I recently walked through a variety of parks in Evanston and I think Dawes was my favorite. It's…read morealong the lakefront and provides access to the beach and amazing views. But there's also a gorgeous water fountain and seating to enjoy both the water and the park. Not to mention all the squirrels, ducks, and dogs everywhere. There was just a hustle and bustle from all creatures with this great park as a backdrop.

Dawes Park is lakefront park in Evanston. It is along Lake Michigan and near Northwestern…read moreUniversity campus. There is a lagoon with a beautiful fountain with plenty of ducks. The park has a paved path along the lakefront. The spacious grass lawns has plenty of shade trees, picnic tables, and barbecue grills, A nice park to enjoy waterfront views.

This is a gorgeous little park near the University of Illinois at Chicago. My son lives in the area…read moreand brought me here and it's a great little green oasis in the middle of the city. Lots of mature trees and shade and very tastefully laid out. Perfect for a nice walk or relaxing in the shade. Just walking through here is therapeutic!!

I wasn't much in the mood to run at any of my usual run spots within the city. However, while…read morebrowsing through my Yelp collection of run trails & paths the thought of running at Arrigo Park intrigued me because it was a new experience. The park was also a well needed breath of fresh air to get me outdoors for a workout. I advise you to pay attention to the signs before you park because there are certain times of the day & days when parking is authorized. Only vehicles with a zone 5 permit are exempted at any time. A good thing about the park is that you have a good visual of your vehicle as you are doing loops around whether it be walking or running. So if anything happens for example like you being ticketed or a boot being placed on your vehicle then you can handle the situation beforehand. The park has a peaceful yet classy like vibe and it certainly feels safe. In my opinion it has a similar vibe to Palmer Square which is a park located in Chicago neighborhood Logan Square except its path is paved rather than dirt. As for its features there aren't any features like a playground, baseball diamond, basketball or tennis court, however you can play football or soccer on the field which is as lengthy for those activities. It does have that vibe of being the perfect spot to throw a frisbee with friends or with a pet. The park used to have a statue of Christopher Columbus, but the statue was removed out of safety concerns after police clashed near the Grant Park statue with protesters who wanted to tear it down. I love the visual of Willis Tower which appears very close. Its appearance gives that reminder that you are in the city of Chicago which I personally can never get enough of. Four laps around on its paved path will put you at one mile. There is no actual direction posted if you are either walking or running. I say this because while on my run I was headed in the direction head on of those walking. I went with the direction that was comfortable for me, but as long as I wasn't in anyones way I saw no issues with it. If you are looking for a nice peaceful park on the Near Southwest Side of Chicago then look no further than Arrigo Park. I am quite positive that I will return now that I have gotten a feel of it. ~Blessings~ Thomas G

The park is definitely busier than ever overall, but 1.) the lock-stock-and-barrel weekend…read morebarbecue crowd comes less often this year (seemingly only on holidays and really hot days); and 2.) you can still find moments of peace and quiet. Tuesday afternoon I spent about ninety minutes there and for much of it, I was the only person in the park besides the lifeguard. Nothing but the soft whisper of the wind, the rhythmic whosh of the waves, and the near-melodic screak of the swingset. Now THAT is time well spent. This Sunday I had visitors who wanted to use the beach (which I never do) and was surprised by the scene. There were more people than I would have thought, but it wasn't overrun; maybe 25-30 at peak. I got the impression that many of these were suburbanites who were hitting one of the northernmost Chicago beaches because the North Shore beaches such as Evanston charge money? In any case, it wasn't rowdy or bustling but there was enough activity to keep you occupied if you just wanted to watch the kids (or adults) playing. And I've always described this beach as devoid of scenery other than sailboats, but there was surprisingly plenty of eye candy there this time, mostly in the late-teen/early-twenties range. Going to the beach is not my thing, but that made it enjoyable.

This is a pretty "chill" park. It's so peaceful throughout the day. From the birds chirping, to the…read moresound of the wave. There's a lot of trees here with nice shade from the sun during the summer. This park/beach is perfect if you coming to read , meditate, write, or sleep...but I wouldn't do that if I were you...but anyways ,you can even bring a date here. Even tho it is a small park. Every time I come here, it's never crowded. Rather it's 6am, 12pm, or 8pm. The best things in life are free.

I went to Schiller Woods Grove 2 for a company picnic but the mosquitoes were horrible. I had even…read moresprayed "Deep Woods Off" on my arms and legs but I must have missed a few spots on my legs because the mosquitoes nailed me. Obviously this has been a abysmally rain drenched year for the Cook County area and the mosquitoes in the woods have flourished. I am definitely not going back plus the fact the people walk their dogs without leashes in these woods is a dangerous element. I would highly suggest more Mosquito Abatement spraying for these woods.

I come here for the well. Usually a line but it's free, clean water. Definitely worth the wait!read more

Found this amazing place in Lincoln Park that not a lot of people know about. It feels like it's…read moresecluded even though it's along the Lakefront Trail. Chicago Peace Garden is exactly what it is. Has a rock garden and native plants. There's even a little waterfall. A small but mighty garden. It's 0.3 acres so there's not a lot. This is a creation of the Park District working with Greenpeace Great Lakes and other community members in Uptown. Basically it was a renovation of an existing rock garden. They also put in native plants. Can be easy to miss even if looking for it. It's located along the Lakefront Trail by the Buena Avenue tunnel. The park is a good place to take a break and think amongst yourselves.

A Chicago historic treasure, the beautiful Peace Garden is located along the lakeshore bike and…read morewalking/running path at Buena Avenue. Designed by landscape architect Ernst G. Schroeder, and built in 1933, this lovely space was originally called the Rock Garden. Walls, seating areas and a cascading fountain all built of rock, mix with thousands of native plants and a lush center lawn, to create a restful place to read, picnic, contemplate a beautiful day, or to meet a friend. You'll often see people exercising on the lawn or kids dangling their feet in the lily pond at the base of the fountain. After many years of neglect, in 1986, Mayor Harold Washington, along with Greenpeace International, had a ceremony to dedicate it as an International Greenpeace Garden...which was later shortened to the Peace Garden. At the dedication, Mayor Washington said that the garden symbolizes, "the diversity of life on earth growing and adapting to common ground" and the Buena Park and Uptown neighborhood's "rich ethnic and cultural diversity." Since that time, the garden has been cared for by the Friends of the Peace Garden and the Chicago Park District. The Peace Garden is a wonderful place to spend a few minutes or a few hours relaxing and enjoying nature and the gently cascading waterfall.

Beautiful park and running trail! I wanted to go see Curtis…read moreMayfield's studio and former record label home and who knew it was only a little over a mile from my air b and b.. And I was even more lucky to run most of that mile though this fantastic park and bike trail along a cute little river! Kids playing with families, folks of all ages and athletic ability on the trail biking, running, and walking! Lovely park!

I used to spend just about every day after school lounging around in the grass at this park with…read morefriends. It's absolutely beautiful in the summer and spring, especially on days where the breeze is blowing west, taking the stench of the river away from visitors. The park has a long bike path, a couple nice little bridges over looking the water, a simple playground, and lots of good climbing trees. The place has "relax" written all over it.

This is an excellent spot to have a coffee, maybe a short date, or just a quick reconnect with…read morenature. I bet dogs love it. It's wonderful, first of all, but I guess I was expecting it to be a little longer, like maybe a mile, but it's a little guy, maybe a big block. Wild life was spotted -- saw a turtle and a family of ducklings. And the mechanics of it are fascinating. I guess i also wasn't expecting it to face the waste management facility, but just try not to look at that really. I'm glad it's here and i look forward to more. I hear they are having a wildly successful impact on the cleanliness of the river; a tip taught to the city by the indigenous who absolutely know what they are doing.

Chicago has its own floating gardens! "Wild Mile" is a built island, home to local plants and…read morecritters. We just walked around checking it out, and we heard there are various events, little concerts, yoga, what-have-you. This wild mile is the razzmatazz!

This is Chicago's largest park with 1,214 acres stretching from Hollywood Ave to Ohio St. It is…read morefilled with art, history & nature along Lake Michigan. It is an important natural resource with 15,000 trees and native habitats for many local and migratory birds. In the 1860s, the city set aside 60 acres as Lake Park. In 1865, it was named after Lincoln's assassination. This surrounding picturesque neighborhood it has manicured gardens, a hidden lily pond, a historic indoor botanical garden, and tons of lakefront green space with sweeping city views. It is home to one of the country's oldest free zoos & an acclaimed dining scene.

Amazing neighborhood in Chicago! Lincoln Park offers so many…read moredifferent options for finding great homes, condos, apartments! The neighborhood has so many grocery stores, including Trader Joe's, what I visited numerous times! The Lincoln Park Zoo is also located in this part of town, one of my absolute favorite places in Chicago! There are crazy amount of places to choose from when you are looking for restaurants! Transportation is great! You can commute anywhere from here or back to, by bus, or the red line train. My many great memories will always bring me back to Lincoln Park, Chicago!