I made a vow recently that I would spend more time outdoors this summer after not fully taking advantage of the season last year because of all my postpartum emotions. We explore more of our area over the weekend by visiting Skokie Lagoons. I had never heard of the park until Graham mentioned it one day. The Skokie Lagoons are located between the Chicago suburbs of Winnetka, Northfield and Glencoe.
It seems like the most popular things to do at the 894-acre Skokie Lagoons are fishing and biking. There is a paved trail that you can ride along, although there were also runners and walkers enjoying it. You can also rent a canoe or kayak to explore the pools and channels in the area. This would also be a perfect spot for a picnic and to take family photos. We actually saw people dressed in wedding attire having their photos taken when we visited. By the way, Chicago Botanic Garden is right next to the lagoons, too.
It had been a stressful few days before we visited, but I found that being outside alleviated a lot of the negative feelings I was experiencing. I instantly felt at ease and the positive effects lasted all weekend.
We visited Skokie Lagoons after the rain, so the unpaved trail we took was a little muddy, but we were able to explore with our wagon anyway. You can also use the public boat launch if you have your own water vessel! Be sure to get your Illinois fishing license if you plan to fish, obviously.
You can easily explore with your littles, too. Victoria rode her bike on the trail and we taught her rider etiquette and how to share the trail with others. We also took our wagon so that we could pull both girls when they were too tired to walk or ride.
The trails, whether paved or unpaved, were quiet as could be. Be on the lookout for wildlife, too. On the drive out we saw deer crossing the road! We also saw many butterflies and birds.
Our walk was a nice, easy way to get our steps in for the day. I also tried my best to embrace my mom bod and take in the scenery rather than focus on how I look.
There’s something about wildflowers that I find so beautiful! How about you?
Chicago can get expensive to explore, but Skokie Lagoons is a nice place to check out for free while improving your mental well-being.
Shop our wagon**:
** This post contains an affiliate link. I am compensated for purchases made through this link at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise!
Related posts:
Summer Stroll at Chicago Botanic Garden
NIGHT OF 1,000 JACK-O’-LANTERNS
FALL AT CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
CONNECT WITH ME:
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | PINTEREST
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.