I recently walked through a variety of parks in Evanston and I think Dawes was my favorite. It's…read morealong the lakefront and provides access to the beach and amazing views. But there's also a gorgeous water fountain and seating to enjoy both the water and the park. Not to mention all the squirrels, ducks, and dogs everywhere. There was just a hustle and bustle from all creatures with this great park as a backdrop.

Dawes Park is lakefront park in Evanston. It is along Lake Michigan and near Northwestern…read moreUniversity campus. There is a lagoon with a beautiful fountain with plenty of ducks. The park has a paved path along the lakefront. The spacious grass lawns has plenty of shade trees, picnic tables, and barbecue grills, A nice park to enjoy waterfront views.

An excellent playground "floor is lava" themed, shade, street parking, picnic tables and restrooms…read more Baseball field, splash pad, and tennis courts. Really impressed by the renovations to this park, and it's one that the kiddies will love!

A lovely little rose garden among the churches and apartments of Evanston. It's a nice little area…read morebest visited in June when the roses are in full bloom. A nice stop if you're in the area. Did a quick walk through (like 5 minutes) but there were others strolling through and there are some benches if you want to sit for a while.

I lived there it is like an English garden. I had to park my car there to walk to busy Ridge where…read moremy apartment was. There is a sculptural fountain here with an outstretched bird's neck spouting to the sky which can be seen from the groomed grass half block to the end surrounded by artisan crafted stone wall to sit on and picnic and take off your shoes. it is quiet and across from a church. I moved and this is a blessing that this was by my first apartment, nowhere else like it. Rose garden runs behind your back on that wall and you can walk among them.

I came here for a Starlight concert and the food truck fest. First of all, parking was decent but…read moreyou definitely had to drive around a bit. The food trucks were a fabulous touch and the food was delicious especially Hummingbird and the Tamales. The park itself was okay - the playground is decent with wood chips which makes it not as little kid friendly. Also, there was a mob of older kids who are jumping off the top of slides and pushing/running into toddlers. We probably won't be back just because of the setup of this park. Also, Expo '76 would be a great band if they started up on time instead of having to wait nearly an hour for them to get started.

Expo '76 is a great band and they're playing at Brummel Park tonight! I'm definitely not going to…read moremiss it. There's supposed to be a Food Truck Fest as well. I would definitely check out events at this park--it's clean, spacious, great for kids.

lol overly clean beach, lifeguards start at 11am and before then the flag is set to red. Watch for…read morethe flag change through the day to know whether it's too choppy or safe. There is a cafe onsite, it's great, lots of options. In the summer you definitely want to get here early if you need parking. Parking is all gone by around 10:30 on a nice day. It's very family friendly, and mostly it is families.

A really small park with a lovely beach and peninsula including a small lighthouse. Short walking…read moretrail around natural area. Mural wall to check out local art. Not much parking. There is a small paid lot and it's a but expensive.

I have been here many times. This time I decided to smoke a cigar and sit on the shore rocks. You…read morecan see the Chicago skyline long in the distance. There are really nice homes that are huge in this area almost reminds me of Kevin McAllister's home from, "Home Alone." The Park has plenty of benches and also a jogging path along the walkway. The only con about this place is that you need to be really careful walking in the grass because dog poop here are like land mines! *Kaboom*

#magic I love it here!…read moreMiles of biking, running or walking paths. Beautiful beach to run through the waves. A nice park to lay on a blanket. A hop, skip and jump to Northwestern. Watch the sunrise and a full moon come up over the water. My favorite meditation spot.

Man haven't been here since I was a kid back in the 80's. I forgot the place existed. I thought My…read moretrashnore didn't exist and was just a name of a hill I used to sled on. Can't wait to come back when it's snowing and bring my kids

Seeking to take part in a fun winter activity? Mount Trashmore has got you boo. Here are some fun…read morefacts about it. The hill was birthed from a former landfill from the 1960's. Two decades later, it was dedicated as a sledding hill for recreational use. This hill can be found along Oakton Avenue and lies within the confines of James Park. You can see it from a distance and during winter season, locals bring their children with sleds in tow to enjoy a fun filled day of winter thrills free of charge. On Mount Trashmore, there are two small bunny slopes on each side. The slope to the left of the mountain is for younger children (Ages 4-7). To the right, you'll find another bunny hill where older children (7+) hang out. The big kahuna out of the three hills is Mount Trashmore in the center. When the forecast over the weekend called for snow, I pulled my unused sled out of storage and went with my husband to Mount Trashmore. I did not conquer the mountain on my first visit for fear of the unknown and avoiding injury. On my first visit, I chose the bunny hill to the right. I was probably the only adult amongst a sea of preteens on this hill but I didn't care. As much as I wanted to, I didn't go all the way up. I chickened out and rode my sled a third of the way down. Despite the short ride, I did get a few seconds of thrills as I was coming down and actually enjoyed myself afterwards. After a fun morning of sledding, here are my afterthoughts. As a first timer cautious to sledding, I'll say this. #1) Start slow and do the bunny hill first. My two big issues were: *Mounting my sled at the midway point while avoiding a slip and fall. I managed this with no injury however the act was super awkward and my husband was laughing at me the entire time. *Steering my sled For you folks like myself who are new to this, here's a primer I wish I had prior to coming here: https://www.wikihow.com/Sled Once you've gained enough confidence, start going higher up the hill and then move on to Mount Trashmore. #2) Sledding etiquette. Wait your turn to come down the hill and if you're lingering at the base of the hill, be cautious and make room for those coming down so you don't become a sled-block casualty. #3) I would advise not going down the hill face first. I saw a kid doing that and it made me cringe inside. If you're reading this, sled at your own discretion. Come early on a Sunday before 11am to find free parking nearby on Oakton Avenue.

I keep finding myself back to this park ever since high school. They have plenty of outdoor…read moreactivities like basketball, sand volleyball, pickleball/tennis, and baseball. Big area to picnic with bathrooms. The lights stay on until about 11 pm during the summer/fall. They also have a waterpark. Great park for all ages. No issues with parking.

This review is for the pool. I grew up going to this pool every summer. I recently went here for…read morethe first time as an adult to bring my own child. It looks exactly the same and they have managed to keep it in good condition. It's nothing fancy but it's clean and well kept. I love that they have two kid pools, one with a bunch of fountains and that connects to slides and another that is more basic/quieter. There was plenty of seating and lots of staff/lifeguards around. They do adult swim for the last 10 min of each hour. One less star because it is very expensive for non-residents ($18 per person). My infant was free, thank goodness. I guess if I think about it that is about the cost of a movie ticket. Anyways, I will probably not be going as often as I would like because of the cost.

It was great taking my family out here for outdoor activities. My kids love it. They were playing…read moresoccer with some random friends on the fields for a few hours and got exhausted

Thanks to Google maps, i found this park. I wanted to cycle in Evanston, and needed a turnaround…read morepoint. This was it! Peaceful park, with a playground for children. This is one of those so peaceful you can take a nap type of parks; also have a picnic. I do see many more trips to this park in the future. Enjoy, if you decide to visit this park.

The number of blooming Tulips truly made my visit sooo worth it ! I was wowed and wowed over and…read moreover again. Shakespeares Garden is very peaceful and perfect spot with lovely seating area . It's perfect to come and reflect and perhaps read poetry or Shakespeare'a soliloquy's!! Come and enjoy this scenic and beautiful garden

I learned of the Shakespeare Garden many years ago and have often thought I needed to visit, but…read morehave never done so until today. It's another of those places that I hesitate to review because it's a lovely place and I'd love to keep it "secret" (as much as it can be given its location on college campuses and in an urban area). It was tricky to find--for some reason I found an address on Google that led me to where the tennis courts are on the Northwestern Campus--but it's actually just north of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. The Shakespeare Garden is behind the small chapel on the Seminary grounds. It's a small garden, but beautiful, and a tranquil, secluded space. I can't wait to see it when it's in full bloom! Since spring only lasts a few minutes and it has been even cooler this far into spring than usual, the trees are still very bare and it's a bit muddy. There are several stone benches to sit at in this garden in particular--at least four of them. In addition, there are a few wooden benches just before garden as well. There are uneven paving stones in and around the garden, so you'll want to be careful especially if you or someone you're with have mobility issues. If you're using a wheelchair, it will be a bumpy ride but you would be well rewarded. I was surprised to learn that the Shakespeare Garden has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. It was established by the Evanston Garden Club in 1917, as a show of solidarity with Britain and to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Shakespeare's death (the Drama League of America made this suggestion to encourage groups and individuals nationwide to do so). The Evanston Garden Club still maintains this space; it is not under the care of Northwestern or Garrett-Evangelical. What landed it on the National Register of Historic Places is the original Hawthorne trees that still grow here, and that this is an example of the type of project that was encouraged in bygone days. The designer of this garden has an impressive resume--he is considered the mastermind of the Forest Preserve system, as well as both Garfield and Columbus Parks in Chicago. What makes a Shakespeare Garden a Shakespeare Garden is the collection of botanicals that are planted there. This garden contains plants and flowers that are mentioned in Shakespeare's works. You may find thyme, marigolds, rosemary, tulips, columbine, lavender, and so on depending upon the time of year.