Beyond the northern limits of Chicago on Lake Michigan, find the charming university town of Evanston. Locals pass their time on the lakeside promenade and around the museums and theaters of the city center. Soak up the atmosphere at one of the downtown pizza places or ice cream parlors.
For a window into the city’s youthful dynamic, embark on a guided tour of Northwestern University. Skirting the rim of Lake Michigan, its leafy campus is brimming with art galleries and neo-Gothic and modernist architecture.
Wander through the bucolic settings of the Northwestern University Lakefill and the Shakespeare Garden and visit the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art. Watch football at the university’s Ryan Field.
Stretching along the northern border of the campus is sandy Lighthouse Beach. Visit the 19th-century Grosse Point Lighthouse, which offers tours on summer weekends. Bring your kids to the playground in the heart of the adjacent Lawrence O. Lawson Park.
Tall masts rise from the diverse vessels in Wilmette Harbor, whose water twists through the city in the form of the North Shore Channel. Relax in some of the parks through which it passes, including Leahy Park, Chandler Park and William H. Twiggs Park.
Dawes Park and Centennial Park showcase Evanston’s verdant scenery along the lakeside area. Peruse the exhibits of the Evanston History Center in the southwestern corner of Dawes Park.
Venture inland to the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. Paintings, sculptures and pottery made by indigenous groups line the walls.
The city sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan, 14 miles (22 kilometers) north of Chicago. Fly to O’Hare International Airport and arrange a hotel shuttle transfer. You can also get here from Chicago via bus, train or car. Rent a bike or take the metro to get around the city.
Evanston is filled with enchanting lakeside strolls, picnics in the park and youthful exuberance.
