Gorilla Athletic Training

2.1 mi

With a wide range of amenities, they're able to cater to many people. They have volleyball courts,…read morean in-line skating park, playgrounds, & more. It's pretty well maintained and clean. It's pretty nice for small and large group gatherings. The headquarters for Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County (SRACLC) happens to conveniently be located there too providing various activities for kids such as day camp and birthday parties. It's nice and convenient to have a local park within the neighborhood without having to go too far. They have a decent amount of parking as well. Be sure to have a flashlight with you if you do choose to walk around there at night.

See all

Willow Stream Park

(5 reviews)

4.3 mi

My husband and I went to Willow Stream Park on a Tuesday evening. The weather was nice and we…read morewanted to take advantage of it. We went with a friend and walked around the walking path. There are also basketball courts, soccer and football fields, baseball fields, a frisbee golf course, and a swimming pool available at Willow Stream Park. I highly recommend Willow Stream Park for a great place to enjoy a walk!

Huge park with all the amenities you could ever think of like swimming pool, picnic shelter,…read moreplaygrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, bike path, volleyball courts, baseball diamonds,soccer fields, and ice skating rink. The parking is large and plentiful as well in this park so it can easily accomodate lots of events at the same time. My favorite feature of this park is the disc golf course. It's enormous, well kept, and features a variety of different shots -- without the fear of hitting buildings or roads unlike some of the smaller courses. Definitely worth a visit to enjoy some activities if you live in the area.

See all

Twin Creeks Park

4.5

(2 reviews)

2.7 mi

Review # 100 in 2018…read more This is a very nice park that my brother recommended taking our kids to. This stretch of Buffalo Grove is filled with fun activities for kids with quite a few parks. There is decent parking. Play area has rubber turf to prevent hard falls. The slides are not too fast, the swings are sturdy, corners are not too sharp if kids are chasing each other. It was a hot day yesterday, but the play area was not too hot to touch. Nice. Couple of tennis courts and a baseball field are a plus. I recommend taking your kids here. They will have fun. I know my son did.

A bit smaller park compared to some of the enormous ones in the area. However it still has all the…read morebasic amenities such as baseball field, bocce courts, playground, and pickleball. Parking can be challenging at times if there are a lot of activities going on at the park at the same time. The disc golf course here is not the most amazing, but setup nicely if you want to casually practice (I've never really seen too many other people on this course). The only thing to be aware of is that you can potentially throw discs onto the main road or over fences if you're not careful.

Ian pretending to operate a rocket ship.

See all

Kendrigan Field.

Grosse Pointe Park

2.6 mi

There are plenty of amenities that cater to such a wide variety of people. This is pretty nice for…read morea neighborhood park. It's nice for those that want to be super active with the trails or tennis courts to those that want something a bit more toned for those that just want sit around at the benches and relax. It's nice for all age groups. Tons of families come through here. It's one of the few neighborhood parks that can host baseball/softball tournaments in Vernon Hills. It can be quite active depending on when you go throughout the day. Decent amount of dog walkers and children come through the park. It's very convenient if you're a resident here. You don't have to go far just to get a taste of active outdoors. There's parking available but it gets filled up quick during the tournaments. When that happens there's plenty of street parking too. If you do walk around there at night you may want a flashlight. It's pretty peaceful at night but it does get quite dark. Go at your own discretion.

Sorry, not for big kids. Adult supervision is recommended.

Logo

Park safety guidelines

See all

Emmerich Park

4.8 mi

The new tennis courts are AMAZING! The pavement is perfect, the nets are tight, the lights are…read morefunctioning well at night!!! Oh yea and for someone that has allergies these courts do not have much pollen flying around, hence no allergy attacks, score! Oh yea, they did add a beautiful new entrance that is handicap accessible. There is a very nice playground. Clean bathrooms. Concessions are open during kid's baseball games... and there are two baseball fields here. The Parking lot is huge. The inside facilities do have some fitness classes, and during the summer I do believe that they have a day camp here still. BG Park District, you did very well with this one!

Century Park Arboretum

4.8

(13 reviews)

2.2 mi

A nice, clean park for people of all ages to either exercise, take a leisurely stroll, do…read morerecreational activities like fishing, picnic or just chill (or all of the above :-) ). I enjoy going here for walks and jogs. I forget how long of a trail it is for walking/ jogging/ bicycling purposes but either way, it is enjoyable. They have BBQ grills and picnic areas, benches, fields for baseball and soccer, a basketball court and some complimentary exercising (gym) equipment for anyone who would like to use it. The park has easy (multiple) access points and although, certain parking areas can get busy during nice weather days, you have other parking options nearby. There are multiple restroom areas in the park. Pets (dogs to be exact) are allowed for a walk. You get pretty views of sunsets from here over the small lake that's there as the area is scenic. I go here occasionally for either exercising or just to get my mind of things as I find this place relaxing and chill. Check this park out if you haven't been here before. It's worth the visit.

It is a beautiful place, lots of areas to walk and picnic areas too. It is a good place to go…read morewether you want to be alone or with someone

See all

Roemer Park

(2 reviews)

14.5 mi

You gotta visit here if you're in The North Shore. Come on the weekends to catch a glimpse of a…read morebaseball game. Food here is surprisingly very good. Definitely a change of pace and a great way to catch a game!

Roemer Park is one of the best baseball fields for little league games tucked away off old Glenview…read moreRd. It's such a treat for kids and adults alike to come here. You get such a great feeling of history in this historic 1950s ballfield. They have real dugouts for teams, plenty bleacher space, a scoreboard with scorekeepers (by hand scorekeeping!) And a cute sandbox with buckets and shovels to keep little ones busy. Also, a snack shack with very inexpensively priced beverages, food, and sweet treats for your family. The volunteers who run this place are amazing and really pleasant! We happened to go to watch the older boys play an all star game memorial day weekend and they had some extra fun activities going on. There is a parking lot, but it is small. You can also park on some side streets. It is definitely an enjoyable time!

See all

Aberdeen Park

50.3 mi

I say this about a lot of parks but, this is definitely one of the best parks I have ever been to…read more There are 6 areas for different sports, including: basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and ping pong. In addition to the sports, there is a very nice playground, pavilion (with electricity and a grill), and a walking trail.

See all

Wintrust Field

4.0

(77 reviews)

17.9 mi

great place to watch a game. eat some food. my kids love it And I do as well games are run very…read moreprofessionally

I came here not for a Boomers game, but a Chicago Snowballs! This is Chicago's answer to the…read moreSavannah Bananas. The game was so much fun and entertaining! Part baseball, part dance, part gymnastics. I went to the Wintrust stadium website to check if there was anything to know before the game. For boomers games, there is no charge for parking. However, we didn't know until we pulled up for our game it cost $20. They only inspect larger bags. Players wander the stadium to interact with fans. Merch and concessions are reasonable prices. They have a large selection of craft beer. Bathrooms were spacious, but I felt the women's bathroom smelled. The crowd was very pleasant and respectful.

See all

Discovery Day Camp

1.0

2.4 mi

I removed my son from Discovery after he frantically called his father on his Apple Watch, scared…read morefor his safety following an incident with another camper. When I arrived--and even after we left--the camp insisted no such incident had occurred. Yet they could not explain why my son would make such an inconsolable call if nothing had happened, and they ignored my requests for follow-up. This was an incredibly disappointing and frightening experience. The camp's lack of a serious response made it clear my son could not be safe in an environment where adults also failed to notice--or even hear--a child having a frantic conversation with his parent, pleading for help.

Fall Camp Available

See all

Outdoor sign

Little Bear Garden Park

4.6

(28 reviews)

10.8 mi

I've been hearing about this park for a while and we were able to take a visit over there today…read more I'm glad I knew what I was looking for because Google Maps was going to take me to a small playground on the other side of the school, rather than Little Bear Park which is on the very corner of Patriot and Chestnut (and is almost entirely fenced in, which makes it attractive with little kids). The Little Bear Park is actually a section within the larger Gallery Park, so you may need to put that in if your GPS is confused about LBP. This park was established as part of the redevelopment of the military airfield in Glenview. Overall, I was disappointed in the park, but there were some things I really loved about it along with those that left a bit to be desired. First, it looked like a gorgeous, romantic garden like you might envision from an Austen novel. Truly a beautiful setting, with a small hedge maze and a several picnic tables. Quite an idyllic little spot within the larger park, and ostensibly where it gets the "garden park" part of its name. There's also a really awesome water feature here. It's really large, and unlike some "splash pads" that are little more than a tall pipe sticking out of the ground, this one had several arms coming out of the ground of different heights. It also had some water coming from spots in the ground, for a lot of different ways to play. My kiddo got soaked and loved it. Sadly, the playground section looked kind of old and worn. It has a cute castle/medieval theme, but all the play equipment was quite faded. Of more concern was that the playground terrain, which was that composite rubbery stuff, was broken off in quite a few places; more than once my babe brought me small or large pieces. Seems potentially fraught in a few different ways, but it was weird since in all the parks I've been to with that kind of ground cover I haven't seen chunks of it missing throughout the playground. There's lots of parking at/around this park, because it shares space with a middle school and park district headquarters. The playground itself isn't the attraction for me--though if we are already in Glenview, I might stop--but I would absolutely return for a beautiful picnic in the garden, and that's what really makes it shine.

Heads up if your kids like swings: there are none at this park. But there's a cool splash pad, a…read morehedge maze, a play structure, and a huge sand pit area.

See all

Spray 'N Play

4.4

(18 reviews)

3.7 mi

For toddler aged children, this splash pad was a dream! Everything was low to the ground and able…read moreto be reached, there were lots of buckets for transfer play, and plenty of areas with lighter splashing water. My son (almost 2yo) had so, so, so much fun for about 3 hours! He came home absolutely exhausted- a mom's dream for a good nap! It was $4 admission per person, which I found totally cheap! They have plenty of picnic tables to eat, as well as areas to park strollers and lunch bags. There was also lots of seating available if you wanted to sit and watch your toddler play (especially helpful if you're pregnant and need a little break from standing!). The bathrooms were small, but clean. Honestly, all of the essentials were available and it truly made for a great morning!

What a cute place for kids to play! Perfect for toddlers or younger kids. Great on a sunny hot dayread more

See all

Rosewood Beach

3.8

(34 reviews)

9.3 mi

Getting beach ready! Not only myself (preparing for a summer beach vacation), but Rosewood Beach…read morerecently got a clean up and seemed ready for visitors. It's been awhile since I've updated my experience at Rosewood. This review is based on a recent walk I took to get some fresh air and much needed exercise. After parking the car in Downtown Ravinia and walking to Rosewood beach and back to the car (round trip about 1.3 miles), I noticed a bunch of beach updates that are worth mentioning. First of all, gear up, because the beach is open this year and you'll be able to swim! It's a private beach and not free, so you'll have to follow this link (https://www.pdhp.org/beaches/parking-2/) for resident and non-resident fees. This year you can purchase a swim pass and a parking decal. I entered via the dirt path that leads down to the beach so I could make my way back up the stairs for a good stair climb. The path was nicely cleaned up and breathtaking all on its own. Surrounded by lots of foliage and overlooking the ravine, I walked until I met up with the beach boardwalk. The boardwalk is all cleaned up and nicely refreshed. Looks like it did when it first opened! The beach sand is all freshened up and ready for summer. The play structures for kids are covered (but not sanitized). The best part? The steep, really-great-for-your-legs staircase now has handrails! This is such a huge plus for when you can't quite make it up and need to lean over a rail to hold yourself up (don't judge). It was a nice quiet walk, since the beach isn't actually open yet, but it will get crowded for certain. Parking lots have meters.

Amazing that I can walk here from my house. I am very lucky to live here. This beach is amazing,…read moreyou get great views of Chicago, Waukegan, and water. The recent remodel and rebuild are beautiful. It is nice and quiet her in the winter, all you hear are the waves, the wind, and your breath. Wait until spring!

Covered but there's a sign that says not sanitized.

See all

Kids buried in the sand. Good thing they have a shower!

Half Day Forest Preserve

4.6

(13 reviews)

0.3 mi

A sensational park, trail, nature reserve that has been a gem for decades. As a kid, we would often…read morevisit the forest preserve to fish, go on the playgrounds, bike the extensive well-connected trails, walk..so much memories here. Great spot to host a cookout or party with their rental shelters too. Happy to see it still functioning for many folks after all these years. Wish Charleston, SC had preserves like this!

There was a wedding reception (dinner and dancing) held in Shelter A and B of this forest preserve…read more As a former Illinois resident I thought the wedding party would be uncomfortable, given this time of year. But I was wrong! Both the weather and surroundings were beautiful; I heard they sprayed for insects beforehand as well. Many picture opportunities. Open enough to enjoy the rest of reserve and share the good vibes with passersby. Some bees came out but only when we were already packing up. Maybe more available parking spaces would've been nice. Other than that, it was a good time.

See all

Lake Bluff Hub and Cycle

Nate was great, he was able to change a pedal and crank on my son's bike without a problem. He…read morechecked to make sure the bike was safe to ride and found I was missing a part. He provided the part and I was in and out in 30 minutes. Highly recommend.

This store is a good hole in the wall. One side is bikes and the other side is food…read more Used bikes are still good quality and for a good price. Very friendly atmosphere and it's all thanks to the great employees. It's the only bike shop I recommend that's near for my friends so they don't buy some okay quality bikes from other big chain retailers.

See all

Forest Park Beach

3.8

(15 reviews)

6.7 mi

I fully admit that having teenage boys at home during the pandemic has been a lot. At some point…read moreeach day, my hubby and I get in the car and talk through all our troubles (translation: complain about having children) while driving up north along the lake. We often end up parked in our car staring at Lake Michigan at Forest Park Beach. We're convinced that all the other couples we see there are also doing the same thing ;-) Last week, our laziness and overwhelm forced us to get out of the car and take in a fresh air walk along the lakefront. We walked south past the concessions and over near the boating facility. We typically don't leave our car unattended, just in case we might get a ticket. We took the risk, and it was so worth it. TBH I don't think they are monitoring the parking lots or ticketing right now, but I'm not 100% sure. What an absolutely gorgeous discovery! We honestly felt like we were on vacation (without kids). The air was fresh, the water was fairly calm, and we felt grateful to be living near such a beautiful oasis. Along the walkway we discovered a play area for kids, boats ready to launch, a covered area with picnic tables, tall lampposts and pristine landscaping. At the very end of our walk was a goose waiting for her goose companion to come back from sea (lol). We learned from a local that the goose had been there for a few days. Anyway, the sidewalk came to an abrupt end, something like out of a Shel Silverstein poem. We turned around, took a deep breath, and received a call from one of our sons that he and his brother were about to bring a bunch of friends over to our house. And just like that, our peace and calm came to a stop. Until next time...

Lake Forest Beach is a public area with fees incurred for public access. I am a person with a…read moredisability and unable to walk far distances and can not use stairs (age 59) female. I was harassed/shamed when I requested a reasonably accommodation to be dropped off/picked up. I did not ask for entry/parking. All I wanted was a small accommodation to be dropped off and picked up. I was harassed and wasn't allowed to be picked up due to my disability. This is a violation of the ADA (American Disability Act) and was discriminated against due to my disability. LFB is considered a public park and was in violation of my rights as a person with a disability. I understand there are rules and I just wanted a reasonable accommodation to be allowed to be dropped off and picked up not harassed and shamed and left standing in the heat while my husband explained the situation. He showed the gate guard a copy of my "Illinois ID marked as a person with a disability." Beach management need to educate their staff as to making simple reasonable accommodations for people with a disability. They (staff) have no rights to judge and disregard persons with a disability. Such can be reported and subject to significant fines and lawsuits. I suggest ADA compliance and policies for persons with a disability are seriously reviewed and followed according to the American Disability Act. This should NOT have transpired and was humiliating, to be honest.

See all

Ultimate Ninjas Libertyville

4.2

(22 reviews)

4.6 mi

We went to a 6yo birthday party there this past weekend and it was clean, well set up, and the kids…read morehad a blast! Most importantly, there were staff spotting the kids, coordinating games in an organized and structured way, and helping out in the party room. Would highly recommend this location!

This may work for adult fitness, but I don't think it was good for a kid's birthday party. All of…read morethe apparatuses are way too advanced for them. It's basically parents walking around hoisting their kids onto equipment that is behind their scope, and then having to hold them. There were no organized activities, save for the dodgeball game at the end. Even then, you couldn't even hear the instructor give directions. They would be better to have microphones. Instructor didn't seem like she was enjoying herself at all (no smiling). We started out in one area and then moved onto the next. My kids were bored in 10 minutes. They therefore went back to the first area, only to have an employee scold us for going back there because "it was already cleaned for the next group." We had no idea they were getting ready for another party. Again, it would have been better to politely say in a microphone prior to moving (so all can hear) that "we are moving on to another area and to not go back to the former as it's being prepared for another group." When we got to the eating area, one of the employees was so intrusive with the bussing of the table! She kept reaching out under *everyone* to get every little wrapper, juice box or a plate that appeared finished. For the love of God! This was so aggravating and other parents noticed as well. At least twice I had to tell her that my kids weren't finished. You couldn't even set something down without fear it would be taken right away! Another thing I found rude is that the employee announced coldly that the kids "couldn't get the cupcake until their pizza was finished." What the hell? This was not enjoyable at ALL, and my 2 boys (7 and 8) did not like this place one bit. We felt shoed out the door. Suggestion: Have employees who actually interact with the kids with organized games. Employees need a microphone as well, for announcements. Smile and cease the cold and demeaning comments. When in the eating area, PLEASE let parents and children eat in peace. Clean up afterwards, not during!!