Hartigan Park & Beach

Hartigan Park extends north from Loyola Avenue toward Albion and ends somewhere in Prinz Park; lots of dog poops and pees: less migratory birds.

I freakin’ love this beach.
Fun area, great sight of the skyline, never too crowded.
Oh! & make sure to walk north on the beach over to that massive pier.

Forget North Avenue, this is the beach/​park you should be paying attention to. One of the things I most loved about Chicago was the fact that, in every neighborhood, there were beautiful things to discover. So it is with Hartigan Park. Outside of Rogers Park residents, who knew that there was a green space with beach and playgrounds and (my favorite) community art in the form of beach chairs? Judging by the lack of crowds when I/​we visited, not many.
If you’re one of those who are in the dark, change that. Look at these photos. Commit to taking a field trip and explore your city. There are so many pretty parts that await. May weather is coming.

Great Beach! Nice small playground next to the beach so my son plays there and then we head to the sand & water.
The water is shallow and the sand is clean. You can usually bring your leashed dog on the beach with no hassle.
You would never know you are one block away from busy Sheridan road.

I LOVE THIS BEACH.
Seriously, this is the best beach in Chicago. Small, secluded, beyond peaceful, not full of d-bags…it’s great. Hidden at the end of Albion St., it seems not too many people know about it/​care to get to it because whenever I go there, there’s maybe, at the most, 20 people there.
There’s no bathroom here, but walk about two blocks south and use Loyola’s student center.
I can’t recommend this beach enough! I wish I could live in one of the beautiful homes leading up to this beach!

I love this place.
Shade in the summer. Places to sit.
There’s a pier closeby that I’m not sure is technically part of this beach/​park, but is wonderful. I watched fireworks there on new year’s eve. Perfect view of downtown from the pier.

I’ve never been here in the summer time, just the winter and fall… and i loved it, i didn’t even feel like i was in Chicago anymore, when ever I’ve come with a friend no one else has been on this beach… soo peaceful, relaxed, so small, soo perfect… check out my pic, if you never been to the beach when it’s snowing i suggest you try it sometime AMAZING

This is the southernmost part of the connected chain of beaches that stretches down to Touhy, and is by far the most relaxing little plot of beach on the north side.
There’s a great playground here, rocks to perch on and watch the water, and plenty of uncrowded sand on which to throw down a towel.
The water’s pretty shallow, even 50 feet out, which could be good or bad depending on what you’re looking for.
Best of all, if you drive, you can usually find a parking spot nearby. There’s always a spot or two open on Sheridan Road a couple blocks away.
One of the best ways you could spend a summer weekend day is with a trip to this beach and dinner afterward at one of the many restaurants nearby.

Is probably your best bet for a low-​key but free beach. Great for kids and families. Some Loyola students, some locals. Great to hang out in the shade if you’ve had too much sun on the beach. You can usually find a frisbee game, a dog, a quiet place to read. You aren’t going to find the super-​hot sculpted scenesters.
They have a bike rack! On hot days there’s a paletas vendor around :-)
Minus one star because the view on the south side is the garbage bins for an apartment building. Also not the cleanest sand, but I don’t think any dirtier than the other beaches.
If you’re super-​stealthy, you can get a free water and use the bathroom at the Chipotle at Albion and Sheridan.

best beach ever. clean as a whistle. great people. never crowded. no bathrooms! the playground has seen better days, but it works.

Great spot for Memorial Day. Off the beaten path for those of us not residing in Rogers Park or going to Loyola.
It’s at the end of Albion, a couple blocks east of Sheridan. A gorgeous stretch of homes you might find in a «pre-​WWII suburb.» Nice homes with well-​kept yards. Anyways…
There is a playground (with a tire swing!!) and enough of a lawn to host several larger parties on one of the biggest BBQ days of the year.
The beach is fairly deep and wide enough to be considered a decent size, compared to other «side street» beaches.
It was a diverse crowd that day: co-​eds, neighborhood families and folks with their dogs. Very nice, respectful vibe.
If I lived in the area I would definitely come here all the time — for not only the water but the seculsion and I need to test out that tire swing!
(Alcohol isn’t permitted at the beach, of course. But, uh, if you are in the neighborhood theres a great slashie on Sheridan, a half-​block south of Albion. Just in case you’re passing through.)