It was a breath of fresh air the morning I decided to finally venture up to Skokie Lagoons to run…read more It was only a matter of time that I would visit after having passed through it via the North Branch Trail System while training for the Chicago Marathon some time ago. My visit to the actual site came after having the desire of running somewhere different, as well as having no interest in running the ever so congested Chicago Lakefront Trail. At the time, it was marathon training season with many runners out training for their fall and winter marathons. And not to mention other individuals out on the Lakefront Trail whether it be biking, walking, skating, or even at the beaches which I just did not have the tolerance for at the time. My GPS took me to what is labeled as Forest Way Picnic Grove #1 where I ended up parking. However, if you want to start your activity at the mile marker starting point, I recommend parking where the Chicago River Canoe and Kayak shed is located which is 1770 Tower Rd. Parking there will put you right at the 0/4.4-mile marker on the path. If not, Skokie Lagoons has several places to park your vehicle which are mostly along Forestway Dr. Prior to starting my run, I could not resist taking in the beauty of the lagoon which made me think to myself why did it take me so long to visit. As a fitness enthusiast that has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level of Skokie Lagoons as moderate because the terrain is not entirely flat; there are rolling hills in between miles 1-3, but nothing excruciating. And there are distance markings along the pavement of this loop style paved path totaling 4.4 miles per loop. Well into the path, I felt that sense of being in nature as I made my way around the loop. I also felt that feeling of being secluded on parts of the path, but there were always encounters with bikers at some point that kept me in the moment as well as the sounds of vehicles on the nearby roads. As mentioned, I encountered bikers mostly, but I did see walkers and runners occasionally along the path. And throughout my entire time on the path, I encountered two deer which crossed my path as they headed towards the lagoon. I spent a little over 3 hours on the path but could have easily gone longer if I wanted to. Like the start of my run, I took in the beauty of the lagoon again which looked so gorgeous with the sun beaming down on it, giving it that lustrous look. And I overheard the screeching sound of a bald eagle as I stretched and massaged my leg muscles off to the side of the path. There are a variety of activities you can conduct within Skokie Lagoons; some of those activities I saw or can certainly see are fishing, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, hiking, running, walking, biking, and even inline skating. And along the path, there are waste and recycling bins, even benches throughout. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience at Skokie Lagoons, as indicated in this review. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to conduct interval runs around its loop in build-up to long run events I participate in. ~Gonna run 'til I don't jiggle. ~ Thomas G

Having lived in Chicago and visited Skokie Lagoons many times before, I can't believe I never left…read morea review! Recently visiting friends in Evanston and needing a place to hike on a 70-80 degree day on my way back to Milwaukee, SL was a no-brainer! Skokie Lagoons has: - Great paved biking trails - Public kayak/canoe launch - Kayak/canoe rental - Good fishing! (Caught a NICE largemouth bass here once) - Lagoons, swamps, and more! - Paved trails that lead into Chicago Botanic Gardens I was hiking on the paved bike trail, which frankly, they're pretty long trails! Better for running, biking, and watersports IMHO. I can't believe people drop less than a 5-star review for this place!

A great tucked away forest preserve just off Willow Rd, East of Hibberd. Its hard to imagine such…read morean open space where the location is. Its pretty basic, but does have an open shelter with a fireplace and bathrooms. Two large open fields (not for sports and no playground) are on either side of the shelter. A great place for a picnic with plenty of space for games and a hiking trail. Crow Island Woods also has easy access to Crow Island School Just to the east.

This is a hidden gem for the city dwellers. Even though "Emily Oaks Nature Center" is surrounded…read moreby the residential area and one can hear the CTA trains passing back and forth, cloud and clear, it can still be considered as a mini "escape." In other words, it is a place to experience what mother nature has to offer, for both adults and kids. I would say the trail paths are kid-friendly and not too long for the little ones to explore. However, I think it is better to visit when daylight is available. Bike routes are separate from the walking path, so one doesn't have to watch out for bikers passing through. The Lakeview (or pond view) is serene. There are a few benches to sit down and enjoy the scenery. I see they have camp fires and other activities from time to time. I bet these are fun, as weather permits. In the beginning of the trail, a small scaled playground definitely can pull your kiddos away to release their energy. Parking is plenty and convenient. I think "Emily Oaks Nature Center" is going to be a re-visit for our family this summer.

If you can ignore the sounds of the Skokie Swift and passing traffic just outside the northern and…read morewestern boundaries of the nature preserve, Emily Oaks is a darling little slice of woods and lagoon tucked into a residential neighborhood of Skokie. They host camps here during the summer months, so you'll find chalk drawings on some of the paths and signs on some of the trees around that time, but it doesn't really detract from the atmosphere. (This is where my sibling and I learned to canoe and build campfires back in the day.) Chipmunks and geese abound; be sure to also check out the fish in the lagoon. They have shelters with picnic tables scattered throughout the preserve, so this is a peaceful place for a picnic lunch when camp's not in session. Just remember to leave the area as clean as you found it... and don't try starting any campfires without permission.

I love this beach so much! It's beautiful and clean, but just recently, they fenced up a few parts…read moreof the beach and now require payment for residents and non-residents AND when you leave one part of the paid beach to move to another part, you have to pay again! Which is absurd. I was also thinking about renting out a shelter for a party, but the park doesn't allow you to bring your own grill, doesn't allow alcohol, only provides you with two tables, and you have to still pay for parking and access to the beach. It all just seems like a money grab, which sucks because the beach was free to the public for so long! I know a lot of people are upset about the new rules. Aside from that, there is a park, tennis courts, and Fat Shallot, where they serve food and drinks. There is also a patio area to eat and drink, and outdoor showers. PARK ON MICHIGAN AVE and just walk down to avoid some fees!

A park and a beach is along the lake. Gillson Park is the best thing about Wilmette, and beats any…read moreof those overcrowded ones farther south. If you want to actually be able to walk on a beach and not feel crowded, then head up a ways. Be careful about where you park because you can find places for free. There's also plenty of green space for athletic fields. Gillson is a big park, and that makes it feel not as crowded. It has several different parts. There's the actual park with the grass and trees. It's often very quiet here. Where's all the people? At the beach. This beach is still less crowded than any of the Chicago beaches full of both locals and tourists. It has a nice little play area. The sand is pretty clear of debris for the most part. Also at this park is a big ass marina. There's lots of boats, and there's also a club you can join if you can pay up. However you spend time here, just be careful about parking or it may be costly. It has pay lots close to the beach but you can find free parking on the residential streets. They have certain places where you can't park though, so pay attention to signs and whatever.

This is a relatively peaceful place for hiking and biking. But it's a little hilly for an Illinois…read moreforest preserve, so wear appropriate footwear (I learned that the hard way). I've seen people getting professional photos taken with these woods as a backdrop, and it's a good setting for that. There's an expanse of grass between the woods and the parking lot where you can sit, have a picnic, whatever. The paved trail runs up the hill and onto the bridge over Lake St. to the north or towards Old Orchard to the south. As you move south, the forest preserves get a bit busy, so I prefer to head north from here. Just to the west of the main trail, there's a gravel path that tacks off to one side and is a little quieter, if that's what you're looking for. You won't lose sight of civilization completely, but you'll get a breather from the steady flow of bike traffic on the main trail that way.

07/03/20 - Yet another part of the extensive trails that make up part of the vast Forest Preserve…read moreNorth Branch trails. These start East of me by the Chicago Park district on Foster Ave & go West through Labaugh Woods off of Cicero Ave (5 houses East of me) through Forest Glen Woods (2 Blocks west of me) the turns north all the way to the Chicago Botanical Gardens. These trails are awesome as they provide people a little respite from urban life literally right in their backyards. People especially now that the weather is warmer come out for walks, running, roller blading & biking along the trails. My sister and I are both on a mission to not only get exercise, but see our own natural beauty our forest preserves provide & at the same time shed some pounds. The amount we have been walking you see all sorts of wild life, everything from deer, Blue herons, snapping turtles, chipmunks scouting around, squirrels, raccoons, hawks, redwing blackbirds, cardinals (no Cubs though bummer), blue jays even a fox. Today we walked from the Blue Star Memorial Woods to the south end of The Skokie Lagoon & back about 6.3 miles.

What a fabulous time we had on Northwest Passage's Crete (Greece) Kayak Adventure. Rick, Zane and…read moreAnna were excellent guides who quickly taught us the skills necessary to paddle a sea kayak. They also knew the area so well that they could point out things or take us places we would never have discovered on our own. The towns chosen for the overnights were well selected; also, the lodgings were comfortable and the restaurants served good Greek food. Having previously done this trip multiple times before, Northwest Passage has it down to a "science" for a seamless trip. It was an outstanding way to experience Crete. We would count this adventure as one providing the proverbial "memories of a lifetime." We highly recommend Northwest Passage Adventures.

Went on the 2 hour sunset kayaking with a bunch of girlfriends recently and had an awesome time…read more Even though they provided maps as to where the boat launch would be--I still went to the wrong area--boo for me and directions. They provided all the equipment: lifejacket, oar, and kayak. I recommend water shoes just because Im not a huge fan of sand or rocks in between my toes. The fabulous trip leader gave us some instruction/safety and then we were off and paddling--ok maybe not at first :) The staff was so patient and nice---especially because I felt like the first half of the trip I definitely needed special attention--since we were veering in the opposite direction of the group---geesh who would've thought it would be so difficult to turn or keep going straight--but with the proper instruction and a little special ed tugging from one of the trip leaders---we were on our way to cruising on lake michigan. Being that this was my first time and I didn't fall out or become traumatized--I definitley will be doing this again.

As I read through other reviews, there is a lot more to this park than just a trail around a lake…read more We did a fundraiser that included a walk around the lake. The park is very good and the walk is nice. The whole loop is only about 1 1/2 miles so it's an easy walk. The other reviews talk about accommodations for a party, indoor sports like basketball, a gym, and more. We didn't check any of that out since we didn't know they were there. Speaking of the path and the lake, it's lovely and a nice place to go on a warm day.

Gallery Park started out as a collection of flat aprons and runways in the Glenview Naval Air…read moreStation. The Naval station closed in '93, and the hundred and fifty acres that now comprise Gallery Park became available, and were incorporated as this park. Tip: There are several different trails here, all of which loop around Lake Glenview. The lake also has several piers, some small islands, and a bridge My two favorite trails here are the Lake Trail (one and a half miles long) and the Park Trail (one point eight miles long). I used to also very much enjoy the Lakeside Trail, but I ran into far too many ticks the last time I went there, so I've been avoiding it. Over and above the hiking trails, the park also has several soccer fields, tennis courts, and even some catch-and-release fishing spots. Last (but not least) there's a fitness zone with equipment for cardio steps, chest presses, an crunches, etc. But wait, there's more! You'll also find a children's garden, bike racks, water fountains, and picnic tables. All in all this is a pretty cool place to relax and get some nature on :-)