This was a really nice park in Griffith. Free to enter. We went for a Blues and BBQ event. They had…read morea stage with good music, a beer area set up, and food trucks. There's a nice playground area that was full of families with children having fun. Bathrooms available in small brick building. Plenty of street parking all around the park too. Good job, Griffith!

Such a well kept park. I lived a couple blocks away for many years & I'd walk to park often. Huge…read moregazebo, public restrooms, excellent playground. Volleyball courts, a huge tank, so much to offer. You can rent the covered area for private parties too.

Here is another park on the South Side located in the Douglas Community Area. It has a lot of…read morehistory with African-Americans, who have lived in this area for years. Dunbar Park has a good amount of athletic features. Picnic groves are also a popular reason to come here. There's also an interactive water feature popular in summers. Around the time of World War I, the Douglas community became densely populated by African-Americans. It was an elegant neighborhood full of mansions. These mansions were divided up into apartments to house these new residents. It was a pretty rough area in the Great Depression. The area was revitalized in 1956 with the opening of Paul Dunbar High School. A few years later this park opened next to it. These are named after the famous African-American author, one of the first who was critically successful. He didn't live for long, but he still was able to put lots of work out. These include 5 novels, 12 books of poetry, and a play. Good park for the area. It feels like it's pretty safe to be honest. This is a place for playing sports or just to come play in the water.

I take my great grand kids there when ever they visit.Dunbar Park is fun,clean,safe,comfortable…read morewith many fun playground items that are safe and fun the kids absolutely are excited and always have a great play date Time To go they never want to leave so much fun for them I enjoy myself as well,relaxing and watching them laughing and playing in a safe clean safe environment.

Wasn't feeling my best, but determined to push through. I said three days and I meant that…read more The beauty of the walk is that the fresh air did me good. There were so many different types of birds and no chirp was the same. Squirrels playing in the trees, butterflies, bumblebees and more ducks than I have seen at one time. Nice to just put one foot in front of the other and follow wherever the trail went. This trail is located behind the Marianos in Oak Lawn.

I am extremely disappointed in how their branch of Special Olympics handled a serious concern--and…read moreeven more disappointed that it appears to have been ignored entirely. On March 3, 2026, I was involved in an incident during practice where a coach directed vulgar language toward me ("get the f'n ball"). When I later responded in frustration, I was suspended for violating rules around language and conduct. So to be clear: athletes are disciplined for language, while similar behavior from coaches is not held to the same standard. I was told by leadership above the team level, including an individual from within Special Olympics named Amie Dugan, that someone would follow up with me within a week to discuss both the incident and my concerns about how athletes are treated. That follow-up never happened. It has now been almost a half a year. Because of this situation, I missed out on participating in state championships for basketball and the following softball season. That is a significant loss of opportunity over an issue I made a good-faith effort to address. This is not just about one incident. There have been multiple documented complaints regarding coaching conduct and professionalism. In those cases, the outcome has been minimal accountability, often limited to informal or insufficient apologies. In contrast, when athletes respond in similar ways, the consequences are significantly more severe, including suspension and loss of participation opportunities. Many of the athletes on these teams are adults with jobs and responsibilities, yet are sometimes spoken to in ways that feel disrespectful and infantilizing. When concerns are raised, they do not appear to be taken seriously or followed up on. I attempted to resolve this privately and respectfully. Being told I would be contacted and then hearing nothing for almost half a year shows a lack of accountability and professionalism. If leadership cannot follow through on something as basic as a promised response, it raises serious concerns about how complaints are handled overall and whether standards are being applied fairly. I hope this organization takes a closer look at consistency, communication, and respect--because based on my experience, those standards are not being upheld equally.

A great 100% turf complex for sports like 9v9 soccer, 11v11 soccer, football, lacrosse, and…read morebaseball. They also have a brand new park which is super popular. Just a warning the parking is kind of crazy. They have one lot for the park and the blue turf fields which is small (about 15-20 spots) and a other lot of the red turf fields (about 30-45 spots that fill quickly)

I've been using the pool facilities as a chicago citizen for a decent time now and I would like to…read morewarn people of color that you may feel an uncomfortable atmosphere here.

My favorite & most-visited park when I was a kid. We lived…read morejust on the other side of 99th Street & I'd walk along Walden Pkwy. to meet up with my friends at "Ridge". One of my grade school classmates was lucky enough to live in a house that overlooked the park, on 97th Place. She was a popular girl, especially in winter when they flooded the park's flat area near 97th Pl. & Longwood so kids could ice skate. We envied one girl (my next-door neighbor) who could skate backwards like a pro & boy did she show off her skills. We admired her & secretly hated her because she never fell down. I even took ice skating lessons at Michael Kirby's but still was no match for her. (Candy, if you're reading this, know that you were a star & I was just kidding about hating you.) Wish I could be at Ridge Park right now to take some photos because it's a lovely place. It's just over 9 acres & includes a big Field House built in 1913 (I believe). When I looked up Ridge Park Field House online I was saddened to see that it had fallen into a state of disrepair. I hope they've since gotten the leaky roof replaced as well as the rotten window frames because this building is a treasure. Chicago's Beverly (Hills) neighborhood is loaded with historic homes, some by famous architects, & it was pure joy to spend part of my childhood there. I guess the Vanderpoel art collection is still in the Field House. It features a huge collection of American impressionism, hundreds of paintings. Another good reason to fix the roof leaks. There's a gently sloping hill in the park leading up to Longwood Drive, where I'd sit on a bench & read books. Or daydream. On the other side of the park, along the railroad tracks, Anita & I would climb trees. The Field House offered many activities, even so far back in the day, but I rarely took advantage, preferring instead to be outdoors. Kids weren't loaded up with homework in the distant good 'ole days. We had plenty of free time to enjoy local parks & it was safe to walk or ride bikes there unattended. Obviously, we got tons of exercise in the fresh air. Thanks, Ridge Park, for the memories. So happy to know that you're still goin' strong & creating fond memories for generations of families. If I come back for a visit, I'll take the train from downtown Chicago to 99th & Wood and walk my old route to the park that I remember so well. I'll come in the spring when the flowering trees are in bloom. Hope my bench is still there. I'll bring my camera. But not my ice skates.

Beautiful beach bordering the Induana dunes. Twe came here on Juneteenth and thr beach had families…read moreand groups of friends, allowed tents and small grills. It's a no frills beach with soft dune sand and a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline

A great park with amenities for a picnic, a hike, a beach adventure and for just listening to the…read morewaves. We found parking quickly and we're able to download the app and pay for an hour to sit and have our picnic lunch near the water. They had plenty of pavilions and tables for eating, as well as benches along the paths. We loved the various play equipment and options for families and especially the green spaces right next to the dunes. Something for everyone! We only saw portapotties, so that might be the only small issue but we were also there before the official start of the season. A fun spot and will definitely return when in the area!

I have been coming here for 45 years. My dad and I have hiked the trails many times over the years…read more My dad has now passed on and my wife and I still stop in to hike the trails throughout the property. This place has always had a special place in my heart for how many good times I have had here with family and friends over the years. We always end up seeing some kind of nature, whether it's deer, chipmunks, squirrels, fish, frogs, turtles, etc. There is always something new to see. Over my years of coming here it has grown to have larger building with more interactive things for people of all ages. Trails are well maintained. Staff is friendly and helpful. We will definitely be back for more hiking soon. Dedicated to my loving father, who taught me if you stop, stand still, and are very quiet in nature you will probably end up seeing nature reveal herself to you.

Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center is a great and inexpensive family day option! It offers free…read moreparking and admission to all. One can explore the old Nature Center with historical facts or the new Nature Center with a kid's play area and animal exhibit. The snapping turtles were an absolute hit with my niece and nephews! Outside, there are two owls and a hawk as well as two nature trails and some kid's activities. Each trail is maybe 0.5 miles and 1.3 miles which is perfect for kids. Along the trails, be sure to stop at the lookouts to enjoy the views. They even have short peeking slots for the kids. I had the best time visiting Little Red Schoolhouse and seeing all their updates from when I last visited as a kid. Highly recommend for all!

Boooo for: -Bored…read morecops who like pulling people over for stupid reasons -Expensive subdivisions full of displaced yuppies -SUV's. Everywhere. -The effect of rapid growth and expansion on traffic and quality of life Yay for: -Cute community events, such as farmer's markets and a "Taste of Palos" -Awesome, hikeable areas and forest preserves -Southwest highway, which took me (almost) door to door from home to high school on the south side during my senior year -Not being Orland.

Very peaceful community and beautiful to drive through. The people are nice and very nosy though…read more Especially beautiful in the fall and spring. You get the feeling your not near a busy city when living here.