There are so many awesome things about River Park. The programs for kids, playground, trails,…read moreswimming pool, splash pad and the running track/soccer field. We use the park all summer/spring/fall and my family loves it. My only complaints are that pool schedule is annoying, the pool is always cold and most of the lifeguards are jerks. I've never had a problem with them but there is something super rude about adults getting scolded by teenagers. They blow their whistles at every minor infraction. Really all they need to do is make sure no one drowns or trashes the pool no need for the constant whistle blowing. The best part of the park is Melanie Riehle. She teaches Kiddie College, the middle of the day programs (art, music and gym), she also runs the playgroup, Tot Spot and the Park Kids program. This woman was born to work with kids---she "gets" kids and most importantly she cares about kids. Melanie always had such fun activities planned for the preschoolers---nature walks, science experiments, fun art projects, parties, show and tell and etc. my daughter is completely prepared for kindergarten thanks to Kiddie College. I felt like she went above and beyond what teachers at other parks were doing. She has great communication--always responding to emails and is genuinely a congenial person. I've seen her interact with kids from preschool age to middle school age and let me tell you, she knows what she's doing with every age group. I heard some parents at the playground lamenting about how the summer program was full in a matter of minutes...most likely that's because of Melanie. She plans all kinds of fun activities for summer camp. I'm done praising her now! Lol, just consider yourself lucky if you get into one of her programs and pray she never leaves River Park!

Nice park with plenty of green space. So close to the walking paths and river! Great for picnics or…read morea nap after a long walk or bike ride.

Started taking cardio tennis classes here Winter 2025. I usually take classes with the city but…read morewanted to get a jumpstart this Winter and Spring before outdoor classes resume. Getting into a cardio class is extremely hard as there is limited about of spots. Additionally you have to have a verified 3.0 rating or above to get into the classes. I take the medium impact classes which has a capacity of 12 people. On average 8-10 people show up for class. It is a really good workout. There are 6 courts but 2 can be used for pickleball. I like this facility as there is ample parking. Also it is nice to see the ice skating classes and practices. The facility itself has lockers, water machines, vending machines and elevator lift for accessibility. I also had my racket re-strung by Carlos for a decent price. I was able to drop it off and pickup the next time that so was at the facility.

Pretty sure they have teenagers running this entire operation. Went for free skate on a Saturday,…read morewhich I assumed would be busy. I few things I also assumed is that they'd have a system for their line, which stupidly spiraled around the lobby confusing every single new person that came. By the time I got to the front (only an hour left in free skate at this point), they sold out of all but three sizes (that's including men/women/kids). No effort to proactively inform people wasting their time in line. The person I came with brought their own skates so they still went on the ice while I watched, but the rink was total chaos. They allowed way too many people on the ice and the teenage Skate Guards were completely useless, staring at their phones or just staring at the ground bored. Fire those guys for sure. Absolute bust of an afternoon. From what I hear this place wasn't always this bad. To management: Please offer some kind adult only skate time and find Skate Guards who give a damn. To prospective free skaters: Go somewhere else.

Such a wonderful pool. Kid friendly. Shallow and deep end. Good for big kids and for small kids…read more The schedule is not regularly updated.

Such a hidden gem and lifeguards are really great. Lots of friendly kids & families + a lap lane…read morefor adults all the time without having the kids to leave the pool. Very deep so kids can dive & jump also a large size shallow end.

Great for all levels of tennis, I am a beginner and have had great exp with cardio tennis and with…read moretennis classes, Evan is great; love the locker room, and love Ignite class with Ann.

Sarah N brings the best energy to my day! Her enthusiasm and technical expertise are unmatched!read more

I have been going to the Lakeview Y off and on for almost 40 years. It has been dramatically…read moreupdated during those decades, and is now well positioned to compete with much more expensive chain "health clubs" (and extra bonus--some of the money actually does good, supporting the free/reduced price housing the Y provides). Really nice workout rooms--two rooms with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, two killing lateral machines (ouch), and a whole lot more, along with a good variety of weight machines. Almost never a wait. Also a free weight room, and several class spaces. Totally well kept up (the ellipticals were all replaced within the last few months), clean (wipes everywhere), well lit, and kept at a good temperature summer and winter. Locker rooms could use some updating--too many short half-lockers, which are really too small if you have a winter coat with you. Showers are good, clean, and never full. Nice sauna. Child care on premises. My only complaint is that the pool is way too small. It is short (20 yards, not the typical 25), and only four lanes, so most times it is crowded! Not sure they can do anything about this given the physical limitations of the space. But if they could make it into a six lane 25 yard pool, I would gladly give them SIX stars.

Brand new treadmills upstairs at the YMCA! I like the layout of the Lakeview Y - lots of space and…read morenot too crowded. They have some great group fitness instructors. This YMCA also accepts nationwide, which is what I have! Only issue is parking, but there are usually some spots nearby. Nice sauna and usually empty!

I absolutely love Lincoln Square Athletic Club. I have been a member for about two months now, this…read moreis my home gym, and I have made great use of the multi-gym membership to workout all over the city with trainers and friends. Lincoln Square in particular I love because of the amenities and staff. The sauna and steam room have become a regular part of my routine, especially after a rowdy weekend when I am looking to get back to baseline faster. The equipment at LSAC is solid, with a heavy focus on free weights, cables, and cardio. Like any of the CAC locations, if you are looking to throw out gnarly 200lb vanity lifts on machines, just get a membership at Planet Fitness and save yourself the trouble, you might even find folks at the big box gyms to cheer you on! The staff is friendly and accommodating, and given that I am a visibly queer/trans person, I have never had issues using the locker room I am most comfortable in. Staff and members alike never look twice at me post-top surgery, something that genuinely wasn't true at places like PF or LA Fitness. If you're looking for a well rounded gym to truly work on your health and physique, you probably won't find one at a better price point. Like all gyms, be wary of cancellation policies and just pay the extra $5 a month to be month to month rather than locking yourself into annual contracts. If you think CAC is hard to get out of, I encourage you to try to get out of PF membership that you opened before moving to another state (hint: I literally had to close my bank account and open a new one because THAT was easier). Happy lifting, and be reasonable in your expectations of a gym, there really aren't a ton of good ones out there, but CAC is an outlier.

The gym itself is great. My one star review is for the employees. My gym membership was randomly…read morecanceled by an employee named Heather. Called the gym to find out what the issue was. Another employee named Connor said he would investigate and talk to Heather. Well that investigation was fairly quick. Connor emailed me back immediately stating that my membership was "mistakenly" canceled by Heather. Who mistakenly cancels a gym membership?? What a poor excuse, Connor. And supposedly my card on file was not valid for the month of January 2026. But the same card was valid all of 2024 and 2025 and they sure took my money. I decided to spend my money else where. Do better guys, your poor excuses can lose a lot of customers.

LA Fitness Lawrence Avenue in Ravenswood is an incredible location! Everything you need is in one…read moreplace, making it one of the most convenient fitness clubs I've visited. The Pilates program is fantastic, with a beautiful studio, excellent equipment, and instructors who create a fun, challenging, and welcoming experience. Whether you're new to Pilates or have years of experience, you'll feel right at home. One of my favorite features is the convenience. There's ample parking with an attached garage, a grocery store right next door for quick shopping after your workout, plus an on-site juice bar and meal prep options that make staying on track with your health goals even easier. The club is clean, well maintained, and the staff is always friendly and welcoming. It's clear the team takes pride in creating a great experience for members. If you're looking for a gym that combines exceptional fitness offerings with unmatched convenience, LA Fitness Lawrence Avenue in Ravenswood is a fantastic choice. Highly recommend!

Wow, what a hot mess. This gym really makes me miss Chuze Fitness back home. They're also a chain…read moregym, but they actually have their stuff together. The facilities are consistently clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the overall experience is much better. This LA Fitness is crowded at basically all hours, and there clearly isn't enough equipment to meet the demand. People regularly sit on or hog equipment without sharing, but honestly, I can understand why when there simply isn't enough equipment available. Beyond the crowding, the gym itself has a weird smell, feels dirty, and just doesn't seem well maintained. Trying to get a decent workout in is frustrating when you're constantly waiting for equipment or trying to work around the crowds. I really wanted to like this gym, but for the price, I expected a much better experience. I'll definitely be looking for another gym.

We love this park! It has a little bit of everything. Lots of grassy areas like baseball and soccer…read morefields, a rubber track, and a large playground for the kiddos. The park is great for picnics, people-watching, or walking the track. We typically come here to play on the swings though! They have baby swings which is perfect for my 9-month old. The playground is large with activities great for children of all ages that I know my baby will grow into along the way. On the weekends it can be busy, but adults and kids have always been respectful when playing. It's a great park, and we are so happy/lucky to live close by!

The turf project is finished and is a great new asset to the neighborhood!…read more Now if they could get around to opening the play lot that would be great.

I got introduced to Edgewater Athletic Club via a swim program they host…read more Pros: - They have a nice sized pool that has several swim lanes for beginner swimmers and more advanced swimmers. - The staff member at the entrance was very nice. He was always willing to loan me a towel every time I visited. - The swim program is setup every well! It took me a few rounds to land a spot because it's very competitive but it was worth the wait. The instructors are very knowledgeable and helped me feel more comfortable in the water. Cons: - The pool is cleaned monthly and you can really see the difference of it being recently cleaned vs collecting whatever in the pool. - The locker rooms could use an update and a deep cleaning. I wish they had a mix of short lockers with the full sized lockers so we don't have to stuff all of our items into multiple lockers when it gets colder outside.

I've been here a couple times for swim class for my infant. The facility is small but not bad. The…read morepool is good, and the equipment looked well-kept. The staff member who was there when we visited was always friendly and charmed by my little one (not the only reason I liked her!) and always had a mask--in June 2024 when most people have abandoned masking. The location made it near impossible for me to get to swim class so I'm going to have to look for another option, but if it had worked out I would have been happy to continue using this facility.

If you're looking for serious table tennis game, Net & Paddle is where you should go. Located…read moreinside the church, the club has a wide range of players with different styles and games - they're all 2000 and above. Five Butterfly tables with barriers and serious players - this is where you get better. There is also a coach who gives lessons (multiball and advanced training). Time: 19:30-23:00 Mon-Fri. Ring the bell if the door is locked. The quality of table tennis is much better than most clubs in Chicago (Spin, Killerspin, Mr Pingpong) - highly recommended if you want a serious game.