Review:

Oakwood Beach, also known as 41st Street Beach, is Chicago's newest public beach, developed in the late 1990s by the Chicago Park District and officially opened to the public in 2010. The beach, which is located at the terminus of 41st Street at the Lake Michigan shoreline within Chicago's Oakland neighborhood, spans 1,300 acres and is open to the public for swimming between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with lifeguards staffed on duty during certain times in the summer. Environmentally-sustainable beach features include a bio-retention area intended to treat storm sewer runoff and a LEED-certified beach house with rainwater-harvested toilets, which received the Chicago Greenworks Award in 2010. Concession stands include the Lunch Box, which serves up Mexican-inspired snacks and summer favorites such as hot dogs and sodas. Distance swimming is permitted parallel to the shoreline, with an ADA-accessible beach walk offered for visitors with mobility concerns.

Address: Oakwood Beach, 4100 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60653, Phone: 312-74-BEACH

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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