Chicago, America's best city for the price?

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by marothisu

It is a point for mountains and such, but perhaps you are underestimating how big Lake Michigan and Lake Superior really are. Yes, they're obviously not oceans, but if you are in Chicago on a beach, you can definitely be convinced that it is part of an ocean. In fact, Lake Superior is the 2nd largest lake in the entire world, and Lake Michigan is the 5th largest. We aren't talking about any lakes. We're talking about two of the top 5 largest in the entire world. Ones you can't see the other side of from land (and usually takes a little bit in the air to see the other side). In fact, the funny thing is that the water temperature in the summer of Lake Michigan in Chicago is actually warmer than that of the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles. I grew up going to LA every year of my life until I was around 20 years old. My dad is a former surfer who grew up in LA and trust me on this. Surprising but true.

Take a look
http://www.twip.org/photo/2008/photo...9-12-12-45.jpg


Even in this pic in an airplane. All the stuff beyond the skyscrapers is water. You can't see the other side:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/4...1b8ce474_b.jpg
http://hotels-fairy.com/files/2011/1...an-chicago.jpg

IN fact, I have an ex girlfriend from Hawaii. I wasn't dating her when I was in Chicago, and she's never been here. I was showing her pictures recently of the beaches here and she literally thought I was showing her pics of Waikiki Beach, which she lives right by now and grew up only 10 miles away from. She's lived in Hawaii all but 3 years of her life. It was actually Oak Street Beach here, not Hawaii and not an ocean.


Not only that, but Michigan is actually very beautiful, as well as the Boundary Waters a few hours north of Minneapolis, which looks like this
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5Zb6nnZ4zM...s-77098-sw.jpg

This is all true.

California coast is cold as **** and you need a wetsuit. My brother lives in Honolulu, and the water temps out there are much much better. Best beaches, but its Hawaii.

Even he thinks Chicago has great beaches, and he doesnt understand the elitism of ocean vs lake. Unless you surf, I really cant see any reason to pick the ocean over the lake anyway.

(I actually just noticed you mentioned Hawaii, since I only read to the first part)

[Heyooooo]

Also, those pictures you have of the lakeshore and the city, you dont get that anywhere else, except for Miami, and Chicago > Miami city wise, so.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Heyooooo

T
Even he thinks Chicago has great beaches, and he doesnt understand the elitism of ocean vs lake. Unless you surf, I really cant see any reason to pick the ocean over the lake anyway.

Actually, some of the great lakes have good surfing in the winter time. I remember my dad (former surfer) showing me an article in the 90s about surfers going to Duluth, MN to surf Lake Superior in the winter because the waves were actually 15+ feet in some spots. No joke. I think some people would be very surprised about this. These are BIG lakes, not most of the lakes people are used to. They actually have waves and sometimes they're big enough for surfing.


Check it out:

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Heyooooo

This is all true.

California coast is cold as **** and you need a wetsuit. My brother lives in Honolulu, and the water temps out there are much much better. Best beaches, but its Hawaii.

Even he thinks Chicago has great beaches, and he doesnt understand the elitism of ocean vs lake. Unless you surf, I really cant see any reason to pick the ocean over the lake anyway.

(I actually just noticed you mentioned Hawaii, since I only read to the first part)

I don't think it's that it's a lake, it's that it's the location of the lake and also cold throughout the year for typical "beach" activities like laying out there in shorts, surfing, body boarding, vollyeball, etc , if you live say texas, florida, so cal you can use the beach/water for more things, more frequently. I'm sure Lake Travis around Austin is used more throughout the year for instance b/c it's warm out.
It's not active long enough to develop a "beach" culture like SD/LA/Tampa/Miami. You can sit out on the beach in Florida with a margarita in the middle of winter. It has a "beach vibe". Chicago has a beach vibe, but just mainly a few spots on the lake, and it's sporadic. There isn't a boardwalk, a bunch of restaurants on the beach, that kind of stuff.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Actually, some of the great lakes have good surfing in the winter time. I remember my dad (former surfer) showing me an article in the 90s about surfers going to Duluth, MN to surf Lake Superior in the winter because the waves were actually 15+ feet in some spots. No joke. I think some people would be very surprised about this. These are BIG lakes, not most of the lakes people are used to. They actually have waves and sometimes they're big enough for surfing.


Check it out:

Duluth, MN temp at 20 degrees? Heat wave!

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by grapico

I don't think it's that it's a lake, it's that it's the location of the lake and also cold throughout the year for typical "beach" activities like laying out there in shorts, surfing, body boarding, vollyeball, etc , if you live say texas, florida, so cal you can use the beach/water for more things, more frequently. I'm sure Lake Travis around Austin is used more throughout the year for instance b/c it's warm out.
It's not active long enough to develop a "beach" culture like SD/LA/Tampa/Miami. You can sit out on the beach in Florida with a margarita in the middle of winter. It has a "beach vibe". Chicago has a beach vibe, but just mainly a few spots on the lake, and it's sporadic. There isn't a boardwalk, a bunch of restaurants on the beach, that kind of stuff.

I dunno... places like the Jersey Shore get plenty cold during the winter but I'd wager there is still enough for there to be a "beach" vibe. My dad grew up in Cape May, NJ and we'd go there during the summer when I was a kid. The beach seemed to be a really big part of the scene there. There was definitely a very active boardwalk.

Re: Chicago, I do agree that it could be because there isn't a lot of development oriented towards the water (as opposed to near the water- of which there certainly is plenty) like a boardwalk, restaurants right on the beach, etc. There's Navy Pier but it is not on or near an actual beach if my memory serves me correctly.