Discover the Best Outdoor Spots that Reflect Skokies Friendly, Diverse, and Vibrant Community

Skokie is a suburban village located in Cook County, Illinois. It showcases an exciting blend of urban and rural spaces with plenty of parks, gardens and preserves perfect for exploring nature. As you explore these outdoor spots in Skokie, you will find yourself surrounded by surroundings that reflect Skokies vibrant community.

One of our favorite places to visit is the Emily Oaks Nature Center (4650 Brummel St., 60076), a 13acre preserve featuring woods, prairies and wetlands. This nature center provides sitting areas along trails where visitors can rest while enjoying beautiful scenery or watch birds like woodpeckers or hawks fly overhead. The friendly staff leads tours through different habitats catered towards families with young children as well as guided bird walks open to all ages.

Another great spot to check out nearby Evanston is the Ladd Arboretum (2024 McCormick Blvd., Evanston IL 60201). This hidden gem features over five miles of hiking trails within a picturesque arboretum filled with unique plant species native to Illinois. Visitors who take on one of their selfguided walking trails are rewarded by outstanding views at every turn coupled with impressive examples of local florawildflowers such as cardinal flowers mixed among sassafras trees reflecting off small ponds where frogs may be seen jumping around lily pads.

For those looking for something more unusual head just south from downtown skokie to Perkins Woods Forest Preserve (1451 Eucalyptus Dr., 60203). The site stretches far beyond its car park into dense oldgrowth woodland providing cover for owls and other nocturnal animals during daytime visitors when its easy to spot squirrels scurrying around or chipmunks darting between fallen leaves clumped together thanks winter winds push piles creating small hiding spots for rabbits, raccoons and ground birds like quail.

Lastly on the list is Skokies own water fountain park which has a different personality than other green spaces mentioned above in part because its layout makes it ideal to bring your friends for sunny day picnics. Located at 5123 Oakton Street (60077), this familyfriendly site features gardens filled with ecological diversity punctuated by dancing fountains spouting jets of water reflecting off rocks and sculptures scattered throughout lawns perfect for playing Frisbee or chasing around any children who are suddenly feeling restless from too much sitting.

Each of these outdoor spaces reflects Skokies friendly, vibrant community. With plenty of natural beauty that can be enjoyed all year round, visitors will surely find something special during their stay here.

Scientific facts:

Emily Oaks Nature Center: Home to over 87 species of birds including woodpeckers and hawks.

Ladd Arboretum: Over 300 tree species native to Illinois along with wildflowers such as cardinal flowers.

Perkins Woods Forest Preserve: Dense oldgrowth woodland providing cover for owls and other nocturnal animals along with fall trees refugeing chipmunks darting between fallen leaves clumped together thanks winter winds push piles creating small hiding spots for rabbits, raccoons and ground birds like quail.

Skokie Water Fountain Park : Ecological diversity including insect pollinators visiting plants through rain scattered garden beds while playful fountains reflect sunrays from afternoon skies

Websites:

Emily Oaks Nature Center: https://www.skokieparks.org/emilyoaksnaturecenter/

Ladd Arboretum: https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/parksrecreationcommunityservices/parks/laddarboretum

Perkins Woods Forest Preserve :https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/perkinswoods/

Twitter handles:

@SkokieParks

@CityofEvanston

@FPDCC