I have been here many times. This time I decided to smoke a cigar and sit on the shore rocks. You…read morecan see the Chicago skyline long in the distance. There are really nice homes that are huge in this area almost reminds me of Kevin McAllister's home from, "Home Alone." The Park has plenty of benches and also a jogging path along the walkway. The only con about this place is that you need to be really careful walking in the grass because dog poop here are like land mines! *Kaboom*

#magic I love it here!…read moreMiles of biking, running or walking paths. Beautiful beach to run through the waves. A nice park to lay on a blanket. A hop, skip and jump to Northwestern. Watch the sunrise and a full moon come up over the water. My favorite meditation spot.

I passed through this lovely park on a walk through Evanston. It has amazing beachfront views,…read moreespecially in the mornings. I noticed all the grass and trees looked lush and well maintained.

Very nice small park in Evanston by Lake Michigan. No beach access, just park area with benches for…read moresitting and a few bench/table combos for picnics. Parking is limited, and it is a for pay parking lot.

As I read through other reviews, there is a lot more to this park than just a trail around a lake…read more We did a fundraiser that included a walk around the lake. The park is very good and the walk is nice. The whole loop is only about 1 1/2 miles so it's an easy walk. The other reviews talk about accommodations for a party, indoor sports like basketball, a gym, and more. We didn't check any of that out since we didn't know they were there. Speaking of the path and the lake, it's lovely and a nice place to go on a warm day.

Gallery Park started out as a collection of flat aprons and runways in the Glenview Naval Air…read moreStation. The Naval station closed in '93, and the hundred and fifty acres that now comprise Gallery Park became available, and were incorporated as this park. Tip: There are several different trails here, all of which loop around Lake Glenview. The lake also has several piers, some small islands, and a bridge My two favorite trails here are the Lake Trail (one and a half miles long) and the Park Trail (one point eight miles long). I used to also very much enjoy the Lakeside Trail, but I ran into far too many ticks the last time I went there, so I've been avoiding it. Over and above the hiking trails, the park also has several soccer fields, tennis courts, and even some catch-and-release fishing spots. Last (but not least) there's a fitness zone with equipment for cardio steps, chest presses, an crunches, etc. But wait, there's more! You'll also find a children's garden, bike racks, water fountains, and picnic tables. All in all this is a pretty cool place to relax and get some nature on :-)

We absolutely love this place. A small forest preserve along the shores of Lake Michigan. Good for…read morehiking,biking and even cross country skiing. The beach is rocky which makes for great rock collecting and bird watching. There is a small parking lot which fills up quickly especially on the weekend. Ft. Sheridan is rich in history dating back to the Great Chicago Fire. Definitely a hidden gem in Illinois.

This is a lovely spot to feel cool breezes off the lake on a hot summer day. We enjoyed walking…read morethe beach, bird watching and all the native wildflowers.

Had a pretty great time walking around this small park that people don't know enough about. It…read moreactually has quite a few things around if you're looking to hang and chill. Lawson Park is one of the hidden spots in Evanston. A thing that really isn't bad. There's a playground and some cool spots. Coming here isn't exactly convenient if not having a car. It's located along the lake. This is also in a residential area so there's not much going on. More like this is a place for those who live around it. The great thing about it is it's usually pretty quiet. Among the amenities is a playground with modern equipment. There's also an opening to the lake to go hang out and relax. Getting here is probably the worst thing about it. It's located by the lake on Sheridan. There's not much else that's around but it's still pretty chill so whatever.

Insider tip: If you follow the faint path down the little hill behind the park, it leads you to the…read morepirate's entrance for Lighthouse Beach. I call it 'pirate's entrance' because technically, you are trespassing a tad when you use it, but if you just want to dip your feet in the water for a second and not pay the $8 per person entry fee at the main beach entrance, this is how you get there. Enter at your own risk though... I can't be held responsible for any possible charges brought upon you, should you get caught. Other than the bootleg beach entrance, this park is pretty rockin'. There's a solid roofed area with picnic benches that you can rent out for parties, also a large field to just lay in, picnic, or set up a soccer game or whatever kind of sport that the kids are into these days and can be played on grassy turf. There's also a bike rack, and some nice, quiet benches just off a bit from this really swank playground that you should totally take your kids to. They'll love it. You know how I know that? Because I loved it and the thing that would have made me love it more would be if I were smaller and actually fit better going through the equipment, which includes a tire swing, kiddie swings, multiple safety slides right next to each other so you can race, a really nice and spacious jungle gym, a cute tented area that kids can put there heads through and look like they have the body of a knight or princess, a little faux stage to put on a puppet show, a red convertable race car, a motorcycle, a little yellow plane and it's all on that squishy, rubber safety ground so it's cushy, no splinters and probably a lot less skinned knees and bruises.

Easy parking in front of the museum. Light trail but doesn't go in a loop or you can but have to…read morecross the street and then walk on some unpaved brush. Or one can just back track.

This popular spot is usually a little busy for my tastes, but catch it at a quiet time and you can…read moreenjoy a placid hike down easy paths. There's a broad, charming bridge where kids (or adults) can throw sticks into the water on one side and watch them float to the other side. There are multiple dirt trails into the woods off the paved path that's frequently teeming with bicyclists. And there's a gravel path where people often walk dogs. Note that there are multiple entrances to Harms Woods. I like the northern one, but so do a lot of other people, apparently.

Its length, secluded appearance, and terrain were three reasons why I ventured out to the Green Bay…read moreTrail rather than the Des Plaines River Trail or Chicago's Lakefront Trail, which are two areas where I love to conduct long runs. As for its length, per sources the trail extends 9 miles from Wilmette to Highland Park which makes it the perfect spot for a long run in preparation for the Chicago Marathon. As for secluded, the majority of Chicagoland trails give off that vibe of being secluded in comparison to Chicago's beloved Lakefront Trail, a trail that sometimes drives me bonkers encountering many individuals doing multiple activities. The secluded vibe is one thing that I love about the Des Plaines River Trail and what keeps me returning. I figured that this trail was no different. As for terrain, after I viewed pictures shared on both Yelp & Google, the Green Bay Trail appeared to be a mixture of gravel and paved which eliminates the whole muddy experience when damp. A muddy trail is the last thing I wanted to have dealt with while conducting a long run. I eased into running on this trail because I was not familiar with it. As expected, the path was a mixture of gravel and paved which appeared as an off-and-on path that takes you through parking lots, downtown areas, and other parks. The path starts in Wilmette and ends in Highland Park; the Metra train station in Highland Park from what I experienced. I had a hard time finding parking in the Wilmette area, so I drove out to a park known as Shelton Park, a park located in Glencoe which worked out just fine for me. In the meantime I will most likely continue to make it my starting point until I am fully accustomed to running this trail. I also hope to discover where the trail picks up once you hit the Metra train station in Highland Park because I did not see it. Not only did I encounter a deer during my run, but also a chipmunk, and a redwing blackbird. And with the path being along the railway you will hear the sound of the Metra train zooming by every now and then, which will be viewable off to the side. Very clean and maintained was this path that even had garbage cans along it. And for those that bike there are bike pumps in select areas where the trail resumes. At times the bike pumps helped guide me on the way. Other than its broken up appearance taking you through parking lots, downtown areas, and other parks I was not let down by experiencing the features I visited for such as its length, secluded appearance, and terrain. I would surely venture out again from time to time because the area is a different experience. ~Blessings~ Thomas G

Beautiful bike trail - rode from WIlmette up to Highland Park and then Lake Bluff. Spectacular…read moretrail with beautiful trees, wildflowers and foliage on either side for a long time. Well maintained and easy ride. A joy to experience.

I love that Winnetka has a dog beach. The only thing dividing Elder Lane Beach and Centennial…read moreBeach is a private residence. My family has had a few Fourth of July picnics here and have fond memories here. The dog beach is great and have taken other people's dogs here to let the dogs have fun. Parking is decent. I love the small rolling hills here at the park.