As the summer sun starts to warm the air and the shores of Lake Michigan, a familiar scene develops at Chicago’s coastline: teenagers flocking to the city’s waterfronts. Among them, one spot serves as supreme, a magnet for Chicago youth looking for a break from the heat. This spot is commonly referred to as “The Ledge.”

Otherwise known as the “Concrete Beach,” the ledge has been an attractor for teens in the summer for decades. Settled along the shores of Lake Michigan, the ledge presents itself as a patchwork of worn-down concrete, originally constructed in the 50s, with a range of graffiti and other art works to decorate it. The ledge stretches out into the horizon, highlighted by a backdrop of the city skyline.

The concrete slate stretches down Chicago’s coastline, following the length of Lakeshore Drive. However, it cuts in and out of typical sand beaches, giving the ledge more than one designated location. It is best known for its Lincoln Park location, near North Avenue Beach. Other locations, such as the Gold Coast, give visitors a better view of Chicago’s skyline.

The ledge has seemed to gain an increased amount of popularity through social media coverage over the last decade, as teenagers deem it a designated spot for summer fun. But what makes it so appealing? Chicago teenagers reflect.

“It’s just, like, the one place you know everyone will want to go to,” says DePaul Prep sophomore Maddy Poncher, when asked what she likes about the ledge. “When it gets even slightly warmer in spring, my first idea is the ledge.”

Teenagers city-wide value the simplicity of the ledge, as it provides a perfect spot to relax on the ground with a towel or swim in the chill waters of the lake. Many appreciate the spot’s lack of hot sand and how easy it is to claim an area of the concrete to lay on, basking in the sun.

The ledge also serves as a spot where bonds and friendships grow. When asked to reflect on the ledge, junior Lily Zehfuss highlighted its sentimental value to her.

“Some of my best memories with my friends have been at the ledge. I think we were there swimming almost every day of July last year,” she laughs. Not only does the ledge offer a beautiful landscape for teens, it also encourages them to go outside and enjoy the natural beauty of Chicago with their peers, fostering connections and bonds.

Many appreciate the ledge’s ability to connect the natural landscape of Chicago to its iconic city skyline. “It’s a perfect combination of the urban and natural environments of the city. So many people take that experience for granted. It’s so uniquely Chicagoan,” says Walter Payton junior, Jane Von der sitt. Jane highlights the fact that she’s been coming to the ledge with her family for years, and now she feels even more connected to it as she brings her friends there in her teen years. She explains that the ledge offers a uniquely alluring perspective of the city of Chicago, and that it’s “no wonder” why the ledge is so attractive to teens: it’s beautiful.

Teens city-wide will forever enjoy the feeling of jumping off the concrete into the cool water, taking with them memories and friendships that will last for years to come.