Foster Beach

Foster Beach is a quieter north-side lakefront beach in the Edgewater and Uptown area of Chicago, Illinois, at 5200 N Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Dr. The beach faces Lake Michigan, a freshwater lake with no tides, and the sand is soft and pale with a long swimming area. The water is generally clear and blue-green on calm days and cold for much of the summer, and the shoreline is exposed to wind and waves from the east. The beach is open rather than a sheltered cove, but the long frontage spreads visitors out, so the sand rarely feels as packed as the downtown beaches. A picnic area gives families and groups space to eat and gather, and the surrounding lakefront park has lawn and trees. The atmosphere is local and family-oriented, popular with neighborhood residents, picnickers and swimmers who prefer a calmer day than Oak Street or North Avenue offer. Amenities include seasonal lifeguards, restrooms, the picnic area and direct Lakefront Trail access. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, typically 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Food is limited on site, so visitors often bring picnic supplies. The beach lies on the Lakefront Trail about six miles north of the Loop. Public transit access is by the CTA Red Line to Berwyn, then CTA Bus 36 Broadway or Bus 147 to the lake. Cyclists can follow the trail all the way from downtown. Parking is available near the beach, but lots fill on hot summer weekends. Foster Beach sits close to Montrose Beach and Osterman Beach, so visitors can link several north-side beaches by bike or on foot in one outing along the shoreline.