First time visiting the first Forest Preserve in DuPage County. Nice picnic area and two parking…read morelots. Trails are paved and most flat for easygoing walk or bike ride in the woods.

York Woods is a nice little escape from all the busy streets that surround it…read more It's in a little hidden area just west of York Road. In fact, right across the road you'll find an entrance to the I88 toll road. Once you enter the parking lot, there is a large grassy area with several picnic tables. To the right, you'll see the underpass for the bike path. If you're looking for a short walk, you can just walk around the open grassy area. The path circles around it. It's a nice little picnic area if you want to stop for a quick lunch break or just sit and relax. On the left side of the circle path, there is a large covered pavilion with picnic tables. On my recent trip, I saw about a dozen deer! The restrooms are next to the pavilion. They are fancy port-a-potties that do not flush and kept quite clean. Near the entrance to the wooded part of Salt Creek trail, there is a stand that has information about when York Woods was first acquired. Here's a quick blurb from it incase you can't read the sign in my photo. "York Woods, DuPage County's first forest preserve. The 1917 purchase marked the start of efforts to protect land for the "pleasure and recreation" of county residents. And the county bought it to build a road." This is a really nice park. Although, I prefer some of the other parks along the Salt Creek Trail simply because they are actually on the creek.

I signed my kiddo up here for sports camp and couldn't be any happier. The facility itself is so…read morewell kept and the building is practically brand spanking new. They have an inside soccer field, which my son loved. The staff is also great with the kids and the lunch is provided in the fee. They also have an indoor walking track for the public to use, you just have sign in. Though I'm not a Melrose Park resident, I definitely intend on returning to try the other programs offered.

The WSSRA team collaborated with the Park District of Oak Park on today's fabulous…read more"Sensory-friendly Boo Bash" at the Chaney Mansion in Oak Park!!! All staff members were so welcoming, attentive and engaging. Cate came to our table to greet each child and ask questions and comment so sweetly and kindly on their art projects. Other staff welcomed us into the dining room for refreshments and wow those chocolate donuts were great! We had a perfect time! 43 minutes in and out, we left so the next group could come and have lots of space, as the times entrances allowed. It was quiet, too! No overhead music, thank you!! No scary visuals or sounds either. And the grown ups were not in costume, which was helpful as that's scary to some children. Loved our visit today! Well done to all at WSSRA! We are so thankful.

My teen has had an amazing experience working for WSSRA as a camp counselor this summer. Last…read morenight, I attended a WSSRA fundraiser with my teen and got to meet so many dedicated & enthusiastic staff and awesome clients/campers. My teen has been treated so well as an employee -honored for their talents and respected in every way- and I can see that kindness and respect shown by the staff to each client as well. I would recommend WSSRA as a job option for anyone passionate about caring for individuals with special needs. The programming is really impressive! I would also highly recommend WSSRA to individuals with special needs and their families who are looking for high quality special rec programming!!

We were visiting this area and this park / play ground within safe and walkable distance from where…read morewe were staying. Play ground is pretty good. Has swings too, however they get a bit flooded after rain. No bathrooms but portable potty ( which wasn't smelly to my surprise) what I did not like is the waking trail, which is covered in white dirt or whatever it is, if you walk there even couple days after it was raining mud is still sticky so your shoes and stroller wheels will be all muddy. There are a lot of geese there, fun to watch but they poop a lot :) not complaining about that because obviously everyone poops :) I like that playground surface covered with shredded rubber/tires. Not as dirty as mulch and soft if kids fall. Tip : If you are staying at Holiday INN, the best waking route would be on the sidewalk past Giordano's till you get to the first light ( MacArthur Dr) turn left on MacArthur ( no sidewalk, subdivision road, but pretty quiet) and walk about 100 yards and take left turn on Karban Rd. Walk about 40 yards till on the right you see creek with some white rock and white dirt trail. Keep following that trail and creek past backyards and then you'll see a lake a little past lake will be a playground.

This is a great place for children s programs. Give this place a try especially during the cold…read moreweather months.

A great recreational gym! (I can't speak for competitive since my daughter is not old enough to…read morecompete yet) AAG keeps growing and growing! I've been going to AAG for 3(+/-) years. My daughter has participated in multiple different classes. Pros: -For the most part the owners listen to feedback from parents (Within reason of course!). After many complaints of a crowded parent area they expanded to the warehouse next door. Recently they have upgraded from uncomfortable metal folding chairs to newer chairs and added some tables. Other feedback that I've seen AAG turn into improvements would be expanding the old parent area to provide additional seating and storage areas, and also adding additional viewing windows in the parent area so parents can watch classes easier. -They keep adding more classes, and a variety of classes. Multiple levels of recreational classes, Ninja, Preschool classes, daytime classes for preschool and home school, boys gymnastics, high school prep, tumbling, competitive team, and more. There is something for everyone. -Recreational classes are competitive in price with other gyms. Cons: -Like most teachers, everyone has a different way of teaching. Some coaches seem to have an easier time teaching students a skill than other teachers. Another thing I have noticed is that the classes don't seem very structured. Some coaches focus more on conditioning than others. These are not necessarily bad things, but they are inconsistencies I have noticed. -Keeping on the topic of coaches, with the exception of a few coaches who have been there for a few years, it seems to be a revolving door. Some coaches come in and are there for a month, then they're gone. -One complaint I've heard a few times is a gymnast being in the same class for some time with little to no improvement on skills. In one instance, two of the individuals had been in the class for about two years and were disappointed that they had not learned as much as they hoped. This could be for a number of reasons- the "revolving door" of coaches, the coaching inconsistencies, gymnasts not practicing/conditioning outside of class, etc. Sometimes it does seem like a slow learning process. Some skills are difficult to achieve and require taking that extra step. Overall, I think AAG is a great gym that has potential to become a well known gym in the area. They keep investing in new equipment and upgrading their facilities. People seem to like the gym because they keep coming back! As I mentioned before, AAG keeps growing and growing. The reason they keep growing and growing is because they are good at what they do.

My daughter had her first practice tonight. Although the location is a little tricky to navigate…read morethis place is great! They have space for parents to relax and wait with awesome gymnastics gear available for purchase. Tina was sitting behind the front desk and was very helpful and answered all of my questions. They also have a toddler room available separate from the main gymnasium that the older girls practice in. The coaches were hands on and very patient with beginners but also challenging the most accelerated girls. This place is a hidden gem! Pricing is reasonable as well! We will be signing her up for many more classes!

Had a great day with Mateo today Great kayak guide with a…read morelot of knowledge about the city and keeps it fun with the "dad Jokes" Definitely recommend booking here! - and if you didn't tip (over) don't forget to tip your guide!

My husband and I rented single kayaks from Urban Kayaks to paddle the harbor on Lake Michigan, and…read morehad a great time! The rates were very reasonable, the staff was helpful and gave good instruction on where to go and not to go in the harbor. My husband and I have kayaking experience, so we did not need instruction by the staff, but they do offer it to beginners. The equipment is in very good shape. You will be provided free life jackets and a cubby to hold personal items. If you want to lock valuables up, you can rent a locker for a very reasonable fee, and you can also purchase a dry bag for your phone that hangs around your neck, so you can take photos while you paddle without fear of losing/damaging your phone. There are public restrooms about 50 yards away if you'd like to change clothes before/after your trip. We had a great time, had access to everything we needed, and didn't break the bank while enjoying a truly unique experience! We wouldn't hesitate to recommend renting from Urban Kayaks--enjoy!!

We are members of the community who pay for a pool pass each year and I'm afraid this year will be…read moreour last. Every year, the park district closes the diving well to members of the public (both pass holders and paying members of the public) so that they can make money through offering some type of swim lesson camp. My kids love to dive but are told to leave the diving area along with their friends who have paid a daily fee to swim. So not only does the park district crowd the pool with campers but now they tell paying members that they cannot use the pool they have paid to use. We have been coming to this pool over ten years and my kids have gone through lessons here (which by the way are not worth it beyond getting over fear of the water level) and each year the park district treats paying members of the general public worse and worse. Closing off more and more areas of the pool. There is no reason to pay to go to a pool that is roped off for lessons in half of it or has no diving well. Clearly they are more interested in the cash cow that the summer camps have become than offering an enjoyable swimming experience.

This place changed their hours and closed the pool completely without proper notification.read more

Cutest farm with chickens and lambs and a historic farm house! My 3 year old loved it!read more

Definitely a fun place to check out and to bring kids if you've got them. The house is really neat…read moreto check out. They've got some artifacts inside. I don't think it's original to the house since they let you touch stuff which is pretty cool. I feel it gave my young son a different experience than you typically get a historical houses for this reason and because you could walk around by yourself. The animals outside were a huge hit, particularly the chickens and the pigs. Another cool thing is you can buy farm fresh eggs in the gift shop (which we did). We watched the eggs get collected and they were delicious the next morning for breakfast. They also had a variety of meat for sale from the farm, but we didn't try that this time.