Great Blue Heron nesting spot. They also had a flower/plant sale going on when I was there. Neat…read moremarsh to go observe wildlife, in fact, they will loan you some binaculars on weekends!

This place is beautiful, with an awesome little pier, multiple nice shoreline walking areas, and…read morepretty direct access to the des plaines river and another, much smaller pond with a stream running just south of the parking lot. The only reason this place doesn't get a perfect 5 star is for 2 reasons: 1. On the northern edge of the lake, the expressway and electric towers are very loud and get pretty annoying, and 2. You better pack bug spray because the day I came here, I had 6 ticks crawling on me after I left. luckily none of them bit me, but still. I understand it's tick season but it's still pretty crazy. Awesome place overall, and seems to have good fishing. Even saw a loon on the day I went. Would recommend as a walking/fishing area.

Lake Carina is a forest preserve. I went here to eat a late lunch and walk around with my…read moreboyfriend. It's quite small and easy to miss when you're driving on 21. The venue has a lot of parking and the lake is very pretty. It's a nice place to go for a walk. Beware of the many mosquitoes and gnats - it is a lake after all. I am afraid of bees, and there seemed to be an abundance of them on the trail. Along the walking trail, there are benches along the way. There are picnic tables and trash bins by the entrance of the trail. When you enter, there is a dock for fishing. You must be licensed to fish if you are over the age of 16. There is also a bike trail, but I didn't get a chance to check that out. I believe the walking trail is about a mile long. You could also walk your dog. They conveniently have doggy bags at the beginning of the trail as well. There is also a bathroom area next to the parking lot. The walking trail itself is pretty, but nothing amazing. You do go under some big electric posts. When we were walking, they were buzzing which was a little scary for me. The last thing I'll add is be careful where you step. Some people aren't considerate enough to pick up after their dogs. Other than that, it's a nice place to go for a walk. It's not a place I would go out of my way to see.

Hastings Lake Forest Preserve has approximately a 2.1 mile hike. The path is paved and pretty even…read morethroughout. It wraps around the lake which offers nice breezes. Many areas along the trail are shaded by large trees so it's not all sunny and hot. The lake has a good population of turtles and surprisingly also has big mouth bass among other species that you are allowed to fish! They offer a boat ramp to bring your boat or even canoe! They also have plenty of places around the lake to sit and just reflect and relax. The path was very clean and markers easy to spot as there is only 1 path and no diversions. It's a great morning activity with family and friends.

This is a hidden gem with a paved walking path all the way around the lake and beautiful woods.read more

Great park beautiful view…read more Excellent parking , many spots available but i suppose if you there on a crazy holiday weekend it would feel different. Amazing

My first time here. I've avoided this area because it's surrounded by iffy neighborhoods with high…read morecrime rates like murders. They had a fall festival this past weekend with free guided walks so I figured it would be safe for us. Loved the guided walk and how informative it was. This is a high quality state park with lots of native plants still intact. So the whole place is pretty deserted but it did rain in the morning. Cars with completely tinted windows drive around in broad daylight. Pretty scary...The campgrounds have security that do not allow you to pass through unless you are a camper so that would make it safe. I saw a few police cars in the area as well. Personally, this isn't for me but if you are street smart, know your way around the neighborhood, it's great for hiking.

The Yelon and Waukegan Harbor statement that there is an accessible kayak launch is false. The…read morelaunch is 30' into the lake, tied to a revetment that users cannot access without walking through 3' of Waukegan Harbor water. it looks like it was destroyed by winter ice. Don't go there.

Great place to fish or just be out in the water relaxing. We got a charter & went fishing in Sept…read more 2018, fortunately for us the weather was great. It was trout season so we caught some huge Lake Trout(see pics) that we ended up grilling that night. Was told by the Captain that salmon season is in June so definitely will be coming back for that. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks, check with your charter to see if they allow booze on board. Happy Fishing!

This is a nice little beach in Wildwood. You do need a resident parking sticker to park along the…read moreposted area however. We are not Wildwood residents but have found parking not too far off. The swimming area is marked and mostly attracts families with young kids.

Nice park. It has a pavilion and a small beach area. The park is not very big, but it is a hidden…read moregem. Recommend you check it out. Oh, and Joe says, "Don't forget...it turns out the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

Spent the morning at Illinois State Park beach...the biting…read moreflies finally win and chased us away...which led us to this little hidden gem. Jones Island Park is a well kept park full of shade trees, a playground, walking trail with benches, a shelter house, a sand volleyball court...and a beach. It's small, we'll-maintained, the swim area is marked off, the water is warm, the littles can stand, and there are no flies!!! Not quite the view of the Great Lake, but still a beautiful setting. Swim in the lake area. Fish in the canal. Relax beneath a shade tree. A little bit of something here to keep the young and the old content for a very long while!!! Annnnnd, unlike the rest of the local park/beaches....it's free!!!

Fantastic local park, with volleball field, kids park and a small beach. Great fishing too.read more

Went out on a charter with Captain Nick on the Merganzer and had a blast! Top notch charter…read morefishing-First Class! Caught rainbow, brown and lake trout along with a big king! Great time and we are looking at going again before the season ends!