If you can ignore the sounds of the Skokie Swift and passing traffic just outside the northern and…read morewestern boundaries of the nature preserve, Emily Oaks is a darling little slice of woods and lagoon tucked into a residential neighborhood of Skokie. They host camps here during the summer months, so you'll find chalk drawings on some of the paths and signs on some of the trees around that time, but it doesn't really detract from the atmosphere. (This is where my sibling and I learned to canoe and build campfires back in the day.) Chipmunks and geese abound; be sure to also check out the fish in the lagoon. They have shelters with picnic tables scattered throughout the preserve, so this is a peaceful place for a picnic lunch when camp's not in session. Just remember to leave the area as clean as you found it... and don't try starting any campfires without permission.

Beautiful place. Great events. Can't give it a five as it's always a struggle to purchase events…read morethrough their online system/website. Three adults tried to purchase tickets for tonight's event and the online system made it impossible to purchase tickets - even one at a time as directed. Not the first time this has happened. I get that this place isn't Google or Facebook, but it's still irritating. Another event I can't register for - which may explain why when I luck out and the system works, the events don't seem super crowded. This can't just be me and my friends.

Nice little park, fun for kids and great place to walk the dog…read more Easy parking too

Very cool park for youngsters. Everything was upgraded recently from the looks of it. Gentle drop…read morefrom the slides, adventurous playground layout, splash pad, huge picnic areas, etc. There is good parking present. Very conveniently located next to the freeway. If you have toddlers or young ones, do check this park out!

An excellent playground "floor is lava" themed, shade, street parking, picnic tables and restrooms…read more Baseball field, splash pad, and tennis courts. Really impressed by the renovations to this park, and it's one that the kiddies will love!

I recently walked through a variety of parks in Evanston and I think Dawes was my favorite. It's…read morealong the lakefront and provides access to the beach and amazing views. But there's also a gorgeous water fountain and seating to enjoy both the water and the park. Not to mention all the squirrels, ducks, and dogs everywhere. There was just a hustle and bustle from all creatures with this great park as a backdrop.

Dawes Park is lakefront park in Evanston. It is along Lake Michigan and near Northwestern…read moreUniversity campus. There is a lagoon with a beautiful fountain with plenty of ducks. The park has a paved path along the lakefront. The spacious grass lawns has plenty of shade trees, picnic tables, and barbecue grills, A nice park to enjoy waterfront views.

This park has is a very well maintained playground with a sprinklers for the kids to frolic in…read moreduring the summer. There is a bunch of wood swings, under a wonderful shady canopy. I love to sit here to just relax and think. Yep, I am guilty of coming here on a lunch break to swing on the swing. Very peaceful!

I so adore this park!! I remember dreaming of bringing my own children here one day, while nannying…read moremy way through college, and that day finally arrived TODAY. I appreciate the beautiful greenery, and although the park is faded and more worn than it was 11 years ago, my daughter and her bestie (4) had an absolute blast here! We spent a solid 3 hours here, bouncing between the spray park, playground, hedge maze and sandpit. The grass is spacious enough for a picnic lunch, and there are also two picnic tables on site. There are bathrooms onsite, including a family restroom which is great for changing. Not the cleanest, but decent for a park. I do wish they'd bring back the bench swings!

Nice, clean park. My kid is 4 and he loved the slides and the table area that swayed. Ground is a…read moresoft material and not wood chips.

As I read through other reviews, there is a lot more to this park than just a trail around a lake…read more We did a fundraiser that included a walk around the lake. The park is very good and the walk is nice. The whole loop is only about 1 1/2 miles so it's an easy walk. The other reviews talk about accommodations for a party, indoor sports like basketball, a gym, and more. We didn't check any of that out since we didn't know they were there. Speaking of the path and the lake, it's lovely and a nice place to go on a warm day.

Gallery Park started out as a collection of flat aprons and runways in the Glenview Naval Air…read moreStation. The Naval station closed in '93, and the hundred and fifty acres that now comprise Gallery Park became available, and were incorporated as this park. Tip: There are several different trails here, all of which loop around Lake Glenview. The lake also has several piers, some small islands, and a bridge My two favorite trails here are the Lake Trail (one and a half miles long) and the Park Trail (one point eight miles long). I used to also very much enjoy the Lakeside Trail, but I ran into far too many ticks the last time I went there, so I've been avoiding it. Over and above the hiking trails, the park also has several soccer fields, tennis courts, and even some catch-and-release fishing spots. Last (but not least) there's a fitness zone with equipment for cardio steps, chest presses, an crunches, etc. But wait, there's more! You'll also find a children's garden, bike racks, water fountains, and picnic tables. All in all this is a pretty cool place to relax and get some nature on :-)

I've been coming to Gillson Park since I was a kid, and it's been great to see it evolve and get…read morebetter over the years. The Lake Michigan views, beach, and open spaces make it a great place to spend the day, and the lake is a great temperature for swimming toward the end of summer. On this visit, I saw these two dogs wearing sunglasses and had to get a picture!

I love this beach so much! It's beautiful and clean, but just recently, they fenced up a few parts…read moreof the beach and now require payment for residents and non-residents AND when you leave one part of the paid beach to move to another part, you have to pay again! Which is absurd. I was also thinking about renting out a shelter for a party, but the park doesn't allow you to bring your own grill, doesn't allow alcohol, only provides you with two tables, and you have to still pay for parking and access to the beach. It all just seems like a money grab, which sucks because the beach was free to the public for so long! I know a lot of people are upset about the new rules. Aside from that, there is a park, tennis courts, and Fat Shallot, where they serve food and drinks. There is also a patio area to eat and drink, and outdoor showers. PARK ON MICHIGAN AVE and just walk down to avoid some fees!

This is our closest playground. The park is very large and holds many events during "normal" times…read more The playground is large and has something for everyone. That being said, the playground needs some TLC. There is a group of equipment that is rusting and seems forgotten about. There is grass poking through the rubber padding. I understand maintenance may not be up to date due to COVID right now, but that rusty equipment scares me as a parent. It still is a nice place though. One other note- The kids at this playground were awesome. They were all playing nicely together and even invited my newly minted 2 year old to play The Floor Is Lava with them. I did not find that at Lovelace Park.

This review is for the pool. I grew up going to this pool every summer. I recently went here for…read morethe first time as an adult to bring my own child. It looks exactly the same and they have managed to keep it in good condition. It's nothing fancy but it's clean and well kept. I love that they have two kid pools, one with a bunch of fountains and that connects to slides and another that is more basic/quieter. There was plenty of seating and lots of staff/lifeguards around. They do adult swim for the last 10 min of each hour. One less star because it is very expensive for non-residents ($18 per person). My infant was free, thank goodness. I guess if I think about it that is about the cost of a movie ticket. Anyways, I will probably not be going as often as I would like because of the cost.

I keep finding myself back to this park ever since high school. They have plenty of outdoor…read moreactivities like basketball, sand volleyball, pickleball/tennis, and baseball. Big area to picnic with bathrooms. The lights stay on until about 11 pm during the summer/fall. They also have a waterpark. Great park for all ages. No issues with parking.