I recently spent some time at Deerpath Park, and it turned out to be a great place to enjoy the…read moreoutdoors. One of the best things about this park is how much it has to offer in one location. There are multiple walking trails that are perfect for getting some exercise or just enjoying a relaxing walk, and it's conveniently located near plenty of stores if you need to grab something before or after your visit. The park has something for everyone, including baseball fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts, soccer fields, and two playgrounds for kids. There's also a nice pavilion with restrooms, making it a great place for family gatherings, picnics, or spending the afternoon outside. Everything was clean and well maintained, and there was plenty of space to spread out without feeling crowded. Whether you're looking to play sports, go for a walk, or simply enjoy a nice park, Deerpath Park is a fantastic place to visit. I'll definitely be coming back.

A nice place to go for a stroll or a jog. The park is family friendly, peaceful, serene and clean…read more There's also a newly built kid's playground park with fun things to do for them. It's a well maintained place.

Williamsburg Square Park is a fairly obscure and hidden park on the north edge of Northbrook and…read moreadjacent to and just to the east of Northbrook Court Mall.  They do have a single softball field and a couple of tennis courts and a playground for the kiddos.  The softball field is what brought us up here during a busy playoff time for the Northbrook girls softball league.  I can't rate it as highly as other excellent Northbrook parks mainly because the parking situation is a little inconvenient, the well maintained softball field only has spectator stands on one side (so a lawn chair may be needed for a game), and it is a pretty modest park relatively speaking.  But it is well kept and clean and that's always a big plus.  The closest parking is actually on the grounds of the Northbrook Court Mall (about a block away) as there is no parking on the adjoining and close by Rudolph Dr. Still a quite nice park overall and it got the job done for us.

It was so worth the left turn. Curiosity satisfied, and I'm in agreement with Ali C all the way!…read more A million times...I swear it feels like a million times...I've passed by Northcroft Park. Out on a drive with my hubby today, I suggested we check out the park. I've always notice the adorable play area, so I figured it was just a tiny little park for small kiddos. Boy was I wrong! What a lovely surprise. Past the children's playground area you'll find several well-maintained tennis courts, trails galore, a running track around a large sports field, and a community pavilion. Though we didn't have the chance to walk the trails, if the warm weather keeps up, I look forward to exploring some more. What a wonderful gift to the local community.

What a beautiful well maintained park with tennis courts. A running track, playgrounds, soccer…read morefields and softball fields. Every area meticulously maintained to perfection. A real treat, and not crowded either.

Centennial Park in Arlington Heights is a park with four tennis courts, three baseball and softball…read morefields. It features a walking and bike path that leads to a nature preserve area. There is a great area where you can observe the wildlife and pond. There is a nice playground here too. There is an easily accessible parling lot. I enjoyed walking this path. The only negative is that the walking path doesn't connect in the park. If you want to make a complete loop around the path, you need to leave the park and walk through the adjoining neighborhood. I recommend Centennial Park.

My husband and I went to Capanari Ice Cream and came across this little park next door. Located…read moreright next door, you exit the ice cream parlor right into Moehling Park. This is a great accessory to the ice cream parlor. There are benches and tables to sit and enjoy your ice cream along with the trees and butterfly garden that are in the park. This is a great place for children and families to play. This park is owned and maintained by the Mount Prospect Park District. Check it out the next time you're at Capanari Ice Cream.

Cute little park located right next to the Capannari Ice Cream Store. This is complete with a small…read morebutterfly garden, a few benches, lots of trees, and nice curved walk-ways. It's not that big and it's not super impressive -- but it's great to have a nice little park in the middle of a busy suburban downtown area.

The number of blooming Tulips truly made my visit sooo worth it ! I was wowed and wowed over and…read moreover again. Shakespeares Garden is very peaceful and perfect spot with lovely seating area . It's perfect to come and reflect and perhaps read poetry or Shakespeare'a soliloquy's!! Come and enjoy this scenic and beautiful garden

I learned of the Shakespeare Garden many years ago and have often thought I needed to visit, but…read morehave never done so until today. It's another of those places that I hesitate to review because it's a lovely place and I'd love to keep it "secret" (as much as it can be given its location on college campuses and in an urban area). It was tricky to find--for some reason I found an address on Google that led me to where the tennis courts are on the Northwestern Campus--but it's actually just north of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. The Shakespeare Garden is behind the small chapel on the Seminary grounds. It's a small garden, but beautiful, and a tranquil, secluded space. I can't wait to see it when it's in full bloom! Since spring only lasts a few minutes and it has been even cooler this far into spring than usual, the trees are still very bare and it's a bit muddy. There are several stone benches to sit at in this garden in particular--at least four of them. In addition, there are a few wooden benches just before garden as well. There are uneven paving stones in and around the garden, so you'll want to be careful especially if you or someone you're with have mobility issues. If you're using a wheelchair, it will be a bumpy ride but you would be well rewarded. I was surprised to learn that the Shakespeare Garden has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. It was established by the Evanston Garden Club in 1917, as a show of solidarity with Britain and to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's death (the Drama League of America made this suggestion to encourage groups and individuals nationwide to do so). The Evanston Garden Club still maintains this space; it is not under the care of Northwestern or Garrett-Evangelical. What landed it on the National Register of Historic Places is the original Hawthorne trees that still grow here, and that this is an example of the type of project that was encouraged in bygone days. The designer of this garden has an impressive resume--he is considered the mastermind of the Forest Preserve system, as well as both Garfield and Columbus Parks in Chicago. What makes a Shakespeare Garden a Shakespeare Garden is the collection of botanicals that are planted there. This garden contains plants and flowers that are mentioned in Shakespeare's works. You may find thyme, marigolds, rosemary, tulips, columbine, lavender, and so on depending upon the time of year.

The beautiful parks and lakefront are a huge plus of living in Highland Park. The Preserve project…read morein progress will be another reason. This is a project in the works behind the Highland Park Recreation Center/Country Club. It's going to be amazing. Currently, in the very early stages, the green space project is a conversion of the prior golf course and will feature linked trails, green lawns, natural areas, play areas, specialized gardens, and restored woodlands. Pathways already connect to the Recreation Center, the Golf Learning Center, Skokie River Woods, and local neighborhoods. Today I had the pleasure of discovering this project first hand and took a walk along the trails and pathways already in existence. The pathways remain from the prior golf course, and they will need to be improved, especially because a couple of them do not link. At one point I had to walk over dirt and grass to cut over to the other path. The longest path/trail is a little over a mile, so you can get a nice walk in and enjoy being out in nature. There's a pond, trees, benches, and lots of greenery to take in. It's incredibly peaceful and one of my new favorite walking spots in Highland Park. Bring your fishing pole if you want to fish in the pond!

The sculpture park spans two miles along the west side of the north channel of the Chicago River…read more It's not a playground park, though of course you could play here. There are trails for walking and biking, and dogs are welcome as long as you pick up after them of course. In a few areas of the park there are picnic tables as well, and there are parking lots in a few spots along the park. Currently, in 2023, the southern end of the park is under renovation. You can take tours of the park--they happen monthly. Of course you can embark on a self-guided tour as well, viewing some or all of the approximately 60 sculptures in the park. My favorite has always been the whimsical birthday cake. There's a section that has pieces by students at the local high schools as well which is a pretty cool way to incorporate folks from the community into the fabric of the park.

A few of us recently visited the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, as it was a gorgeous and warm…read moreSaturday afternoon and we wanted to enjoy the great outdoors in a socially distant manner. The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park stretches between Dempster and Touhy in Skokie alongside the north channel of the Chicago River, so it runs for a significant length. Due to time restraints we did not walk the entire length of the park, but you can appreciate several "sections" of the park and still feel good about it. This park is fine for joggers, bicyclists, or walkers looking to enjoy some nature with some public art mixed in. While there are no Picasso or Calder masterpieces amongst the sixty-plus number of sculptures, there is an eclectic variety in the collection. I liked the use of industrial materials such as steel coils, re-bars, and even parts from airplane wings. The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park is free and is open every day. There are several free parking lots along the length of the park for visitors.