Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beaches officially open with a full retinue of lifeguards on duty
around June 20, though swimmers can wade into the chilly water
from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Only the bravest souls venture
into the water before July, when the temperature creeps up enough
to make swimming an attractive proposition. Please take note that
the entire lakefront is not beach, and don't go do anything stupid
such as dive off the rocks.
BIKING
Biking is a great way to see the city, particularly along the lakefront
bike path that extends for more than 18 miles.
To rent bikes, try
Bike Chicago
(www.bikechicago.com), which
has locations at Navy Pier (
&
312/595-9600
), North Avenue Beach
(
&
773/327-2706
), and Millennium Park (
&
888/BIKE-WAY
).
Open from 8am to 8pm May through October (weather permit-
ting), Bike Chicago stocks mountain and touring bikes, kids' bikes,
strollers, and—most fun of all—quadcycles, which are four-wheel
contraptions equipped with a steering wheel and canopy that can
accommodate four or five people. Rates for bikes start at $8.75 an
hour, $34 a day, with helmets, pads, and locks included. If you'd like
to cycle your way past some Chicago landmarks, guided tours are
also available.
GOLFING
For a major metropolis, Chicago has an impressive number of golf
options within the city limits (not to mention many plush and
pricey suburban courses). The closest you'll get to golfing downtown
is
The Green at Grant Park
(
&
312/642-7888;
www.thegreen
online.com), an 18-hole putting course on Monroe Street between
Columbus Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, just east of Millennium
Park. It's not exactly tournament-level play, but it's more challenging
than miniature golf—and the setting can't be beat. The course is
open daily from 10am to 10pm, and putters and golf balls are pro-
vided. Rates are $9 per round for adults, $6 for children under 13.
11 In the Grandstand: Watching Chicago's
Athletic Events
BASEBALL
Baseball is imprinted on the national consciousness as part of
Chicago, not because of victorious dynasties but because of the
opposite—the Black Sox scandal of 1919 and the perennially losing
Cubs.
