Kids Castle is one of the best parks and playgrounds around. The playground has so many different…read moreareas to explore that kids can easily spend hours playing without getting bored. Everything is well maintained, and there's plenty of space for families to spread out and enjoy the day. One of my favorite things about this park is its location. It's close to great walking trails, so it's easy to go for a relaxing walk before or after visiting the playground. There are also fishing ponds nearby, which make it an even better place to spend the afternoon outdoors. Whether you're bringing young kids to play, going for a walk, or just enjoying the peaceful surroundings, Kids Castle is a fantastic destination. It's one of those parks that keeps you coming back because there's so much to do, and it's always a fun place to visit.

Entertaining for all ages! Took my step daughter (5/6 year old) and husband here one summer…read moreafternoon. Clean, updated and a blast for all 3!

My husband and I met a friend at Century Park Arboretum to get some exercise. I really like this…read morePark. There are several nice waking paths around the park. The park also has a lake you fish at, exercise equipment along the waking path, a playground, and a picnic shelter with picnic tables and bathrooms. I highly recommend Century Park Arboretum!

A nice, clean park for people of all ages to either exercise, take a leisurely stroll, do…read morerecreational activities like fishing, picnic or just chill (or all of the above :-) ). I enjoy going here for walks and jogs. I forget how long of a trail it is for walking/ jogging/ bicycling purposes but either way, it is enjoyable. They have BBQ grills and picnic areas, benches, fields for baseball and soccer, a basketball court and some complimentary exercising (gym) equipment for anyone who would like to use it. The park has easy (multiple) access points and although, certain parking areas can get busy during nice weather days, you have other parking options nearby. There are multiple restroom areas in the park. Pets (dogs to be exact) are allowed for a walk. You get pretty views of sunsets from here over the small lake that's there as the area is scenic. I go here occasionally for either exercising or just to get my mind of things as I find this place relaxing and chill. Check this park out if you haven't been here before. It's worth the visit.

A small but complete park located right on Diamond Lake. There are plenty of activities to do such…read moreas fishing, a playground, picnic area, and areas to sit right by the lake and enjoy the view. Parking is convenient right on the edge of the park.

Today, my boyfriend and I rented a paddleboat for an hour. The weather forecast indicated rain…read morewouldn't start until 1:00 PM, so we thought we had plenty of time. However, around 12:20 PM, the sky turned black. We immediately turned around and began pedaling back to the dock as fast as we could. While we were heading back, a safety staff member on a speedboat approached us. He told us we had to return to shore but added that he couldn't tow us in--we had to pedal all the way back ourselves. While we were already doing that, the storm was rolling in incredibly fast, and it was a genuinely scary experience. As we finally approached the dock in the storm, we saw two teenage employees who had been assisting people earlier. One of them looked right at us, but instead of helping us secure the boat, both boys ran back into the covered checkout area and completely ignored us. As we struggled to park and tie up the boat in the pouring rain, not a single staff member stepped out to help us dock safely. Meanwhile, at least 10 employees were crowded inside the checkout area. As a person of color, I am unfortunately always hyper-aware of how I might be treated in certain environments. I have visited this forest preserve many times, always thought it was beautiful, and was so excited to show my boyfriend around. To be treated with such a lack of care was incredibly disappointing. When we spoke to the male manager, he explained that they are required to clear the water during storms. My boyfriend clarified that we had no issue with leaving the water; our issue was the complete lack of staff assistance to help us dock safely in a dangerous situation. The manager offered us a "rain check" for a free rental, but missing out on time wasn't the issue--our safety was. No one seemed to care that we were the last ones out on the water. I hope this forest preserve implements a better emergency protocol, because storms on the water can quickly become life-threatening. I guess my question is if the staff are closely checking the weather , why even let people still go out on the water ? Instead of saying "hey there's a storm that is going to be rolling through , we are holding back on rentals at this time for safety reasons " .

Independence Grove is such a nice forest preserve with lots of things to do especially in the…read moresummer time. Beautiful trails to walk/run along but they also have a playground for kids. They have a beer garden and snack shop. They also have water activities that you can rent like paddle boats and kayaks. It's just a nice place to go solo or with friends if you are looking to connect with nature for a bit.

This was a lovely place to go for a short winter hike in north suburbs. We followed the…read moreequestrian trail, which takes you past a couple of ponds and up and down a couple of gentle hills. Hikers are welcome, but horses have the right-of-way. Our segment was about two and a half miles, perfect for the spouse, who is not as keen on hiking as I am, particularly in the winter. If you are looking for more or less distance, there are some short cuts and extensions available. Clean outhouses at the trail head, well-stocked with toilet paper. Always a plus. Plenty of deer along the trail. Dogs aren't allowed on the horse trails, but they are allowed elsewhere in the preserve. A couple of bike trails pass through the area as well. We didn't have time to check out the Lake County Discovery Museum, located onsite, but I understand it is worth a visit. It's not what I'd call a spectacular park, but if you are in the area and want to get outside for a bit, this is a pretty solid option.

I love this forest preserve! It is close to my house and I love to come here to take walks, it is…read morevery relaxing and the nature is beautiful. There are a few different trails you can pick, I see people riding their bikes walking or running it's also great to bring your dog for a walk.

This is a hidden little gem right near downtown Lake Zurich that many locals don't even seem to…read moreknow about. The entrance is tucked between two residential homes, and it boarders the private LZ Golf Course on another side. Growing up in Lake Zurich I remember learning that the Kuechmann family donated the property to the village and I can remember a house standing on the property when I visited. When the vegetation isn't overgrown in winter, you can still see where the house was further back in the arboretum. More recently, the wonderful Ancient Oaks Foundation has taken over care of the property and have done an outstanding job make this a neat spot to visit. The arboretum walking path is a mulched trail. It's a fairly short little loop, perfect for taking young ones on a manageable walk. I am lucky enough to live close enough that I run through frequently in the morning and I have often seen deer and on one occasion a red tailed fox! The Ancient Oaks Foundation recently installed a wonderful natural play scape for kids. It's a great area to bring kids to enjoy being in nature.

What a little hidden gem!!!! I was in the area and stumbled upon it and am so happy I did! My…read moretoddler had a lot of fun exploring the nature set ups, swing, campfire area and the boat. We will definitely be back!

My kiddos loves this park. Very clean and has areas for every age group. Wonderful during the…read moresummer days. Take some food and have a picnic!

I recently spent some time at Deerpath Park, and it turned out to be a great place to enjoy the…read moreoutdoors. One of the best things about this park is how much it has to offer in one location. There are multiple walking trails that are perfect for getting some exercise or just enjoying a relaxing walk, and it's conveniently located near plenty of stores if you need to grab something before or after your visit. The park has something for everyone, including baseball fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts, soccer fields, and two playgrounds for kids. There's also a nice pavilion with restrooms, making it a great place for family gatherings, picnics, or spending the afternoon outside. Everything was clean and well maintained, and there was plenty of space to spread out without feeling crowded. Whether you're looking to play sports, go for a walk, or simply enjoy a nice park, Deerpath Park is a fantastic place to visit. I'll definitely be coming back.

A nice place to go for a stroll or a jog. The park is family friendly, peaceful, serene and clean…read more There's also a newly built kid's playground park with fun things to do for them. It's a well maintained place.

A sensational park, trail, nature reserve that has been a gem for decades. As a kid, we would often…read morevisit the forest preserve to fish, go on the playgrounds, bike the extensive well-connected trails, walk..so much memories here. Great spot to host a cookout or party with their rental shelters too. Happy to see it still functioning for many folks after all these years. Wish Charleston, SC had preserves like this!

There was a wedding reception (dinner and dancing) held in Shelter A and B of this forest preserve…read more As a former Illinois resident I thought the wedding party would be uncomfortable, given this time of year. But I was wrong! Both the weather and surroundings were beautiful; I heard they sprayed for insects beforehand as well. Many picture opportunities. Open enough to enjoy the rest of reserve and share the good vibes with passersby. Some bees came out but only when we were already packing up. Maybe more available parking spaces would've been nice. Other than that, it was a good time.