I've been taking a class offered by the Park District here at Maine Park Leisure Center. It's a…read morenice facility with several classrooms. We've been in the Itty Bitty room for the class. They have a preschool that operates out of Maine Park which seems to be pretty popular as well and I'll be looking into that next year. The leisure center almost looks like a school itself, with the lockers and classrooms--I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it once was. Our room is a good size with toys and stuff for the kids to play with. There's some parking along the east side of the building, but when I've been here for class it's been full, so you may be looking for street parking. There is a nice sized playground in the back. There may be three, though one is fenced off for use with the preschool I think; there's one with plain old grass and then another with the rubbery ground cover for smaller children. There's even a zip line here which I'm sure my little one will have lots of fun on when she's old enough. This is my first experience with the Park District and at this field house but since it's only a few blocks away I think we'll definitely be making use of this resource.

I found out about this large, out-of-the-way park only after moving to Park Ridge. Located off of…read moreSibley between Dee and Talcott, this park seems to have everything for nature lovers. There is a big soccer field for games, the usual playground and a school-sized field house with classrooms. It is also home of the PR Park District preschool program. The parking is rather small and often full during games or other events, but there's plenty of street parking... Or just take a bike and avoid the hassle altogether. On the other side of the park, there is a huge prairie and walking trail that spans about 2/3-mile around. You see ducks, geese, frogs, turtles along the way. Come on a spring or summer day and it's like an exotic getaway inside of a residential neighborhood. There is a patio-like overlook to see the prairie. Come in late June and you see a yellow sea of daisies in bloom. Truly spectacular, maintained by park volunteers. You also see kids fishing in the swamp sometimes, which is catch & release. Then there is the Wildwood Nature Center which has live animals native to the midwest, as well as lizards, snakes, and other small critters kids love to see. Admission is free, though operating hours are pretty short. It might be the best kept secret in Park Ridge.

I wasn't familiar with Wildwood Nature Center until the last few months but it is a cool spot. I'm…read moredoing an afternoon class at the park district with my daughter, as a way to introduce her to nature and some different animals. During class the kids play indoors at the various stations they have set up for about half an hour, then have a story, and then we wander through the forest preserve to see what we see. This first time we saw geese which she was interested in, and then we wandered through some of the rest of the park. When we went to the building with the animals and my baby got to see a whole bunch wildlife. There were turtles, a bunny, a couple ferrets, some gerbils, a prairie dog... and she even got to touch a snake, which I hope she enjoyed because she's never getting one.

So many animals for the kids to look at and a craft table. The staff is friendly and am def coming…read moreback again to celebrate the kids bdays

This park closed for about five months from November to March for renovation and just opened up a…read morefew weeks ago. They did a nice job. It's not the largest park but it is a popular one given its location. The new park has two types of terrain; there's a rubber surface under most of the structures and then under the swings is sawdust. They have a couple structures, including one that's a smaller one for the littlest kids. My kiddo really enjoyed that play structure and the swings are her favorite. She's still getting used to the slide, but I like that there's a couple small ones here for her to feel a bit more comfortable with it. There are at least half a dozen benches around the place which is helpful. The place is very busy but when we visited, it wasn't overwhelmingly so. There's a kind of field house here, so there's ample parking--I hadn't realized there was a parking lot for the place at first, and was glad to see it so that we could check this place out and not have to fight for street parking.

This place fills up a lot these days, but it's still a great oasis if you have young children and…read moreneed somewhere to get them in the water. If you go later in the day, it can be nicely shaded, and there is a pretty solid playground right next door if your kids get tired of being in the splash pad.

This park is not bad, with swings, rope climbing, slides, and so on. It's a wood chip terrain. In…read moreaddition to the playground, there's a baseball field where a game was happening whilst we were here. I liked that they had a section that was more toddler-focused, which is great for my kiddo so she doesn't get too ambitious for her age right now. It's right next door to Franklin Elementary, so there's another playground that might be accessible if you come here as well. What might make this park better in my estimation is if the playground were fenced in. It's can be easy for a little kid to take off like a shot! For that reason, it's not my top park in the area, but I'd return to it if our friends wanted to visit. But there's lots of street parking.

Cute neighborhood park ... stopped between work to relax and regroup. Love the gigantic treesread more

Nice little spot to sit and relax around the lake with your smoky or jus by yourself, also good…read moreplace for kids to play in the open area. Have multiple places around the lake to get some fresh air. Well maintained, does have a portable potty. It's more of a picnic place, I see a lot of people come here mostly for fishing. I ended up here looking for trails to run by in he neighborhood. Even though it comes up in suggestions when you are looking for nearest trails for nice long run, this isn't the place for that. It does have little unpaved path around the lake which almost comes around close to a mile but not a recommended one for runs/walks. Parking available too.

This is an adorable hidden gem. Great picnic location and looks amazing in photos! Would totally…read morerecommend to all ages. The walking trail isn't paved so be weary about your shoe choice. Saw tons of people fishing and relaxing with their dogs. Overall, had a great time!

This is where my daughter went sledding. She's to mature & cool now. Heart breaking. The sled hill…read moreand walking trails are cool. This is a nice place to go relax and get some exercise and unwind. One of the best features used to be a beautiful warming house. There Was an old school round fire place with a welcoming fire. Great for the community. Now, it's an office. I'm sure the person who decided to do this was far more Important than the community they serve. Enjoy your desk.

I've driven by here literally countless times in the two decades I've lived in the Chicago area. I…read moreknow there was a pool and toboggan run here but just never had much reason to stop, and it wasn't until the pandemic that I realized what a true gem the Forest Preserve District of Cook County is. I was stunned by how extensive it is, and yes, it does feel like a small woodland. I saw someone with their hammock strung up between two trees. It must have been ok, because there were multiple FPDCC staff around within sight of it. (I don't know if you need a permit or other permission, though.) We were kind of on the western side of the property and farther east in a copse of trees we saw a deer. That deer surprised me a lot, because it was there for several minutes and it was only a few feet from a dog, who was quite interested in the deer. At some point the deer must have decided it had had enough of the dog because it retreated a bit. But it was so fun to see it there. Caldwell Woods has various programming, all of which can be found on the FPDCC website or on one of the signs on the property. We were here with a play group for their yard games day, and it was fun! There may have only been one or two other parties there besides us, but I hope the forest preserve staff don't feel discouraged because our children had fun throwing bean bags, hitting plastic croquet balls, running up the hill, "axe throwing", and so on. They've either recently added or renovated a fire pit area, and one of the master naturalists was up there popping corn and providing materials for making s'mores on the fire. It was a really fun night (though watch the weather; it got a bit chilly and I forgot sweatshirts), and I'm looking forward to more events here and to visit the wellness center.

I remember taking all kinds of after school / summer arts, crafts, and sports activities here as a…read morekid, decades ago. Having seen inside the building, it hasn't changed a whole lot. Having been converted from a school that was built in the late 1950s,heavily renovated in the late 1970s, and only minor renovations in the 80's to present day; the building still appears in excellent condition. They host a number of Park District activities mostly for children, and some adult activities, as well as a number of all-ages events in the adjacent park. They also rent out rooms for community activities and private events, though the Highland Park Park District website. In the winter, the building is toasty warm though a teensy bit drafty near some of the windows (specifically those facing the park - maybe they're older?). In the summer, it seems like the place can get a little warm, as the AC seems to struggle a little. Still, the building is relatively comfortable for its age, and all the facilities are well maintained. The adjacent park - West Ridge Park - is very nice. There is a 0.4 mile (0.64 km) asphalt track that circles the park, with additional paths leading towards Red Oak Elementary School and surrounding city sidewalks. The parking lot is in great shape, has plenty of spots, and drains nicely. Accessible parking is near the West Ridge building. The playfields are pretty nice, though seem to flood a little bit during the rainy season. During the peak of the youth baseball, softball, and soccer season the field seems to stay dry enough. In early spring and fall, it can get a little muddy. The track also can get flooded in some spots, so walk carefully after a heavy rain. In the summer, you probably should wear a good mosquito repellent - West Ridge Park seems to have more mosquitos than other parks in the area (Woodbridge Park on Barberry Rd. or Devonshire Park at Devonshire Ct. and Winthrop Rd.), but not as bad as Larry Fink. During several weeks out of the year, Canadian geese like to chill here. I wouldn't recommend saying 'hello,' they can be a little aggressive. I frequently see whitetail deer roaming around as well. There's a playground that has equipment for 3 ~ 12 years of age, with benches around it so parents can comfortable supervise. The play area is pretty far from the parking lot, which is nice for some peace of mind, but - because there's only a little bit of cover - means you should keep an eye on the sky for rain. There are two or three water fountains around the park, a pet bag dispenser, and numerous garbage & recycling cans. There are a few porta-potties, and the park district will add more whenever there are events like movie night at the park. Aside from a few lights in the parking area, and alongside the building, the park isn't lit - best to head out before dusk. West Ridge Center offers a lot to residents of Highland Park, especially grade school to high school age kids. If you live in the area, I suggest checking out all the programs and activities they offer. Even you don't participate, the park is a nice feature for anyone needing a little time outdoors.

This is a review of the West Ridge walking/running path. During this mandatory stay-at-home order,…read moreit's still essential and okay to take a walk and get some fresh air. My hubby has been doing a great job of pushing us out the door to get a two mile walk in as often as possible. Yesterday we were about 30+ minutes away from a rain shower, so I suggested taking a walk closer to home. The truth is, the path is nothing fancy, the cement is a little bit cracked in a couple of areas, but it sure does the trick. This path is .4 miles all the way around, and it's small enough that you can keep your eye on the starting post for when you need to count your laps. There is onsite parking. It never seems crowded. It's flat and a little monotonous, but it gets the job done! Great little neighborhood walking path.

Love this forest preserve! Last time I was there I saw three baby deer. Awwwww…read more Good walking trail though it doesn't connect in an easy way...you'll need to stop and turn back in the same path you just walked. It's a lovely path though! There are nice spots for feeding the ducks, cute areas for picnics and an overabundance of parking!

Lots of people out enjoying the weather walking, running, biking, roller blading and picnicking…read more Almost 11,000 steps and 4.8 miles (so far)