I have been to Lake Arlington a few times since moving to the area…read more This place is absolutely fantastic and very simple so no complaints. There is always parking, which is also great. What's even better is the boathouse that has some food and snack options as well as the rental options. The pricing on the food is absolutely fair If not super generous and the pricing on the kayaks paddle boats, etc. is also very fair. This is a great place to come to whether it's warm or cold. The walk is very scenic as are the houses. I have always found lots of families here which is fantastic. This place is truly an asset to the community. I'm so glad that it's here.

Most people go to LA to walk, jog, roller blade, or bike, but there's a lot more to do--you can…read morerent a canoe, a paddle boat, a sailboat, or go fishing! There is a 2 mile blacktop paved loop around the lake. It is mostly flat and only about 10-15% shaded. The trail has two lanes--a walking / running lane, and a biking / roller blading lane. This can be tricky to navigate, especially when it is busy. While there are no dogs allowed on the path, you should expect to encounter a goose crossing or two during your visit. "The Boathouse" has restrooms, and there are a number of park benches and water fountains along the trail. Don't forget to visit the large playground with the kids.

I needed someone to look over my waverunner and perform summer maintenance before I put it up for…read moresale earlier this year. I called and spoke with Jeff and was impressed by his positive and can-do attitude. Even after many years in the business and probably dealing with many amateurs like me, he's positive and I didn't feel judged like I have other places in the past for not knowing too much. He's a straight shooter and deserves all the business anyone can send his way.

I highly recommend taking your PWC to SkeTech. Jeff is an old-school no BS kind of guy operating in…read morean industry with a lot of con artists. I brought my 2009 Sea Doo GTX in and talked with Jeff about the issues (top speed 30 MPH with high rpm) I was facing, he even helped with connecting the trailer during pickup and drop off. Jeff told me he would call me in a day or two with some news. Sure enough, I got a call the next day. Jeff explained to me patiently what he thought was the issue but that there was no guarantee it would fix my performance. He didn't try to sell me on anything, and explained what I could do, the price, and if it was needed today, next year, or in 5 years. He was very professional and accommodating, letting me have some time to think over my decision financially. Overall he got the job done and was right on the quote. Price was right and I felt good having my machine in the hands of SkeTech. Ski seems to be running better than ever before, thanks to SkeTech. I highly recommend this shop for PWC needs and even saw that the shop takes care of all the Chicago harbor rental jet ski repairs too. And those have seen some beatings. Makes me know I'm in the right place. Thanks again Jeff!

This lakeside club is the gem of Highland Park! The cozy clubhouse on Lake Michigan with canoes,…read morekayaks, sailboats and friendly members of all ages is our favorite place to be in the summertime.

This place is a hidden gem that's underutilized. For less then $300 bucks, a beachfront clubhouse…read morewith a huge deck including grills, tables, kitchen, showers, equipment, storage, and free to use club equipment such as kayaks, paddle boards, windsurfers... I'm here almost everyday. I can't understand why this place isn't completely packed with members all summer.

I've passed by Busse Woods a million times along Higgins Road but never pulled in to have a look…read morefor whatever reason.  Probably because I could always do it tomorrow or another day lol!  Well, today I did pull in because we had an extended family celebration event at one of their picnic groves, specifically Grove 5 which is located quite conveniently close to the intersection of Higgins and Arlington Heights Roads (as opposed to deeper into the Woods). I must say this place Busse Woods is large, sprawling, neat, clean, and impressive (it's 3558 acres in fact). I think I knew that it was sprawling driving along Higgins Rd, but pulling in, you can see how well laid out and maintained the premises are.  It would be quite nice to revisit during winter and the change of fall colors also. Grove 5 in particular is an extra nice picnic grove in that it has a shelter and is near (540' to be exact per the website!) a nice and accessible restroom building.  The shelter is pretty large with a capacity of 100 people.  It's located in a section called Busse Forest-South and which comprises Groves 5 - 16.  Of those 12 groves, 4 have shelters, but only Grove 5 is close to an accessible restroom.  So, our family member apparently picked out the best grove, good job!  Busse Woods has 11 sections like Busse Forest-South, so it's massive with a lot of picnic location and other leisure activity options.  Anyway, go to their website for more info, but I was pretty impressed.  Busse Woods includes a Busse Lake as well as a 7 mile trail.  Big thumbs up for this Cook County Forest Preserve!

Great place to get out and enjoy nature. Bummed we didn't see any elk roaming this time, but I have…read moreon other visits. Sometimes the bathrooms are open, other times sorry it's porta potties for you. Plenty of garbage cans around so don't litter in nature! The 7+ mile trail is paved. Bikers can be a little intense if you are walking or running. Lots of parking so be specific if meeting a group.

Offshore contacted Eddyline and changed their order with them so I could have two matching colored…read morekayaks, a Caribbean 12 FS and a Caribbean 14 FS, and delivered them to my home in Noblesville Indiana. My local Eddyline retailer was unable/unwilling to do the same. Great communication and pleasant demeanor. Highly recommend Offshore in Lake Bluff.

We spoke with Sam from Offshore, regarding repairs to our Zodiac boat…read more After much discussion with Sam his integrity became apparent in that his honest opinion was that spending additional money to repair this boat would not be worth while. He is to be commended for his honesty in appraising the return value for the expenditure for the need repairs. He took the time to honestly evaluate our Zodiac boat rather than turn just a "quick profit". We honestly would not have know the difference. He runs his business in a forthright manner to be commended in this day and age the "Quick Profit". Thank You M. Jens

It was a breath of fresh air the morning I decided to finally venture up to Skokie Lagoons to run…read more It was only a matter of time that I would visit after having passed through it via the North Branch Trail System while training for the Chicago Marathon some time ago. My visit to the actual site came after having the desire of running somewhere different, as well as having no interest in running the ever so congested Chicago Lakefront Trail. At the time, it was marathon training season with many runners out training for their fall and winter marathons. And not to mention other individuals out on the Lakefront Trail whether it be biking, walking, skating, or even at the beaches which I just did not have the tolerance for at the time. My GPS took me to what is labeled as Forest Way Picnic Grove #1 where I ended up parking. However, if you want to start your activity at the mile marker starting point, I recommend parking where the Chicago River Canoe and Kayak shed is located which is 1770 Tower Rd. Parking there will put you right at the 0/4.4-mile marker on the path. If not, Skokie Lagoons has several places to park your vehicle which are mostly along Forestway Dr. Prior to starting my run, I could not resist taking in the beauty of the lagoon which made me think to myself why did it take me so long to visit. As a fitness enthusiast that has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level of Skokie Lagoons as moderate because the terrain is not entirely flat; there are rolling hills in between miles 1-3, but nothing excruciating. And there are distance markings along the pavement of this loop style paved path totaling 4.4 miles per loop. Well into the path, I felt that sense of being in nature as I made my way around the loop. I also felt that feeling of being secluded on parts of the path, but there were always encounters with bikers at some point that kept me in the moment as well as the sounds of vehicles on the nearby roads. As mentioned, I encountered bikers mostly, but I did see walkers and runners occasionally along the path. And throughout my entire time on the path, I encountered two deer which crossed my path as they headed towards the lagoon. I spent a little over 3 hours on the path but could have easily gone longer if I wanted to. Like the start of my run, I took in the beauty of the lagoon again which looked so gorgeous with the sun beaming down on it, giving it that lustrous look. And I overheard the screeching sound of a bald eagle as I stretched and massaged my leg muscles off to the side of the path. There are a variety of activities you can conduct within Skokie Lagoons; some of those activities I saw or can certainly see are fishing, canoeing, kayaking, bird watching, hiking, running, walking, biking, and even inline skating. And along the path, there are waste and recycling bins, even benches throughout. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience at Skokie Lagoons, as indicated in this review. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to conduct interval runs around its loop in build-up to long run events I participate in. ~Gonna run 'til I don't jiggle. ~ Thomas G

Having lived in Chicago and visited Skokie Lagoons many times before, I can't believe I never left…read morea review! Recently visiting friends in Evanston and needing a place to hike on a 70-80 degree day on my way back to Milwaukee, SL was a no-brainer! Skokie Lagoons has: - Great paved biking trails - Public kayak/canoe launch - Kayak/canoe rental - Good fishing! (Caught a NICE largemouth bass here once) - Lagoons, swamps, and more! - Paved trails that lead into Chicago Botanic Gardens I was hiking on the paved bike trail, which frankly, they're pretty long trails! Better for running, biking, and watersports IMHO. I can't believe people drop less than a 5-star review for this place!

Good company to rent a kayak from, hourly rentals are available $30 for a tandem, & $25 for a…read moresingle. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Three locations that I know of anyway. But only open through the month of October. Happy kayaking!

It was amazing!!! Stuff is extremely friendly and helpful!! Definitely will come many time soon!!!read more

This is a nice place for a walk whether for leisure or exercise. However the trail is asphalt paved…read morewhich is not ideal for your joints. The path goes around a large pond and is a pleasure to visit.

I so much enjoy going to Lake Ellyn Park for years now. Love walking all around the lake and…read morelooking at the views. The play ground is great for little ones. Boat house looks great and like watching people catch little fish and release. Probably some of the most favorite things is all the mature trees. It's so calm there that it is easy to relax. Lots of people with hammocks just chillin and a lot of the houses around Lake Ellyn are pretty spectacular so even great views on both sides when walking around the park and lake

I had an amazing experience renting a canoe from Scull and Oars! The canoe was clean and…read morewell-maintained, and the staff greeted me with warm smiles, clear instructions, and genuine enthusiasm. A perfect outing...highly recommend!

No one answers the phone and the location given is a general store. Not a kayak rental place…read more Store employee reports that "they used to rent kayaks here but not for awhile".