Absolutely beautiful!!! I needed a place to relax after my flight into Chicago. While I waited on my daughter's flight to come in (about 5 hours later). Next trip I'll be planning a picnic either when we land or before we fly out. What a beautiful and well maintained space. Filled with so much information and respect for America's heroes. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Built in 1975, this memorial honors the men and women of Des Plaines who have served our country in the armed forces from the Civil War to the present day. This was a collaborative effort by the city, local VFW and local American Legion Post. The pavilion hosts numerous events including the annual Memorial Day services, the Live at the Lake summer entertainment series, Concert Band performances, the summer Movies in the Park and the annual Fall Fest. They were selling Christmas tress while I was there. The restroom facilities are also co-located here. The Pavilion is well maintained and consist of a bandshell and a walk way that has a plaque detailing every war from the Civil War to the Afghanistan War. Inside the bandshell you will find plaques with the name of the Des Plaines veteran that lost their life and which war it occurred. The center of the bandshell has the seal of all 5 of the US armed forces. There is a flag pole and a brick walkway leading from the bandshell and ends in a small circle. Because the pavilion provides somewhat protection from the elements, homeless people seek refuge here. This is a small, but fitting tribute to the honorable veterans that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. read more

My son had a play date here and we met at the playground. The equipment was new and they had artificial grass as the turf. Fun things for all ages. The park / lake was peaceful and beautiful. What a great place to take a walk, have a picnic, or ride on one of the swan boats. read more

I'm a huge fan of this park. Located in the Des Plaines area, not too far from I-90, Lake Park is a terrific park that has a lot of open grass, a large lake in the middle, and plenty of street parking. This park hosts summer festivals like "Fall Fest" and the parking can be tough, but on normal nonevent days, I never had any issues finding street parking along Lee Street. There are several permanent barbecue grills that you can use (bring your own charcoal) and also a sheltered picnic area too. I have seen several small sail boats sailing around, as well as paddle boats. I'm honestly have not tried to sail or rent, but assuming some of the boats look nearly identical, I'm guessing there is a place to rent them. There's a great walking path along most of the parameter of the lake as well as a kid area playground. I highly recommend grabbing some food somewhere and going to Lake Park for a picnic. If you're into the lake, hate going to the crowded Lake Michigan lakefront, definitely consider going to Lake Park! BATHROOM REVIEW: As of the writing of this review, we are still in Phase3 of the Illinois COVID19 plan, and the bathrooms were unfortunately locked read more

Lake Park - Beautiful view, off of Touhy ave - Parks Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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I can't believe I have never heard of lake opeka until just a few weeks ago! This place has it all! Kayaking, paddle boarding, golfing, running trail, volley ball courts, dogs, playground etc. I can't wait to go back and spend the day! Very beautiful spot in Desplaines IL read more

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I seriously LOVE this park and the beautiful view of Lake Opeka on a sunny summer day. This is a gorgeous place to be in Des Plaines. They have so much to do. You can rent kayaks/paddleboats so you can go in the man-made lake. They also have fishing areas (that tell you what type of fish are living in there), they have a path around the lake where you see so many people jogging and walking around (you also see tons of super cute dogs), and there are benches all around the path so you can just relax and enjoy the view. There are tons of ducks that swim around, there is a playground for kids and an ice cream truck is always around, and there is also a picnic area. There is also a golf course. I have come here on a normal day, but they also have a carnival here one weekend in the summer, and it is a lot of fun for kids and families. They have great food and they have rides and live bands during this event. Other seasonal events include movies in the park and a fishing event. They also added a Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall here that tributes those individuals who served in the Vietnam War, as well as their families. You honestly cannot go wrong with coming here, but like any other park that has a lake and grass, there are tons of bugs swarming around, so you may get eaten alive by gnats and mosquitos haha... I warned you. read more

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A beautiful park located in Des Plaines. So happy that 'The Wall That Heals' made a tour stop here September 28-October 1. A moving tribute to those who served in Vietnam and their families. This wall is a scaled down version of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) that's located in Washington D.C.. I highly recommend checking out this exhibit before it leaves town. read more

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Nice little park. Good place to get away for a minute or two or three. Lots of tables and benches, so you can have lunch here if you work nearby. It is a very clean park. No hooligans, no thugs but sometimes there are ducks. They have a nice playground and sometimes there are special events, like movies in the park. read more

Impressive. Half public park, half public golf course - not walkers, joggers or bicycles! I read that sign. The people were nice and it was a pleasant day out so there were plenty of people. For a local park this deserves 5 stars. Clean, well placed, the lake. It was worth my visit. read more

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Took to the pristine 18 hole par 3 golf course recently with some friends/competitors. Seemed like the world was against Jimi. Nobody believed he could win the match. Many haters bet money that Jimi would lose, that he would choke, the he would crumble under the pressure. Well... They were right. Jimi had a rough start. Not enough greens hit. Conditions were not to blame. No excuses. Jimi didn't come through. Not the courses fault tho 5 stars read more

Love this Park. It has something for everyone. Golf, Soccer Golf, a walking path around the lake. Benches, fishing, a playground. My Daughter and I come here often. There are bathrooms in the onsite building. In summer; there are paddle boats and kayaks for rent, and at the end of the summer there is a carnival that my six year old really enjoys. There are several restaurants in the area as well. Cannot go wrong w/ Lake Park. read more

Beautiful trees, botanicals, fishing, and family fun. Thoughtful memorial trees and benches of loved ones and veterans.

Lake Park isn't your standard park. It has a walking/bike path, a playground with 2 swing sets and 2 play structures plus other activities, a fishing deck, sailing lessons, pedal boats, grills, cooling spray tower, permanent structures for playing bags, bocce ball court, a golf course, picnic pavilions, and a band shell. There are also many fun seasonal activities, such as: --summer movies in the park --fall fest carnival --"live at the lake" concert --fishing derby --christmas tree sale --summer day camp for kids --sensory garden One thing they do NOT have is monofilament/fishing line collection bins all around the lake. People throw their line on the ground or in the water, and animals get caught in it. Very sad. I myself have put in two calls about injured birds. I hope they do something about this soon! read more

Wow what a view! I was fortunate to visit this park on a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon. The water reflected the sunlight so beautifully, children playing in the park, people fishing, ducks swimming..despite the park being next to a street, everything seemed so tranquil. I loved how big the park was and complete with lots of picnic tables. I will definitely be visiting here more often as long as the weather is still beautiful. However, I shall give it 4 stars because the walking path did not circle the entire way around and instead forces people to double back. read more

We've been really impressed with the Des Plaines Park District overall. Their programs (swimming, Muy Thai, knitting) have been administered well, and their park facilities are clean and very well maintained. Lake Park is particularly excellent for it's cleanliness and variety of offerings. There's an 18 hole golf course (not that I've ever golfed), a lake for sailing, fishing and rental paddle-boating, and a spacious lake side park, with plenty of parking, playground equipment, and music pavilion with rest rooms (with more rest rooms at the boat/golf house). Great place to kick back and relax on the grass, watch the lake and do that valuable activity called "nothing." If you like to hike, there's a lakeside path for that too. A cool thing is that you're also likely to hear 5-6 different languages spoken (if you're there on a busy weekend), which really makes me feel happy and positive for America, and the energy that us ambitious immigrants have brought here from everywhere around the planet. Another reason we love Des Plaines. People are courteous and friendly, and the park is clean, because people are careful to pickup after themselves. I think of it like Lincoln Park by Lake Michigan, down in Chicago, but much more manageable and smaller, and with parking that's free and and ample. Also it feels friendlier, and that matters a lot. read more

I believe it is a man made lake. There's some history behind this area. If you read the Wikipedia page it says there could be an abandoned jeep at the bottom of the deepest area of the lake and a road. Since I think it's a man made lake, a road is highly possible. I like to visit the lake for those times when I feel like doing some power walking. It's not a complete round about the lake but you can get a good momentum going. Not a lot of traffic usually. Along this walk path and about the lake are those attending to other activities. Some are fishing and the lake is good for Bass, Blue gil and Pike. You can see a great deal of activity from other small aquatic animals as well. Ducks and geese are usually hanging around. As well as some turtles, frogs and they say some have seen carp in these waters. Available for rent are paddle boats and the cost isn't high. If you inquire with the park district you can learn about having your own sail boat out there. I do believe they allow boat parking along the side. The park also has a golf course available with 18 holes. The park is completed with picnic benches, park style grills for use, a play area for children and most summers there are many festivals that occur here. One fairly big one for eating and lots of fun for children as well as an old cars viewing festival. Brings about many from the community and is a good and affordable time. The local park district offers classes for all kinds of activities. Head to the community center located where the paddle boats are for more information. Inside they also have food and drinks available for most of the warmer seasons. read more

Delightful for what it serves as - a neighborhood green space offering respite for walkers, kids, ducks, geese. The fish don't look so robust here, but those fishing seem to enjoy the lake nonetheless. It's not possible to make a full circle around the lake since the other half is allocated to the golf course. However, there is enough space and amenities for group picnicking and a playground for kids. read more

Great little park and golf course located near O'Hare Airport. I come here often for lunch to sit and just watch the water and the fisherman. It is a small lake, more of a pond really, but the Community really frequents the area which keeps it lively and quaint. Many people run the track on the outside of the lake or walk it over lunch hours. Definitely an area to check out especially if you're interested in paddle boats, kayaks or fishing boats. Again it's a small lake, but it definitely makes for an entertaining afternoon without having to travel too far. read more

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Lake Park is fantastic! The park has a small golf course, play ground, field house (w/bathrooms), covered pavilion, picnic tables, paddle boating and sailing. On warm days the Goodhumor truck comes by, a multitude of times, to help ya cool down with a cold treat! I love going here with my kids and getting ice cream from the truck, it's like I'm still 8... The playground usually has a lot of kids on warm days, as it's big with lots of play area. There is a covered area in the playground, with a picnic table, so you can sit in shade while the kids play... also lots of benches all around. There's a trail that basically goes around Lake Opeka and it's great for strolling. The park itself is very big, often find people flying kites and playing a little baseball or soccer on the open field. The Pavilion is on the other side of the field house from the playground, so if you are having a picnic with family/friends you are not necessarily subject to all the kids in the playground. You can absolutely spend a whole day at the park and be busy the whole time. Location is great, convenient to I90, just off Touhy, west of Mannheim Rd. read more

Lake Park is awesome! The playground is great for kids, and the ice cream dude stops by frequently in the summers, so bring some money. Lake Opeka is great for boating and fishing, just stop by the clubhouse on the north side of the park. There is also an 18-hole golf course - which is the only reason I gave 4 stars - but they don't supply golf carts, and it can get H-O-T, so if you're playing golf in the summer, definitely bring some water. read more

Nice park located by my work. When it's not too hot or sunny I like to walk around the track once or twice during lunch. There are always a lot of people picnicing, fishing, walking/jogging, or with their kids at the playground. Only complaint is the track doesn't go allllll the way around the lake so I have to do an awkward u-turn but I'm just being nitpicky! Sometimes there are interesting characters who like to holler at girls walking but they don't really bother you if you ignore them. Ducks are really cute to look at! read more

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Great park run by the park district. A playground has been redone with a section for little ones and a section for older kids. Plenty of park benches to sit and enjoy the veiw. Great spot to picnic. Bandshell that has concerts in the summer. Golf course. Volley ball. Fishing. Paddle boats. Ice skating in tue winter. read more

This place features an 18 hole par-3 golf course. It's right next to O'Hare and the couple times I've been here early on Saturday mornings, it isn't busy at all. It doesn't cost too much to play so I love coming here. It's great for newer golfers that are learning to hit the ball 80-100 yards as well as working on chipping and putting. The course is well maintained and there is a nice lake nearby as well. read more

a gorgeous place to get in some walking and clean. Too bad I dont work at Abbott (across the street).

Snow or sun , most of my mornings ( and sometimes evenings ) I'm starting here ... a beautiful place to exercise, golf ( even though I don't golf lol), do boat pedaling , meet friends , have a celebrating ... read more

This park is great! It has a large track that can be used to walking,running, biking or rollerblading. Downside is that it is pften very crowded especially the playground area. During the weekdays its perfect to go for a nice afternoon stroll! read more

This is a great place to catch Pokémon. Lots of water types and lots of Pokéstops as well.

I really like this park! I come here all the time when it is nice, especially on weekends. It isn't too far from my house, but it is also not right next to my house so there is some travel involved. I come here one days when it is nice, but also on days when I just need to be alone for a while. read more

played golf here after work, 18 hole par 3, leave your woods and drivers behind and take 7-wedge and putter, great practice for chipping and putting and very affordable at $10, not crowded and well maintained, but you tee off from matts so can be tricky, great for beginners read more