North Avenue Beach

Category: Parks-Gardens

North Avenue Beach is Chicago's busiest beach between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The beach gets very crowded and you'll see singles, couples, families and groups of friends. It is a fairly large, well-maintained beach with rentals available, including chairs, bikes and volleyball equipment (there are 50 or more volleyball courts). You'll see many runners, cyclists and inline skaters on the lake shore path, as well as an outdoor mini fitness center and roller hockey rink. Probably the greatest attraction at North Avenue Beach is people-watching.

At the beachhouse, you'll find concessions, shops and restrooms, plus a popular casual restaurant on the second floor, Castaways, serving burgers, salads, wings, tropical drinks and more.

Take public transportation or walk if you can; otherwise, be sure to arrive early to find parking.