Kathy Osterman Beach

Located near Chicago’s neighborhood of Edgewater, Kathy Osterman Beach – also known as Osterman Beach, Ardmore Beach, and Hollywood Beach – is a slightly wide beach with light brown sand and a nearby breakwater.   Kathy Osterman Beach is part of a larger recreational park named Lincoln Park (which is not to be confused by a nearby city of the same same).  The southern part of Kathy Osterman Beach is popular with the members of the LGBTQ community. Kathy Osterman Beach is open between 6 am to 11 pm.   

Kathy Osterman Beach has lifeguards from the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day – during this time, lifeguards are on duty here between 11 am and 7 pm.  In addition to lifeguards, Kathy Osterman Beach and the area around it have many amenities including restrooms, nearby watersports rental facilities, Wi-Fi connection, volleyball courts, a beach house, a nearby playground, concession stands, benches, picnic tables, and walking and biking trails. 

Dogs are not allowed at Kathy Osterman Beach. 

Kathy Osterman Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, biking, beachcombing, fishing, wildlife watching, picnicking, volleyball, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, surf-skiing, boating, scuba diving, and biking. 

Kathy Osterman Beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, canoers, paddleboarders, and surf-skiers because the water here is mostly shallow and usually has gentle waves – the northern portion of Kathy Osterman Beach is known for particularly having shallow water.

If you like long distance swimming, there is a long-distance swimming area that is located near Kathy Osterman Beach – this swimming area is parallel to the beach’s shoreline.  Please also note that swimming near Kathy Osterman Beach is permitted only within the designated swimming areas and when the lifeguards are on-duty.

If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, snorkel, or paddleboard near Kathy Osterman Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here can have dangerous rip currents and occasional strong waves.  

If you like taking pictures with amazing views, Kathy Osterman Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the city of Chicago and Lake Michigan. 

Kathy Osterman Beach offers wheelchair access for visitors with disabilities and it has an accessible walkway for people with disabilities.

Getting to Kathy Osterman Beach is easy – this beach is located near 5800 North Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive.   There are a few nearby free and metered street parking spaces. 

We recommend visiting Kathy Osterman Beach early on weekends because this beach can get crowded. 

Kathy Osterman Beach is named after a public servant named Kathy Osterman who served as the Alderman of the Edgewater neighborhood – this beach was officially named Kathy Osterman Beach in 1993.  In addition, this beach also hosts many events including a movie series, and summer camps for kids. 

There are many attractions near Kathy Osterman Beach.   Indian Boundary Park  is a recreational park that is a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a lagoon, a nature play center, a cultural center, a kids’ spray pool, four tennis courts, and a playground.  If you like baseball, Wrigley Field is an extremely popular and famous baseball stadium that was initially opened in 1914 and it is the home of the American baseball team Chicago Cubs.  This stadium hosts many exciting baseball games.  If you like birdwatching, Kathy Osterman Beach Dunes Natural Area is a natural area that is adjacent to Kathy Osterman Beach – this natural area has sand dunes and interesting native plant species.  In addition, this natural area is a popular site for birdwatching and you can see many kinds of resident and migratory birds here.  

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is a museum that has interesting exhibits on local biodiversity and ecological history – in addition, the museum also has a butterfly garden, a play area for kids, and a nature trail.  If you are looking for another attraction near Kathy Osterman Beach, Swedish American Museum is a museum that offers informative exhibits on the local Swedish diaspora and Swedish culture.   This museum also displays interesting Swedish artworks and it also has a gift store. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Kathy Osterman Beach.  Herb is an upscale Thai restaurant that offers many delicious seasonally-inspired dishes including Thai curries, Thai-style barbecued pork, and soups.  Hopleaf Bar is a restaurant and bar that offers amazing European and American dishes for breakfast and lunch including chicken dishes, steak frites, salads, pastas, burgers, and sandwiches – and was listed as the “Best in Beer” by Craft Beer & Brewing in 2022.  Fireside Restaurant & Lounge is a restaurant that serves amazing steaks, macaroni and cheese, seafood, pizzas, pastas, chicken dishes, sandwiches, burgers, and salads.  Little Bad Wolf is another great restaurant and bar that offers delicious bar food including bao buns, tacos, burgers, sandwiches, poultry dishes, and seafood.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Kathy Osterman Beach, Cozy Corner Restaurant & Pancake House offers amazing dishes for breakfast and lunch including eggs, biscuits-and-gravy, French toast, pancakes, salads, burgers, and sandwiches.  

If you are looking for a hotel near Kathy Osterman Beach, there are any great nearby options.  The 5-Star Waldorf Astoria Chicago offers many amenities including a fitness center, a pool, a spa, a restaurant, and a bar.   Another upscale hotel is the 4.5-Star Viceroy Chicago that offers many amenities including a seasonal pool, a fitness center, a lounge, bike loaner facilities, a wine social, and board games.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star The Guesthouse Hotel that offers many amenities including a fitness center, a rooftop deck, a club room with a fireplace, and a library.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Majestic Hotel that offers a lounge with a fireplace and   access to a local gym.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Kathy Osterman Beach, the 3-Star Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago North Shore (Skokie) offers many amenities including a fitness center, a pool, and a restaurant.