Oak Street Beach

Located near the neighborhood of Streeterville in Chicago, Oak Street Beach is a popular small beach with light brown sand, a gradual sloping incline, and a backdrop of high-rise buildings along Lake Michigan.

Oak Street Beach has been listed as one of the “The 25 Best Chicago Beaches” by Time Out Chicago, has been listed as one of the “25 Best Beaches in the USA” by Travel + Leisure magazine, and was named the 22^nd best beach in the United States by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as Mr. Beach.

Oak Street 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, this beach also has many other amenities including volleyball courts, benches, nearby concession stands, restrooms, showers, and rental facilities for chairs, bikes, and volleyballs. 

Dogs are not allowed in Oak Street Beach.

Oak Street Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, picnicking, biking, paddleboarding, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, boating, surf-skiing, and jet-skiing.  Volleyball is also very popular here, and if you are an experienced long-distance swimmer there is an aquatic long-distance swimming trail here.  If you are planning to swim, kayak, canoe, or paddleboard near Oak Street Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here is occasionally known to have unpredictable rip currents and dangerous waves.  Please also note that swimming near Oak Street Beach is permitted only within the designated swimming areas and when the lifeguards are on-duty. 

Oak Street Beach offers wheelchair access for visitors with disabilities and has an accessible walkway for people with disabilities. 

Getting to Oak Street Beach is easy – the beach is located near 1000 North Lake Shore Drive.  Parking near Oak Street Beach can be difficult because only a few metered street parking spaces near this beach.  There are also a few paid parking lots nearby - these parking lots are expensive because of their close location to an expensive neighborhood of Streeterville.

Oak Street Beach is open between 6 am and 11 pm, and we recommend getting here early because this popular yet small beach often gets very crowded

Oak Street Beach is an artificial beach that was constructed in the late 19th century and became a popular tourist site in the early 20th century.  It’s also a great place for viewing the popular Chicago Air and Water Show that takes place in every August.

There are many attractions near Oak Street Beach.  The Navy Pier is a popular 3,300-foot-long pier that has a variety of thrilling rides, stores, and restaurants, along with many other landmarks including the Chicago Children’s Museum, a garden named Crystal Garden, public art installations, the Chicago Shakespeare Museum, and a public park named Polk Bros Park.  Chicago Riverwalk is a riverfront walkway that has many interesting features including a zero-depth fountain, a floating garden, outdoor art installations, and an outdoor theater – the Chicago River passes along this walkway and offers many fun activities including kayaking, canoeing, birdwatching, and boating. 

Lincoln Park Zoo is a 35-acre zoo that is one of the oldest zoos in the United States and it is also home to 200 animal species including gibbons, black rhinos, iguanas, many birds, and black bears – this zoo also has fun rides for kids including a carousel and a toy train.  If you are looking for another attraction near Oak Street Beach, Chicago History Museum offers interesting exhibits that provide a unique insight into the vibrant history of Chicago and the United States of America.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Oak Street Beach.  Etta – River North has a casual ambience and serves a variety of excellent dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner including pizza, focaccia bread, pasta, steak, poultry dishes, salads, and sandwiches.  Café Sophie has a charming and elegant décor and serves a variety of delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups, pizzas, focaccia bread, and charcuterie.  If you are looking for an upscale restaurant, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing dishes for lunch and dinner including steaks, soups, poultry dishes, pork chops, seafood, and sandwiches.  3 Arts Club Café has an exquisite decor and it serves a variety of amazing dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner including burgers, salads, poultry dishes, seafood, and steaks.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Oak Street Beach, Billy Goat Tavern is an immensely popular restaurant that is especially known for its cheeseburgers.  In addition to burgers, it also serves delicious breakfast dishes, sandwiches, and hot dogs  

If you are looking for a hotel near Oak Street Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The 5-Star The Peninsula Chicago offers many amenities including multiple restaurants and bars, a rooftop spa, a sun terrace, a pool, an ice-skating rink, and a fitness center.  Another popular and upscale hotel is the 4-Star The Drake that was opened in the 1920s and offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a fitness center, and multiple shopping stores.  Another nearby upscale hotel is the 4-Starwhich offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, a restaurant, a cafe, a lounge, and a bar.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Oak Street Beach, the 3-Star Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago-Downtown offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, complimentary breakfast, and evening social gatherings on Wednesdays.