Such a beautiful park and the Japanese garden it's so beautiful and I suppose in May when the…read morecherry blossoms. I totally recommend to visit this little and gorgeous park .

I can't believe this amazing garden in the middle of the city considering that we have eight months…read morebad weather to have this many beautiful plants is amazing.

We had a very pleasant hike, we were able to see three deers that were grazing. The path which runs…read morealong Salt Creek is paved making it easy to walk, bike or push a stroller. It wheel chair accessible & has parking spaces provided near the picnic area. We passed many hikers & bicycle riders, all of them very pleasant!

Nice area to enjoy some fresh air, nature, Exercise and…read morefamily. They maintain it very well and they have nice trails. My dogs enjoyed playing and walking this area. Many families enjoying bicycles. Runners. Friends handing out. Great place to stop and relax , soak in nature. Well cared for and maintained. Ty

Nice trail from nw side Chicago towards lake. Stopped short because of encampments and messes…read more Don't go past Lawrence

Big park located in the North Park area. Gompers Park is one of the bigger ones around here. It has…read moreathletic facilities and fields as well as natural wetlands. For sure has a lot to do and see in it. There's many youth leagues and programs among other things. A really big park with a lot of area to cover. It's more than 42 acres and it's on both sides of Foster Avenue west of Pulaski. This has long history of how it came to be and what it is today. First it used to be farmland. In 1926 it was transformed into parkland. Additions were soon to be added. These included a natural stream dammed to create lagoons. Also there were basketball courts and football fields. Later WPA funding was used to restore the wetlands. It was named after the founder and first president of the American Federation Of Labor. There's a statue of him at Foster and Pulaski. For certain it's a good way to admire the natural beauty of the area. It's located along the North Branch of the Chicago River. This also has a swimming pool that's popular in summer, but if wanting to see more authentic bodies of water, go for a walk around the wetlands.

Had so much fun at a concert at Northerly Island this weekend! We were in the lawn for Vampire…read moreWeekend and it was a beautiful summer evening in Chicago. The grass was lush and green from all the rain we've been having recently. Getting into the facility couldn't have been easier, and the security team did a great job keeping folks moving along. There was BBQ, pizza, and taco food options in there, along with some bar tents. All the hard alcohol is through live nation, and I learned that everyone working are volunteers, and all their tips go to a non-profit which is great. They have large screens so you're able to feel like you're closer than you really are, and the sound is great. We had so much fun! Such a perfect evening.

Northerly Island gets its name from its part in Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago, because it was…read moreenvisioned to be the northern most in a chain of islands that spanned between Grant Park on the northern end and Jackson Park on the southern end. It's the only one of the islands that was ever completed. Northerly Island was the site of the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair, the second World Fair held in Chicago. Once upon a time, a single-runway airport called Meigs Field existed at this site for about 50 years, right in the middle of the city. It was the busiest singlet-runway airport in the city for a time. The air traffic control tower still exists here--an odd homage to what one was here--but the airport was destroyed overnight by the second Daley mayor and the park created shortly thereafter. Although It's present day use is that of a nature sanctuary. There's a nice view of the city from here, and there's a variety of events that take place taking advantage of the nature sanctuary. I was surprise to find that the amphitheater isn't as large as I imagined. Parts of the park may be closed during, or on the days surrounding, an event at the music venue that's here so it may not be the most reliable of parks.

I've gone to this forest preserve since I started living in Chicago. It used to be fairly quiet,…read morean occasional bike rider here and there, but mostly empty, and the trails had funky color coded trails that we seriously got lost on the first time I went here. I used to be able to allow my dog to walk off leash (she's very well behaved) ...but alas, this is not true anymore. We hadn't been in about a year, and went back to get some fresh air, and it was disappointing. They had an animal control unit present so we couldn't let our dog off leash, which is really the primary reason we would go out there...so she can be independent and have fun exploring. We felt we were being watched like hawks, so its no longer peaceful, but has fallen under big brother's ever watchful gaze. Time to find a new place to walk.

I did the vast majority of my marathon training on this trail system, and my boyfriend and I bike…read morethese trails about once a week. This is a great trail system in the south burbs if you're looking for a paved trail for running or biking. The trail system is well maintained. The scenery is lovely, and the trails are generally pretty empty too which I particularly enjoy when I just want to zone out during a long run.

Better alternative to the crowded trail along the lake. It has plenty of beauty of its own to see…read more North Shore Channel Trail goes from the Ravenswood neighborhood to Evanston, a long ways. Has lots of nature to come across. There's a few parks along it and other fun things. A lot less crowded on this trail and it's still got pretty good views along it. It's about 7 miles from the beginning to end, so that's a good way to work out. This begins at the intersection of Francisco and Lawrence in Ravenswood. First it goes north through River Park. There's trails on both sides of the channel most of the time. It goes all the way to Green Bay Road and McCormick Boulevard in Evanston. The trail is made of variously of asphalt, gravel, and crushed limestone. Has to be one of the less appreciated trails around here. It's not as popular as the one by the lake to be sure. There's plenty of parks along the way so these make for good places to stop for bicyclists, runners, or whoever.

How did I not know a paved, uncongested bike trail ran along the river from Lawrence to Golf where…read moreit turns to fine gravel and continues on... I don't know apparently to Wisconsin? OK, that might not be true but it at least hits Wilmette. Regardless, it's an absolutely wonderful surprise. You can pick it up on the north side of Lawrence between Sacramento and California. It takes you along the east side of the channel, through parks and under cross streets until almost Devon. There you jog northwest on Lincoln to re pick it up on the west side. You follow McCormick through Lincolnwood and Skokie with trees and sculpture and happily few people to keep you company. It's a great little ride. Maybe 10-12 miles round trip with all the twists and turns. I also love that I've seen none of the super serious jackwads with their full body spandex and forward triathlon bars going 35 miles an hour and looking at you like you're in the way if you ride casually. There are a few other cyclists and walkers. At the lots along McCormick folks clearly park and walk to the many benches to eat lunch on nice days. But even on a beautiful weekday in the low 80's with little wind I was alone with my thoughts and camera most of the time. There are port-a-potties at one of the lots near the midway point but once across Lincoln there aren't water fountains like there are in the city parks. If you really need hydration you can always jump off the path, back into real life just a few hundred yards away, and grab something to drink. Make sure you to remember to press the pedestrian button at intersections once out of the city or you'll never get across. Also even though it's a lot of fun don't accelerate through the downhill blind turns as you hit the under passes. There are lots of strollers and moms with kids in tow. Save those collisions for the d-bags on lakefront path.

This delightful little secret is not so much a "park" as it is a trail, but it's very cool and was…read morea fun discovery! The riverbank project is a labor of love for the community living in its immediate vicinity. What was once an eroded area of land along the Chicago River, filled with debris, is now a well-tended trail along the riverside that runs several blocks. There's even an area near the southern end that provides river access, if you've got a kayak or something to get into the water (however, there's not really parking for non-neighborhood members, except possibly farther down Rockwell). The restoration work that has been done by neighbors and the community is truly wonderful to behold. Enjoy this very quiet trail and you may occasionally stumble upon others on the trail, as well as overhear folks along the waterway in their boats. There are several areas along this trail where the trees are marked; there are American Elm, Black Walnut, Hawthorn, and more. You'll find little decorations along the trail, and there are also two Little Free Library boxes near the Pensacola entrance. Some sections of the trail are more accessible than others, though calling it accessible at all may be a stretch given how narrow the trial is and the rocky and sometimes steep steps throughout.

The way the surrounding park is set up is a bit odd. There's only one entrance and the rest is…read morefenced off (which google maps didn't seem to understand); it has this kind of exclusive vibe and yet signs say it's open to the public, so I somewhat awkwardly walked in, passing a golf course, a magisterial building hosting some fancy reception, a picnic area hosting some considerably less fancy gatherings, a small beach, and finally a small stretch of trail which circles through a bird-filled woodland. It's much like Montrose Point on the north side of the city, but smaller and less accessible. Having said that, the birds were signing and the views were quite splendid, so far be it from me to dissuade anyone from going.

03/14/21 - This Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary is just another hidden gem that is part of Chicago's…read morelakefront. The sanctuary is located within the South Shore Cultural Club & is accessible to the public. There is a metered parking lot set back for public use and a beach adjacent to it. It's a beautiful little gem hidden where you can get away and reflect while enjoying nature. This morning I was rewarded w/a gorgeous sunrise in the lake. It's so peaceful & quite as you walk along the path by the lake and the rough the grasslands set aside for the birds. This morning I saw a pair of mallards, seagulls & a few geese flying by. So beautiful it's nice to come out early and see the sunrise & walk through a natural habit along the lake. Peace out.