Blooming tulips and looming finals can only mean one thing … summer vacation is just around the corner. And to top it off, all of the beaches in Chicago officially opened to the public Friday, May 27, for the Memorial Day opening at 9 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Since Fullerton Beach is just blocks away from DePaul’s campus, students plan on spending much of their summer vacation lounging around in the sun. It may not be the same as the oceans in California, but Chicago has something California does not: The wonderful view of the downtown skyline right along the beach.
Even though there are 28 miles of the Chicago lakefront shoreline and 32 beaches to choose from, it’s North Avenue Beach that catches most of the younger crowd’s attraction. North Ave. is the busiest beach between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. It offers several rentals for the public including bikes, beach chairs, and volleyball equipment to be used on any of the 50 on-site volleyball “courts.” You can even spot a roller hockey rink for all you hockey lovers.
“I love the city and sometimes it’s hard to enjoy the summer weather,” said Caitlin Menconi, a senior. “But when it’s nice out, I love knowing that my friends and I have a central place to go and spend the whole day there if we want.”
Menconi can be spotted at Northwestern’s Beach Memorial Day weekend lying out in the sun with friends and preparing for summer vacation.
For those who have never been to the beaches of Chicago, North Avenue is probably the best option. The on-site Beach House includes concession stands, shops, and restrooms for the public. One of the best attributes of the Beach House is located right on the second floor, Castaways. They serve anything from burgers to salads and wings to tropical drinks. With an on-site restaurant and today’s best hits blasting, it’s no wonder that North Avenue attracts so many college students.
When Samantha Grazziano, a sophomore at DePaul, goes to the beach, she typically has the same routine. She starts off by lying in the sun. When she gets too hot, she hops right into the water. She then ends her perfect day by playing beach volleyball with friends.
For those who have never been to the beach, Grazziano shared a few dos and don’ts when it comes to North Avenue.
“You have to jump into Lake Michigan off the pier,” she said. “And grab some ice cream from the Beach House to cool off.”
When it comes to what not to do, Grazziano believes it’s important to avoid picking spots near a huge crowd.
“Never leave your beach bags alone if you plan on going swimming,” she added.
She also said that it is not a good idea to get ice cream from the men on bikes with their own ice cream carts.
“They definitely jack up the prices because they know they can,” Grazziano said.
But when some people are hot from the sun, they will pay just about anything to cool off.
Nick Hawley, a junior at DePaul, does not fancy being out on the beach but never has a problem finding things to do along the lake.
Hawley enjoys sitting on the rocks along the lake and doing his homework. He believes the best part about summer in Chicago is not the beach but the view you can get from the Planetarium.
“It’s the only view where you have the entire skyline with all of the greatest architecture all in one panorama,” Hawley said. He also enjoys rollerblading and biking along the lake on his free time.
Since the weather looks promising for Memorial Day weekend, it’s time to show off that summer body you have been working at all winter long. Whether you decide to grab your friends and soak up that summer sun or just take a stroll around the lake, it’s time to let the summer festivities begin.