmore (5800 N). Just keep going east. When you hit sand and water, you're at the beach. About 900 W, just east of the bike path. The crescent shape of the beach and the benches that run along its edge make it a perfect place to hang out and relax with a beautiful view of the lake. That's exactly what I did last night. About an hour before sunset, a huge cloud passed over the city but didn't drop its rain until it got over the lake. You could see it coming down in sheets. Other than that huge cloud, the sky was crystal clear. It was a beautiful site and I wish I would have had my camera with me so I could share it with you Yelpers! There aren't many amenities at this beach except for a water fountain along the bike path to the west. You'll have to trek down to Foster for restrooms, showers and snacks at the beach house there. UPDATE: I was at the beach today and found the restrooms! South end of the beach. No trek to Foster required. Who was Kathy Osterman? She was President of the Edgewater Community Council (1985 to 1986), 48th Ward Alderman (1987 to 1989) and Director of the Mayor's Office of Special Events (1989 to 1992). For a touching tribute to her life, see: http://www.edgewaterhistory.org/articles/index.html?v05-1-7.html read more

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Holy mother planet of Bikini Briefs, Mini Bar! I had yet to check out this beach since being in Chicago, until this past Sunday. Let me just say that it is a great beach. It wasn't too crowded and crazy, as I had expected it to be especially on Memorial Day weekend. We were able to plop down close to the water, play a little frisbee in the very shallow ocean... err, lake... (never realized how shallow it was), and enjoyed some sun. Of course, we were subjected to many queen bee's buzzing about all sorts of things (which I will leave up to your creative imaginations)... read more

AKA Hollywood Beach, or at least that's what my friends and myself have called it since we were children! The best beach in Chicago, when it relates to cleanliness, and lack of crowds. Like any Chicago beach, there are some opportunities; ie cigarette butts as trash. But cleanish. Also, this a small beach, but typically not crowded. Good for families, children, and all types of people! read more

oh Hollywood Beach. How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 1) old leathery men in speedos and thong bikinis 2) families and gays living in harmony (see it can happen!) 3) beach volleyball, with ATTITUDE! (spike it, girl!) 4) hotdog/convenience stand run by teenagers 5) the "cat" walk from your spot on the beach into the water--i.e. to see and be seen 6) thank god for portable music players and red plastic cups! and finally 7) the FIERCEST gay cliques you've ever seen. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid. **BYO: sunscreen, books, drama, and most improtantly (designer) sunglasses** read more

I have never seen so many gorgeous men congregated in a small section of beach in my life. Of course, none of them were looking at me. (Note to self: even better!) I usually don't head up this far north, unless I'm on a long run. But when North Ave beach was overrun with the Air & Water Show, we needed a place for Sunday volleyball. And f/k/a Hollywood Beach (let's be honest--way more appropriate of a name) is definitely the place. The sand is absolutely beautiful--white, fine, and clean (no glass, ma!). While the sand is a bit dense for volleyball, for all other pursuits (laying out, reading a book, looking hot, drinking a beverage), it's perfect. Nestled in a beautiful crook of the lake, the beach is surprisingly huge. And the crowd is sparse, yet diverse. The seen-and-be-seen gay crowd congregates towards the south end, but there are also volleyball games, and families with small children milling about. And can we talk about cleanliness? After getting accustomed to the STD & staph infection laden North Ave Beach, this place is so clean I think I could go barefoot to the bathrooms. Yup, I did go barefoot to the bathroom. Make the trek up north and experience a beach like it should be. Note--there is no parking lot, though with some patience you can find street parking in the surrounding neighborhoods (not metered or zoned). I'd recommend public transit. read more

Thank you, lifeguards. Yesterday, I seen something I've never seen in my life; grown men yelling and cursing at lifeguards who are young adults. Now, I came to the beach to get in one last wave on my toes. I love th beach, esp this beach for the peace and quiet you can get on early morning or late evening. Not yesterday. The lifeguards were in their boats, making sure people were safe. This man swims close to the line in the water the lifeguards for made to PROTECT the beach visitors. It appears to me the man got very close to the line, so of course, the lifeguards ask from to swim closer from the line. He gets mad, stands, and snaps on the young female lifeguard. Then leaves her and goes to snap on other female lifeguard. It was sad to see him do this, as it was clear him being upset had nothing to do with them. Then his friend ( a male too) goes snaps on the rest of the lifeguards on shore. It was quite a sight. I mean, lifeguards are there to protect us. For whatever reason, you got close to the line of safety. You would want them to save you should that wave come and take you further away...but i digress. I just wrote this to tell the lifeguards that day great job for just keeping your cool, for maintaining your professionalism, and for doing your job of keeping the public safe. read more

Shhhhhhhhh We must not let the others know about this place. Clean sand and quiet breezes. Seriously... Shhhhhhhh read more

I've been going to Kathy Osterman Beach aka Hollywood Beach at least twice a week since I moved here. Evanston charges for beach access, so I said "screw that" and decided to take advantage of Chicago's free beaches. I'm not afraid to admit that I love Speedo-like swim trunks. If women of all shapes can wear skimpy bikinis, then men can wear just as little. My boyfriend is also an advocate of Speedos, so he felt right at home with his own pair. There are men who wear thongs, but don't laugh. Their bums are in much better shape than most women's. Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it. The beach is very clean (the public restroom is another story), it's convenient to Bryn Mawr and Thorndale stations, and no one really gives a damn what you wear here. Most likely you'll be checked out if anything. By the way, whoever says this beach isn't "good for kids" needs to get his head straight. I've seen plenty of families at this beach on both the "family side" and "gay side". There's nothing inappropriate going on that kids can't be around. In fact, kids don't care and so shouldn't the parents. read more

"Hey baby, what's your size? You're smokin' like bacon in that swimsuit...yummy." Nope, I do not have to put up with drunk straight guys at Hollywood Beach by any means. And, yes, mostly because the guys here are checking each other out...score! Yes, I live a 5 minute walk from North Ave beach and I've tried it out, but I still prefer to make the trek up to Hollywood Beach. It's a great place to meet and hang out with a big group of friends, chill for the whole day without worrying about people stomping all over you, and it doesn't make you feel like you're in the city. Being new to the city and trying the different beaches, this one so far is the best in my eyes. Granted, if you want to be seen, then go to North Ave Beach. If you're just wanting to have a good time for a whole day with no hassle, hit up Hollywood; it's where the stars go (including me)... read more

I think this is the nicest and most serene beach of all in Chicago. It's quite "euro", as I've seen some semi-to-no-clothed people lying out - but that's all good! It's expansive, and doesn't get all that crowded. Lots of gay men, but they're the ones that look the best in their brief swimwear anwyay. read more

Great beach although it's quite a hike for me, but thankfully right off LSD. This is a pretty awesome place to go on a 90 degree sunday funday. It's not the size of North Ave or Montrose Beach but its perfect. The crowd is chill, nobody cares what bathing suit you wear or how old you are when you wear it, everyone's just there to get in the sun and play in the water, my kind of place. They have a wooden boardwalk that leads you right near the water, perfect for walking into your spot instead of fighting against lots of sand. Parking is street parking and it's a pretty busy area so the earlier you get here the better. Free meter parking on Sundays! read more

I really like Kathy Osterman Beach, or Hollywood Beach, or most famously known to my friends as the Gay Beach. It's not as crowded as North Avenue or Oak Street Beach. Bathrooms are clean and the concession stand is pretty nice. There's a mix of people -families, couples, gays wearing close to nothing, old folks...good people watching beach, but also very chill! :) the only downside is there's no parking so if you plan on driving here, it may take you awhile to find a spot on the street. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here this past Saturday morning/afternoon. Even with 80*+ weather, it was not crowded. The beach was clean and quiet. A nice option when looking for rest and relaxation. Intimate. read more

Kathy Osterman Beach - Chilln. - Beaches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So this is definitely my favorite beach in the city. It is fairly large. The northern part is occupied by families, the southern part is occupied by "family." There is some mingling in the middle but each group mostly keeps to themselves. The sand on the southern part is immaculate - seriously I think the gays had designer sand imported from overseas - no pebbles, no stones, no glass, no trash - just fine grain, silky sand. This is probably the cleanest beach in the entire city (Foster beach is not bad either - Montrose beach is a complete garbage dump). We 'mos are a clean and industrious people - we pick up after ourselves, recycle, and tear one another to shreds (behind our backs of course). This beach does not usually fill up until about 1pm which is just about the time when the hangover subsides enough to make movement bearable again. The crowds arrive with coolers/cups, umbrellas, lots of tanning oil, designer sunglasses/swimsuits, thongs, g strings, speedos, banana hammocks and a healthy dose of drama. Around mid afternoon - once the contents of the plastic cups kick in the crowd gets a little more rowdy. Stereos come on a little louder, there is more frolicking in the water, more flirting, more cruising, more judging. Great beach overall, fairly quiet, very clean and very very relaxing. Awesome way to spend a hot summer day. Where else can you sweat out your hangover, while listening to throbbing techno beats and sipping your favorite drink and checking out men clad in dental floss (or less). read more

Beautiful beach! Its peaceful also, and water calm. Lucky me, i get to see it everytime i enter the Lakefront trail to start my run or bike rides. And great place to watch the sunrise. read more

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This weather has me thinking about one of my favorite warm weather activities.......... wasting a day at the beach. I am a little hesitant to write a review about Hollywood Beach since one of the best things about it is how uncrowded it tends to be. But sharing is caring, I guess. Some of the best summer days of my life have been spent here. It's small, kind of secluded (good for topless sunbathing), and as I previously mentioned, practially deserted most of the time (especially compared to Montrose, North Avenue or Oak Street Beaches). There's no parking lot, but street parking (mostly metered) is pretty easy, especially during the day. It's remarkably clean most of the time, there's not a million kids running around shrieking, and, depending on the time of day, there's shade provided by the surrounding high rises. The nearest restaurant is Moody's, which I think is kind of overrated. However, they do have an awesome beer garden, which is a perfect way to end a day at the beach. Oh, July cannot come soon enough. read more

Lots of room to find a spot of your own. Very clean and they just built a new beach house with restrooms, etc. to replace the little embarrassing shack that was there before. If you're going to be seen or to see others, head toward the southern half. If you're still trying to get rid of your love handles and don't want to feel self-conscious slash judged (like me) or you're opposed to frolicking gay men, then head north. Luckily, there is plenty of room for everyone. Of course it's busier on the weekends, but hit this beach on a weekday and you'll easily find a quiet spot. Very short walk from Broadway Ave and it's at the end of the wonderful city-long lakeshore bike path. read more

Beautiful beach! This is the start of the lake shore bike path, and features a grassy area that many grillers use, as well as a crescent shaped beach area. Lifeguards are on duty in the summer. Formal beach hours are 9-9, like the rest of the city. Benches and a prominary point are available for resting, vendors on bikes ride around, close walk to foster beach, and not too far to Montrose harbor. In fact, on a breezy spring day, it is a wonderful lakefront walk on the rocks! This area remains a beautiful place during the week, so if you are looking for a peaceful place to get some sun, check it out! For those of you who risk a ticket for your puppy to swim, this beach is fantastic in the early morning hours... Try to stay close to the Osterman side, away from the condo's closer to Foster. Typically, it is a great place to let them romp, swim, and play. On the weekends, early, before the lifeguards get in, you will usually find many dogs playing, digging, etc..... but... if Officer Friendly is feeling grouchy, you might earn yourself a couple of hefty tickets-- Your choice! But, in my opinion, well worth it!! read more

I don't know if I should write this review because then everyone will come and frequent the beach. It's one of the best kept secrets out of all the beaches in the city. It's one of the cleanest beaches (both water and sand) which wins it's first 4 stars. They have a nice concession stand that serves alcohol and various snacks. I wouldn't order the guacamole though. It's blended to the consistency of baby food and is filled with big chunks of raw onion. The chips are pretty good though. My friends and I (and your friends I'm sure) call this the gay beach. All the hot gay men hang out here and converge to the south side of the beach. It's great. This is still very much a family beach though. It never really gets overly crowded either. Or at least that's what I've experienced. read more

When you go to the beach in Chicago there are a few things you can expect to find: littered, crowded sand, horrifyingly loud children, dogs, dogs, and dogs, and a good chance of a third eye if you go more than knee-deep in the forever freezing water. While some of these can't be avoided, the best beach I've experienced has been this one. The beach seems separated into three sections, the gay beach, the family beach, and the empty beach. All three areas are pleasant with varying degrees of noise and partying. The sand is clean, the lifeguards aren't jerks, and I've never experienced it being overcrowded. There's a lovely dock, too, if you want a walk. I've also successfully enjoyed a few brews out there with a friend right next to the lifeguard chair and had no problem (the lifeguard even apologizing when he had to ask us to leave because of the storm before we'd finished our beer). I'm not sure how strict other beaches are about this but there's nothing like the paper and a beer on the beach. read more