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Illinois (IL)
Chicago
Chicago Attractions
Oak Street Beach
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Oak Street Beach

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See all things to do
Oak Street Beach
4.5
About
Great place for water sports and biking.
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Near North Side
How to get there
  • Chicago • 8 min walk
  • Clark/Division • 10 min walk
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
3,235 within 5 kms
Francesca's On Chestnut
586
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Italian • Tuscan • Romana
Doc B's Restaurant + Bar
650
0.1 km$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Vegetarian Friendly
Velvet Taco
311
0.4 km$ • Quick Bites • Mexican • Southwestern
Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House
1,522
0.3 km$$$$ • American • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly
Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
398
0.5 km$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
The Original Pancake House
996
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Luxbar
450
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Vegetarian Friendly
Bistronomic
528
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • French • European • Contemporary
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
3,861
0.3 km$$$$ • American • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly
Maple & Ash
667
0.4 km$$$$ • American • Steakhouse • Seafood
See all
Attractions
601 within 10 kms
Yesenia Saad Modern Health & Beauty
37 mBallets
Bloomingdale's
89
0.1 kmDepartment Stores
Bryan Lathrop House
1
0.1 kmHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
The 900 Shops Mall
96
0.2 kmShopping Malls
Fourth Presbyterian Church
232
0.3 kmReligious Sites
360 Chicago Observation Deck
11,100
0.3 kmArchitectural Buildings • Observation Decks & Towers
Oak Street
77
0.2 kmNeighbourhoods
Lookingglass Theatre Company
470
0.4 kmTheatres
John Hancock Center
66
0.3 kmArchitectural Buildings
Water Tower Place
799
0.3 kmShopping Malls
See all
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
361 reviews
Excellent
162
Very good
152
Average
34
Poor
6
Terrible
7
Tom B
Worthington, OH465 contributions
Pleasant Late Morning Walk
Sep 2023 • Couples
Enjoyable area for a walk, jog, or bike ride when staying in the Gold Coast area of Chicago. Provides scenic views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Adequately marked lanes for jogging/walking and bikes. Limited underground access across the busy multilane Lake Shore Drive. In summer the sandy stretches provide typical beach activities like sunbathing, volleyball, swimming, etc. Personally would have liked more opportunities for bench sitting though the more agile visitors use the stepped lake wall for taking a break or to simply enjoy the views.
Written 14 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B H
Arkansas46 contributions
Great place to relax or exercise
Jul 2022 • Couples
The bus stop was nearby. To reach the beach, we had to cross the street and use an underpass beneath the highway. There is a wide paved area with two designated lanes for walking or running and two lanes for biking. Pet friendly. There is a “shelf” that we used as a bench. It was nice to sit there instead of in the sand or having to carry a blanket or chair. Many were swimming, but we used the time to relax, listen to waves,and read a book.
Written 4 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Derek C
Chicago, IL311 contributions
Summer Time!
Aug 2021
If you are in Chicago during the summer, you should stop here. Nice clean beach with plenty of space. There are food options either on the beach or across the road. The bike path also cuts by here.
Written 11 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel W
Detroit, MI338 contributions
Very clean, right downtown
Jun 2021 • Family
This beach was .3 miles from our Downtown hotel. It was extremely clean. It had lifeguards on duty. There was an ice cream stand and a patio bar. There was also a tent to get a massage.
Written 29 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aquajh
Missouri73 contributions
Summer fun in Chicago
Jun 2021 • Couples
This is a unique place that you can enjoy water sports within a metropolitan area. I can feel the energy and fun over there.
Written 23 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rodrigo V
Guadalajara, Mexico428 contributions
Closest beach to the nice part of town
May 2021
This place is fantastic for both young kids and adults, it is the closest beach to Magnificent Mile and the vibe of the location works for all sorts of people; definitely the best beach around Chicago.
Written 16 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,751 contributions
A fashionable place to see and be seen
Jun 2021
Oak Street Beach is a fashionable place to see and be seen. Located at 1000 North Lake Shore Drive, at the curve that divides the Gold Coast neighborhood from the Streeterville neighborhood, in the shadow of the famous Drake Hotel, across the street from the north end of North Michigan Avenue or the Magnificent mile and the glitzy Oak Street shopping district, it is a popular gathering place for residents and tourists as a summer social spot amidst the hoopla and hubbub of Chicago's downtown. Food and beverage items are available at the Oak Street Beach Cafe. Beach-goers also can take advantage of many amenities, including swimming, chair rentals, bike rentals and volleyball rentals. The Lakefront Trail runs through Oak Street Beach, allowing joggers and walkers and bicyclists to go as far north as Montrose Beach and as far south as Navy Pier, even farther. In 2011, a mural measuring 260 feet in length and nine feet tall at the very center was created by Jeff Zimmerman entitled "You Know What You Should Do." It is located along a wall running parallel to the Lakefront Trail and is the access point to the Oak Street Beach underpass. It helps raise awareness of beach health and water quality issues. Its message reminds the public to help keep the beaches clean by not littering or feeding wildlife. The only downside to all of this is parking, or lack of it. There is no parking adjacent to Oak Street Beach, only street parking (if you can find a space) across Lake Shore Drive. Neighborhood residents walk to the beach while others take public transportation.
Written 15 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MayfieldParrish
Denver, CO1,073 contributions
Clean Metro Beach
May 2021
This beach is surprisingly clean for being located in the middle of a large metropolitan area. The large city buildings make for some awesome background for your pictures. Nice hotels and restaurants surround the beach so even if the weather is not ideal you can have a nice day. Great activity for families as well as couples.
Written 30 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex B
Providence, RI728 contributions
Very nice urban beach
Sep 2019 • Friends
I was actually surprised by how nice this lakefront beach was, considering its relative proximity to the Loop. Lots of people were playing volleyball at the nets, and plenty more were sunbathing or swimming – I guess the lake stays warm enough for swimming even to the end of September. The portion of the Lakefront Trail that runs along the beach was packed to the gills. All in all, this is probably a prime piece of real estate in the heat of summer for Chicagoans, but I found it great even as a visitor in early autumn. Bonus points to this place for offering awesome photo ops of the city skyline.
Written 2 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MosseTurku
Turku, Finland2,000 contributions
Good for running
Oct 2019 • Couples
We visited the beach on a stormy and rainy day, so the beach was deserted. The beach is close to the center of town so I can imagine that it's quite crowded on a warm day There's a running and biking path running along and northward of the beach all the way along the concrete beach and all the way to the North Avenue Beach. It seems to be especially popular amongst runners.
Written 1 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Oak Street Beach - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Oak Street Beach
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