5 Star Places To Visit in Winnetka, Illinois, United States (5)

1. 5.0 Crow Island Woods (3 reviews)
   - The best place to have a family gathering or hike....
   Scenic Walking Areas
   
   
   This park is the finest place for a family reunion or a class reunion. The shelter and large fields are perfect! See more..
   
2. 5.0 Hubbard Woods Park (2 reviews)
   - charming community park
   Parks
   There are a couple of good restaurants nearby or bring a picnic from home. Plenty of street parking if you drive over; bike racks and a bicycle repair station if you cycle here. Play area, splash pad, benches and picnic tables, bathrooms in shelter, butterfly garden, etc. Two bocce ball courts at the north end -- you can borrow balls from Green Bay Cycles (closed Sundays). The park features movies and concerts and we're looking forward to "Winnetka's Got Talent" 2020 when the coronavirus safety measures are lifted. Fun Fact: The park was used for location filming of the movie Home Alone in 1990. See more..
   
3. 5.0 Wilmette Boat Rentals (1 review)
   - friendly staff
   Gear Rentals • Boat Rentals
   
   
   we came so late, we wished that time would be longer- specially on the weekend. For local "to do" we actually enjoyed this sisters mini adventure before our dinner. Rental fees decent for an hour is $15, water is calm and a lot of wild life to see. See more..
   
4. 5.0 Anita Willets Burnham Log House (1 review)
   - Once the longest occupied house in northern Illinois
   Historic Sites
   The Anita Willets Burnham Log House, located at 1140 Willow Road in the Crow Island Woods of Winnetka, Illinois, was built in 1836 and was the longest occupied home in northern Illinois until the daughter of artist and author Anita Willets Burnham gifted it to the Winnetka Historical Society in 2001. The log house, which is 2 1/2 stories tall and made of hand-hewn squared oak logs, was built on a farmstead in south central Winnetka. In 1917, Willets Burnham purchased the house and moved it to 1401 Tower Road in northwest Winnetka. A prominent painter whose work was based on Impressionism and Realism and a writer who authored "Round the World on a Penny," an account of her travels in the 1920s, she lived in the house until her death in 1956. After her death, her two daughters lived in the home until their deaths in 1978 and 2000. At that time, the Winnetka Historical Society inherited the home and relocated it to its current address in Crow Island Woods. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and opened to the public in 2006. The house's history dates to the 1800s, when Pete Schmidt's family became the first documented residents from 1841 to 1870. Originally, it was part of a German immigrant settlement on Ridge Road near the present-day Indian Hill Club. The house has undergone many changes over the years. But thanks to restoration efforts by the Winnetka Historical Society, today the exterior looks much like it did in the early 20th century. In fact, 1836 axe cut marks are still visible on the square-cut logs on the original part of the house. And the Burnhams' 1917 addition on the back of the house remains intact. See more..
   
5. 5.0 North Branch Trail (1 review)
   - Very enjoyable trail
   Biking Trails • Hiking Trails • Jogging Paths & Tracks
   
   
   The North Branch Trail runs approximately 20 miles along the North Branch of the Chicago River. The trail winds along the Chicago River past the Skokie Lagoons and through forest preserves. But I did not get much views of the river when I biked the north six-miles of the trail. At the north end of the trail, the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, is a pleasant excursion. A bike rider can park the bike at the entrance and have a free entry to the fabulous garden. The north section of the trail also features a ~4-mile loop around Skokie Lagoons and Erickson Woods. The loop’s west side runs along I-94 and highway traffic is quite noisy; the eastern side of the loop provides a more peaceful experience as it winds through the woods, though it is more hilly. The North Branch Trail has plenty of amenities, with parking lots, bathrooms, and picnic areas. Though several road crossings occur along the way, they are well-marked and have adequate safety measures. It is a very enjoyable trail. See more..