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    Red Oak Nature Center

    4.6 (14 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

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    Angie M.

    We love Red Oak Nature Center. We walked over on the trail from Lippold Park. Red Oak nature center is free to enter. They do take donations. There is so much to see here Turtles, snakes, trancula, honey bees and much more. We easily spent 45 mins here with 6 kids (ages 2-12) . From here there are several trails to go around Red Oak. We choose the trail that leads to the cave. It's about a 5 minute walk from the nature center. The nature center has clean restrooms and a gift shop area to purchase snacks and drinks as well. The facility is clean and well maintained. We will be back!

    Eric E.

    I probably passed this place a million times while biking and likely stood on one their riverside balcony a few times. It wasn't until I took my son here for scouts and other events that I really started to appreciate what they have to offer though. Last month I took my son to 'Bugfest' on a Saturday morning. Free event, basically kids have a checklist of items they get to see and more importantly DO, which lasts for hours. We've also been here twice for Cub Scout walks & events. Both have gone well and the people who work here do a nice job keeping the kiddo's entertained. The Nature Center itself has informative and educational displays and animals specific to the area. Red Oak also has several wood chip paths and the Fox River Trail dissects it for access to nearby areas and other parks. Children of all ages will like the riverside cave and views of the Fox River. If you're interested in more, be sure to check out all of the programs they have to offer. Happy trails!

    Turtle on left kicked the turtle on the right
    Rachel H.

    My biker gang and I stopped in here mid-ride on our Memorial Day cruise down the Fox River Path. We viewed some bees in their honeycomb, some turtle shells, wasp nests, snakeskins, and pelts in one room. In a few moments I forgot all about this crap when we entered the wildlife room. There were snakes, spiders, turtles, and fish. There were even two turtles who fought for my love. One turtle kept kicking the other turtle in the face to win my affections. He didn't succeed. I felt bad for the other turtle. Plus the turtle who got kicked was much weirder looking. The very helpful front desk guy made my roomie sad b/c he told us that the owls in residence had since passed away (ok, like 8 yrs ago). I was sad that they died, but relieved that they couldn't hoot at me and make me relive some serious childhood trauma. I'd come back with little kids, or to check on my turtle friends. Plus, just around the bend is a murder cave. Seriously it's haunted. It's called Devil's Cave, I mean, really. Don't drink the water in the drinking fountain. It tastes odd.

    Ashley A.

    With summer approaching I've been on the lookout for outdoor areas to bring my toddler to. I loved playing in the dirt and mud when I was little and I feel my daughter should be doing more of that. This place has a nice parking area and you can walk right up to the welcome center. The building has some classrooms set aside for, I'm assuming, field trips and kid groups. But there are also some reptile and fish exhibits as well as a large play area for little ones. There is also a bee hive that you can see through that is indoors but has a little entry/exit for the bees to go gather their honey. There were two outdoor picnic tables near the building where we decided to have lunch. There were numerous signs along the paths not to eat/leave garbage around for the animals to get into. So we made sure to clean everything up and not leave a mess. The trails are perfect for a little nature get away and perfect for little ones to discover and enjoy nature. My daughter and her friend each had their walking stick, we saw so many kinds of birds, toads, and tons of bugs. We went in mid-May and the mosquito season hadn't picked up yet, but once it does I would suggest you bring a ton of bug spray. If I lived closer I would try to stop by here every other week or so since it has a lot to offer - for free. But I live pretty far so I will probably only make the trip if I will be out in the area for another reason as well. A great afternoon for kids and adults in the fresh air.

    Marc F.

    This place was unexpectedly nice. We have passed by it for 3 years kinda wondering whats inside. There are both paved and dirt hiking and running rails within the park. We took our dogs and kids, and it made for a very nice outing. Most of the trails are very covered by overhanging tree shade, so even though the temps were in the 80s it was very cool. It is a nature education center, so we did encounter groups of kids on guided tours, but no problem there. We all enjoyed this facility, and we will be regulars.

    Rebecca A.

    Great area to take a peaceful walk in the woods. Love the new bugs painted on the paved trail. Interesting nature center to come in from the rain.

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    Review Highlights - Red Oak Nature Center

    The park offers hiking trails & a cave (Devil's Cave), plus nature programs & events.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Garfield Park

    Garfield Park

    (1 review)

    I actually still remember coming to this playground several times when I was a kid, and we would…read morealways go to Banana Split at some point during our time at the park. Earlier this year I had decided to bring my nephew to the playground here to play for a little while before celebrating the reopening of Banana Split for the season. Clearly the place has changed since I was a kid, with the playground being fairly new, but it stil-- in many ways--remains the same; it's small, very much a neighborhood type of park, not a city-wide mecca like Phillips Park, and very basic, with only a small playground, a few courts for basketball and tennis, and a nice expanse of open green lawn for running around or sitting in the sun. Again, it's not really like Phillips Park, which attracts people from all around Aurora and has a large property with many features, and is even smaller than the little play areas around Waubonsie Lake; and unlike Waubonsie Lake, there isn't a path for running, jogging, walking, or riding. However, it is perfect for someone who is near to it and is looking for a small, safe area for a little one to play in. I've been here four or five times this year since the spring with my nephew(s), and it's actually become one of my favorite little spots to take my nephew, fulfilling EXACTLY what I'm looking for. A small park with a small playground where my nephew has plenty of space to play and I only have a small area that I need to monitor. Parking is pretty easy, if not a little confusing at first; if you're coming off of Sheffer Road then turn left onto Sheridan and you'll find the little access road to the parking; if you're coming from Church Street then merge onto Sheridan, and if you're coming from Forest Street then it'll be right in front of you when you get to Sheridan. I can also say that the property is well maintained and very out-in-the-open so it feels very open and safe. I also have to say that having Banana Split right across the street is a pretty great selling point and makes the park more attractive. So if you're close by and need a great place for your little ones to run around and play, give this place a try, you may be pleasantly surprised by how much you like it; and if you don't enjoy your experience, you'll at least be able to salvage what's left of your excursion with a nice cold treat from across the street.

    Wolf's Crossing Community Park - The splash pad @ Wolf's Crossing is great. It's the perfect FREE activity for a hot summer day!

    Wolf's Crossing Community Park

    (7 reviews)

    IT TAKES A VILLAGE…read more Raising children is hard, but Wolf's Crossing Community Park makes life a bit easier. Located on the Naperville / Oswego border where 95th St dead-ends into Wolf's Crossing Rd, this public park incorporates 33 acres of carefully planned and meticulously maintained space. It's the perfect answer when asked by your kid for the umpteenth time "wHaT aRe wE dOoOiNg ToDaY?" This complex features a playground, splash pad, covered pavilion, basketball courts, sand volleyball, tennis/pickleball courts, a lookout point with sledding hill and a ninja warrior obstacle course. It connects to various biking trails and there's onsite public bathrooms with plenty of parking. The ~100ft zipline is a standout feature and draws a considerable line on busier days. Watching kids nearly get yeeted off into the bushes makes for great theater! I assume the weight limit is 200lbs so next time I'ma have a go at it (get outta my way, kids!) The only thing missing is concessions, as the lone pop machine near the restrooms didn't appear to work. I think there's enough people here on a routine basis to warrant building a snack shop! I'd love to serve nachos and root beer to hungry peeps, as long as I got paid $25/hr. * TL;DR * This idyllic, multi-faceted rec area is fully deserving of its perfect rating. Wolf's Crossing Community Park was built with young children and special accommodations in mind, easily accessible to all ages & abilities. The fam spent several hours here (granted, most of them were confined to the splash pad) and we barely scratched the surface. I can't wait to beast through that legit obstacle course some day when I remember to wear close-toed shoes. Ain't no way my clumsy ass is making it through there in flip flops. WCCP has tons of what we in the gaming realm refer to as "replayability", essentially, is there enough stuff to do on repeat visits? You bet there is! See for yourself, check them out before summer's gone!

    My daughter loves it here, we will definitely be back! What a fun way to cool off in the summer…read moreheat!

    Red Oak Nature Center - parks - Updated May 2026

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