Chicago Lake & Chicago River Boat Tour Cruise Comparison Chart - Review

Chicago Lakefront Beaches Illinois

Chicago has some great beaches along its lakefront. These beaches are full of history and overflowing with beauty. Listed below are some of the more popular ones. They are listed starting with the northernmost location and then in order to the southernmost location. All but one of the beaches listed (Illinois Beach State Park) are located in the City of Chicago under the control of the Chicago Park District. The entire 28 miles of Chicago lakefront shoreline is man-made, and primarily used as parkland.

North

    Aerial View of the Lakefront Beaches

    Aerial View of the Lakefront Beaches

  • Illinois Beach State Park - This beach is great for beach camping, hiking and biking with many nature trails along the shoreline.
  • Rogers Ave. Beach - A small beach, and barely a block long. Also has tennis courts.
  • Pratt Boulevard Beach - A little known jewel in Chicago with a great community feel.
  • Kathy Osterman Beach - This crescent-shaped beach is divided into two parts. The north half is great for families with kid-friendly shallow water. The south half is popular with the gay community. Beach volleyball is very popular here, and there is a newly built beach house/concession stand.
  • Foster Beach - A great little man-made beach usually not crowded and with lots of free parking.
  • Montrose Beach - Chicago's largest beach with one of only two dog beaches in Chicago at the north end ("Doggie Beach"). One of the few beaches you can launch non-motorized watercraft from, and the most parking of any beach in Chicago. The beach has recently been remodeled with a 3,000 square foot deck and a full service restaurant, The Dock at Montrose Beach.
    • Chicago Lakefront Trail

    Chicago Lakefront Trail

  • North Ave. Beach - Considered Chicago's premier beach and definitely its most popular. It hosts the most developed beach house resembling an ocean liner, and contains bike and sports equipment rental, a bar and restaurant (Castaways), concession stand, a lifeguard station, and restrooms. North Ave. Beach also has many volleyball courts, a lakefront path, and it is the center stage for the Chicago Air & Water Show.
  • Oak Street Beach - About a mile and a half long, and is home to the largest area of deep water swimming in the city. It used to be the most popular beach due to its proximity to downtown. It is also home to Chicago's only chess pavilion and an outdoor restaurant called the Oak Street Beachstro that is assembled every summer and then dismantled at the end of the season.
  • Olive Park Beach - Also known as Ohio Street Beach and is located in Streeterville. It is oriented in a fashion so that it faces north instead of east like all the other beaches. This makes it an ideal training sight for open water swimming. One can swim about a half mile to the Oak Street curve without being more that a few feet from the seawall and shallow water.

Cruises in Chicago

Cruise Info Price
Anita Dee Yachts Located in Navy Pier Alcohol ServedAppetizersoffoffoffoffoffCorporate EventsDancingDining PackagesDinnerDJFireworksoffoffoffoffoffPrivate PartiesoffWeddings

Rates

Public: Adults - $18/Kids -$7 Private Charters: $850- $1,400 Details
0
0 Reviews
Shoreline Skyline Lake Cruise Located in Navy Pier Alcohol ServedAppetizersoffoffoffoffConcessionsoffoffoffoffoffFireworksoffoffoffoffPet FriendlyPrivate Partiesoffoff

Rates

$14.25 - $16.15 Details
0
0 Reviews
Shoreline Architecture Cruise Located in Navy Pier Alcohol ServedoffoffoffoffoffConcessionsoffoffoffoffoffFireworksoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoff

Rates

Details
5
1 Review
Seadog Cruises Located in Navy Pier offoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffPet FriendlyPrivate Partiesoffoff

Rates

$21.95- $31.95 Details
0
0 Reviews
Odyssey Cruises Located in Navy Pier Alcohol ServedAppetizersoffoffoffoffoffCorporate EventsDancingDining PackagesDinneroffoffoffLive MusicoffoffoffPrivate PartiesoffWeddings

Rates

$45.00- $115.00 Details
0
0 Reviews
More Chicago Cruises...

Things-To-Do Near Chicago's Beaches

Venue Info Price
Bikes, Bites & Brews Tour Located in Streeterville ActiveoffoffoffoffoffHistoricoffoffoffSights of ChicagooffScenicoffoffoff

Thing to do
Details

Details
4.5
1 Review
Chicago Water Tower Located in Gold Coast offArtsyoffoffoffoffHistoricoffMuseumoffSights of ChicagooffScenicoffoffoff

Thing to do
Details

Details
4
1 Review
Lincoln Park Located in Lincoln Park offoffoffoffoffoffHistoricoffoffoffSights of ChicagoRomanticScenicoffoffoff

Thing to do
Details

Details
4.25
2 Reviews
Navy Pier Located in Navy Pier ActiveArtsyoffoffoffFamily FriendlyHistoricHoliday FunMuseumNightlifeSights of ChicagoRomanticScenicShoppingoffoff

Thing to do
Details

Details
3.375
2 Reviews
Magnificent Mile Located in Gold Coast offoffoffoffoffFamily FriendlyHistoricHoliday FunoffoffSights of ChicagooffoffShoppingoffoff

Thing to do
Details

Details
3.75
2 Reviews
More Things to Do ...

Hotels Near Chicago's Beaches

$800
$0
0
5
Hotel Info Nightly Rates*
4.375
2 Reviews
Manilow Suites
4
Located in Downtown Bar/LoungeBusiness ServicesConciergeFitness CenterFree InternetLakesidePet-FriendlyBusiness Center

Rates Starting At

$159* Details
3.5
1 Review
Allerton Hotel Chicago
4
Located in Gold Coast
View 1 Promo for this hotel -
 
Bar/LoungeBusiness ServicesConciergeFitness CenterFree InternetLakesidePet-FriendlyBusiness Center

Rates Starting At

$99* Details
4.25
1 Review
Doubletree Magnificent
3.5
Located in Gold Coast
View 1 Promo for this hotel -
 
Bar/LoungeBusiness ServicesConciergeFitness CenterFree InternetLakesidePet-FriendlyBusiness Center

Rates Starting At

$99* Details
3.5
1 Review
InterContinental Chicago
4
Located in Streeterville Bar/LoungeBusiness ServicesConciergeFitness CenterFree InternetLakesidePet-FriendlyBusiness Center

Rates Starting At

$139* Details
0
0 Reviews
Ambassador East
3.5
Located in Gold Coast Bar/LoungeBusiness ServicesConciergeFitness CenterFree InternetLakesidePet-FriendlyBusiness Center

Rates Starting At

$135 you pay $115* Details
More Chicago Hotels...

*Terms & Conditions: Offers, promotions and rates subject to change and may vary based upon date, length of stay and other factors. Some offers do not include taxes and fees. All offers based on availability and are subject to change without notice.

South

Aerial View of Chicago Lakefront Illinois

Aerial View of Chicago Lakefront Illinois

  • 12th Street Beach - Sometimes called the 14th Street Beach, it is just south of the Adler Planetarium, and has restrooms and a concession stand. 12th Street Beach is also popular for open water swimming.
  • 31st Street Beach - Located in Burnham Park. Every Year the 31st Street Beach hosts the Junior Lifeguard Chicago Area Tug-o-War.
  • 57th Street Beach - Located in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood, the beach sits across the street from the Museum of Science and Industry. The beach provides an area for deep swimming.
  • 63rd Street Beach - Located in Jackson Park, it is home to the oldest beach house in the city. The beach used to be called Jackson Park Beach until 1914 when it was extended 10 acres to 63rd Street, thus changing its name. In 1919, the 63rd Street Pavilion was completed, and historically provided showers, medical rooms, and bathrooms. It was renovated in 2000, and is now used primarily by boaters, beach goers, and for special events.
    • Chicago Lakefront Skyline

    Chicago Lakefront Skyline

  • South Shore Beach - It is located directly behind the South Shore Cultural Center (formerly the South Shore Country Club). The Country Club is a beautiful old building that houses a ballroom, restaurant, golf course, and tennis courts.
  • Rainbow Beach - Beginning with the 1919 Race Riot, Chicago suffered a history of race related disturbances regarding the use of public resources such as parks and beaches. Rainbow Beach was an area of controversy for black and white youth. Demographic shifts and racial climate changes of the 1960s led to a July 7 and 8, 1961 "freedom wade-in" at Rainbow Beach staged by an interracial coalition of demonstrators, including members of the NAACP Youth Council.

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