Best Beach in Chicago

"Hyde ParkTucked away behind the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street Beach was designed by renowned landscape architects Olmsted and Vaux as part of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Parking is fairly easy west of Lake Shore Drive, and the beach is accessible via the pedestrian underpass. Once the sun goes down, head on over to nearby Promontory Point and gather around a bonfire pit (reservations needed).What to know: While the criminally underrated Promontory Point is worth a visit to this beach alone, nearby (and always bumping) neighborhood music venue The Promontory makes the trip even more appealing."

"57th Street Beach is one of Chicago's most popular swimming beaches, located within Jackson Park at 57th Street's terminus at the Lake Michigan shoreline. Though developed beachfront has existed at the site since the park's original landscaping by famed park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1871, it was not renovated into a swimming beach until 1899, following the completion of Chicago's Drainage Canal. Today, it offers unprecedented views of the Chicago skyline for swimmers, along with a long-distance swimming area spanning between 55th Street and the beach's ADA-accessible pier."

"Oakwood Beach, also known as 41st Street Beach, is Chicago's newest public beach, developed in the late 1990s by the Chicago Park District and officially opened to the public in 2010. The beach, which is located at the terminus of 41st Street at the Lake Michigan shoreline within Chicago's Oakland neighborhood, spans 1,300 acres and is open to the public for swimming between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with lifeguards staffed on duty between 11:00am and 7:00pm. Environmentally-sustainable beach features include a bio-retention area intended to treat storm sewer runoff and a LEED-certified beach house with rainwater-harvested toilets, which received the Chicago Greenworks Award in 2010."

"OaklandOpened to the public in 2010, Oakwood—also known as 41st Street Beach—is both relatively new and still somewhat of a hidden treasure. Although it’s small in size, it manages to pack in a great beach house, a nearby picnic area, and volleyball courts. And, of course, you can’t beat the view!"

"This is one of the best public beaches in Chicago and is huge in area lying east of the Rogers Park neighborhood. It is adjacent to the famous Loyola Park known for its stunning basketball and tennis courts, a community garden and a natural dune habitat near the lighthouse. There is long distance swimming available here running parallely to the shoreline making it one of the best beaches for swimming in Chicago."

"Just across from Rogers Park, you’ll cross through Loyola Park before getting to the sandy shoreline. There’s a parking lot, basketball and tennis courts, and playground in the park. On the southern end of the beach near the breakwater there’s a natural dune habitat and a lighthouse."

"If you don’t want to bake, or fry in this case too, then decorate with DIY cookie and doughnut kits ($14) starring colorful icing and sprinkles. You may find inspiration in the bakery’s smiley face cookies and Easter lamb cakes, wearing icing medical masks. Owner Can Lao, who revived the historic bakery in the Bridgeport neighborhood back in February, recently added Chinese egg tarts, plus a few staple items like paper towels, gloves, milk and Yakult, the yogurt-like drink."

"Restaurants Bakeries Bridgeport. This iconic Polish bakery closed in October 2019 after decades of serving pączki, doughnuts, cookies and other candy-colored sweets to its fans. Thankfully, new ownership swept in and restored the spot to its former glory."

"If you’re wondering what happened to Bridgeport Bakery 1.0, it closed. But thankfully version 2.0 has the same delicious treats as the original. And while they have a lot of baked goods besides donuts, we like coming here for their long johns and bismarks."

"Founded by savvy foodies Carole Jones and Polly Byrd with the aim of raising awareness of the amazing benefits of eating raw foods, Chicago Raw serves a variety of high quality, fully uncooked, 100% plant-based products, and plates. Delicious dishes include collard burritos, spinach lasagna, fresh ravioli, and sweet potato pancakes, while sweet treats range from a decadent carrot cake packed with apricot, walnuts, fresh carrot, and cinnamon to homemade coconut macaroons with shredded coconut, almonds, and vanilla. Chicago Raw is open from Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and is closed on Sundays."

"Sourced straight from nature, Chicago Raw is a plant-based and raw restaurant whose goal is to show how food can be high quality fuel for your body. You’ll find a wide variety of options to choose from including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, and dessert!. Location: 131 N Clinton St #7, Chicago, IL 60661"

"One thing I learned in this world the most important thing we can do no matter the environment up or down in life the biggest variable we can control is ..."

"Native Foods Café is a fast-casual vegan restaurant chain that operates around the country and serves a menu of hearty meat-free fare. Set in various locations around Chicago and open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Native Foods Café features a menu with a variety of options for every taste, from award-winning Ensalada Azteca and bold and tasty Buddha Bowls to Twister Wraps and Native Chicken Wings and Nachos. Sweet treats for dessert include Oatmeal Créme Pie, and Peanut Butter Parfait, along with freshly brewed Fair Trade coffee and a selection of organic beverages and other drinks."

"I can’t believe it’s seitan,” is what you might be saying after a bowl of chili, piled-high Reuben or taco salad that are all completely vegan. Cashew cheese, faux bacon and organic tempeh are used to make every item meat- and dairy-free."

"Urban Vegan Chicago is a vegetarian and vegan eatery that serves authentic Asian and Thai fare with an international twist. The menu features vegetarian meat alternatives that are healthy and tasty, prepared with the highest quality meat-free and organic ingredients and products, and created from original recipes from every corner of the vegan lifestyle. Signature and favorite dishes on the menu include cashew nut stir-fry, spicy eggplant with sweet basil, Pad Thai rice stick noodles with bean sprouts, red and green Thai curry, lentil loaf packed with a variety of vegetables and spices, and spicy noodles."

"Restaurants Vegan Lake View. Vegans and vegetarians who love Thai food can breathe a sigh of relief. This may look like every other neighborhood joint, but there is no fish sauce hiding in the peanut satay nor egg wash coating the spring rolls: Everything on the menu is 100 percent vegan."

"For fast and friendly service, dine-in or carry-out, check out Urban Vegan. The menu has loads of Thai and Asian dishes. Try the soy chicken nuggets, spicy tofu, Pad See Ew, spicy glass noodles, pumpkin eggplant and more."