This beautiful park is located about 15 minutes east of the I-94 freeway. There is a driveway that…read moreleads to a large parking lot far enough away that one cannot hear automobiles from the adjacent road. The park hosts a large pavilion (it can be rented out) with a lot of picnic tables that are like brand new, grills, nice indoor bathrooms, a softball diamond, a large playground, a basketball goal, a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits, and plentiful areas for picnics. During the time of my first visit, I was unable to explore the hiking trails that lead through the natural areas of prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. However, I was able to enjoy the tranquility of the surround landscape while discussing upcoming plans with friends. There were a couple family with kids playing at the playground and a man walking his dog along the edge of the manicured lawn and prairie plants. The lights are on a timer at the Pavilion and turned on at dusk. The women's restroom was clean and I did not see any spiders (this is extremely important to me.... I hope it continues to remain spider free!). After a Google search, I discovered this park was created recently to serve as a "pollinator paradise" that also slows runoff from the surrounding landscape into the Pike River. *my heart* It's everything I went to graduate school for and then some. This is an ideal place for a nature hike, meeting, taking your kids to play, picnic, family reunion, bridal/baby shower, etc. I was really impressed with the up-keep. Although it is a 35 minute drive, I plan on returning to explore the hiking trails with my pup and meeting up with friends. This is definitely a successful project that was completed by Mount Pleasant and Root-Pike WIN (with assistance from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Fund for Lake Michigan, and other partnerships). 5 stars!!!

Pennoyer Park is a gorgeous stretch of user friendly beachfront and park with a bandshell. It is…read moreflat, near the tennis courts and has ample parking. I love hanging out there for a bit with my sister when I am in town. We usually sit and reminisce. There are always a ton of birds so you can take beautiful photos. There are no snack outlets nearby but the summer is filled with fun activities in the park area. If you are lucky enough to catch a concert, food and beer, it's a bonus! Otherwise, Pennoyer Park and Beach offer a great place to visit during all seasons, whether an event is happening or not.

Decent Spot to unwind for a while n watch the sea gulls flying.Not a great spot for games as there…read moreis not lot of sand and too many small sharp stones. Waves are not rough so swimming can be done but dint notice any life guards either.Parking and restrooms available.2-3 restaurants which are walkable.

Beautiful walking path along Lake Michigan. Walk a bit south and you get access to the Kenosha Sand…read moreDunes and you can actually get down to the water. The path in the park is fully paved. Lots of benches and picnic tables. The area near the sand dunes isn't paved. More of a "hike". The breeze coming off Lake Michigan helped keep me cool on a warm July day. Not a lot of shade.

Beautiful simple beach front. Walk around and feel nature and watch the water. The town itself has…read morea very nice feel but we were there during the pandemic so nothing was open but it was a nice see and we will be back when the pandemic is over.

Bender Park: Located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Oak Creek, this park offers some lovely…read moreviews of the lake and scenic trails. While it is a nice park, I prefer Lake Vista Park, which is located directly next door to the north. If I visit Bender Park in the evening, I've noted on multiple visits that certain drivers tend to speed recklessly through the parking lot. The other plus to Lake Vista is it does have a playground for kids, while Bender does not. Only other complaint is that the WE Energies plant to the south is a bit of an eyesore in an otherwise scenic location.

Great Park, there is cool beach, two brand new shelters and rocks with sparkles on them. Super cool…read moreplace with fantastic view of the Oak Creek Power plant.

Hawthorn Hollow will always have a special place in my heart because I grew up as their neighbor…read more The Pike Creek is truly a hidden gem in southeastern Wisconsin. The land is serene and peaceful, filled with wildlife throughout the area. Great for bird watching or taking a nice hike with the family. Hawthorn Hollow hosts a variety of fun events and workshops. The folks that work there are some of the friendliest as well. Highly recommend visiting Hawthorn Hollow if you've never been!

This was my second visit to this quaint, tucked away nature mecca. I was in awe of the natural…read morebeauty and history that is so delicately preserved. After driving all the way to the back, we parked our car near a discreetly tucked away porta-potty. There is also a small building with information and photos for the visitors. Personalized bricks are available for purchase that are then placed on the floor in front of the visitor's building. Classes, concerts, tours and options for wedding photography are available. I was struck by the many private trails and paths to choose from. They wind around vast amounts of foliage and over streams. We only encountered one other group of three women the entire visit There is a tiny outdoor theater area with small wooden benches, where you can attend shows and concerts and a teepee hidden back in the dense wooded area. At the front of the park, there is an place for honeybees to work - doing their thing. Also, toward the back of the park, the trees open up to a beautiful field of grass and flowers. Set way in the back are three tiny white buildings. First and second Pike River School Houses and Somers Town Hall stood, with quiet elegance in the distance. They were maintained beautifully and enjoyable to walk through. The effort put forth to maintain everything naturally was very obvious. If a tree falls it stays. If the bushes and foliage grow dense it stays. I did not get a commercialized and man made impression as I toured the nature sanctuary. There is even a tiny wooden box for donations. I peeked through the crack, before I dropped in my money, and was very happy to see that others appreciate what goes into maintaining this storybook setting and had donated as well. I am so pleased they are able to preserve the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary. It's a little piece of quiet elegance, where children can learn, families walk, friends can enjoy a concert or class and couples can celebrate in this hidden gem.

Harbor Park is one of my favorite areas of Kenosha…read more This open and spacious area is perfect for relaxing while watching boats come & go. Get some sun as you stroll along the walkway lined with art sculptures. There are benches, flower gardens and statues. The gorgeous view of the lighthouse is a central attraction to this area. I love stopping by there when I'm in the area, especially if I grab a coffee from Common Grounds. It's an incredible area to sip your latte and take beautiful photos that capture the special lakefront Kenosha has to offer.

A "hidden gem" of a spot to visit if you're from the Chicago area. If you want a nicely maintained…read morespace, with a giant farmer's market on Saturday, tons of beautiful sculptures, lots of parking, lots of great museums and other buildings to visit, great nearby restaurants, a beautiful view of the lake, nicely maintained gardens, and other benefits of being a well maintained area right next to the lake, then visit Harbor Park. There's really no better way to enjoy public activities, Pokemon Go, and festivals without the crowds of Milwaukee or Chicago.

I love, love, love this place when there's not deep snow. When there is, it's a fall risk. Normal…read moreplows can't navigate these unpaved paths, but isn't there some kind of equipment that could beat this down, allowing us to more easily beat this down while walking? If I fall and break a hip and I'm lying in the snow, I hope someone will walk by and help me up. This could have happened today.

Very clean and nicely mowed paths. Not a lot of shade in the summer…read more Thought there was a pond for pups based on online map

The 2nd most popular state park in Illinois, Illinois Beach State Park was initially established in…read more1948, with the northern portion being added in 1982. It is located on over 6 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, encompassing 4,160 acres. I spent a lot of summers here (both at the beach and the campgrounds) with my dad and brother during my youth, and was also the area where I proposed to my girlfriend over 30 years ago...was nice to stop by with my now wife on this rainy day. It's official name is Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park, renamed for the former state senator and conservation advocate in 2010 (a year after her passing). I went to high school in the area, and she was an important presence during that time, often sponsoring various academic and community awards for local students. Since it was rainy and a weekday, the large parking lots and beachfront were pretty empty. We walked it a bit, collected some sand (recently started to collect and label beach sand to further document my travels). There is a 'resort' hotel on the grounds (which I remembered) and The Pavilion (a combination camp store, souvenir shop, and concession stand), which I didn't remember (makes sense since it opened in 2021). The latter was closed when we stopped by (has limited hours during the non-summer time and is closed during winter).

My first time here. I've avoided this area because it's surrounded by iffy neighborhoods with high…read morecrime rates like murders. They had a fall festival this past weekend with free guided walks so I figured it would be safe for us. Loved the guided walk and how informative it was. This is a high quality state park with lots of native plants still intact. So the whole place is pretty deserted but it did rain in the morning. Cars with completely tinted windows drive around in broad daylight. Pretty scary...The campgrounds have security that do not allow you to pass through unless you are a camper so that would make it safe. I saw a few police cars in the area as well. Personally, this isn't for me but if you are street smart, know your way around the neighborhood, it's great for hiking.