Our third Navy Boot Camp Graduation this year, in 2024! First one we attended was back in January…read more The second one was in August. And now the 3rd in the month of November! This time around, our hotel was a bit further away than the first 2 trips. And we were late getting to the RTC base, arriving at 7:45 AM, compared to the previous visits, when we arrived right at 6:30 AM. But luckily, we avoided a very long line of cars getting into the Gate! So, that helped big time. We drove right in and parked outside the parking garage, which was a plus!!! Pros of this Graduation: 1). Ceremony was outstanding! 2). Not much waiting 3). Parking was a breeze 4). Exiting wasn't that bad Cons: 1). Inconsiderate people sitting next to us or near us on the benches 2). Some people not knowing how to park, taking up parts of 2 spaces 3). NEX being totally crowded and swamped with loads of people right after graduation!!!

Staff was very rude. A lot of yelling. No room service. They even cut my hair without asking.read more

Lake Forest Beach is a public area with fees incurred for public access. I am a person with a…read moredisability and unable to walk far distances and can not use stairs (age 59) female. I was harassed/shamed when I requested a reasonably accommodation to be dropped off/picked up. I did not ask for entry/parking. All I wanted was a small accommodation to be dropped off and picked up. I was harassed and wasn't allowed to be picked up due to my disability. This is a violation of the ADA (American Disability Act) and was discriminated against due to my disability. LFB is considered a public park and was in violation of my rights as a person with a disability. I understand there are rules and I just wanted a reasonable accommodation to be allowed to be dropped off and picked up not harassed and shamed and left standing in the heat while my husband explained the situation. He showed the gate guard a copy of my "Illinois ID marked as a person with a disability." Beach management need to educate their staff as to making simple reasonable accommodations for people with a disability. They (staff) have no rights to judge and disregard persons with a disability. Such can be reported and subject to significant fines and lawsuits. I suggest ADA compliance and policies for persons with a disability are seriously reviewed and followed according to the American Disability Act. This should NOT have transpired and was humiliating, to be honest.

I fully admit that having teenage boys at home during the pandemic has been a lot. At some point…read moreeach day, my hubby and I get in the car and talk through all our troubles (translation: complain about having children) while driving up north along the lake. We often end up parked in our car staring at Lake Michigan at Forest Park Beach. We're convinced that all the other couples we see there are also doing the same thing ;-) Last week, our laziness and overwhelm forced us to get out of the car and take in a fresh air walk along the lakefront. We walked south past the concessions and over near the boating facility. We typically don't leave our car unattended, just in case we might get a ticket. We took the risk, and it was so worth it. TBH I don't think they are monitoring the parking lots or ticketing right now, but I'm not 100% sure. What an absolutely gorgeous discovery! We honestly felt like we were on vacation (without kids). The air was fresh, the water was fairly calm, and we felt grateful to be living near such a beautiful oasis. Along the walkway we discovered a play area for kids, boats ready to launch, a covered area with picnic tables, tall lampposts and pristine landscaping. At the very end of our walk was a goose waiting for her goose companion to come back from sea (lol). We learned from a local that the goose had been there for a few days. Anyway, the sidewalk came to an abrupt end, something like out of a Shel Silverstein poem. We turned around, took a deep breath, and received a call from one of our sons that he and his brother were about to bring a bunch of friends over to our house. And just like that, our peace and calm came to a stop. Until next time...

Beautiful park named after the famous hometown author. It's one of the must see places in Waukegan,…read morebut it's usually pretty quiet. Ray Bradbury Park is located in a residential area, so it's isolated from tourists. A lot of people don't know where it is either. That helps keep them away and you can enjoy it better without crowds and stuff. As for the park itself, it's actually not that big. It has an entrance off a side street, close to a few houses. There's a marker noting history of the Waukegan River and the ravine that was mentioned in Bradbury's Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer. Cool for book nerds. For sure it's cool for anyone obviously. Bradbury was even at the park dedication and met a few excited authors and fans. The marker has photos and information. Has no parking lot because this is a residential area. It's usually not busy so street parking is pretty much okay. There's not a whole lot of people who know where this is, so it doesn't get lots of tourists.

The great Science Fiction writer Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan in 1920. His writings include…read moreFahrenheit 451, and of course The Martian Chronicles. Several of his novels are semi-autobiographical. In stories such as Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer he reinvented Waukegan as Green Town. He wrote about a park, drawn from childhood memories, in Dandelion Wine. In 1990 the park, located a few blocks from his boyhood home, was rededicated as Ray Bradbury Park. Bradbury himself, was on hand to do the ribbon cutting. The park is not large, but it has a neat stairway that drops down into a deep ravine. It is easy to imagine Bradbury as a child, exploring this magical place. It obviously left a lasting impression on the great writer. Go pick up a copy of Dandelion Wine, wait for a nice sunny day and let Mr. Bradbury take you on an adventure as you explore his park. You never know what you may discover!

3X THE FUN Triple…read morePlay is located in Hometown Square in between the train station and the season pass processing center. The ride opened in 1976 and was manufactured by HUSS Rides. It is also known as a Trokia, which means 'group of three' in Russian. The Triple Play has three arms extending out from a center column. Each of these cars can seat up to two people and are located at the end of every arm in a circle. Now the fun begins when the operator turns on the ride. The center column rotates in a clockwise motion while the cars located at the end of the arms rotate in a counterclockwise motion. I am getting dizzy just thinking about this ride and let's not forget the sweeping motion of the ride as it goes up and down. You will also notice a slight rocking motion of the car from side to side. Now my description sounds a lot worse then the ride actually is. In fact, this ride is quite mild. It is a great beginner ride for your little one as you slowly work your kids up to bigger and faster coasters. This is another one of those rides that I have ridden on as a child and with my child. It is always fun to share these childhood memories. The line may look long but it moves fast. If I do my math correctly 21 cars times 2 people means 42 people can potentially ride at one time. I also feel that many people miss this ride because it is tucked in the corner. Make sure to do not wait until the end of the night to ride this because it will shut down early to accommodate the evening stage show and the nightly parade. You have been warned. My little one loves this ride and it is always fun to ride with her on it. She laughs and giggles. It always cracks me up when she asks me to hold on to her. This ride only has a metal lap bar and it does feel like you might fly out as the ride goes into it's dropping motion. I was curious as to how many of these rides still exist. I was able to find out in the USA, there are at least eight Troikas in operation and they are located at Cedar Point, Palace Playland, Kings Island, Elitch Gardens, Kings Dominion, Fun Spot Amusement Park, Six Flags Great America, and Six Flags Over Texas. So get on board this classic Trokia ride and feel the spin.

It's a fun ride as far as "spin and puke's" go...It is one that is just the right intensity that…read morethrills the entire family but isn't too intense.

I really want to like this place as our options in Lake Forest are limited. But it is hard given…read moreour experience last night. So we pile the family into the car and head to Duffers for an evening bite to eat. We arrive and are asked to sit wherever you like. Plenty of room so we post up at a table near the back. Service was quick - taking our drink order - delivering a few adult beverages and a pitcher of water in record time. We put in an appetizer order of 20 boneless wings and some cheese curds. Curds came out first and were delicious. Boneless wings next - I take a bite and comment they are cold. Daughter has one and said it was ok. Wife bites into one and realizes the chicken is raw! Raw chicken! That is not good or good for you! The staff once back to the table hurried the uneaten wings away. Provided a free round and a $35 gift card. After paying the bill I am not sure why I did not use the gift card as I am not sure I will be returning. I suppose the card is good for cold beers but I would recommend the salads (sans chicken) or something that can be eaten par cooked. Respectfully submitted.

We stopped in Duffer's Pub, down the street from Chief's, which has been one of our mainstays…read morerecently. The first thing I noticed was that all along downtown Lake Forest were large LF flags so it must have been before the football game. There were lots of families in Duffer's, and they had the windows open and the setting seems rather spacious, with golf simulators. We ordered burgers and tots, which were decent (tots - yum!) although we were let down by Beer Nuggets, which were like pillsbury crescent rolls with red sauce and neither beer nor nuggets. The Detroit style pizza did look very promising and I saw lots of pizza being carried out. Duffer's had a fun, friendly vibe and I'd come back to try the pizza.

A hidden gem. It was a great setting to unwind a little with the family. The water was clear, it…read morewas nice, cool and breezy. The kids loved it.

Beautiful day, good food, ample parking. Beach could have been cleaner. People are slobs.read more

I've come to visit the farmyard a couple times throughout the years and was interested in the…read morerenovation happening. I've seen the construction from the highway and what maybe looked like animals on the other side of the lake so I went to go look. The animals are in fact living behind Lambs Farm in some maintenance area? I just walked right on back there and looked at the animals. A couple of machines and lots of trucks everywhere. A few minutes in of walking around and I found glass on the ground! A bunch of cigarettes everywhere and some random metal pieces? This is insane for animals to live in this condition. Unbelievable. The animals are really living in shipping containers and tents. No other shelter. I follow Lambs on Facebook and had no idea this is all they were offered. I noticed a couple rips in the tents and wasn't able to see the shipping containers clearly but they look very rusty. The animals are sinking in mud! The baby horses are filthy and covered in dirt. A bit weird there were a bunch of apple pieces in some of the cages on the ground. This winter was one of the worsts and I hope all these babies did well during the cold. I also took a trip to the Pet Shop because I love looking at those puppies. One of the puppies constantly screaming. I hope they get attention from staff. I saw the tortoises and cats living there that used to live at the farm. I am wondering where all the other smaller animals live like the birds, guinea pigs, chinchillas and snakes hoping they're in better conditions.

Visiting Lambs Farm is pure nostalgia! The place hasn't changed in 30 years and that's why we love…read moreit! My kids had the most wonderful time today interacting with so many animals and I absolutely love supporting this mission as well! Yes, it is out dated but it is also extremely affordable, simple, easy, and the animals are well cared for and truly loved. The lady in the indoor area couldn't have been nicer and took out the bearded dragon for my kids to touch. Check out the Magnolia Cafe too for a nice meal or tasty treat.

I've been away from Yelp for a few years since moving from the city, but realize that the suburbs…read moreneed reviews too! Initially I wanted to review the new Vernon Hills location, but as their Yelp site is not yet active, I'll start here. I've been to both barre and cycle classes at the Lake Forest location intermittently for about 2.5 years. Rebecca, the owner, and all the teachers and staff are incredibly welcoming and warm. I've found the other women taking classes to also be friendly -- TDM definitely creates community. I always have a great, albeit intense workout when attending classes. Each of the barre classes is different - music, routine, etc. However, you can expect four sets of abdominals, some planking, seat work, thighs, and arms/back in every class. My muscles work so hard that I end up shaking! Cycle classes are also unique - each instructor plans their ride and music for the class. The studio is professional, the changing room always very clean, and its easy to park (street parking) as well. The studio is very safe, so nothing to worry about when going early or leaving late! I recommend trying TDM!

The Dailey Method Lake Forest is fantastic! Instruction is top notch! The studio is spacious and…read morelocker room is spa-like. This location has the best retail of any TDM studio I've been in! I had to run out of class but next time I will definitely pick a few things up. Tina, the owner, was an instructor at the Bucktown location in the city. Before we get to the the actual instruction, please know that she has the *best* playlists. Okay, okay... Tina has the best cadence as an instructor. I love her classes. TDM is a full body workout. Although the class is basically - warm up/arms/thighs/seatwork/abdominals/cooldown - full body training is sprinkled throughout the entire class. Each area is strengthened and lengthened. I was a longtime runner with knee issues. I had been to physical therapy to alleviate my knee issues but I never achieved the recovery that I needed to be successful until I started TDM. It is truly a challenging and rehabilitative workout. I have never seen results with any workout - yoga, pilates, running, strength training, etc - like I have with TDM. Such tiny movements - such big results. As a former dancer, the movement appeal to my dancer-nature. Flexibility and strength is the main focus, but your heart rate will be high (especially in Tina's classes). There is a focus on the breath as well and the studio strives to be a truly positive environment. I don't respond to people who tear me down - TDM builds you up.

This is an initial review because there was no listing for Blair Park, which is surprising…read moreconsidering it is home to: 1. Lake Bluff Golf Club - 18 Hole Golf Course, Driving Range, Pro Shop & Locker Facilities, Village Grill Restaurant 2. Lake Bluff Park District Recreation Center, including a Gymnasium, Fitness Center &Locker Facilities; Running/Jogging Track 3. Outdoor Facilities, including Outdoor Shelter with Grill; Olympic Swimming Pool & Locker Facilities; Play Equipment; Lighted Sledding Hill; Two Outdoor Tennis Courts; Skateboard Park ;Two Soccer Practice Fields with Goals 4. Paddle Tennis Facility; Three Paddle Tennis Courts; Paddle Hut Now we are Lake Forest residents so we really haven't utilized this facility as we could. Having kids, the rec pool is the biggest draw for us. (Still can't believe LF doesn't have a community pool!) We did love the kiddie pool until it had to be closed down due to leaking. However, they have turned it into an adorable sand play area... which, to be honest, is a pretty big hit, too. My son is taking swimming lessons at the pool. And they offer a day camp for kids -- VERY popular with our friends. We've also used the sledding hill. We thought it was awesome. Completely freaked out our 5yo. He just wasn't ready for the speed. Dad, however, was.