The Recplex has been open just about 2 years. It was a new build and an amazing addition to…read moreBurbank. I've been contemplating joining some sort of gym, but I really like to take classes the most. The recplex offers both - and a whole lot more! I stopped here a week ago after checking everything out on line. There are so many fitness classes at different times/days. The hours are great for me and the place is 6 blocks from home. Also, they offer a variety of packages for in and out of district - both very reasonable. I joined!! The recplex is pretty big and fully staffed. Also, it is not very crowded, which I asked about. Upstairs is a walking track and a machine/weight room. All the equipment looks to be state of the art and there is a ton of equipment. The walking track is only 1/16 of a mile, which sucks a bit, but you can always jump on a treadmill. I've taken 2 classes so far - the instructors are great and motivating. Also, there is a large parking lot and bike racks. So, if you are looking to join a gym at a reasonable price, I would highly recommend!

Over 50 group exercise classes, large variety of equipment, multiple workout areas and rooms off of…read morethe main gym floor. Free trial passes and takes a few different insurances.

Came here with my inner city kids and they had a ball! They particularly liked the game involving…read moreherbivores, omnivores, and carnivores!! So fun..I wish I took pictures, but the experience and memories will definitely be enough. Great for anyone!

Nestled between the golf course and busy roads, this is a little gem. There's adventure park…read moreactivities for those interested and different programs for kids throughout the year. But what I love is walking the trails and wondering around or taking a book and sitting and reading. Different views each season. It's a peaceful respite in the middle of the chaos of life. And the Christmas lights walk is so fun. It's only a couple of dollars and you can buy hot chocolate and s'mores kits to roast on the fire pit. During the spring they sell native plants - always the healthiest and good selection. The staff and volunteers are kind and welcoming. It's just a great little gem.

Awesome Good it was a good time They showed us…read morewhat to do.it was a great experience

My partner and I had reservations for axe throwing at this location. As soon as we arrived, we…read morenoticed that none of the other patrons we're wearing masks. If there were only a few people in the establishment, it wouldn't have made us as uncomfortable. But, there was a party being hosted at the same time as our reservation so the amount of maskless people while the Omicron variant is running rampant made us leave immediately.

Machines that constantly breakdown resulting in loss of swing credits, balls that are beyond…read morebusted, everything looks run down in general, several coaches that don't have the temperament/skill set to work with children, and rude staff. Not worth the high prices.

From the employees that run this, to the quality of the machines, this place is fantastic. Fair…read morerules on waiting your turn. Nice for both teams to practice and individuals looking for a quick stop to take some swings. Plenty of space for one on one whether it's hitting, pitching or catching. There's even a spot to work out with weights.... Nice pro shop, great prices. Nice membership opportunities. Staff is always professional and courteous. They recommend to everybody the social distance stuff, and ask you to wear a mask unless you are in the cage, which is the right way to do it. I'm glad you have this business and we frequent your store to smiling faces welcoming us every time. Nice Job!!

Cool spot that I didn't realize was in the area. Looking for a good meeting spot to meet friends…read morefor a walk, found Sagawau. On the day of my visit, we saw this black netting/screen. Curious, we stopped to ask staff. It turns out on Sundays they do bird banding. This was very interesting how they catch birds, take data, and release back into the wild. I recommend! The nature center was well kept and had clean bathrooms. They close the area at 4 pm daily. Check it out for a nice walking and educational opportunity.

Sagawau is waaaaaay out in Lemont, so pretty far from me, and it's also bit confusing to find when…read moreyou get there. But I really enjoyed it so I'd say it's worth it, and now I'll know where I'm going in future! Word to the wise: There's the large parking lot, and what looks like a driveway is not. Park in the lot and use the wide paved path to get to the nature center. The purpose of the first preserve system was to both preserve and conserve, but also to provide natural areas in which people could recreate. They also have a nature center here with exhibits, as well as a variety of programming. I came for a program. A land acknowledgement was provided to connect the land to its history, and the people who once called this land home. I came for a hummingbird program, which took place in the hummingbird garden. The garden had quite a few bees and some wasps, but those insects are actually invasive in this area so you may see traps out for them so they don't take over the hummingbird garden. There are hummingbird feeders around to bring the hummers out. But nectar isn't their only source of food; they'll eat insects and invertebrates. Most importantly, they need pesticide-free habitats to survive. It was interesting to learn that hummingbirds live only in North, Central, and South America. When colonizers came into contact with hummingbirds, they thought they had no feet and that is where their scientific name is derived. Hummingbirds are surprisingly loud! The ruby-throated hummingbird is only ruby throated for the males. Juveniles and females have a white throat. But the color only comes out with the light, as it's iridescent, so the males may look black. Ruby throated is the only native one in Illinois. The juveniles are about the weight of a penny. In migratory season, they try to double their weight in order to sustain their migratory most fly over the Gulf of Mexico, which is a single flight of about 600 miles. They can do that flight in 16-24 hours. Hummingbirds fly with a figure eight pattern, which allows them to be one of the few birds that can fly backwards. It also allows them to hover! Migration is hard, so why do they do it? At least in part, it's because there's less competition. Apparently day length is a trigger to let birds know when to begin migrating, and the plants and flower on which they rely for food usually coincides to their migratory season. The nesting behavior of hummingbirds draws a direct line between environmental stewardship and habitat protection. They line the nest's outside with lichen and plant scale, and line them inside with soft things like dandelion fronds. Air pollution won't affect the hummingbird directly, but it will affect lichen and thus the integrity of their nest and subsequently their success in breeding. They will use spider webbing to bind their nest, which makes spider conservation important too. How fascinating how these things all connect! Whilst visiting Sagawau, I learned that this preserve is a licensed bird banding station--not just for hummingbirds. Banding allows us to gather much of the information that we have about birds in general. The information gleaned from banded birds can tell us about their migratory patterns, lifespan, and so on. I believe they have some events during the year where you can observe this process. In addition to their great programs, they have a nature center with exhibits related to the natural history of Sagawau and the region. One of the things that makes Sagawau so unique is it is a dolomite prairie, of which only about 500 acres exist in the world--over 100 of those acres being here. There are several trails to walk, and they have maps showing these to help guide your way. And this site turns into a cross-country ski location in the winter! In that season, walking is not permitted on the trails because they're used for skiers. They have lessons and equipment rental, but you can also bring your own gear--you just need to call first to make sure it's open for skiing, dependent upon the snowfall. I saw more open acknowledgment of snakes here than at some of the other preserves, which may make me nervous to visit very soon--snakes in just about any capacity (cartoon, real, image, etc.) creep me out more than anything. But, Negin is the employee that led the hummingbird chat, and she was really great. Welcoming, inclusive, knowledgeable, and friendly. I'd love to attend more of her programs.

Nice area for walking. Trail was marked decently. It was very muddy as we went after rain. I…read morerecommend bringing a change of shoes for your walk. Decent amount of parking. Porta potties.

This beautiful Preserve has gorgeous walking trails around three lakes. You can join the preserve…read moreand purchase a fishing permit. It is beautiful when the leaves turn during the fall but open year round. A peaceful place in the middle of suburbia. A large picnic shelter with picnic tables throughout area. The Boy Scouts utilize Black Bear Lodge for their meetings and often do projects to maintain and improve the walking paths. A lovely place to visit.

For a small city's rec center they are pretty well organized. They post info for fitness classes…read moremonths in advance- unlike most places that barely can get the info out the week sessions start. I attend the Zumba classes weekly- both Wednesdays and Fridays. They offer a drop-in rate so you can try it out and pay as you go if you're nervous about starting the class. Lyn is the best and always keeps your heart rate up during the hour, and even if she misses a step she is always back on beat and keeping the rhythm. Belly dance with Mavi is a lot of fun, towards the end she let us wear huge gypsy skirts to dance with and brought veils as well. The fitness center is small, but has everything you need. Haven't used the pool, but my niece and nephew loved it. Most days are open gym- so you can come in and play basketball or volleyball. A lot of people come just to walk or run the track. The staff is very friendly and willing to help with all problems. Lost my keys as I was coming in to Zumba, and one of the staff members had them waiting for me once class was over. Looking forward to starting Tai Chi class next week!

I took my 3.5 year old for swim lessons here. It's a really good deal- 6 weeks for $55 for non…read moreresidents. It's the least expensive around for indoor swim lessons, and my daughter did enjoy it, though the teachers are kind of awful. It seems to be primarily high school students which teach the classes, which is fine (particularly for the price); they have a very high student to teacher ratio, though the majority of the girls who are teachers spend nearly the entire half hour just kind of staring into space or chatting amongst themselves. They also have open swim on Fridays from 4-7pm which is (for non residents) $5 per child and $10 for adults.

Where should I start? I got a Living Social deal and decided…read moreto try them with my girlfriend who is an experienced Hunter/Jumper rider. Let me just preface that their regular prices are so good I drove from Chicago, and will again. First of all, if you think you are at the entrance, but not sure because no one answers your knocking on the door, just walk in. We spent 10 minutes hoping someone was around while their two goats followed me. One of the owners came out and got us and I had to leave my goat girlfriend who escorted me along their property. The owners (a couple, forgot their names) were very nice, which is a treat because I have gone to other places for riding and in my experience most horse people are arrogant and don't have patience for beginners. Not the case here, very kind, patient, and a sense of humor to boot (no pun intended). They do all kinds of training, western, english, dressage, and they train their customer's horses daily. Horses were well maintained, as were the stables. I was retaught how to post, and I cantered for the first time. Smallish arena, but music was playing and it was relatively easy to hear the instructors, who were the owners. My girlfriend and I got to ride together for the first time, and even though it wasn't a scenic trail, it was very fun. Worth the trip Worth the money Worth a look I will be back, at least to see my goat friends.

My family and I found Country Meadows about 12 years ago, I was 9 years old and had been riding at…read morea barn through the local park district of my town. Someone had told us about Country Meadows and that we should really check it out if I wanted to continue horseback riding. We took a trip to see the barn and meet the owners and right away we decided we wanted to have a lesson there. I remember from my first lesson, how happy I was and how safe I felt on the horse and in their barn. I had just one, hour long lesson and I never went back to my previous barn. The owners Mike and Dale, and trainer Julie make it feel like home. They are all so friendly and loving and really want you to grow and become a great rider. They are like family; they support you, help you achieve your goals, and really genuinely care about you as a rider and a person. From my first lesson to now I've grown so much as a rider and a person. I have learned and grown to be so much more confident and outgoing. Continuely connecting with so many of their friendly and happy horses. And really became a rider that I always hoped I could become. Every horse you will ride teaches you something new and different and really challenges you as a rider. With the training and attention to detail they give you during your lesson, you will find yourself starting to get a hang of it and becoming a better rider every lesson. They take great pride in the way their horses are taken care of and getting the treatment and love they deserve. Their red barn is so gorgeous with beautiful wooden stalls and siding, the viewing room is very clean and nice and heated for cold winter days with a large window for you to be able to watch your children, spouse, or friends ride. They have a heated indoor arena that is very long and big so that you have lots of space to ride if there are a few other people in your lesson. They also have a beautiful large outdoor arena for lessons when theres a nice sunny summer day. They have the sweetest dogs that will come greet you with lots of kisses and some very vocal chickens in their second barn across the indoor arena that you'll want to meet. If you are looking for a barn that will teach you and help you learn to be a great rider, who are friendly and really truly care about the rider and that persons lesson and progress. This is definitely without a doubt the barn for you. I am so grateful and really just thankful I found this barn 12 years ago and the people in it because it really is a family away from my family. Honestly I do not think I would be the rider I am today if it wasn't for finding Country Meadow Farm!