Great place to kayak especially in the morning or evening. Trails have varying difficulty with none…read moreof them being too difficult. Camping area is nice as well.

While a smaller camp site, it is still pretty nice. We stayed in the Pines, which as the name…read moreindicates, was covered in beautiful pine trees which made you feel like you were walking through a Roman colonnade. Now, I'm not very "hardcore" when it comes to camping, and this trip marked my first real tent camping trip since I was in third grade (roughly 19 years ago!), so this review is more written from the point of view of "that chick" who screams and panics at the site of any and all insects. Yes, I'm not proud to admit it, but I have to be real. For my fellow entomophobics, let's have a heart to heart. Okay, so there are bugs. Come on! It's camping. BUT, it wasn't nearly as scary or terrible as I had expected. Can I get an "amen!" I even posted some photos of the ever scary bathroom situation, just so you can see it is not like walking into a spider's web. Really...overall, it wasn't too "buggy." Now, here are some other notes about the site that will help you decide if this place is for you: Site 1 = Camp Host; This is where you pay for your camp site, which as I recall was pretty reasonably priced at about $10. Big bummer! The concession stand is closed until further notice, so give up your dreams of canoeing and ping pong. This change happened the week of our reservation, and it was very disappointing. So, if getting on that pretty lake is important to you, definitely check out their website to verify if the concession stand has been re-opened or not. Since we were tent camping, I can't speak to whether or not there were water hook-ups for RVs. If not, there is a fill station as you enter, so you should be fine. Off the beaten path, there is a historic red barn which you can tour (1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays, May - Oct, 1-4), a nearby water park, and a playground for kids. Overall, we had a very pleasant trip, and we would definitely consider going back. Until next time, sleep tight, and don't let the weird-insects-that-appear-at-night bite!

What a beautiful park!…read more During a quick trip to Iowa we kept our activities limited to outdoor activities and carry out eats. I pulled up the Yelp app to find a park to explore and voila, there was Vander Veer Botanical Park. It was a toasty 93 degree day so we were quickly drawn to the plentiful shaded spaces found throughout this large park. In addition to a botanical garden (which we didn't visit specifically), they also have a rose garden, small pond with a fountain, long shaded promenade, and plentiful paved paths for walking. We strolled through the rose garden and then were naturally drawn to the long shaded walkway that leads up to a large and entertaining fountain at the end. This park has so many lovely uses for varying audiences and interests. Highly recommend giving it a visit if you find yourself in the Quad Cities!

It the most fun me and my kid add I love how handicap accessible it was in the summerread more

Peaceful, contemplative spot to visit. Sinnissippi Site, Sinnissippi Park, Sterling, Illinois. U.S…read more National Register of Historic Places. The site contains several Hopewellian Indian Mounds built between 500 BC and 500 AD. There are several nice trails, playground, shelters with grills, and open spaces as well.

It's been a wonderful two week stay at the Illiniwek Forest Preserve. There are lots of trees, it's…read morenear the Mississippi River, clean bathrooms, and firewood available. They have electric and water, but no sewer. They do have a dump station. There are towns nearby to find groceries, restaurants and shopping. The preserve has a playground, volleyball, biking/walking paths, and a nearby park with an 18 hole disc golf. We met many friendly families and had beautiful sunsets. The staff is very friendly and the sheriff patrols the site every day making you feel safe.

Staying here was my first camping experience since moving to the Quad Cities, and we had a great…read moretime! We camped with four adults and three preschool aged children and there was plenty for all of us to do. We stayed along the river at a tent site, and had plenty of space. The campgrounds were clean and quiet, and only $16 for the night. With little ones, it was especially great that there are clean, stocked restrooms. We really enjoyed being on the river at our site, but also the easy walk along the bike trail that connects to other parks. Overall, I highly recommend this site for easy, nearby camping.

What a cool place with a neat backstory. Unfortunately we missed being able to get inside the home…read moreby about 30 minutes but enjoyed exploring the picturesque grounds regardless. It is sad to see the building falling apart in places, it is definitely in need of restoration. Still, the place is in a gorgeous setting with massive trees that make it truly peaceful. Bathrooms on site were open even when the home was not and were clean. There are plenty of videos on YouTube and history to be found online. I found a cool tie in to my personal family history. Apparently the builder of this unique home, Fred Francis, had a run in with my great grandfather and great uncle who were hunting on his property. Francis, being a naturalist and vegetarian disliked hunting and chased the two off his property. My uncle recounted the story to us and we walked the grounds. A neat place with an amazing story. Check it out here: http://www.cityofkewanee.com/document_center/FrancisParkBrochure.pdf

Don't miss an opportunity to tour the Woodland Palace. It was built by a recluse named Fred Francis…read morewho was way ahead of his time. He transported the bricks with a bicycle. It has the equivalent of air conditioning by underground tunnels. The doors opened and closed automatically. There is quite a story around this place, tours are cheap, and the inventions are fascinating. The house can be toured in 20 minutes. The surrounding park has plenty of camping spaces and hiking trails.

Great park for kids of all ages! Splash pad in the summer is a great time as well!! The restrooms…read morewere very clean and I have no complaints!!

Great park for young kids. Gets busy during summer afternoons. There's a decently large playground…read morewith a padded ground, multiple tall slides, monkey bars. Next to the playground is a large splash pad with several shaded benches. Not much shade to be found elsewhere in the park. Small concession stand open when we went (June). Bathrooms at the entrance to the playground/splash pad. Several picnic tables on the other side of the parking lot that are partly shaded by trees.

Good playgrounds but not great for anyone with special needs bathrooms aren't accessibleread more

Woodhaven Lakes recently celebrated their 50th anniversary & we have been owners here for almost 20…read moreyears. It's our "happy place" for fresh air and R & R. We appreciate the planned activities but also the quiet time in nature. Disc Golf has recently been added and enjoyed by our son and his family. This weekend is the annual "Main Event" and there will be a Venetian Boat Parade & fireworks over Woodhaven Lake.

I love Laura Bradley Park! It holds lots of fond memories for me. There's a playground in the top…read moreand bottom section of the park! Gotta love the dog park if you have doggos. Lots of little attractions to see like the Chinese bridge. Plenty of roadways in the parks for walking and bike riding. Great place to visit year round!

Beautiful park near Bradley University. Plenty of walking areas, not really many trails, more of an…read moreopen set up. This park has a lot to offer, including a Frisbee golf course, two fenced in dog parks, sand volleyball, picnic areas and tennis courts. Plenty of free parking in multiple lots throughout the park. The dog parks include a smaller, more secluded dog park on the top and a large dog park on the bottom, separated into small and large breed fenced areas. The dog parks are often packed with wagging tails on the weekends. No fee and doggie bags are provided by the people. Each season brings something gorgeous to view in nature's little hideaway.

Wow what a beautiful Park here in Dekalb you can. Enjoy a…read moregorgeous river as you walk and giant trees and a walk way that will Lead you to NIU university going to the left Path way and if you go to the right you can play frisbee at the court to play with your friends or you can ride your bike, run have a pic nick.I like the park because is just in my back yard