My 4 year olds' favorite playground. The kids and parents are pretty friendly- Hence the name! I've…read morebeen coming here since I was my child's age. We have some classic photos decades apart.

There's no shortage of great parks in Glencoe so I was surprised when we moved here last winter…read morethat the "Friends Park" smack in the middle of downtown Glencoe was pretty shabby. Soon after moving we learned it was getting a major facelift and watched as they built it all summer long. I had high hopes it would be ready before the end of summer, but as the days progressed that looked unlikely. And soon there were flyers all over town promising a park dedication party. My 2 1/2 year old obviously can't read, but somehow she figured out that this was a party she needed to attend...and reminded me everyday for a month. Tonight was park dedication night and even the threat of a storm didn't keep all 8000 people in Glencoe from attending. It was an absolute madhouse of excited children and my daughter literally ran around screaming "I LOVE GLENCOE." And I gotta admit there's a lot to love about this park. Besides the ideal location for a quick stop here during a trip to town it has park equipment to put smiles on the faces of kids of all ages. My daughter isn't really into climbing structures, but she couldn't get enough of the swings and a stationary choo-choo train that does a nice job of providing shade on a hot day. Although tonight may have been the "official" opening of the park, it's been in use for almost a week now. And based on the crowds each day I think it's safe to say this was one successful facelift.

An good park with several amenities such as tennis courts, a disc golf course, soccer fields,…read morebaseball diamond, and a sledding hill. The signage is better than average for a frisbee golf course, but the course itself is a bit small and it's hard to get good separate between you and other groups where you're not throwing into one another. The course difficulty is a bit on the easier side so it's good for practice though you have to be careful not to overthrow too much as the baskets aren't too far from houses. Parking is not too difficult as the street isn't too busy.

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.

The Lake Michagan views of this Park are amazing. Parking might be a challenge. They have a walking…read morepath to water. They had tennis court, park, park benches and playground. I didn't walk the entire park so possibly other features. Location was clean and has garbage cans. We stopped for a quick lunch on a sunny day. Park was beautiful but the porta potties were super gross. Otherwise it would have been a 5 star.

The "Home Alone" gazebo might be gone, but a new era just began…read more A $2 million dollar renovation happened in the center of the Hubbard Woods Business District, and this beautiful green activity hub for the community was born. Currently the focal point of a Wednesday summer concert series, musicians are rocking the new pavilion and kiddos are getting their moves on at the splash pad and various climbing structures. Adjacent to the Hubbard Woods Metra Station and across from Once Upon A Bagel, this place is a refuge for commuters, shoppers enjoying the Design District, and passersby looking for an impromptu picnic or rest. Fun for the whole family, the play area is appropriate for ages up to seven or eight with various play structures and swings for the bigger kids. Plenty of seating and parking surrounding the park. Super cool factor alert: There's a free-standing station for repairing your bicycle, just in case you get a flat or need to tweak your seat height or handle bars. Air and all the tools you could need!

Beautiful park, with water. Nice people and what a neighborhood?! We love coming up this way where…read moreit's actually safe!

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!

If you're in Chicago or the burbs and looking for an expansive, clean beach with plenty of…read moreamenities, look no further than Tower Road Beach. The Winnetka Park District takes good care of this beach by raking and cleaning it daily during summer hours. We've also come here in the spring and fall when they're closed and the beach looks equally clean. Parking for the beach is at the top of the bluff. There's a nice view from the top, and a picnic area for those who don't want to go to the beach. A path from the parking lot leads down to the beach, you can also get there by taking the road (walk/drive) that contours the south side of the beach/park. Drivers beware, if you don't have a permit you probably don't want to park on the pier. Local po-po come out and tickets with frequency! The park area on the beach has concessions & vending machines (limited hours/access), two playgrounds, two other play area's for kids, a sand volleyball court, an outdoor spray shower, restrooms and a picnic/seating area. The beach itself is large. The sand that they've imported is a higher quality, softer variety that you won't find at most Chicago beaches. Water access is a bit limited to the beach area, so if you're looking to SUP, surf, kayak or other you'll want to check out Lloyd Park which is less than 100yds south of Tower. Other than that, you have access to about 100ft of water, and water inflatables are allowed. I haven't seen many restrictions at Tower, you're invited to bring chairs, food, etc. There is a daily fee which is a bit steep (I believe around $6/person) but they only charge until about 5/6pm. After that we've always walked on for free. There are few beaches in Illinois, and this is one of the best. Cheers!

Got to check out this beach in Winnetka if you're around here, because this is a pretty nice beach…read more It's located beside a residential area, but it's big enough to attract outsiders. Tower Road Beach is of course located along Tower Road. Along with the beach, there's also a park area. There's also of course a tower. Beach is big and as a result attracts some grunginess. It's usually pretty crowded when it's summer. This could be even more crowded, but it's not because it's harder to get to. It takes awhile. The worst thing is all the endless stairs. It takes a long time to get to from the park area. There's so many fucking stairs. Besides that, the tower isn't that impressive even though the beach literally gets its name from it. This looks like a boring old utility tower for the most part. Even though it's not that good, it's one of the nicer beaches. It's close to a residential area so many of these people claim it as their own. The worst thing about it is there's too many stairs.

After learning about this place from Stephanie C's review, I've been absolutely obsessed with…read morechecking out the Little House of Glencoe - or rather the Little House on the Prairie! Today was that day. First of all, take note...it is not the fancy looking building you see in the distance when you almost accidentally enter the Skokie Country Club. The Little House is around the corner and looks like a cottage by the river, except without the river. Mind you, this place is tucked away from most of everything, and I imagine you might encounter some wildlife visitors in the evening. Mind you, on your way to the House you'll have to pass by gorgeous multimillion dollar homes. The trip alone is worth it! It's a place to escape and get away from it all. You can camp with your family and friends, and enjoy modern amenities like a kitchen, bathroom, and fireplace. Comes with an outdoor fire pit area, a grill, and picnic tables. Little House is run by a volunteer board, and according to the website it's mission is to provide a unique meeting place in a natural setting. Rent it during the day, overnight ($190), or a few hours for an event if you like. BTW, only 4 out 5 stars because I could only steal a peek and I haven't stayed there. What a hidden gem. Just so very cool.

Stupid it says not to park in the roundabout and not to enter because is a private property????read more

A great neighborhood park with not much too it other than a few soccer fields and a playground. The…read moreplayground it not as extensive as some other places, but still a great place for the kids to hang out on a nice day. The only thing that worries me is the sign to beware of bees.

This is a great little park that my two year old twins enjoy very much. The playground is set far…read moreenough away from the road that you have time to catch the little ones if they make a break for it (although it is situated on a low traffic street). Though every time I see the sign I think about the tragic death of the park's namesake and how all these years later things have not only failed to improve but we seem to suffer more of these senseless mass murders then ever. But I guess that's not the park's fault.

Took a really nice walk here today and wow. I was on the…read morelloyd beach boat launch! It was so peaceful and relaxing. If you are in the area and take a walk down to Lloyd beach you won't be sorry!

Parking is misleading, pass boy doesn't even warn non-residents. Pointless to have it up as a free…read morebeach when it's residents only.