It was a breath of fresh air the evening I decided to run at Miller Meadow Forest Preserve. Being…read morethat I work nearby as well as drive along Roosevelt Ave where I pass by Miller Meadow - North, it was only a matter of time that I would conduct some form of an activity at Miller Meadow. I entered off 1st Ave which is labeled as Miller Meadow - South; and the first feature that immediately caught my eye was its off-leash dog area which was huge. As a fitness enthusiast that has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level of Miller Meadow - South as moderate because the terrain is not entirely flat. Distance markings are marked along the path, a loop style path totaling 1.70 miles per loop. I encountered mostly walkers, a few joggers, and a couple of recreational bike riders along the path. At one point during my loop, there was a woman who caught and overtook me as I ran. We went back-and-forth with me overtaking her and her overtaking me which brought competitiveness during my time on the path. I spent no more than forty-minutes during my initial run on the path but could have easily gone longer if I had the time. While well into the path, I felt that sense of being in nature as well as engulfed by tall grass in certain parts. I also felt that feeling of being secluded, but there were always nature's animals within sight that kept me in the moment. I could not help but enjoy the beautiful sounds of birds chirping, glimpses of the red-winged blackbird throughout the entire path, and I even saw a deer from afar in the woods. There are a variety of activities you can conduct within the path of Miller Meadow - South; some of those activities I can certainly see are hiking, running, walking, biking, in-line skating, or even bird watching. The area can also be used to conduct large gatherings, or picnics; and its large field is perfect for many recreational activities you can partake in. The area is well-maintained, consisting of benches with tables located in shaded areas near or underneath trees, but very few picnic shelters which are perfect for large gatherings; and there are even a couple of portable restrooms within the space. Along the path, there are waste and recycling bins, even in some of the secluded spots. And on top of it all, Miller Meadow has a very spacious parking lot. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience at Miller Meadow Forest Preserve, as indicated in this review and would definitely return. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to conduct interval runs around its loop in build-up to long run events I participate in. ~An adventure a day keeps the doctor away. ~ Thomas G

It was good. It went perfectly. I got to ride a tandem bike. There was a lot of stuff to do!read more

My discovery of Sunset Bridge Meadow came after I took an alternate run route because the underpass…read moreheaded north towards Schiller Woods South was blocked off due to flooding. And since then, I have been slowly moving further south with hopes of locating paths that lead to Thatcher Woods which I hope to eventually start off at in the future to train for marathon runs as I have done before, but at Fullerton Woods trailhead. What I like about this trailhead is that its parking lot is spacious, and highly visible being that it sits along a highly driven on W North Ave. And on top of it having a spacious parking lot, it has a huge open field that is perfect for activities outside of outdoor picnics at the grove. Out of the trailheads in this area which are Fullerton Woods and Jerome Huppert Woods, I recommend this one for safety and security purposes due to its location if you plan to be on the Des Plaines River Trail for more than an hour exploring. Because with its location being in a highly visible area along W North Ave anything suspicious will be easily identified. And also there are a decent number of visitors in-and-out. Once you enter the Des Plaines River Trail, it is a whole different world where you can easily escape reality and be one with nature that covers an estimated total of 28.4 miles. And if you are lucky you will encounter some of the wildlife that live within the preserve too. On the Des Plaines River Trail, you will encounter hikers, dog walkers, mountain bikers and trail runners which all are friendly from what I have experienced. Most encounters with mountain bikers can throw your pacing off depending on how many there are in a pack which most of the time are no more than four. I do recommend taking the encounters as the time for a short break to hydrate or gather yourself until they pass by on whatever portion of the trail you may be on if there is not enough room. And lastly, a tip on how to not get off track on this trail is to stay along the Des Plaines River, which will end up on your left hand side once you cross the bridge. If you cannot see the river then you may have went in the wrong direction, but I assure you it is not hard to miss. And the further north you go towards the state line of Wisconsin the more the trail disconnects. ~Blessings~ Thomas G

I visit Elmwood Park weekly to eat at the restaurants along North Ave. The village has a great…read morecrime prevention program in that area, with cameras monitoring the parking area as well as stationary and roving police units. Public Safety is critical and other villages should follow suit in the tactics that Elmwood Park employs to keep people safe from crime. The only downside to this Restaurant Row area is that there are very few handicapped parking spots.

I live on a side street that one side is Chicago and the other side is ELMWOOD Park their is a…read moreProblem with Trucks Parking OVERNIGHT on the Side Streets so one Night a Large Truck Parked Right in Front of a Fire Hydrant and was Blocking the crosswalk so I Called the ELMWOOD Park Dispatch department that this is very dangerous and if there was a Fire the truck would cause a problem and also Blocking people from crossing the Street and All that they told me that was not Elmwood Parks district even though the sign says ELmwood park The next day I talked to the commander of the ELMWOOD Park Police and all he said is that they use People that are in Franklin Park that takes Their calls so didn't know that is ELMWOOD Park

Great place to walk by beach very tranquil and peaceful, were many walk and jog, surrounded by…read morepeople with similar goal of exercise and maintaining good health

09/25/20 - This area just to the east of recreation drive will always have a lot a special place in…read moremy heart for me. Over the years I have seen the changes that have taken place along the lakeshore where this runs along the lake to the opening into Belmont Harbor. I use to take my 3 dogs (2 Akita's & 1 Golden Retriever) here once or twice a week in all kinds of weather. I've seen everything from the lake being glass smooth & almost motionless to having huge waves crashing up on the rocky shores. I would come out all year long and got to see the magnificence that is Lake Michigan and it's many seasons & moods from summer to complete white outs w/snow and the lake starting to freeze. The shoreline used to be huge stones that were cut and layered to create stepped rows that ran continuously along the shore, but over the years the water & waves caused so much damage that the stones were literally being pulled and sucked into the lake destroying the intended purpose of protecting the shoreline against erosion. At some point Chicago decided to rebuild the shoreline. They put steel sheet piling I along the lake & poured the first layer of concrete. As they stepped back & away from the lake they stepped up in elevation completely rebuilding each tier to provide a more durable protection for the shoreline. Even though it's more durable wind, water, rain and the lake levels constantly pounding it at high tides and winds is causing wear and tear. Chicago has created a beautiful lakefront w/much of the same type of protection along the lake for everyone to use, ie hikers, runners, bikers, skateboarders, roller bladers, swimmers, dog walkers, swimmers. I give them so much credit for what the city has created for everyone's use, but alas Mother Nature w/ the wind & waves has created erosion along parts of the shoreline. Awesome city, awesome lake, awesome food. Chicago is my kind of town

If you want the stability of true suburban living without giving up your Chicago address, Norwood…read morePark is the definitive answer. What sets this Northwest Side gem apart is its rock-solid consistency... it's always been the real deal. You'll find solid, beautifully kept homes and a deep-rooted community where families proudly stay for generations. You don't find this kind of lasting quality in many city neighborhoods anymore. ​The best feature is the genuine, low-key charm. The local public schools are highly rated, and the overall safety and police presence are top-tier. The distinct street layout, which avoids the harsh city grid and features winding roads, contributes to a quiet, almost protected feel. That commitment to maintaining a true residential sanctuary is why it's considered the Gold Standard. ​For all that peace, you are absolutely not isolated. The Metra station is an absolute blessing for getting downtown fast, and the proximity to the Kennedy Expressway makes life easy for errands and travel. When you need a break, the area connects directly to the large, natural space of Caldwell Woods. Take a walk, grab a coffee at one of the enduring local spots, and remember that you found the perfect Chicago neighborhood... tried, true, and dependable.

We walked the outer path around the water. Some of it is paved but then it turns into a rock path…read morefor a while. There is a pavilion with some tables to sit & eat. We saw lots of different kinds of flowers. Several different butterfly species & few dragonflies. It took us about 25 minutes to walk around but we were stopping a lot so I could take pictures. If you're looking for a beautiful walk I definitely suggest going to Chicago Portage National Historic Site!

This is beautiful national historical land. It's located off the I-55 and Harlem Ave. Easy to…read moreaccess. It's for the education and enjoyment of the community and visitors. Very nice picnic area with tables. Many benches located throughout the area. Very nice Trails to enjoy for a healthy way to relax and enjoy nature. Beautiful statues and maps tell the history/timeline. Great place for the individual, couple, groups , children and animals as well. Wonderful spot to enjoy and soak up history.

Wonderful place for the kids! There's a lot of fields, the mountain is fun to explore.read more

Best Hill to sled down in the north burbs, holler at this place when you have kids, don't show up…read moredrunk on a broken piece of plastic and flail down the hill. Easy street parking, they used to slang hot cocoa, but no mo'. Thanks for the memories, I will be creating more with my kids. Love.

Charming little park…read more My friend and I met up here to catch up and soak up some sun.