Best park that's in Channahon of course. Channahon State Park has some nice views of the DuPage…read moreRiver. It actually is bigger than it seems with lots of open areas and trails. Has lots of places for grilling. The park also usually isn't crowded so it's a good place for chilling and hanging. A lot of great scenery around. It's located along the DuPage River. This is near the end of it where it flows into the Des Plaines River, so around here there's certainly lots of water. Among the other features is the war memorial. This honors those from Channahon who died in various wars. It consists of a few flags and pillars with names of those who died. The park also has a building that looks like it has bathrooms but it's closed off it seems. Gets crowds when it's good weather for boating. It's located close to the marina with the Big Basin Saloon, a popular hangout. There's plenty of areas along the water including a few trails.

First time coming here, wanted to try something new to visit on a day off work and this place is…read moresuch a beautiful gem! Great views everywhere from all places! The park itself is great for the summer for shade from the sun. Bathrooms are okay. The dam itself is really cool to see. Highly recommend coming here on a run to take everything in better. Even a better place to fish at! Not too crowded at all, very peaceful! 4.5 stars

I came here for a 5 year old's birthday party. Its a very spacious play area. Nice water area, lots…read moreof water related activities for the kids. There is also a playground, if you prefer to stay dry. It is even a picnic area, but no glass is allowed, which is understandable.

Loved this park! Kids 3 and older will enjoy the fort and surrounding area. The splash pad was not…read moreopen when we were there

So peaceful. People…read morereally seem to be respectful and take care of the property for the most part. Trash usually isn't all over. I really enjoyed my evening out it was restful and gave me a sense of calm even though this is in the the middle of a really busy suburb. Didn't hear any cars, horns, sirens or anything like that. There was some noise from the ball fields but that was also far enough away that that wasn't crazy loud either. Check it out when you have a chance

So Tinley park has this massive storm water reservoir with a lake at the center that they turned…read moreinto a community park. They have a couple of large parking lots there to stash your vehicle while visiting. One of the main entrances is right past one of the Tinley Park fire stations. Many paved trails to walk around the lake, with a high route and a low route to vary up the scenery. On the high elevation they have a number of picnic tables and the like for those that want to have a meal. They also have a large playground there for the kids to keep busy while the parents chill. The lower route is mainly for jogging and walking ... although you'll find a lot of bikes in the area also. At the other end you'll find baseball and soccer fields, skateboard, and basketball too. They also have a little dock off which you can fish. Be forewarned - no dogs allowed, which is good for some people and not so much for others. This is a sort of difficult kind of place to find, but that keeps it a treasure.

Midewin is worth the drive from Chicago -- 90 minutes…read more The visitor's center is closed during the pandemic. We followed the signs and went there, thinking we'd find the trailheads. We didn't. We eventually found a man moving grass who recommended we drive north to the Iron Bridge and park there. That was good advice. Not only is there parking, pit toilets, and picnic tables, but the trailhead, and connections to several trails. I recommend everyone start at the Iron Bridge trailheads. We did not see the bison, but we did enjoy a few hours of walking on flat trails. We admired the prairie grasses and flowers, reveled in the sunshine and breeze on this cool day, and just loved every minute we were there. Hikers, remember to wear a head covering. You are on the prairie, after all. Officially, this is a national park, and I brought my national parks pass, but we saw no rangers at all. Nobody checked for park passes or any kind of entrance fee.

If bison, wildflowers, wildlife, & pastures are your thing, you've come to the right place. I'm…read morefrom Ohio and it was my husband's idea to come here. He saw it on a map and said, that's something we've got to do because we live less than 6 hours from it and it's got National in the name... We were not disappointed. I noticed that most people come here for the bison viewing, and that was nothing short of spectacular. However, there are so many trails in addition to that that make this place all the more worthwhile! I especially enjoyed the history, this park was the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, and when you walk some of the trails, that becomes apparent in the sense of abandonment that it gives you. However the peaceful ponds and gorgeous wildlife found along the way makes the hike both interesting and fulfilling. The hikes are not strenuous unless you hike in the heat like we did. There are no inclines or anything. You'll be out in the prairie or into the shade of the woods, but more of the former. Just be aware if you hike in the heat, to bring lots of water and sunscreen, as the sun seems to be more brutal in the open plains. The park gave us plenty to do in our 3 days in the area and it was a unique park for us in the sense that it was a prairie and not woods or mountains or beach...when have you ever hiked a trail through a prairie? Try it, you won't be disappointed.

For those who know me understand that being outdoors in nature is my A#1 Happy Place. Whether it be…read morebiking, hiking, camping, kayaking/canoeing, skiing, boating, or just chilling in a park swaying in a hammock, it is the place to be for me. So, when we consider options that are a reasonable drive from Chicago, there are actually quite a lot. My go-to has been and maybe always will be the crown jewel, SRSP (aka, Starved Rock) as it's a short drive about 1.5 hrs away and puts you smack dab in the middle of *nothing else that looks like Illinois*...except for maybe Giant City in Southern IL in the Shawnee National Forest. But that is about a six hour drive so much less doable. Others include Palos Forest Preserves (best MTB in the area), Water Fall Glen, Saw Wee Kee, Galena, S. Wisconsin, NW Indy, SW Michigan, etc...again, there is way more beauty in nature in our region than you would expect, you just look for it. So when we wanted to check out a new place to us, we came across Kankakee County and the Kankakee River State Park in particular. In short, such an unexpected gem and while it's no SRSP, it does deliver for good hiking in nature running along, you guessed it, the Kankakee River. It's near Bourbonnais where our beloved Chicago Bears do their training camp...well, used to up until recently where they now train at Halas in Lake Forest. In short, if you are looking for a quick getaway adventure in the great outdoors of nature, make this an option, you won't be disappointed.

Potowatomi Camp: What a beautiful, quiet campground, neat, well kept, with a good size shower…read morehouse, and wooded areas separating the sites. The bike trails were awesome. The river views were picturesque. They had parks and swing-sets, pavilions, a nice suspension bridge and river overlooks. 10/10 would come again.

Very nice historical park, not too far from downtown Joliet. I went here during the day, where…read morethere was hardly any people here. But the view of the river was kind of ruined because the workersmen were repairing one of the drawbridges. I'm sure a lot of great outdoor events and concerts are held here, as this has a lot of empty space and an auditorium. I think what makes this park very unique is its history. Actually, several historical markers can be found at this park. All of them have something to do with the beginnings of Joliet, as well as the park. You may learn something while here!

Bicentennial Park is a relatively big park in Joliet. It has some notable features to check out…read more Several bridges cross the Des Plaines River. Of course there's plenty of bad things about it. There's lots of homeless people and sketchy characters hanging around all times. It has a lot of history. Look around and there's historical information. There's some nice public artwork to check out. Drawbridges are one of the attractions. Either walking across these or watching them go up. Be sure to pay attention to signals before crossing so you won't get caught on one and fall in. Concerts and events also occur. A lot of fun activities in the summer especially. This is also fun just walking on the riverfront and hanging. Coming here would be much better without a few problems that are common. It often has homeless people sleeping and making a mess. They need to make more shelters.

A nice place for some nature in Joliet. It seems like an interesting place for a couple of minutes…read more Pilcher Park doesn't have a ton to do but it's good for kids with a short attention span. Check out the nature center. There's some woodland critters like snakes and turtles. It kind of is out of the way from the rest of Joliet but that helps this be not as busy. Often it's pretty quiet and only a few people are here. There's some fantastic learning opportunities. Good for kids. It doesn't have a whole lot to look at so good to get in and out. They have some interesting critters to look at while in there. Be sure to check the nature center's hours. It's only open a few hours or so. There's up close and personal interactions with woodland critters if you're a fan of especially snakes and whatever.

I'm walking down memory lane and ended up here at Pilcher Park. I haven't been here since age 14 -…read morenever mind how long ago that was! It's changed a bit. Some of the buildings are in disrepair and the wishing well is dry. Regardless, it's still an amazing park. The green trees and lush foliage are breathtaking still. The walking/bike trails are well maintained and everyone appeared to be relaxed and enjoying themselves. What a great day!

This is a great gathering place all year long . Today was a fire and ice event. As I walked in the…read morepark area I was greeted with a big gas fed bonfire . The stage had blocks of ice ready to be transformed into clever and stunning art . The setup in the small parking lot flowed smoothly . Great job by all the restaurants that participating in the chili cook-off . The samples were so diverse , who knew chili could be so different ? Hot chocolate was available at the front and s'mores trimmings in a baggy was being distributed by local police in the back . Small wood burning fire pits were putting out the heat to toast those marshmallows . There was a very well built bags board game from ice . It was fast and slick , the challenge was fun. Two other Photo Op ice pieces were in the lot and on the stage . The event ran from Noon until 3:00 . Just the right amount of time to sample ten specialty chili's and vote for your favorite . We stayed for the award ceremony , three trophy's we're given out . The people voted fat Rosie's as the best. If you missed it try restaurant week during Feb 17 - 27 . Although the fire and ice event will remain very special to me and my fiancee . The outdoor dance in the brisk weather with radiant heat from the bonfire was epic . And thanks to the little girl who took our picture. Great community spirit during less social times .

Breidert Green is the heart of Frankfort and many of its activities. Depending on the time of…read moreyear, there are so many diverse actitivities that occur here. There are Sunday concerts in the summer and Arts and Crafts fairs in the fall. There are ice sculpting events, chili cook offs, runs and out door movies. The Green is maintained beautifully with the stage set inside a replica of the former train station. It is located along the Old Plank Trail which runs on the old railroad path. There is even a magnificent public washroom which is always spanking clean. If you come to Frankfort, you will probably see the Green. It is at its best in the summer bloom or under the sparkling holidays lights. I just love it, however corny that sounds!

Great little "getaway" park! It has fishing, a separate dog park area, places to BBQ and hiking…read moretrails. The Dock is handicapped accessible and a good place to fish. You can also walk around the entire water source. The pond/small lake has northern pike, rock bass, blue gill, smallmouth bass, turtles, and bullfrogs. Super clean park and well cared for pavilion and picnic areas. Also has facilities for those needing a bio break!

Cute park with a dock for fishing or just checking out the little blue gills and turtles. There is…read morea small covered picinic area, baseball diamond and jungle gym. Dog park was spacious for our dog to run wild!

Nothing ever stands still in life, it is either slowly disintegrating or being constantly improved…read more Joyfully, the Old Plan Road Trail is continuously improving. I have always loved the trail and never more than in the summer. I start many days by walking or riding my bike in this perfect balance of natural and civilized. I say hi to the friendly folks, I drink in the nature and I savor the glory that is this wonderful redo of an old railroad bed. This year it is even better! They have added more bag stations for when your dog leaves a little souvenir. They installed a stop for pedestrians sign so you can get across White Street without taking your life in your hands. Plus the trail is cut and maintained and home to new benches and picnic tables. It is the best in government services combined with nature and a grateful public. Come take a walk or a ride and if you see me, say hi. I am the one who is huffing and puffing but smiling all the way!

A perfect autumn ride. The trees and brush are changing colors. Birds arechirping. Squirrels and…read morechipmunks are scurrying around. It's a well kept, asphalt road on what was once a railroad track. Perfect for children.