This park was just recently revamped with new equipment, my child loves to go and play for hours if…read moreI let her. Great place to take a sack lunch or bike ride to. Also mew security lights for at night! A real plus for keeping the park secure and safer.

Central Park Plaza is home to a nice park and some events throughout the year but my husband and I…read moremade the journey there to see the Orville Redenbacher statue that is at the park. The statue depicts Orville sitting on a park bench when you can sit next to him. The park is small but it's located in the heart of downtown Valparaiso. For fun photo opportunities on the road, I highly recommend Central Park Plaza!

Central Park Plaza hosts local events, ice skating in the winter, music, and movies in the park in…read morethe summer. Sit with Orville Redenbacher's statue on a bench. You can also come up for the Farmer's Market in the summertime. Lots of venders from the area selling. Parking is ridiculous, especially when they end up blocking off streets. Our family rarely visits here for a variety of reasons, but we have been there volunteering and for a couple events. This area seems to be the one area of town they concentrate on when it comes to improvement. Enjoy it!

This park is wonderfully huge and fenced in. It has areas for local sporting events like soccer,…read morebaseball, etc. There is playground equipment for the children. Restrooms are available. There is a walking path and exercise machines for those looking to get or stay fit. Butterfield Pavilion is also here and is a nice venue for events. The parking around the pavilion is minimal, so expect to walk if you attend an event there. Whatever you do don't park at a business (even if it's closed) across the street. They will tow your car. The rest of the park has ample parking though.

This is nice fitness trail that was created from an old train track. It is well maintained overall…read more There's a nearby park and playground with public restrooms. It's a little on the older side so there is some overgrowth and not a lot of floral plantings (more natural fauna). It's a nice place to get your fitness goals completed and listen to the sounds of nature.

Small park with swings and jungle gym. Picnic tables available. Bathrooms open during the summer…read moreonly. Near busy road with no fence, so watch your children closely. Other side of park features basketball court, tennis court, small baseball field. Courts need resurfaced. All in all a nice place to take the kids and have a picnic.

Lovely gem sitting in the South Berwyn Area. Located West of Oak Park Ave, east of Kenilworth…read moreAvenue. This beautifully maintained and well landscaped park, offers nice playground equipment for children. The plastic slides, so they don't burn their little legs on those old metal ones on those hot days in Chicagoland. They have nice swings for all ages. I love that they welcome dogs and do have clean up after your dog bags- which promotes cleanliness in the neighborhood and good values. Kids spaces and pet spaces are important. So cool. How cool, built in cement outdoor seating. Well polished and maintained nicely. Built in checker / chess board. So Asian / Euro/ NYC Vibes! Fun! Beautiful little park in this nice neighborhood just 1 block West of MacNeal Hospital Loyola Medical Cancer Center. A wonderful place to take a break and relax. Plenty of places to grab a bite nearby and bring. Familiar Fresh Market, They are directly across the street, from the Hospital on Oak Park Avenue, and have a cafe and prepared take away food items. Bargain prices! Beautiful area. Pace Bus stops 1 block Away on Oak Park Avenue. Metra Train stops 2 blocks away.

My husband and I visited Charles R. Westcott Park to see some sculptures in the park. There are…read moreseveral sculptures in the park depicting important moments in the civil rights history of the area. There is also a walking path and picnic tables at the park. Although on the smaller side, Charles R. Westcott Park provides an oasis in a busy suburban area.

Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was…read morefounded in 1889. Their cities website assisted me in learning local history, like the fact that the name "Whiting" predates the city of Whiting. In 1869, when "Pop" Whiting, an engineer, ditched his heavy freight train so a fast passenger train behind him could have the right of way. Not many signs of human habitation could be found at the site and the railroads had brought what settlers there were. In 1880, the Census Bureau counted 115 people in Whiting. Standard Oil Company began quietly buying up land along the lakefront in March and April of 1889. In 1923, Standard Oil Company provided land and funding for the Memorial Community Center, which became the hub of city life with its social and athletic facilities. By this time the refinery employed over 4,000 workers, and the city numbered approximately 10,000. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago's South Side. The activity that brought me here, the Mascot Hall of Fame, boasts on their website that the Midway Airport, the South Side of Chicago, and Downtown Chicago are all located within a 30-minute drive of Whiting. With such a rich history of the city itself, I wasn't surprised to find everywhere I went, or looked up with intention to go but was unable to, was full of history. From the Mascot Hall of Fame, the downtown buildings, all the way to the beaches, the city is full of amazing history. If you enjoy good food, mascots, and beaches, but don't want to deal with the crowds of Chicago, Whiting is a good spot to stop.

On my first visit to Whiting, I enjoyed a concert at their Lakefront Park. What a beautiful venue!…read moreParking is pretty easy and the concerts are free. Lovely views of the lake and city, and the pavilion is gorgeous.