Hollywood Beach Beaches in Chicago – GayOut Guide
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Hollywood Beach ⚠ Unverified Own this place?

Google (351) 4.6
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GayOut Score
G4.6
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Address
5800 N DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60660

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About this place Hollywood Beach

Hollywood Beach, officially Kathy Osterman Beach, is the public Lake Michigan beach at 5800 N Lake Shore Drive in Edgewater. For decades it has been Chicago's unofficial gay beach, especially the stretch near the Hollywood Avenue end, which fills with queer crowds on summer weekends. It's a city park beach, open to everyone. The season is short: the Chicago Park District usually staffs beaches with lifeguards from late May to early September, and swimming outside those weeks is at your own risk. Andersonville's gay bars are a short bus or bike ride inland. Bring your own food and water, check the Park District's daily water-quality notices, and note that alcohol on the beach is restricted.

Features

Gay Gay-friendly (straight venue) LGBTQ+ Casual Community oriented Walk-ins welcome Mixed LGBTQ+ No dress code Day venue Year-round Showers Lifeguard Very popular / crowded Easy access

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Google Reviews

Verified by Google
4.6
★★★★★
351 reviews

Based on 351 Google reviews.

A S
A S Jun 2026
★★★★★

Based on the other reviews, this does not feel SAPPHIC/LESBIAN friendly and welcoming. Even though it's a GAY beach. Also, there is a review here that refers to lgbt as glbt (misogyny btw). So if you are not a gay man, I guess that you should avoid or proceed with caution. Like just look at the pictures. I wanted to go but now I don't feel safe which is very heartbreaking.

Denis Braga Rocha
Denis Braga Rocha Jun 2026
★★★★★
Cheesio
Cheesio Jun 2026
★★★★★

Very nice during summer, and you can wade a really long distance.

Sydney Wagenecht
Sydney Wagenecht May 2026
★★★★★

Love coming to this beach

Sarah Nieves
Sarah Nieves Mar 2026
★★★★★
Lloyd Jones
Lloyd Jones Feb 2026
★★★★★

Nice place for a walk along the lakefront.

CARL M.
CARL M. Jan 2026
★★★★★

Hollywood Beach has always been it's real name! However, the official beach house name is Katherine Osterman Beach House, known as the only cabana gay beach bar in the Midwest. This beach is the official and only gay beach in Chicago, located at the farthest point of Lincoln Park in the Edge Water Beach district, along the west shore of Lake Michigan, 8 miles north of Buckinham Fountain. Area air B&Bs are GBTL friendly, offering views of the lake, and only steps to the beach. This beach is famous for it's bluest waves, no pun intended, it's long, wide sandy beach facing north, and the celebratory pride lighthouse on the pier at it's eastern end, iconic to this gay beach distination that draws draws guys from all over the world. It's the most international, cruisiest banana-hamock beach outside of Rio de Janiro. It's definately where the boys all go! Sorry girls, but you have those other guys at North Avenue Beach. It's always featured as "Edge Water Beach" on Channel 9 News weather since they have installed a camera overlooking the beach. Although, the right wing TV station owner seems homophobic not to call it for what it really is. Who can trust the media any longer anyhow?

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Last updated on 3 November 2026

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