Hastings Lake Forest Preserve has approximately a 2.1 mile hike. The path is paved and pretty even…read morethroughout. It wraps around the lake which offers nice breezes. Many areas along the trail are shaded by large trees so it's not all sunny and hot. The lake has a good population of turtles and surprisingly also has big mouth bass among other species that you are allowed to fish! They offer a boat ramp to bring your boat or even canoe! They also have plenty of places around the lake to sit and just reflect and relax. The path was very clean and markers easy to spot as there is only 1 path and no diversions. It's a great morning activity with family and friends.

This is a hidden gem with a paved walking path all the way around the lake and beautiful woods.read more

This is a nice little beach in Wildwood. You do need a resident parking sticker to park along the…read moreposted area however. We are not Wildwood residents but have found parking not too far off. The swimming area is marked and mostly attracts families with young kids.

Nice park. It has a pavilion and a small beach area. The park is not very big, but it is a hidden…read moregem. Recommend you check it out. Oh, and Joe says, "Don't forget...it turns out the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

Lehmann Park is a great place to relax if you are a resident of Lake Villa…read more The park is very clean and well kept with pretty flowers planted by the old clock at the entry. It features a picnic pavillion available for parties, grilling areas, picnic tables, clean bathrooms, volleyball court, beach / swimming area and boat dock. For kids, there are a couple of play areas in the park as well as swing sets and jungle gyms on the sand in the beach area. There is also a separate shallow swimming area just for small children. The sandy beach has clear waters - you can see the minnows swimming right around your feet, and the lake is very calm due to the boat motor restriction. I haven't seen a bad sunset yet. I love coming here and appreciate how the residents keep it clean. I do wish more residents would follow the "no dogs on the beach rule" though; the signs are clearly posted, but people sometimes allow their dogs to run unleashed in the swimming area. If you're a resident of Lake Villa and haven't visited this park, you must stop by before summer's end.

Spent the morning at Illinois State Park beach...the biting…read moreflies finally win and chased us away...which led us to this little hidden gem. Jones Island Park is a well kept park full of shade trees, a playground, walking trail with benches, a shelter house, a sand volleyball court...and a beach. It's small, we'll-maintained, the swim area is marked off, the water is warm, the littles can stand, and there are no flies!!! Not quite the view of the Great Lake, but still a beautiful setting. Swim in the lake area. Fish in the canal. Relax beneath a shade tree. A little bit of something here to keep the young and the old content for a very long while!!! Annnnnd, unlike the rest of the local park/beaches....it's free!!!

Fantastic local park, with volleball field, kids park and a small beach. Great fishing too.read more

I was on the web site and a little concerned. It mentions fishing only from approved fishing boats…read moreand I wasn't sure how much fishing we were going to do, but wanted it as an option. I also wanted the canopy of a pontoon boat to keep us out of the sun if we wanted and assumed fishing would be allowed only from their fishing boats (no canopies). When I called they said that fishing was allowed from some of their pontoons. As she put it "the older ones, but they're still nice with a little smaller engines." I booked one of those. I knew we would want to explore the chain of lakes, but might want to fish some too. It's not the easiest place to find, but when we got there and parked, the lady mowing the grass came over and told us where to park and meet her at the "Tiki Bar." She had plenty of information for us, a map, some likely fishing spots and gave us a quick tour of the boat. They take good care of their boats and want you to do the same. The boat was in great shape. I wouldn't have guessed it was one of the "older ones." The engine had plenty of power to explore. We went on a Thursday (yesterday) and the lakes were not crowded at all. The four hours flew by as we were having a great time exploring and doing a little fishing. If I had to complain about something it was the broken fuel gauge on the boat. It's a little unnerving not knowing how much gas you have when you're in the middle of a lake. They weren't trying to gouge us for gas (you pay for what you use when they fill up upon return). I think this is probably a pretty common problem with boat fuel gauges.

Our first visit. Staff are very acknowledgeable, but we waited to have our order for at least 15…read moremins. Server was distracted. Food is good but price is high of how much amount they serve. I wanted to have half bacon & sausage, server says they don't do it. I was hesitant to leave, then the fire alarm went off. It was very loud. Apparently the chef burnt something in the kitchen. Place is clean & it looks like it just got remodeled. Beautiful water view. Am I coming back maybe. But if I have to wait that long to order my food. NO THANK YOU!

Ok so in my opinion a 5-star venue doesn't have to be at the top of the Eiffel Tower or require a…read morejacket and have a sommelier wine consultant. They just have to be at the top of their game. If you're out at fishing resort, and you go to the local rustic bar, that's the limbo stick you measure with. Jack and Lidia's is at the top of their game. I've been there twice, both on a Thursday night. That's the night they have a live traditional jazz band play. It's great fun I've been to establishments a dozen times and even IF they're fortunate enough have the same employees, they don't notice me, don't even care to say hi. Here, Jack was behind the bar both nights. By the second visit, he recognized us, said hello and interacted with every person in there ... and this is what I'm talking about. It's a nice, clean & comfortable place to have some drinks and unwind. Yes, it was a frozen pizza, but Jack cooked it right at the bar and made it fun for us. He kept an eye on everyone and paid attention that they felt welcome. So here it is... If you find yourself near Antioch on a Thursday and you can find this little bar ... I think you'll like it. Go in, order a pizza and some beer and relax. Also tip the band and say hi to Jack for me.

I was impressed with Jack and his band, had a great time! I would recommend you check it out for…read moreyourself.

My Son and I stayed at Ol Pine Lodge in September. The pictures of the rooms/cabins were really…read morenice but they were even better than we expected. The beds were so comfortable and everything was clean and fresh. We sat at the lakefront fire pit and had a wonderful time. Fishing off the dock was fun, and the only disappointment was that some huge fish broke my line and took my lure...I thought the pole might break. We wanted to take the kayaks out but ran out of time. Highly recommended.

From the owner: We are a family owned vacation rental lakefront/beach property. The vibe at Ol Pine Lodge is…read morefamily friendly, relaxing and will be a great place to kick back and relax at the lakefront. Bring a boat and dock it at our piers. We have kayaks available upon request to allow you to escape early as the sun rises on the lake.

If you have a boat and need to get it fixed, do it here. They will take care of all your needs.read more

Mike and the team are knowledgeable, precise, meticulous and punctual…read more I came to them with a problem, which another shop could not get resolved for weeks. Here the problem was solved in one day and I was back on the water. Highly recommend.