The Best Parks To Visit In Lake Bluff, IL

Parks are an integral part of a healthy and happy neighborhood. Not only do they provide beautiful natural scenery but they also offer safe spaces for kids and adults to have fun. They typically host awesome programs and events for the community. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, here are some parks in and around Lake Bluff, IL, that are worth checking out.

Artesian Park

This ice-skating destination began as an artesian well just south of Center Street. A concrete dam was built to take care of the excess water, which created what was aptly named Artesian Lake. The lake provides locals and visitors with ten acres on which to walk, row boats, and fish while taking in the beauty of the scenery. In 1904, the dam burst, and the village dump replaced the former lake, which lasted 30 years. It’s since been transformed into the Artesian Park that you’ve come to know and love, with features like tennis courts, a playground, and Troyer Field, which hosts Little League tryouts and games. 

Amenities include an outdoor shelter with tables and a grill, three baseball/softball diamonds, a soccer/football field, five outdoor tennis courts, an outdoor batting cage, a basketball court, and a playground area. 

The Lake Bluff Outdoor Ice Rink is open and maintained when the weather permits and is lighted for evening skating. The Field House (with restrooms) is the perfect place to relax, get close to nature, listen to music, have a picnic, hang out with friends, or meet new people.

Sunrise Park and Beach

Sunrise Park and Beach features two guarded swimming beaches, playgrounds, shelters with fireplaces, charcoal grills, games, beach chairs, kayaks for hire, picnic tables, benches, and spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Residents can use the beach for free, and non-residents can purchase day passes. A standout feature of this recreational area is that it’s dog friendly. The north end of the beach is designated for pups and gated off from the rest of the beach. As with humans, canine beachgoers must be permitted and have to wear a tag on their collars.

Blair Park

Located on West Washington Avenue, Blair Park offers fun for all seasons and all ages. The Lake Bluff Golf Club (located within the park) boasts an 18-hole golf course, driving range, pro shop, locker facilities, and the Village Grill Restaurant. The park is also home to the Lake Bluff Park District Recreation Center, which includes administration offices, a gymnasium, a gymnastics room, five early childhood education rooms, a fitness center with locker facilities, and a running/jogging track. Additional outdoor amenities include an outdoor shelter with a grill, playground equipment, a skate park, and a lighted sledding hill for the winter months. 

If you want to get sporty, there are two outdoor tennis courts, an Olympic swimming pool with locker facilities, two soccer practice fields with goals, a paddle tennis facility, paddle tennis courts, and a paddle hut. 

Sanctuary Park

You’ll find Sanctuary Park on Atkinson Road, in the Sanctuary subdivision of Lake Bluff. Despite its location on a major street, it’s small and tucked away from the busy road and traffic. It has a playground with equipment suitable for toddlers and older kids, a picnic pavilion with a Free Library stand, a soccer/sports practice field, a shelter, and nature walking paths. Recent habitat restoration provides park patrons with abundant beautiful plants and animals to observe, some of which are rare. 

Knollwood Park 

This park is at the end of West Washington Avenue. It’s on the smaller side but offers a baseball/softball field, two playgrounds, a basketball court, and a paved walkway. Knollwood Park is near the Lake Bluff Golf Course, the Middlefork Savannah Forest Preserve, the Skokie River Nature Preserve, and the Shady Lane Resort Lake.

Ravine Park

Measuring around 14 acres, this community park is one of the only officially protected ravines in all of Lake County. Its main attractions are a system of nature trails and a ravine that flows after heavy rainfall. It’s home to an array of plants and wildlife; the forest cover consists predominantly of red oak, basswood, and sugar maples. At Ravine Park, it’s not uncommon to see white-tailed deer, squirrels, coyotes, and a variety of birds.

Mawman Park 

Mawman Park is located off of Green Bay Road on Mawman Ave. It’s lush and green and features a baseball/softball diamond, a basketball court, a soccer field, a playground area, and drinking fountains. 

Neville Park

Approximately a 30-minute drive from Lake Bluff in North Chicago, you’ll find the Foss Park District, which includes Neville Park. It’s close to the naval base and covers just under two acres of land. Featured here is a playground with slides, climbing and swings, walking and running trails, and a bike path. It’s known for its Pollinator Project, which established a portion of the park as a pollinator habitat for beneficial insects. 

Foss Park

As the name would suggest, this park is also part of the Foss Park District. Serene and scenic, this one is one of the better-known parks in North Chicago. Covering over 32 acres of land, Foss Park features three shelters, playground equipment, a skate park, ball diamonds, and a band shell. Additionally, it has amenities like picnic tables, a soccer field, and lots of space for kids and dogs to run and play. If you love the water, you can follow a curved path through the park that leads to Lake Michigan, where you can listen to the waves or watch sailboats. 

So, there you have it. We at Pasquesi Sheppard just shared a handful of our favorite parks to enjoy in and around the Lake Bluff area. How did we do? Are there any places we missed? What’s your favorite Lake Bluff park? Be sure to contact us and let us know your thoughts.