My husband and I went to Willow Stream Park on a Tuesday evening. The weather was nice and we…read morewanted to take advantage of it. We went with a friend and walked around the walking path. There are also basketball courts, soccer and football fields, baseball fields, a frisbee golf course, and a swimming pool available at Willow Stream Park. I highly recommend Willow Stream Park for a great place to enjoy a walk!

Huge park with all the amenities you could ever think of like swimming pool, picnic shelter,…read moreplaygrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, bike path, volleyball courts, baseball diamonds,soccer fields, and ice skating rink. The parking is large and plentiful as well in this park so it can easily accomodate lots of events at the same time. My favorite feature of this park is the disc golf course. It's enormous, well kept, and features a variety of different shots -- without the fear of hitting buildings or roads unlike some of the smaller courses. Definitely worth a visit to enjoy some activities if you live in the area.

Entertaining for all ages! Took my step daughter (5/6 year old) and husband here one summer…read moreafternoon. Clean, updated and a blast for all 3!

I was trying to find a new good playground to go with 2 year old, and I did!…read moreThis's a wonderful place for kids all ages! Like this playground!

Parks like Busch Grove make me proud to be from Buffalo Grove…read more First, the park serves largely as a nature preserve. Trees, grasses, streams, and a pond are home to ducks, beavers, muskrats, and a colorful assortment of wildflowers. An asphalt trail circles through the preserve and on any sunny day you see families biking and rollerblading. To the side of the trail are signs highlighting various plants and animals you may see on your walk. On the east end, near Buffalo Grove Road, there is a skate park and roller/ice hockey rink. The hockey rink is busy year round and the skate park is very popular as soon as it warms up. Finally, the park is easily accessible from Willow Stream Park via the overpass over McHenry Road. Kids can safely get from the pool at Willow Stream to the skate park in Busch Grove.

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.

Horrible place. The forest preserve across the street is always open, yet this place is closed on a…read moresaturday, with no repairs going on, on a beautiful day. Our tax money is being used to pay these employees NOT to do their jobs. Lake County Forest Preserves are ALWAYS open.

Although Potawatomi Woods is not huge by comparison to other local preserves, it has a nice charm…read moreto it. This location has all the basic features such as areas to fish or boat, as well as paths for walking, hiking, and bicycling. There's also a grove available for picnics. Parking typically isn't too difficult and people are generally spread out fairly well across the woods, so you can enjoy a casual stroll without worrying about feeling crowded. These woods have a good variety of natural features that make it a great place to take pictures of the fall colors. If you have the right lenses, there's a nice variety of birds that can be photographed -- or possibly deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. Overall, it's amazing to have such a beautiful area in the middle of the busy suburbs. Definitely worth a visit if you live in this area and want to enjoy some natural beauty.

The park district did a great job "remodeling" this trail system. The bridges are a nice touch too.read more

The Buffle Creek Forest Preserve is a good place for an easy walk. The day we were there we had no…read moreissue with parking, but it was not crowded. It is mainly an open prairie with low growing plants and few trees. The walking path winds through wide-open restored prairies and some creeks. I can imagine in the summer it get hot since there is very little covering to offer shade.

A sensational park, trail, nature reserve that has been a gem for decades. As a kid, we would often…read morevisit the forest preserve to fish, go on the playgrounds, bike the extensive well-connected trails, walk..so much memories here. Great spot to host a cookout or party with their rental shelters too. Happy to see it still functioning for many folks after all these years. Wish Charleston, SC had preserves like this!

There was a wedding reception (dinner and dancing) held in Shelter A and B of this forest preserve…read more As a former Illinois resident I thought the wedding party would be uncomfortable, given this time of year. But I was wrong! Both the weather and surroundings were beautiful; I heard they sprayed for insects beforehand as well. Many picture opportunities. Open enough to enjoy the rest of reserve and share the good vibes with passersby. Some bees came out but only when we were already packing up. Maybe more available parking spaces would've been nice. Other than that, it was a good time.

The new tennis courts are AMAZING! The pavement is perfect, the nets are tight, the lights are…read morefunctioning well at night!!! Oh yea and for someone that has allergies these courts do not have much pollen flying around, hence no allergy attacks, score! Oh yea, they did add a beautiful new entrance that is handicap accessible. There is a very nice playground. Clean bathrooms. Concessions are open during kid's baseball games... and there are two baseball fields here. The Parking lot is huge. The inside facilities do have some fitness classes, and during the summer I do believe that they have a day camp here still. BG Park District, you did very well with this one!

For toddler aged children, this splash pad was a dream! Everything was low to the ground and able…read moreto be reached, there were lots of buckets for transfer play, and plenty of areas with lighter splashing water. My son (almost 2yo) had so, so, so much fun for about 3 hours! He came home absolutely exhausted- a mom's dream for a good nap! It was $4 admission per person, which I found totally cheap! They have plenty of picnic tables to eat, as well as areas to park strollers and lunch bags. There was also lots of seating available if you wanted to sit and watch your toddler play (especially helpful if you're pregnant and need a little break from standing!). The bathrooms were small, but clean. Honestly, all of the essentials were available and it truly made for a great morning!

What a cute place for kids to play! Perfect for toddlers or younger kids. Great on a sunny hot dayread more

I recently took a hike in this area and passed by this Nature Center several times during the hike…read moreand decided to stop in. I was pleasantly surprised at how many different things there were to do here, but indoors and outdoors. Outdoors I was able to see a variety of animals including a coyote, owl, hawk, eagle, kestrel, and fox. Though they were caged, I got to see them fairly up close and hear the different sounds that they make. Indoors, there were various interactive exhibits as well as live turtles and various educational displays. Overall this is definitely worth a visit if you're hiking in the area and want to see a nicely maintained and educational display that helps to explain some of the wildlife nearby.

The staff at River Trails are great, the woods, river, and trails are great, and we look forward to…read moreevery visit to River Trails. River Trails has many programs at the Nature Center and in the woods surrounding it. Lots of great native gardens to attract pollinators like bumble bees and humming birds. The trails take you through maple heavy woods that put on spectacular color shows as the leaves turn in the fall. Fall Fest draws hundreds of visitors who watch re-enactments from the fur trapping days when the Des Plaines River was a super-highway for Native Americans and European trappers alike. They also show how to tap the Maple tress to make syrup. River Trails has something for everyone, whether you want to see bee hives, hike a trail, or learn about the local plant and animal communities. Definitely a place to spend a day!