Montrose is not bad.  It seems to have a more "aged" look to  the landscaping.  It is very long and flat.  The sand is not quite as silky smooth as North Ave. beach.  You can only swim in the one area by the lifeguard tower, which kinda sucks because the beach is so long and you can only go in at the one little spot.

I've only been there one time and that was last year when Lake Shore drive had a few lanes closed down for some bicycle race and the parking lot to N.A.B was full.  I decided to check out the Montrose beach because I head there is lots of free parking, which is true.  The crowd there is mostly hispanic.  I layed out away from the crowd and didn't have a problem,   I would say its worth checking out if you have the time and want to save $10.00 on parking.  I'll probably go there a couple of times this season.   Its only a few more miles north of Belmont. Ave.

Was at Montrose beach on Sunday before the rain.  Instead of a small section opened up, they had the entire beach open.  It was quite busy there due to the holiday weekend.  Fortunately I was able to find a place away from most people  and apply some sun tan lotion and lay out in peace.  I had on my blue speedo thong as usual.

When the clouds came in I covered myself up with my towel and was able to change into my Speedo 1" solar bikini.  I guess my comfort level in a thong and bikini has risen as I walked to the shower area and was able to rinse away all the tanning lotion.  I started to walk doen the entire beach front back to the parking area in my bikini.  What had helped me a lot with my comfort level is that I have worked out a bit and have radically changed my diet during the last four months.  I have also gotten rid of my chest hair and most of the hair on my upper thighs.  I'm also quite tan now!  I really do think I look great in minimal swimwear.

Was back at North Ave. Beach again today.  What a change from the other day!  It was nice and warm with plenty of sunshine!  Saw a woman in a thong today but no other guys.  I ended up taking my usual spot at the end of the pier and had a great time.  I even was able to get in the water and swim around a bit, but there was a lot of people in the water and I wasn't in the mood for any comments or stares, so I sliped on speedo style swimsuit over my thong before I hit the water.  After about two hours of sunning in my speedo thong, I threw the towel over my lap and changed into my one inch side HOM bikini and started walking back down the beach toward the parking lot. 

I wanted to get in the water again and saw an area with a some guys in bikini style swimsuits.  Knowing that I could lay out or get in the water wearing my HOM bikini without attracting any attention since there were other guys wearing the same style cut of swimwear, I hit the water again.  I must admit that I do miss wearing regular bikini swimsuits at the beach.  I don't wear them much because I'm afraid of ruining my sharp thiong tan line that I have, and when I do wear them, I apply lots of sun block to prevent an bikini tan lines from showing.  Maybe next year I'll take a break from wearing thong swimsuits and go back to bikinis for a while.  I'll still stick to thong underwear though.

One of the guy had on what looked like a Skinz brand string bikini.  Has anyone tries wearing one of these?  They look cool and am thinking of buying one, but Skinz suits are very expensive and they want around 6-7 dollars in shipping alone!

Fastflare65

Right on about the weather here fersure! Just got back from AZ (115-120 deg) & wow, a bit chilly actually. Was not out & about on Wed (w/the hawk out, uh-uh- & in July!) but went to Hollywood yesterday, lotsa thongs, g's & bikinis on guys & girls! Fullerton-North has gotten a bit more conservative in the last coupla yrs, a shame as this is a huge stretch of lakefront. Don't really know why this is, but lately it is that-  you were lucky to spot the guys in Speedos there this year I am thinking, not too many in that area lately!

Thanks for the info Popeye!  I'll have to order one of them soon to try out.  I have always liked the color selection and the fast that they continually update th selection every year.

Towelkewl1,  Where is the Hollywood beach at?  I have only tried North Av, Oakstreet, and Montrose.  How far away (and what direction) is it from North Ave?  How is the parking there?

After a coupla false starts last wk. & yesterday (cooler by the lake is a proper reality this time of yr.- temp differentials can be -20 deg. F from only a few blks. inland) today was the 1st actual "beach dsy" here that I know of. 

I was surprised here on the unofficial opening day - this has always been a really good spot within Chcago city limits. Good to see the word has gotten out.  Was amazed to see more diversity in today's participants than ever before. Yes, the "regulars" were here of course.  "Happy spring, we survived another winter, not so bad, good to seeya again."
But it was the people I have never seen here before today.  That made this fantastic- bunch of young guys most wearing speedo type suits & then a coupla older guys.  1 was rather big- he had the thong, alright!  & an older lady in a thong was there also. Whoa, this is becoming mainstream or what-(I doubt it!)
But the best part of the whole deal is that everybody was totally accepted, not harrassed or anything like that & nobody here had a bad day at the beach at all...
I have always recommended this beach to everyone here on the board in the immediate area, but after what I saw today would highly do so to those not from here as "live & let live" in a large city like this is quite unusual- cannot say what it is like on the wknds, however- might be different.
But during the week, wear whatever you please & enjoy- (you do have to wear something btw, Chgo. is NOT that progressive- LOL!) 'Bout time spring got here, d'ya think?! Happy thonging to all-

Yesterday would have been the perfect day to lay out in the sun.  I like Hollywood beach as the parking is free and it tends to be cleaner than the Montrose beach (what a garbage dump that was last year!).  I would have been there but I had some prior arrangements I had to take care of.  I hope the weather warms up a bit later this week.    Did everyone just lay out or did anyone go in the water?

Hello everyone! 

I have not been to Hollywood beach yet this year.  I'll probably start going on a regular basis in the next two weeks.  I dobt that I'll even get into the water untill mid July as it takes the lake a while to warm up.  I'm debating if I should use my Joe Snyder thongs this year, or my Speedo thongs......

Reply to : abadonmi

No one has reported on Hollywood Beach lately. Maybe because August was so cool and rainy. September has been quite different and I am hoping to be at Hollywood Beach this Saturday (Sept. 18) weather permitting. I'll be wearing my Skinz g-string. I don't have a digital camera, but would love to get some pix of me taken to send to some women I have met on this and other sites. See some of you there, possibly.

I've only been to the beach a few times this year.  I would say less than 10 times total. There were a couple of days that I showed up to lay out there but it was too cold or windy.  I was there on Saturday and they did have quite a turn out.  I won't be able to make it there on the 18th, but if the weather looks good the weekend of the 25th, I'll be ther for sure.  I wish I could have been there a few more times this year because I'm not ready to let the sumemr weather go just yet.

Even though I have not been there much this year,  I was able to get a sharp thong tanline, which is the whole reason why I go there.  For the past three years that I have been tanning in a thong, I have worn a Speedo brand thong.  This year I have changed to a Sun Blocs thong and the lines are a little skimpier.  I'm slowly working my way to try a Joe Snyder thong at Hollywood beach.  Maybe next year will be the year.

Fastflare65

Hi to all in Chgo. & elsewhere-

   Was at Hollywood today before the rain got there; marvellous as always- last coupla wks. have been fantastic after a rather rainy  & cool "summer"

    So by all means, get it while we can as this will not last!  And as a bonus, there is quite a large sandbar developed & the water in the immediate area is actually over 70 deg. F

   Living 'round the Great Lakes is a character builder I am told- well that's fine, but a bit of warm water after not such a grand summer is just the thing I am thinking! Might be the last chance here- go for it-

   Happy thonging w/o hyperthermia- LOL!

I was there too, from about noon to 2 pm in my Skinz g-string. I got quite sunburned. I'd liek to think that I sinspired this attractive Polish woman near me to remove her top (while on her front) and roll up her bottom rather nicely. Maybe this Sat. will still be OK.

I went to Hollywood Beach a couple of times in September 2004. It was not very crowded and a mix of people. I wore a Skinz g-string and got some nice tan lines. No one bothered me either positively or negatively.

I hope to be back this summer.

Been to Hollywood Beach many times wearing next to nothing and never had a problem whatsoever. Gay guys tend to congregate at the south end, families with kids at the north end, but all in all it attracts an extremely diverse group of people who mind their own business. The mind-your-own-business attitude is typical of Chicago in general, this town's a long way from Bush country. I've seen thongs and g-strings at just about any beach you could name, and even in some parks, but one tends to see more thongs at Hollywood Beach than elsewhere.

The downside, of course, is the weather. It's almost June and still bloody cold. That will change, though...

Ended up going to the belmont rocks area and wore my koala sheer camo thong....not a lot of people around was nice.  Went today and wore my Dore vlc white mesh suit - was kinda cool...not a lot of people out.

Recently I've come across an online article ( link: "First thongs, then gay marriage, or is it the other way around?" ) that surprised and worried me a bit.
It said that the city of Chicago has passed a city ordinance banning anyone from wearing thongs on beaches. I am wondering now if it is true.
The article was dated on July 18, 2004. And I was thonging last summer on Hollywood beach without any problems. And I wasn't the only person doing that. Was I just lucky or the author of the article had wrong information?

I did some research looking for information regarding this ban. I haven't found much but a chapter from Chicago's Municipal Code which I quote below. Do you think that this ordinance may be applied to thongers? It is dated on 12-4-02 though. I've thonged on Hollywood Beach without any problems with lifeguards for 3 seasons so I am slightly confused now....

Municipal Code of Chicago
Chapter 8-8 PUBLIC MORALS
8-8-080 Indecent exposure or dress.

Any person who shall appear, bathe, sunbathe, walk or be in any public park, playground, beach or the waters adjacent thereto, or any school facility and the area adjacent thereto, or any municipal building and the areas adjacent thereto, or any public way within the City of Chicago in such a manner that the genitals, vulva, pubis, pubic hair, buttocks, perineum, anus, anal region, or pubic hair region of any person, or any portion of the breast at or below the upper edge of the areola thereof of any female person, is exposed to public view or is not covered by an opaque covering, shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.

Prior code ?192-8; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99931, ?5.4

Anyway I will appreciate any up to date information from a knowledgable person regarding this matter.  Here is a link to Chicago's Hollywood beach.  http://www.geocities.com/abadonmi/hollywood.html

Abadon
Keep thonging on Chicago's beaches

Hi,

The belmont rocks are just of lakeshore drive near the harbor.  There is a section which has been redone and a section which has been kept in its original state where the rocks are such that you can lay out and not be seen by passerbys - unless you want to be.

I have laid out there lately in a gstring and even totally naked with a bunn-g on with no problems...where do you go thonging?

Hello Abadon, other thongers in Chgo.& elsewhere,

   Yow, I had no idea this was on the books either as nobody including guards ever said anything about it. But it may also explain why I hardly ever see anyone at any other Chgo. beach in a thong anymore. It was never common, but not unusual to see a few at Oak St. or Fullerton/North Av. prior to that time, but no longer. Since H'wood is the unofficial gay beach in the city, the local police district & park officials may be told off the record to "look the other way" concerning this as it may be a political gaffe to enforce what appears to be very obvious on this issue.

   So although the law is clearly stated, everything from a Rio back to a G is verboten in Chgo- except here... Ain't politics amazing, LOL! Good news/bad news here then- let's do the good news 1st, shall we? Chances are real good you can wear whatever you want here w/no trouble at all- excellent! Alright, now for the bad news- this great little freedom can legally end any time City Hall decides it seems & w/o any notice whatsoever, a pity! Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) looks the the watchword here for now... I've been breaking the law here for quite some time w/o realizing seemingly!

   Damn shame actually as I wanted to go there 2morrow in an "illegal" suit, weather permitting of course- but just to be on the safe I think I'll go w/a nice white (legal!) Speedo & go to the State park in Zion when I want more rays if ya know what I mean (as far as I know, it's still legal there) Btw, great pics of H'wood- I recall you had some nice ones from Zion when you were up there also-

   Have a great summer & be careful out there, hmm? 

I will be going with my girlfriend, who is 24, to Hollywood Beach this Saturday and plan on wearing my thong.  This will be the first time on a public beach other than Black's Beach in CA or parents beach in MI.  I guess a Chicago beach is a pretty good ice breaker   I am a bit nervous about stripping down to my thong and just lying there on a towel on a public beach.  There is a bit of excitement though.  I will try to get to a store in Chicago to buy a different thong to wear on Saturday though since I'm not happy with the one I have, plus I need to add one or two new underwear thongs to my assortment.  Let you know what happens.

If anyone does go out to Hollywood Beach between 12-4 on Saturday and see a mid 20's guy in a blue or black thong please post here.  Thanks

Don't know where you'd be coming from, but if you're "nervous" about being "in public" around Chicago, you might try Illinois Beach State Park up in Zion ( the section starting about 1/3 mile south of the resort)  It's relatively quiet (i.e. not as big an "audiance", but should be enough traffic to let you get acclimated to being "public".  Your girlfriend should be comfortable in her thong too, as thongs and G-strings are relatively common in this section.

My girlfriend and I did go to Hollywood Beach in Chicago on Saturday and enjoyed being there.  We parked pretty far away on some city street because I lost my sense of direction once we came off Lake Shore Drive.  We walked between two buildings to get to the beach on the north (supposed to be family part) end and continued to walk south on the sand.  While walking I pointed out what appeared to be a guy lying on his stomach with nothing covering his rear end.  I don't know if he had a thong on but my girlfriend said she saw him as I pointed him out and she thought he might have been Naked.  I think I agree with her because he was lying next to a lifeguard row boat (almost as if he was hiding) and you couldn't see him around the side of the row boat unless you were scanning the beach.  We were probably 100 feet away the whole time so we will never know.

We walked to the south (supposed to be gay part) end of the beach and took a spot.  There were a good number of beachgoers and many of the guys were with another guy and lots had speedos on.  Before we stopped at our spot I noticed a guy, probably thirties or so, standing up near his towel and it was very evident that he had a thong on.  His was pink and it was a moderate cut, nothing to skimpy, but definitly a thong.  That made me feel good knowing that I wasn't going to be the only one there in a thong.  Also, just behind my girlfriend and I was another guy, probably late fourties, in a white shinny rio cut bikini.

I told my girlfriend to pick our spot and she chose one between a guy (board shorts) on one side and a girl (moderate bikini) on the other side.  That was fine until I noticed a family in front of the guy closer to the water.  There was two ladies, a guy, and a young boy and young girl (probably both no older than 12).  I asked my girlfriend if she was sure about the spot because of the family, no more than 50 feet away, and she said who cares.  It's a beach and I was the one wearing the thong so I should be the one who cared is what she told me.  I soon got over it stayed where we were.

We sat down and ate our lunches we brought and then began enjoying the sun.  It took me only about 5 minutes to get enough courage to take my Umbros off and be in just my black Tanline thong.  I was in just my thong the whole time at the beach.  The only interesting thing, besides my girlfriend catching the two ladies (family) looking over and apparently giggling or something, was a group of 6 high school junior/senior or college freshman visiting the beach.  There were 3 guys and 3 girls, probably couples, and they walked by a few times I think to show the others since only three of them came by the first time not even noticing me.  I was very impressed by their maturity because I did not hear any of them say anything good or bad and they were no more than 50 feet away.

Because of this experience my girlfriend and I have already decided to go back the first chance we have for me.  It will not be this coming weekend but probably around the 4th of July weekend.  Also, since now I really don't care if people see me in a thong we've decided to go up to Warren Dunes State Park this next weekend if we have time.

P.S.  My girlfriend wore a Body Glove string bikini, sorry no thong, to self conscious.

yes, below is the link to the Chicago Municipal code.  Note that the wording of this ordinance is quite antique, as has been pointed out above - only full-coverage rear suits would be allowed. I suspect that the update in 2002 might have had to do with the fine, since I have seen a printed version of the munipical code from the 1990's or possibly earlier, and it had the exact same wording.

Like everything else in a totally corrupt city such as Chicago, enforcement is very selective.  Our Great Leader, Mayor for Life Richard M. Daley, needs the gay vote, and that is perhaps perceived to be associated with allowing thongs at Hollywood Beach.

A lot of this, however, has to do with how fantastically repressed most Chicagoans are about sexuality, nudity, etc. 

btw, I am a stright male life-long Chicago who realizes what this place is really like. 

http://library7.municode.com/gateway.dll/IL/illinois/7901?f=templates&fn=default.htm&npusername=13322&nppassword=MCC&npac_credentialspresent=true&vid=default

Wednesday was a perfect day for thonging in Chicago.  This was only my second in public in a thong so I was still pretty nervous.  I went to Hollywood beach.  It was about 11:30 when I got there.  Before I even hit the sand I spotted at least 4 other guys in thongs.  I changed in the bathroom then walked down the beach to find a spot.  I would say there was about 50 to 75 people there, mostly guys and mostly in speedos and square cut suits.  I picked a spot about 50 feet away from another thonger so I wouldn't feel completely alone in what I was doing.  I layed out my towel, stripped down to my little blue thong and laid down.  10 minutes after I arrived, a guy and a girl set up about 10 feet on one side of me.  He stayed in shorts but she had on a pink half back bikini which she pulled way up so it was practically a thong.  I ended up counting 7 other guys in thongs.  I walked down to the water and cooled off twice in just my thong.  I did not get one negative comment all afternoon.  It was really a great day.

happy thonging,

john 

Today the temperature went over 90 degrees F in the Chicago, Illinois area USA) and I was able to make my first trip to the beach.

Started out at Oak Street beach. I intentionally didn't get there until about 1:00pm due the the Bike the Drive when they close down Lakeshore Drive until about 11:00am. Not a thong in site at Oak Street. VERY disappointing, especially since there were so many cute women there. A few very skimpy bikinis.

I talked to a couple of acquaintances that were at the beach (and know what beach attire I wear) and decided to go to Osterman (Hollywood) Beach.  I got to Osterman about 2:00 and went the entire length and didn't see a single thong or g-string; however, there was a higher percentage of skimpier suits on men and women. This was also dissappointing, as there are usually at least a handful of thongs or g-strings there. This is a very open-minded beach, and it has a gay area.

I set up in an area just north of the gay area somewhat in front of the restrooms but near the water line. Since this was my first time out and I like to asses the environment (and acceptance level), and I was a bit selfconscious, I wore a narrow cut red thong over my Dore low-cut red g-string.
The crowd I set up near was a mix of men and women of various ages, but there were a couple of younger ladies occasionally watching me as I set up and ate a late lunch.

After a while, I noticed a woman that was with a male companion get up from their position on the beach immediately in front of the restroom area. I have no idea how long they were there or when they arrived. She came walking toward the water and from the front it looked like she was wearing a regular skimpy string bikini. She walked right past me (I was semi-reclining on my
back, turned somewhat on my side, but not directly showing my butt. She could easily see that I was wearing a thong though). As she passed me I was happy to see the back had three strings coming around the side to a g-string back. Yay. After she returned to her blanket I discreetely slipped off my thong and wore my g-string the rest of the afternoon.

Just before I called it a day, around 6:00, I put on my shorts and walked the length of the beach again. There was one woman in maybe her 30s wearing a thong and standing around up near the north ("family") end of the beach. She was with a man and a woman. The man was wearing a square cut lycra suit and the other woman was wearing a string bikini. She was obviously quite
comfortable standing around in her thong.
I returned to my blanket, packed up and left. But as I was leaving I noticed a man wearing an aqua colored thong. He was not quite as for north at the woman wearing the thong, but well into the "family" area, however the beach was starting to thin out by then. Even though I've been wearing thongs and g-string for almost two decades, I still struggle with the comfort level. I guess I'm just concerned that a Chicago cop with an attitude is going to want to use me to flex his authority, and I don't want the hassle of appearing in court.   It looks like Osterman beach is again the place to be if you want to thong/g-string in the Chicago area.

Anyone worried about the legal status of thongs in Chigago can refer back to May 26th of 2006, when 11 sumo wrestlers took a stroll along Michigan Avenue, window-shopping, eating, and weighing-in on a scale at Water Tower Place. The gentlemen, promoting a tournament, were dressed, or undressed, for action. Though a few wore bike shorts under their thongs, most did not, and it was a sight to see.

The cops in the area, to their great credit, seemed as amazed and delighted as anyone else. Their biggest concern was moving traffic along as stunned drivers came to a full stop to ensure that they weren't hallucinating.

I love this town!

Video here:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4208595

Well, with all due respect, I think you're comparing apples with oranges.

To start with, this is most likely a one-time occurance and smacks of a promotional gimmick. Such sights make a good light-hearted 20-30 second filler at the end of the tv news, after they've numbed you with stories of murder and mayhem. It leaves the tv audience on a positive or humorous note and thus more inclined to tune in again. Plus, given the tv press being there, what cop is going to step forward and be the "bad cop" and ticket or arrest them? It would paint the Chicago Police department as intolerant and unaccepting of  other cultures. Mayor Daley, who tries to paint the city as quite cosmopolitan, HA!   Would be all over the situation like white on rice and I'm sure a few choice heads would roll as he tried to clean up the public relations aftermarth. Sumo wrestlers are far from everyday beach life.

Three or fours summers ago I was at the North end of North Avenue Beach. I have thonged / g-stringed there and at Oak Street off and on since 1990. This particular day I was set up about half-way between the sidewalk and water
line and near one of the erosion control piers that jut out into the water.  It was near the end of the day and the sun was nearing the western horizon, so I thought that I would walk out to the end of the pier to catch the last rays of the sun and get some of the reflection of the sun off of the water.  Now mind you, I've done this several times before in previous years with no
big deal. (of course, I walk out just wearing my g-string and carry a towel to sit on).

I hadn't been sitting at the end of the pier for 5 minutes, 10 minutes tops, when I noticed two Chicago police walking to the pier I was sitting on. I was the only one on the pier, so it was pretty obvious they were coming to talk to me. So rather than tick them off any further (the non-speaking partner seemed pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing) I got up and met them about half way. I can't remember the exact dialogue, but it amounted to 'you can't wear something like that out here--this is a family beach' and asked if I had something to slip on. I told him that I had shorts at my blanket on the sand, so he said lets walk back and put them on.

As we were walking back, he asked if could cover up with my towel, which was just a small hand towel that I usually use to wipe off oil at the end of the day and it didn't really cover much, but I made a best-effort. As we were walking I told the officer that I had worn this type of a suit here for years and that because of that I thought it was acceptable and certainly didn't mean to offend. He just repeated that this was a 'family' beach and I can't be wearing 'stuff like that'.

By then we were at my blanket and I slipped on my shorts and asked if that was ok, to which he said yes. I told him that if they talked to the complainant, tell them I wasn't out to offend and I was sorry to be of trouble to the officers. He just said something like 'well just don't go wearing that kind of stuff at a family beach'. I told them sorry for the inconvenience and wished them a good day and they walked back to their squad car.

They trundled down the sidewalk about 100 feet and got out and talked to some folks for about a half hour. I don't know if they were watching me to see if I would slip off my shorts again or doing PR with the complainants, and didn't really care. I read for about a half hour and noticed they finally left. I read about another 15 minutes and packed up and left as the sun was down by then.

It could've been a much worse experience, but disappointing nonetheless that someone would complain to a cop about something so innocuous. Alot of the people here like to brag about how Chicago is a world-class and cosmopolitan
city (especially da Mayor) and really look down their noses at smaller cities. This city has plenty of culture, but that's about it. I have seen much more tolerance in smaller cities where I've lived and visited.

I'm usually pretty good about "reading" the environment, but I missed on that day. All in all, I guess that's not too bad for thonging/g-stringing here for over a dozen years.

I don't know about other thongers in the Chicago area, but after the big heat wave in the mid 90s (during which I had my best tan, and the beach attendees seemed *very* tolerant), the attitudes of the people at the beaches really seemed to change.   Anyone else notice this?

"I don't know about other thongers in the Chicago area, but after the big heat wave in the mid 90s (during which I had my best tan, and the beach attendees seemed *very* tolerant) the attitudes of the people at the beaches really seemed to change. Anyone else notice this? "

The biggest change I've noticed since those days is that men now seem to favor the longer shorts instead of the speedo type suits. As to thongs, it varies greatly from day to day, some days none, some days they're not rare, especially on women. The former situation is always rather intimidating, since someone's got to be the first.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the cops, but, as you say, it could have been worse. I wasn't there, but I'd guess that they didn't get up in the morning intending to hassle thongers. Maybe I'm being too charitable guessing that, but such is my nature. I tend to think that problems are less likely to originate with cops than with uptight citizens who are far too easily offended.

Your points on the sumo wrestler walk being a big stunt are certainly well-taken. I'll add one more reason cops might not have been inclined to act harshly: Chicago cops aren't as fat as they used to be, and taking down eleven sumo wrestlers would be something of a project. (Can you imagine the call to headquarters? "SEND MORE COPS!!!")

Have fun all, the weather's getting really nice!