What a hidden gem! You get the best of both, beach and bluff and it is HP residents only…read more Accessible by both foot and car; but note that parking space is limited and you have to have a sticker (available at HP Rec center). No matter the purpose of your visit, this place has relax and unwind written all over it. This beach is the opposite of Rosewood, it is more of a DIY beach, which is more my vibe.

I'm not sure if this review is about the park area, the beach, the lake, or the fact that the North…read moreShore has some beautiful historical hidden gems worth exploring. Millard Park pays tribute to all of it! Thanks to Maryana R and Peter S for helping me discover this jewel. At the very end of Ravine Drive, down a long and winding road, up some stone stairs, you'll discover a piece of North Shore history. Not only will you discover a remaining stone wall structure that was part of the Robert C Schaffner Estate, built by Howard Van Doren Shaw, but the restored Schaffner Garden, which is a magical place made for a fairy princess. In the midst of wild flowers, you'll also discover planted trees and benches dedicated to loved ones who have passed on. This garden overlooks the lake and the Millard Park Beach. I can't wait to come back when the flowers are in bloom. On the beach you will find a rock garden and a fun wooden structure/rock identifier displaying native rocks. Kids and kids at heart can take the rocks they discover on the beach and match them to the rock identifier as a learning tool. It's kind of difficult to explain, so you'll just have to see for yourself! Overall, an incredible place to escape to. Note: You can only park there with a Highland Park sticker and dogs are not allowed on the beach.

This beach is beautiful and worth checking out if you are in the area! I loved the walkway and how…read moreclean the area is. You will need a pass if you aren't a resident, but it's a great experience .

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.

This lakeside club is the gem of Highland Park! The cozy clubhouse on Lake Michigan with canoes,…read morekayaks, sailboats and friendly members of all ages is our favorite place to be in the summertime.

This place is a hidden gem that's underutilized. For less then $300 bucks, a beachfront clubhouse…read morewith a huge deck including grills, tables, kitchen, showers, equipment, storage, and free to use club equipment such as kayaks, paddle boards, windsurfers... I'm here almost everyday. I can't understand why this place isn't completely packed with members all summer.

Spent the last day of summer at Glencoe Beach and it was beautiful. It was off season so no life…read moreguard and the house with bathrooms wasn't open but they did have port o potties. Their regular season from Memorial day to labor day the beach costs and it's mainly from members on the weekend. But since it was the season it was free. It was decently crowded with everyone soaking up the last nice day. They have a playground for kids, plenty of shelters to rent for a party, volleyball net, a pier to walk along and place to rent boats, and paddle boats. The front of the beach is rocky and going into the water have to walk over rocks to get the sandy part of the water. But loved the water as it was clear and felt good to swim in. Very nice beach to relax on.

ALWAYS a good time at Glencoe Beach! The location is absolutely beautiful with clean, sandy shores…read moreand stunning views of Lake Michigan. It's perfect for swimming on a warm day. I loved how well-maintained the beach is, and everyone was so friendly! They also have grills and plenty of seating, making it great for picnics and gatherings. Plus, the surrounding neighborhood is gorgeous, adding to the overall charm of the area. Highly recommend for a fun, relaxing beach day!

We absolutely love this place. A small forest preserve along the shores of Lake Michigan. Good for…read morehiking,biking and even cross country skiing. The beach is rocky which makes for great rock collecting and bird watching. There is a small parking lot which fills up quickly especially on the weekend. Ft. Sheridan is rich in history dating back to the Great Chicago Fire. Definitely a hidden gem in Illinois.

This is a lovely spot to feel cool breezes off the lake on a hot summer day. We enjoyed walking…read morethe beach, bird watching and all the native wildflowers.

Moraine Park is one of the recreational parks in Highland Park, recently half-heartedly made into a…read moresculpture park. At the top, you have a wide open grassy area, which would ideally be perfect for letting your dog off-leash... if they were to fence it. Descending the stairs to the beach, you reach a fenced-in area for dogs to enjoy the lake. It's pretty chilly on blustery days, but the dogs love it, and it's a great place to meet other pet owners. You do need a permit to be there, however, and the details about that are posted on the website.

Bow wow. This is a pretty cool dog park and dog beach. I…read moresuppose they like having a place of their own to be with their own kind. of course none of them speak English so well never know for sure. But the fidos have liberty and space to romp around and play all over the joint. If your dog is aggressive or violent you shouldn't take him or her or if you do leave it leashed. Duh. My dog isn't aggressive really but acts like a spaz. He'a also the size of a hamster so I always leave him leashed because I'm not a stupid head. Make sure you clean up after your furry friends. And have fun. One of the best parts is seeing all the different kinds o breeds ad mutts. A lot look like Muppets. One of George's friends, who is also a dog like him, rides a skateboard. There's a couple who like swimming. G is always the social butterfly-Mr. Popularity. And no party like a. Puppy Party. Bow wow!

Beautiful Views, very peaceful quiet spot usually only locals are down there. They have a…read moreplayground for the kids with a playground and swings. The swings have a disabled swing as well as ones for babies/toddlers. Bathrooms are air conditioned next to mini food shop. They do have a mini food shop with snacks, drinks, and ice cream. The beach is beautiful and they have lifeguards on site always watching. Very beautiful for pictures and to come to calm down. I recommend this place

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...

It is a Lake Bluff residents beach. Not sure if some people sneak in or what…read more... We were enjoying the beach with lots of space. All of a sudden a family came and sat in front of us for no reason. Speechless!!

Was way too crowded. Not nearly as nice as it used to be. The beach was not well maintained (weedy,…read moredebris). It was also very noisy. Disappointed.

I have fond memories of Tower Road Park and Beach. I use to live across the street from the…read moreentrance. I spent a lot of time swimming and playing down on the beach. The Park District has been nice enough to allow the Boy Scout Troop I was involved with to have their first meeting of the year here. Also, you get to see Winnetka's water plant and electrical plant. I find this interesting which I know some of you may not. You can either park down on the pier or you can park above and walk down the drive or use the stairs.

I've been coming to Gillson Park since I was a kid, and it's been great to see it evolve and get…read morebetter over the years. The Lake Michigan views, beach, and open spaces make it a great place to spend the day, and the lake is a great temperature for swimming toward the end of summer. On this visit, I saw these two dogs wearing sunglasses and had to get a picture!

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!