Foster Beach

Location:

5200 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60611

Location Notes:

at Foster Avenue and Lake Michigan

Features: Has Restroom, Has Wi-Fi

Is Accessible

Note: Has an accessible path of travel (beach walk) to the shoreline. Additionally, a beach wheelchair is available for free use with a valid ID. Visit the lifeguard office at the beach house to check one out.

Rules

Swim only when lifeguards are on duty.
Follow lifeguards’ instructions.
Only Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) are permitted. Person-children wearing PFDs should have adult present.
No smoking.
No alcohol.
No dogs on the beach.
Do not feed birds or wildlife.
Dispose of trash and recycling in appropriate containers.
Grill in designated areas only and dispose of coals in red barrels.
Keep accessible beach walks clear. No bicycling, skateboarding or rollerblading is permitted in these areas.
No surfing or kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is ONLY permitted at Montrose Beach.

Hours

Park Hours

Day	Time slot	Comment
Sunday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Monday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Tuesday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Wednesday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Thursday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Friday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm
Saturday:	11:00 am-7:00 pm

Hours Notes

The beach is open from 6 am to 11 pm, but swimming is only permitted during the beach season when lifeguards are on duty from 11 am to 7 pm, in designated swim areas. The beach season runs from the Friday before Memorial Day, through Labor Day.

Description

Foster Beach is located at 5200 N. Lake Shore Drive (at Foster Avenue and Lake Michigan) in Lincoln Park. Amenities include a beach house with food concessions, bike rentals and restrooms. Distance swimming is from Center Tower to north end of beach, parallel to shore at boat line. Pay and display parking lot is available along with ADA accessible beach walk.

Swimming Distance: center tower to north end of beach, parallel to shore at boat line

For questions regarding Chicago beaches, email beaches3@chicagoparkdistrict.com.

History

A surprising amount of what is now Lincoln Park is made from landfill. Lincoln Park’s final landfill extension was completed in the 1950s between Foster Avenue and Ardmore Avenue, and the fill included a new beach at Foster Avenue.

Planning and design for the extension started in 1947, but construction and fill did not begin until three years later. The fill project continued over the majority of the decade, and finally finished in 1958.

E.V Buchsbaum designed the beach house for the site, which was constructed between the late 1950s and early 1960s. In the 1990s, a new beach house provided improved facilities and amenities.

Parking/Directions

Parking
Pay & display parking lot
Get rates and additional information.

Public Transit
The following public bus & train routes serve this beach:

CTA Bus Routes:
147 Outer Drive Express
151 Sheridan

CTA Red Line Station:
Berwyn