I finally found my way to the Grosse Point Lighthouse. I wasn't sure where I was actually supposed…read moreto go at first--Google Maps sent me to the driveway to the homes just south of the lighthouse--but finally found my way. There's a lighthouse next to this area that's shared with the beach just to the east, so I think it could be tricky to find a space if the lighthouse is your primary stop, given the hours that the light house is open. I haven't had a chance to explore the lighthouse itself, but I have wandered the grounds, which are maintained by the Garden Club of Evanston. There's a lovely little trail here and a trail that heads down to the beach. I'm looking forward to visiting the lighthouse and checking it out sometime soon.

Nice place, gorgeous lake with a beach nearby. Very pretty. The grass is little wet due to…read moreyesterday's rain. Parking is free for Evanston resident, but I'm coming from out of state, so i paid 3 dollar for one hour. Played balls with my daughter's dog. Beautiful place.

Mill Creek Park is a nice mix of open space, playground, and sports courts for public use. Around…read morethe parking lot, there's a nice view of Mill Creek and a playground. In addition to the playground and open space (which stretches back to the CLC campus), there are two soccer fields and a large, manicured field. This is a great park for giving your kids enough to do to burn off some excess energy.

Yes there was a robbery at this spot in Rondout, of my time, that is. We were stopped at this train…read morecrossing while a very long freight train passed by. We certainly were held up. I almost was late for my appointment.

Not sure how to review a historical marker but I think nostalgia wise it has some good potential…read more Best seen while going east bound on 176/Park Avenue in the Lake Bluff/Libertyville area. I took a picture of it while waiting for a very long freight train so there you go. In any case it's a nice historical marker which documents the (at the time) largest train robbery in the country. Yes....Metra riders this was a long long time ago. I seem to recall some short clip or movie documenting or at least utilizing some facts about this robbery in my film studies class back in college but I could very well be mixing up my robberies. Check it out when you are stuck in traffic while waiting for the train to pass!

Valley Forge Park is a small park with some open space (smaller than a soccer field) and a…read moreplayground with a decent diversity of things. A great place to take kids but not close to as large as the nearby Mill Creek Park.

Forest Park and Forest Park Beach, while separate parks are listed as one on Yelp. So that said,…read moreForest Park on the bluff is a wonderful open space area. Many locals picnic here, exercise and you can take multiple trails down to the lakefront from here -- including a staircase and wooden ramps that you can ride your bike on. During the main season, there are people posted at the entranceways to make sure you either have a Lake Forest sticker or pay an entrance fee. Yes yes. Complain if you want about the fee but that means you aren't a resident. The city spent considerable money on upgrading the waterfront and then experienced major trainloads of people coming to the town just for the beach. It just got too expensive for the ongoing maintenance and clean up. Why should residents pay? That said, the beachfront is wonderful. The beach is clean and has well-marked areas for swimming. There is a great playground for kids. Lots of picnic tables. And lots of park benches for those who don't want to frolic in the sand. There is also a boat launch and storage area, volleyball nets and a covered picnic area you can reserve for parties. Two things that could improve -- The restroom facilities aren't fancy but do the trick. And the little food store down there is very limited. So plan on bringing food of your own.

My favorite beach on the North Shore. Maybe others will feel differently, but I actually like the…read moreconstruction of this beach considerably more than most beaches on the North Shore - you walk down to the beach and it's not a trek across the sand, the water is right there. It's more a long strip of beach than the usual square of sand that you see on most beaches. Decent amount of parking. While there are usually three ways in and out of the beach, unfortunately, the only current one as of this review is the drive. Otherwise, there's a steep staircase that is usually used by exercisers (and I don't blame them, you definitely feel it) and a beautiful woodsy ramp/walk-up further down the beach. The work that they are doing in the upper park area will hopefully done soon - I'm guessing it may have taken as long as it has in part due to the harsh Winter. The upper park part is very pretty, but there's not a whole lot to it. As another reviewer noted, it would be a lovely picnic spot. As of this review, they are doing considerable work on the park area and it's not open - hopefully they will get it done soon as it would be nice to get the two walkways down to the beach back open. You do have to be a resident to pay taxes, which is the same as many beaches in the North Shore. While not optimal, it's a really pretty walk from downtown Lake Forest if you want to take a peek at the beach area.

The Robert Parker Coffin Bridge (formerly known as the Buffalo Creek Bridge) was built in 1906 by…read morethe Joliet Bridge and Iron Company. It is 41 feet long and has a height clearance of 8 feet 6 inches. As the Sprinter van is 10 feet, I did not try to cross the bridge. Instead, I parked nearby and walked across for my photographs. There are plenty of warning signs along the road and a last minute "turn here!" road for those who don't spot the signs until the last minute. Though it does tend to still catch moving trucks and buses occasionally. It is a single lane bridge with a covered pedestrian walkway on one side that gives it the asymmetrical shape. It is in a Pratt truss design with pins rather than rivets though the state considers it a steel Pratt pony truss eyebar bridge. The bridge has been renamed after Robert Parker Coffin (1917-2019) who was an architect and served as the president of Long Grove for some time. [Review 20636 overall - 183 in Illinois - 1617 of 2023.]

This naval station is in Great Lakes, north of Chicago. This is the boot camp for newly signed…read moresailors for the US Navy. I went here to attend the graduation ceremony of my nephew who successfully passed the bootcamp. Checking in was fast and easy. Several military personnel were around to guide you to the venue and more were present inside. Everything was well organized from checking in, going inside the venue and the entire program itself. It was an experience to remember.

It may not compare in size or architectural design to the Seattle library, but the Lake Forest…read morelibrary offers the traditional library experience: cushy leather couches, high arched ceilings, hushed studies, and dense shelves of endless tomes. Let not the stately, historical exterior fool you; this facility is all sorts of state-of-the-art from the materials they carry (e.g., current DVDs) to the technologies they employ (downloadable e-books). I can't help but always be impressed and pleased at having access to this library as a local resource through the parental units. Walking through the doors here inevitably leads to happy feelings!

One year later and it's time to update my review. This library continues to prove why it's such a…read moregreat destination. Besides the wonderful children's section that continues to be a highlight of our week, I've been borrowing books on CD. They have a decent selection and the front librarians can point you to the ones worthwhile to check out. I spend a lot of time in the car and these have been a lifesaver. I've also gotten addicted to checking out books online. Yes! This library lets you borrow E-books from the comfort of your own home. Perfect for us parents who are on the go and don't have the ability to pursue the stacks on our own time. The library offers multiple study areas and free wi-fi. Yeah baby! So you can set up for the day if you need to get some work done ... But quiet library etiquette is still the rule so put away that annoying cell phone! Also, if you need a book and the library doesn't carry it, the reference desk is extremely helpful in getting an inter library loan for you. I can't tell you how many crabby librarians I've had to work with at other libraries. But not here! They're all helpful and approachable. Oh. And they're on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. However you need to reach them, they're there. One minor thing -- I do think it's time for them to update the adult media stacks from a decor standpoint. But really, I'm so please to call the Lake Forest library my home library.