Explore Edgewater, IL Homes, Beaches & Local Lifestyle

Edgewater is where the lakefront gets generous again: Kathy Osterman Beach — known to everyone as Hollywood Beach — and Foster Beach anchor a stretch of sand and parkland at the northern end of Lake Shore Drive, with the lakefront trail beginning its long run south. Living here means the beach is a walk, not a trip, and Berger Park's lakefront mansion grounds and cultural center add green space right on the water.

The neighborhood's golden age as a 1920s lakefront resort district left a remarkable built legacy. The Bryn Mawr Historic District preserves a corridor of Jazz Age buildings — including the famous pink Edgewater Beach Apartments, the surviving tower of the legendary hotel complex — and Sheridan Road carries a wall of vintage and mid-century high-rises and co-ops facing the water. West of Broadway, the streets shift to two-flats, courtyard condo buildings, and single-family homes, including the stately blocks of Lakewood Balmoral and Edgewater Glen.

Broadway and Clark carry the commercial life — the Broadway Antique Market is a city-wide destination for vintage furniture, and the strip's restaurants and shops connect south into Andersonville, which sits within Edgewater's western half. Whole Foods, the Edgewater branch library, and the year-round farmers market cover the practical side.

The Red Line runs the length of the neighborhood with multiple stops, express buses run down the Drive, and the #36 and #22 cover Broadway and Clark. Most residents handle daily life without a car.

Edgewater offers the rare combination of beaches, vintage lakefront high-rises, and residential side streets — with one of the widest spreads of housing types and prices on the North Side.

Edgewater FAQ

Do you need a car in Edgewater?

No — the Red Line runs the length of the neighborhood, express buses run down Lake Shore Drive, and Broadway and Clark carry frequent local routes. Many residents go car-free; those who don't find parking easier west of Broadway.

What types of homes are in Edgewater?

Vintage and mid-century high-rises and co-ops along Sheridan and the lakefront, courtyard condo buildings and two-flats through the middle, and single-family homes in Lakewood Balmoral and Edgewater Glen.

What is Edgewater known for?

Hollywood and Foster Beaches, the Bryn Mawr Historic District and the pink Edgewater Beach Apartments, the vintage high-rises of Sheridan Road, and the Broadway commercial corridor connecting to Andersonville.

Edgewater vs. Andersonville: what's the difference?

Andersonville is the business-district section within Edgewater's western half, centered on Clark Street with lower-scale vintage housing. Edgewater as a whole adds the lakefront — the beaches, Sheridan Road high-rises, and the Bryn Mawr Historic District.