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.

There is some beatiful parks and lakefront property that Evanston can boast about. There are also…read moremany parks and walking trails that go all the way from the lakefront to Dodge Ave. On my last visit I was checking out the lush greenery and lakefront property that can be found by Sheridan/Church St. near the boat launch area.

I can honestly say I probably spend half of my summer at the Evanston sailing beach and the…read moreEvanston dog beach. My dog even gets excited when we drive by on Sheridan Road. All the facilities are top notch with clean facilities and groomed beaches. The staff are always friendly and do their jobs well. We keep a sailboat at paddle board down at the sailing beach for easy access and it's easy to find street or lot parking to enjoy a day on the water!

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.

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.

The views here are incredible, it feels like you are in a different place in the world and not 5…read moreminutes drive from busy Chicago!

You gotta visit here if you're in The North Shore. Come on the weekends to catch a glimpse of a…read morebaseball game. Food here is surprisingly very good. Definitely a change of pace and a great way to catch a game!

Roemer Park is one of the best baseball fields for little league games tucked away off old Glenview…read moreRd. It's such a treat for kids and adults alike to come here. You get such a great feeling of history in this historic 1950s ballfield. They have real dugouts for teams, plenty bleacher space, a scoreboard with scorekeepers (by hand scorekeeping!) And a cute sandbox with buckets and shovels to keep little ones busy. Also, a snack shack with very inexpensively priced beverages, food, and sweet treats for your family. The volunteers who run this place are amazing and really pleasant! We happened to go to watch the older boys play an all star game memorial day weekend and they had some extra fun activities going on. There is a parking lot, but it is small. You can also park on some side streets. It is definitely an enjoyable time!

This park wasn't here when I was in grad school, it's a real improvement. Very well used by the…read morecommunity, in fact sometimes it's overwhelmed by peaceful but popular gatherings. When it's not too crowded and weather permitting it's perfect for lunch al fresco or even just a moment of peaceful coffee. It's Evanston so bring a reusable not disposable coffee cup so you don't get silent judgment.

Located in what must be the heart of downtown Evanston, there is seating to enjoy coffee or bubble…read moretea, a snack, or simply to take in the atmosphere and people watch.

Tucked away in a tranquil residential area in NW Evanston, Cartwright park offers fun recreational…read moreactivities for people and pooches of all ages. There is a nice little playground for the children, a cute sculpture that can be used as a sled, a gazebo for picnics, a small hill, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a large grassy area that is perfect for frisbee, various children's sports, and for exercising the dogs. Although the playground structure is a little older than the ones in other parks we frequent, I love that this park feels very peaceful and does not get too crowded. One thing I wish this park has is a public bathroom. Overall, a very nice park! Highly recommended!

Independence Park is located smack dab in the middle of Central Street. It's not a bad location…read moresince there are several shops and restaurants here; I'm sure it's a nice place to stop and relax whilst in the midst of a shopping day. Independence Park has a playground and is not a bad size, particularly for its location. It's a popular space alright; there were lots of families and individuals there when I was across the street at Backlot Coffee. They may do halloween activities here--Central Street has trick-or-treating a week or so before the holiday. In fall 2022, they had a fall-themed selfie station set up outside with hay bales, corn stalks, gourds, and pumpkins, which I thought was kind of a cute idea even though I'm not sure everything needs to be an Instagram moment. There's a good deal of parking, though in parts of the neighborhood near housing it's possible the streets are permit; along Central, it's all pay parking using the Park Evanston app.