{"id":1066,"date":"2015-05-12T21:52:12","date_gmt":"2015-05-12T21:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbanmatter.com\/chicago\/?p=1066"},"modified":"2019-10-08T13:40:10","modified_gmt":"2019-10-08T18:40:10","slug":"6-reasons-to-visit-the-beach-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urbanmatter.com\/chicago\/6-reasons-to-visit-the-beach-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Reasons to Visit the Beach This Summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the winter we had here, I\u2019m sure most of you are ready for a fun-filled, sunny day at the beach (I know I am). As clich\u00e9 as it sounds, with all of the beaches around the city and surrounding areas, there really is something for everybody. Chicago’s beaches open on May 22nd, so let\u2019s take a look at a few of the best reasons to visit the beach this summer:<\/p>\n

The Water is Clean<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common misconception that Lake Michigan water contains unhealthy amounts of bacteria. In fact, only about 13%<\/a> of water taken from the Great Lakes as a whole last year failed to meet safety standards. Two of Chicago\u2019s most popular beaches, Oak Street and North Avenue<\/a>, are some of the best around with 3% and 7% respectively. Pollution typically stems from storm runoff and the release of pollution into the lake, so if you\u2019re worried, don\u2019t go to the beach after a big storm.<\/p>\n

Soak Up Some Rays<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not only does that bronze glow look amazing on you, but 41.6% of people are lacking in Vitamin D<\/a>, a nutrient that\u2019s primarily provided by the sun. With all of the time spent on screens and in offices these days, it\u2019s good to get out there and sunbathe every now and then. If you haven\u2019t gotten any sun since last summer, trust me when I say you\u2019ll be surprised by how great you feel after spending a sunny day outside (if you don\u2019t get sunburned, that is).<\/p>\n

Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beach sports are typically dominated by volleyball, and that\u2019s normally enough for the average beachgoer to get by on. Some lesser-known facts though, the Rogers Ave Beach has tennis courts, and North Ave Beach has a bunch of sports equipment and even bikes for rent. For men trying to impress the ladies, don\u2019t forget to make diving football catches in their vicinity (they\u2019re totally not onto this one yet).<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll Meet People<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re going to the beach to participate in activities, sit at the bar, or socialize, you\u2019re going to<\/em> meet people. The beach can be a great place to intermingle and have loads of fun with strangers, especially if you visit some of the more popular locales.<\/p>\n

Your Pets Will Love You<\/strong><\/p>\n

For those of you who live in the city, you\u2019ll know that there isn\u2019t that much room for your dogs to run free. Sadly, there isn\u2019t that much room at the beaches either, but there are two of them that are pet-friendly, Montrose Dog Beach and Belmont Harbor Dog Beach.<\/p>\n

And cats love it when you\u2019re not bothering them, so they\u2019ll be happier than ever while you\u2019re at the beach.<\/p>\n

Your Kids Will Love You Too<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you can pull them away from TV screens and apps for a few hours, your kids will have a blast at the beach. You don\u2019t even need to spend money to entertain them either: bury them up to their neck in sand, build sand castles, swim, play catch, go for a walk with them. I\u2019m sure there are a thousand other ideas I\u2019m not thinking of too. Just be creative (or let them be creative).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After the winter we had here, I\u2019m sure most of you are ready for a fun-filled, sunny day at the beach (I know I am). As clich\u00e9 as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2279,"featured_media":1067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[755],"tags":[284,365,263,364,361,362,363],"class_list":["post-1066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-category-things-to-do","tag-beach","tag-belmont-harbor-dog-beach","tag-lake-michigan","tag-montrose-dog-beach","tag-north-ave-beach","tag-oak-street-beach","tag-pet-friendly-beaches"],"yoast_head":"\n6 Reasons to Visit the Beach This Summer | UrbanMatter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There really is something special at the Chicago's beaches. 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