This used to be named BlackHawk but anyways. This place is…read morehuge and lovely to walk through. You can go off trail and see some pretty awesome views and wildlife. If you walk all the way back to South Elgin you will reach the Trolley museum. At night though, walking through here is spooky!! lol I swear something was following us, hahahaha Because our dog freaked out and started howling and made us run outta there. LOL

I have mixed emotions about this Kane County forest preserve…read more On the one hand I love it because it's very "birdy" and for those who love to watch and count birds it is special. On the other hand I hate the bikes that go whizzing by and rattle the bridge just as I'm capturing a melodic or mournful bird song. There are some who politely slow down and call out "On your left" but some really seem to get a kick out of almost knocking someone over. If you walk over the two bridges and go down the path to the right along the opposite bank of the river you will be in Tekawitha Woods, a twofer! Bikes cannot go through there.

BEST preserve in a while. It isn't a loop, tons of diverging trails, and along the river at times…read more Just bugs to look out for, dangerous terrain, and people. But overall, a dope experience that goes as long as you want to hike

Loved that there was next to a bicycle trail, you could see people passing by…read more We saw two deers, ducks and lots of birds and squirrels.

Beautiful Japanese garden and historic home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The home offers tours…read morefor I think $5 per adult. I've been on it once or twice before but can't remember if I enjoyed it, so I'll have to go back someday. I mostly love visiting the gardens. It's free to enter. The garden is small and takes about 5-10 minutes to walk through, but it's so peaceful and a great spot for photos! I love the bridge and admiring the bright green foliage. It's worth the stop if you are nearby. It is very close to downtown Geneva and Batavia, and both towns have plenty of things to do! You can definitely make a day trip out of it. There's also great walking and bike riding paths in the forest preserve.

This is a free museum, but suggest a donation for two dollars for adults and one dollar for…read morechildren. It's beautiful inside and it's nice to see a piece of history. It's a beautiful windmill on the outside and inside and everything is basically made of wood. And you have these really friendly staff or volunteers who teach you about the history of the windmill. There's also a beautiful Japanese garden with many different types of plant entries. It's a great place to take pictures if you're having an event or for a wedding.

So, I am conflicted about my review. One the one hand this is the best park I ever have had the…read morepleasure of visiting. It was beautiful. Relaxed and a bit tucked away, the aesthetics made for a lovely summer afternoon. The employees were friendly and helpful. On the other hand, I selfishly want to keep this gem a hidden secret. Ugh!!!

We discovered this place in 2020 & kept going as nature walks were the only family activity we…read morecould do during the pandemic. This park is impeccably maintained, safe & offers a vast green space along with ample parking. Views of the fox river, mature trees & big lush grassy lawn. There are numerous activities available besides walking, biking, picnicking. You can enjoy amenities such as a baseball park, tennis/pickleball courts, paddle boats & mini golf (for a fee), fitness circuit, beach volleyball & bocce or bring your own set of outdoor games. Also a small water park with slides. Now all that's lacking is a set of basketball hoops & this would be THE perfect park! The bike path runs alongside the scenic Fox River, providing breathtaking views. Benches & picnic tables are plentiful & scattered throughout the park. It's the perfect spot to set up a pop-up tent & picnic blanket like we always do. You can also rent a pavilion for parties & gatherings. This park is conveniently located near a variety of restaurants, stores & bookstores on Main St. in St. Charles.

This is a clean, open, and easy place for a hike. It's not particularly woodsie but the lakes are…read morelovely. Paved path. Clean bathrooms. Plenty of parking. Covered picnic area. Easy access from Butterfield & Route 53. Enter on Route 53, across from Walmart and McDonalds. There are few trees to buffer the wind, so dress warmly. Lots of dogs on the trail today. Watch your step, as not every dog-owner tidies up after their dog, but the trail is mostly clear of droppings.

Hidden lake forest preserve is truly a hidden gem. Located in Downers Grove. It was a nice sunny…read moreSunday to just get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. It was a nice escape getaway from the city life. An ideal and nice place to relax and collet your inner thoughts. While walking along the trails everyone was so friendly and welcoming. It was a breath of fresh air to be out in nature. A perfect place to jog,kayak, fish, hike, have a picnic or just come and take a scroll. Not crowded and everyone social distances themselves. I came across a few people walking with their dogs. All dogs MUST be on a lease. Really enjoyed the scenery and the water from the river and lake was calming and peaceful.

This is hands-down the best live bait and lure dealer in Illinois. Their bait is cared for like no…read moreother. They stock a full line of live baits including hard-to-get live baits. They also offer specialty bass-fishing baits from around the world including limited edition Japanese bass baits for the pro bass angler! Their minnows and nightcrawlers are coveted because the owners work so hard every week, feeding them and raising the incoming bait to be fat, strong and lively by adding their own special mix before the bait is sold. They can pack you flats of crawlers that will catch more fish and have bags of minnows packed for your trip that will out-catch other bait. Make the trip for your big bait orders and save money vs. resort bait which is more expensive and lesser quality. Crappie, Walleye, Perch and bass anglers will tell you - bring the best bait. Their two stores also carry spikes and specialty baits all season long when available that other stores do not carry. The owner is nice, but when people are rude to her- she doesn't take it! Other reviewers say they are rude, but honestly these people got what they gave! They also have the cleanest store anywhere - there is no bait smell because their minnows are the best kept, filtered and cleaned like no other. This will keep them healthy. The owners work 14-hour days and work hard to make the best bait store, don't let some dope prevent you from picking the absolute, hands-down, best fishing bait. Worth the trip and they destroy other bait stores with quality and price!

I drove over here to get a new fishing license. I've been getting my license here for years…read more The lady in the store told me they quit doing them. "Too much trouble." WTF! This is a bait + tackle store, and it's too much trouble for them. That is part of the business. I've been to this store many times, and I have never seen it busy. Last time here for me.

Best park around! When it's not busy it's really fun to just chill with whoever and have a fun…read moretime. I have great memories of this park as a kid, and the updates that they made recently make the park so fun to go to.

This is one of my favorite parks. It's clean, organized and well maintained. The park is located…read morenext to Heritage Lake and is surrounded by a nice neighborhood which makes this place more romantic and beautiful. The park has a playground for children, which includes a jungle gym, swings, slides, etc. There are many benches around the play ground. Also, a picnic table and gazebo are available next to the beach volleyball net. This is the reason why the park is always busy during summertime. Many people have their parties here. Teens also come and play soccer and basketball during the day. The parking lot is large and private. There is a bike trail around the Beirman Park and the Heritage Lake. It's a very convenient for biking and walking. I come to this park with my children every other week during the summer to stay in shape and also enjoy the beautiful scenery, weather, and sounds of nature. Many people go fishing at the lake. I would recommend this park!!

Vasa Park is owned and operated by Scandinavian Park, Inc. I don't believe it is open on a daily…read morebasis except for park events, such as the Scandinavian Day Festival, which Christopher and I attended today, There aren't many of us Scandahoovians around anymore, so the Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Finns and Icelanders have grouped together to celebrate a shared heritage. Thus, Vasa park was born many years ago. I believe it was originally a Swedish park, but times and lack of new immigrants brought all the Scandinavians together. The park sits on the Fox River. It is ideally suited for festivals and such. Today we enjoyed Scandinavian food and entertainment and also the company of good friends Laura A, Karen P and Lisa S, who just happen to be Yelpers as well. Will be back next year for sure, and maybe even check out the Fish Boil in October. It was a bit of a ride from Chicago, but aside from an excessive amount of pesky wasps, it was a great day in a nice setting with good friends.

In response to the review below,…read more Vasa Park rents out the Facility for concerts, festivals, reunions, weddings, and more. When we hold our own private events we do allow outside drinks and have never had an issue with parking. Unfortunately during a private event it is up to the person running the event and not up to the venue itself as to who allows outside food and drink. So please do not blame the park for the issues you had with a specific event such as a concert. We do appreciate you visiting the park. We also hope you do choose to visit for one of our personal events. And if you choose to come please feel free to bring any outside food you choose. We are not ashamed of anything because we work very hard to keep this park running. thank you

We've driven by this park countless times en route to other places or headed home from different…read morearea parks and always thought, "huh, that looks like a neat park...I wonder how the heck we get down there?" and then quickly forgot about it each time. Well this time we headed out specifically to explore this Island Park and thanks to other Yelpers with parking tips. There is a public lot at the corner of 38 & 25 just across from the bike shop and there is also another entrance and parking lot down 25 (the sign says Island Park & also the Water Reclamation facility). It's a nice long island in the Fox River with a little something for everyone. They have many picnic tables and a LOT of benches all along both sides next to the river. The paths are paved and easy to manage. There are restrooms & also a playground for the little ones. Plenty of trees for shady areas if you want to get out of the sun as well. And there is a pedestrian bridge that runs under the train bridge to cross over to the opposite side of the river and continue on the bike/walking Fox River Trail. A perfect little respite spot if you are shopping in the often hustle-bustle of downtown Geneva and need a break.

Pretty view while I ate lunch. The sound of the water was relaxing and watching the birds and ducks…read morewas nice