Battle of the beaches: North Avenue vs. Oak Street

Two of our finest Chicago weekends have now come and gone, the July Fourth weekend and the weekend of July 11-12, and in both cases, the weather was absolutely perfect.

Truly, Chicago at its finest!

All kinds of activities and events were going on during these busy weekends, but clearly, one of the highlights was the beaches. Chicago’s gorgeous beachfronts were on full display forthose two weekends, and both were crowded and full of activity, as usual.

We decided to do a battle between two of Chicago’s largest beaches—two of the most crowded, with the most activity. North Avenue Beach vs. Oak Street Beach. A battle of the heavyweights, if you will.

Let’s see how they stack up against each other.

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The view

North Avenue: The word “ breathtaking” is often overlooked. But looking to the south and seeing the Chicago skyline from the south end of this beach is nothing less than… well, breathtaking. 

Oak Street Beach: Beautiful in its own right. The skyscrapers right across the street add to the allure, and seeing all the Lake Shore Drive traffic right next to you just makes you that much more happy you are not in that mess and on the beach instead!

Edge? Got to go with North Avenue for the skyline view.

Layout, sand, water, etc.

North Avenue: Spacious, plenty of room, even on packed days. Sand quality outstanding, with easy access to water.

Oak Street:  Different layout. Not quite as “horizontal” as North Avenue, but still plenty of space, even on crowded days. Sand quality is perfect and water access is right there for you.

Edge? Both top notch. Call it a draw.

Volleyball

Both beaches are known for their volleyball, but there are some key differences.

North Avenue: Tons of courts, spread out in all directions. No lack of opportunity to find a game. During the week, the social leagues dominate, and it is amazing to see as many as a hundred or more volleyball games going on—all at the same time.

Oak Street Beach:  Not as many courts as North Avenue, but the players that play here are much more serious. You see some amazing athletes playing two-on-two or three-on-three games.  Not as “social” as North Avenue, a little more serious brand of beach volleyball player here. Also, this is where they host the big AVP Tournament later in the summer with some of the top professional players playing.

Edge? Oak Street Beach. More talent, more dedication to the game.

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Food options

North Avenue: Castaways sits atop the North Avenue Beach main facility. A longtime staple there, the food is decent, and the atmosphere is pretty cool, with music and lots of energy. They also have some other nearby food stands and the Shore Club, which has indoor and outdoor beach dining.

Oak Street: Whispers is the main food tenant at Oak Street Beach. Nice setting, decent food. Right on the beach, so viewing is much more “personal” than at North Avenue. More of a beachfront restaurant vibe, which is pretty cool.

Edge? Close, but give it to North Avenue. More choices, more offerings, and the tradition of the rooftop at Castaways counts for something. But a really close one here.

Amenities

North Avenue: Bigger, more accessible washrooms—that is key! Some chess-playing and viewing options on the south end are kind of cool. Easy accessthrough North Avenue tunnel. Also some rental options for kayaks, boats, etc. A little more full-service beach than Oak Street.

Oak Street: Washrooms here are harder to find than goals in a World Cup soccer game. That’s a problem. Butthismore than make up for it, with a wonderful viewing area for the non-beachgoers. Much better than North Avenue, which really doesn’t have any spectator viewing or seating at the main part of the beach. Oak Street Beach has plenty of places to sit on “the sidelines” and watch all the action, or just take in the view. Kind of a more user-friendly atmosphere here.  Added bonus? “Bruce the Masseuse” giving on-site massages for over 20 years now!

Edge? Personal choice here, obviously, and it’s a tough call. But despite the huge washroom advantage,we give the amenities/ambiance edge to Oak Street. Just has a little better “feel.”

Singles and socializing 

North Avenue: Yes, yes and yes! All times, all days, all activities—the singles scene is active and buzzing. People come to see and be seen!

Oak Street: Repeat the yes, yes and yes! Everything said above is true of Oak Street Beach aswell.

Edge? Dead tie. Translation? This old guy doesn’t dare touch this one for fear of reprisal from angry young beachgoers.

Overall edge?

Forget about choosing. These two Chicago beach heavyweights are both powerful champions. Both are magnificent. Suffice it to say they are both awesome, so get out there and enjoy them (and all the other lakefront beaches in Chicago) while you can.

In case you haven’t noticed, this summer is flying by.