Get some good views from this small park close to Navy Pier that gets overlooked a lot. It being…read moreclose to a big tourist attraction means it gets ignored by most people. Jane Addams Memorial Park is a hidden gem in plain sight basically. Lots to see around here. This is popular with yoga classes and those coming for a workout. A small park located by Ohio Street Beach. It's a small park and there's not much as far as facilities. This used to be called Navy Pier Park. Located not far from the popular tourist area. This was renamed in 1996 to honor the social reformer and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Check out the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum to learn more about her and her activism. This meanwhile is a pretty good place for chilling, or working out as there's many bicyclists and runners around it seems. Has a pretty good location. It's close to a popular area for tourists. There's also sights like the skyline and other good views.

Such a cute, beautiful, and serene park…read more I walked here on top of the snow that I saw for the first time in my life and it was such a beautiful experience. This park has nice trees and benches. Easy to walk and then a little bit farther you can even see the water and the view it's marvelous.

I've driven by here literally countless times in the two decades I've lived in the Chicago area. I…read moreknow there was a pool and toboggan run here but just never had much reason to stop, and it wasn't until the pandemic that I realized what a true gem the Forest Preserve District of Cook County is. I was stunned by how extensive it is, and yes, it does feel like a small woodland. I saw someone with their hammock strung up between two trees. It must have been ok, because there were multiple FPDCC staff around within sight of it. (I don't know if you need a permit or other permission, though.) We were kind of on the western side of the property and farther east in a copse of trees we saw a deer. That deer surprised me a lot, because it was there for several minutes and it was only a few feet from a dog, who was quite interested in the deer. At some point the deer must have decided it had had enough of the dog because it retreated a bit. But it was so fun to see it there. Caldwell Woods has various programming, all of which can be found on the FPDCC website or on one of the signs on the property. We were here with a play group for their yard games day, and it was fun! There may have only been one or two other parties there besides us, but I hope the forest preserve staff don't feel discouraged because our children had fun throwing bean bags, hitting plastic croquet balls, running up the hill, "axe throwing", and so on. They've either recently added or renovated a fire pit area, and one of the master naturalists was up there popping corn and providing materials for making s'mores on the fire. It was a really fun night (though watch the weather; it got a bit chilly and I forgot sweatshirts), and I'm looking forward to more events here and to visit the wellness center.

Large forest preserve with miles of paved paths mostly following the Chicago river. I walked with a…read moresmall group and we saw deer and chipmunks as well as a golden finch. There also some interesting plants to observe. There's parking at Devon and Milwaukee as well as many spaces within the preserve. There are also several picnic groves with shelters and restrooms.

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!

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.

The Chicago Lakefront Trail is a scenic walk alongside Lake Michigan. The lake is so large and…read moreexpansive, you forget it's a lake. It feels like you are looking out at the ocean, except that it's so filthy, with no sand. You're reminded it's freshwater because there are so many geese along the trail, on the grass, and in the water. Bird doo doo everywhere, too. The waters are choppy. I even saw a sunken boat. Someone's not going to be happy finding out that their boat sank. Since I visited during the fall season, even though it was cold and windy, the skies were blue with fluffy white clouds in the sky. Handful of joggers and a few tourists taking selfies by the water.

Chicago Lakefront Trail is, as advised, the trail that follows the Lake Michigan Shoreline. It's…read morebeen around forever. This walkway covers a nice section of the lakefront. What you get to see is not only a great view of Lake Michigan, but stunning views of the city, as well. In the summer, you can find a few places to grab a quick drink or a snack. During the winter months, pretty much all of those places are closed down for obvious reasons. But, no matter what time of the year you go there, what you can experience is a great place to get your steps in, as well as a really beautiful view of the lake and the city. The overall maintenance on this lakefront walk is a bit sketchy. In some places, it's really well maintained, whereas other places, not so much. But, as long as you keep your eyes open, you should have no trouble, and you won't fall flat on your face as I have seen some people do due to the concrete either being cracked, risen, or just a little too old to be where it exists. The type of people you encounter along this walkway are as expected: the joggers, the power-walkers, those that are taking a stroll, and a few of the, for lack of better term, less desirable. Yes, occasionally you'll see somebody smoking some crack out along the shoreline, or perhaps having a little too much alcohol to drink. But, that's just all pardoned parcel of the city. Overall, it's a fun place to take a walk, to get between two destinations, and/or just to enjoy nature flanked by the city of Chicago.

Wonderful place for the kids! There's a lot of fields, the mountain is fun to explore.read more

Best Hill to sled down in the north burbs, holler at this place when you have kids, don't show up…read moredrunk on a broken piece of plastic and flail down the hill. Easy street parking, they used to slang hot cocoa, but no mo'. Thanks for the memories, I will be creating more with my kids. Love.

It was a breath of fresh air the afternoon I decided to conduct a hike on the Salt Creek Trail…read moreSystem, starting at Brookfield Woods trailhead. What interested me about Brookfield Woods compared to the other trailheads nearby is that it is the mile marker starting point for the Salt Creek Trail System. As an outdoor fitness enthusiast who has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level as easy because the terrain is flat! I encountered mostly walkers, a few joggers, and many recreational bike riders along this path. While on it I felt that peaceful sense of being in nature as I heard birds chirping, the wind blowing, and the sound of the flowing salt creek which was off to my left while going out. I even got glimpses of chipmunk and squirrel running across my path; some even startling me at times when close by which also kept me in the moment during my hike. On my turnaround, I encountered a Canadian goose which I am absolutely terrified of! I am even known to alter my run routes just to avoid them out of fear of being attacked! It hissed at me as I went around it; it is like it instantly got its little goose panties in a bunch. I swear my heart rate increased as I eased by it because the last thing I wanted to experience was getting my ass kicked by a Canadian goose. That is a losing situation that I am unsure how I will bounce back from, but bye bye goose! I spent a little over forty-minutes during my hike on the path but could have easily gone longer if I were running instead. There are a variety of activities you can conduct on the Salt Creek Trail System path which extends 7.1 miles out; some of those activities I can certainly see are hiking, running, walking, biking, or even in-line skating. Other than my encounter with the Canadian goose, I had a pleasant experience on the Salt Creek Trail System as indicated in this review and would return. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to explore more of the Salt Creek Trail System. ~An adventure a day keeps the doctor away. ~ Thomas G

We entered at Brezina Woods, in LaGrange. If you are looking for a COVID-era place for a quiet…read morefamily walk, this is NOT the place. We only saw a few other people wearing masks. And it was so crowded, we left after only a mile. It was hard to maintain social distance on the paved path while avoiding the many bikers, roller bladers, and walkers. We found a few quiet side trials that each led 200-300 feet into the woods, but due to recent rains, those paths were very muddy, then flooded. We did find some moss. And some pretty trees and plants. So we hung out in the woods, then got out and went home. Pros: Free. Free parking. Clean trials. Plenty of parking. Paved trials. Not too many mosquitoes. Con: this trail goes through residential areas. We were literally passing inches from backyards of homes, yards filled with people. Fair enough. It is their home!! But it felt weird to just walk past their backyard while everyone is outside doing family stuff.

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

A great big hill in the neighborhood. Convenient. The only bad thing is when the snow is used over…read moreand over walking up the hill can be dangerous for kids. It would be nice if there was stairs or a safer way to get up. But overall still a fun bill