A fantastic park is on the far South Side with some cool scenery including a beach. Calumet Park is…read moreone of my lesser appreciated favorites. It just about is as close as you can get to Indiana. Beach of course is the best part about here. The rest of the park has some gardens and hiking trails. Either in summer or winter it's a beautiful place for hanging. It has a few big parking lots. There's plentiful parking meaning it's usually easy to find somewhere. Beach is the most notable feature. This goes along a few miles. Certainly it isn't always pretty around here. There's some ugly old factories, including those across the lake in Gary, but besides that it's beautiful mostly. Be warned about the nuisances here, which include birds and bugs. It's especially bad in the summer. This park is most happening then and has features such as athletic facilities and other fun things.

Beautiful park! Plenty of stone walkways, views of the lake, and trees for a relaxing experience…read more The park is huge and plenty of open space and various amenities, and kiddie playgrounds too. We enjoyed walking the dog and the views

I've gone to this forest preserve since I started living in Chicago. It used to be fairly quiet,…read morean occasional bike rider here and there, but mostly empty, and the trails had funky color coded trails that we seriously got lost on the first time I went here. I used to be able to allow my dog to walk off leash (she's very well behaved) ...but alas, this is not true anymore. We hadn't been in about a year, and went back to get some fresh air, and it was disappointing. They had an animal control unit present so we couldn't let our dog off leash, which is really the primary reason we would go out there...so she can be independent and have fun exploring. We felt we were being watched like hawks, so its no longer peaceful, but has fallen under big brother's ever watchful gaze. Time to find a new place to walk.

I did the vast majority of my marathon training on this trail system, and my boyfriend and I bike…read morethese trails about once a week. This is a great trail system in the south burbs if you're looking for a paved trail for running or biking. The trail system is well maintained. The scenery is lovely, and the trails are generally pretty empty too which I particularly enjoy when I just want to zone out during a long run.

Amazing complex. Centennial Park in Orland Park consist of soccer fields, baseball fields, softball…read morefields, a wonderful park or all kids, the Orland park pool, walking/running trails, batting cages, a dog park, a stage, and an outdoor ice rink. It is truly an amazing place weather you are the for sports, to go on a walk or run, to skate during the winter season, to boat or fish in the lake, swim during a hot day, watch a concert, or take your kids to the wonderful park. I would totally recommend this complex for all listed things I can think of.

Pool and entire aquatic experiance is great but they need to do something about their drowning…read moreprotocol because a life guard decided to jump in and "save" my younger brother when he was just getting up for air after a jump. I kid you not the life guard was watching him as well and all he did was jump in the deep end of the pool, he was coming up for air and they blew their whistle and jumped in to, again, "save" him when he didn't need saving at all. They put him in unwanted distress and embarrassed him, made him cry because he was coming up for air. Thankfully there were other lifeguards around who understood the situation and assured us nothing was wrong but what happened was just ridiculous.

I have been coming here for 45 years. My dad and I have hiked the trails many times over the years…read more My dad has now passed on and my wife and I still stop in to hike the trails throughout the property. This place has always had a special place in my heart for how many good times I have had here with family and friends over the years. We always end up seeing some kind of nature, whether it's deer, chipmunks, squirrels, fish, frogs, turtles, etc. There is always something new to see. Over my years of coming here it has grown to have larger building with more interactive things for people of all ages. Trails are well maintained. Staff is friendly and helpful. We will definitely be back for more hiking soon. Dedicated to my loving father, who taught me if you stop, stand still, and are very quiet in nature you will probably end up seeing nature reveal herself to you.

Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center is a great and inexpensive family day option! It offers free…read moreparking and admission to all. One can explore the old Nature Center with historical facts or the new Nature Center with a kid's play area and animal exhibit. The snapping turtles were an absolute hit with my niece and nephews! Outside, there are two owls and a hawk as well as two nature trails and some kid's activities. Each trail is maybe 0.5 miles and 1.3 miles which is perfect for kids. Along the trails, be sure to stop at the lookouts to enjoy the views. They even have short peeking slots for the kids. I had the best time visiting Little Red Schoolhouse and seeing all their updates from when I last visited as a kid. Highly recommend for all!

This trail is a nice little escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. I love how our…read moreChicagoland forest preserves offer so much nature only steps away from the chaotic urban environment of a big city. Twenty-Sixth Street Woods offers paved paths as well as unpaved paths. You truly get the best of both worlds. This is great because if you go on a beautiful, dry, sunny day, it's nice to walk along the creek on the unpaved paths and enjoy an even more rustic experience. However, the paved paths are also wonderful to walk and bike on...even when the ground is wet. That a huge benefit of finding the woods that have paved trails. Be aware that snow is not removed during the winter months. These paved paths are also great for biking and for individuals who need accessible paths. I've been here several times and plan to continue enjoying all that these woods have to offer. In fact, I understand they have a boat and canoe launch. I'll be on the lookout for it.

Great fun doing outdoor yoga in the park, thanks Vibrant yoga for hosting it. I have to admit,…read morerather sheepishly, that this was the first time in 26 years for me in the park. Such an amazing location by the lake with great tracks and space . I will certainly come back again. Well maintained, clean bathrooms and the park district employees are friendly and helpful

The way the surrounding park is set up is a bit odd. There's only one entrance and the rest is…read morefenced off (which google maps didn't seem to understand); it has this kind of exclusive vibe and yet signs say it's open to the public, so I somewhat awkwardly walked in, passing a golf course, a magisterial building hosting some fancy reception, a picnic area hosting some considerably less fancy gatherings, a small beach, and finally a small stretch of trail which circles through a bird-filled woodland. It's much like Montrose Point on the north side of the city, but smaller and less accessible. Having said that, the birds were signing and the views were quite splendid, so far be it from me to dissuade anyone from going.

03/14/21 - This Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary is just another hidden gem that is part of Chicago's…read morelakefront. The sanctuary is located within the South Shore Cultural Club & is accessible to the public. There is a metered parking lot set back for public use and a beach adjacent to it. It's a beautiful little gem hidden where you can get away and reflect while enjoying nature. This morning I was rewarded w/a gorgeous sunrise in the lake. It's so peaceful & quite as you walk along the path by the lake and the rough the grasslands set aside for the birds. This morning I saw a pair of mallards, seagulls & a few geese flying by. So beautiful it's nice to come out early and see the sunrise & walk through a natural habit along the lake. Peace out.

You can get on to the Yellow Trail if you head across the field and into the woods. The field by…read morethe parking lot is a nice flat open space, great for picnicking. There's lots of parking and it doesn't seem like too busy a park (but not creepy or deserted--a welcome change from the likes of Swallow Cliff, for example). There are little lakes around of course, but it's not right on a lake lie some of the other parks--I'd say that's an upside and a downside in that it lacks the beauty of a lake, but probably lacks the mosquitoes, too. Out in the woods at Cherry Hill is a different story--out in the trees that place is literally swarming with mosquitoes, so don't forget your bugspray.