Chicago Beaches

Lake Michigan is the largest freshwater lake in the United States, and Chicagoans take full advantage of it. Oak Street Beach and North Avenue Beach (on the North Side and Near North) are the fashionable places to sun-tan and be seen, but the Far North has mile after mile of less pretentious sand and surf.

Rainbow Beach in the Far Southeast Side is actually one of the city's nicest, although it is rarely visited by sun lovers from outside the neighborhood. Anyone can show up and swim - virtually none of Chicago's lakefront is spoiled by "private" beaches.