Out of all the tricks in the book to heal a bad mood, stressed out mind, anxiety, or whatever you’re dealing with- nature seems to cure all.
I think a lot of people would find more peace if they carved out time to regularly go for what I call, ‘urban hikes’, or ‘suburban adventures’. Taking a little refresh day and exploring somewhere you don’t normally venture off to can do your mind more good than you can imagine. Fresh ideas, clarity- just trust me on this and try it!
As a young adult, I became infatuated with the idea of moving to the California coast. The rolling waves of the blue ocean, the winding hikes, oh my god. I’d be out there every day. The scenery just encapsulates the sense of calm I think everyone needs. But after some conversations and thinking through what our life goals are, Alex and I have realized we actually love being in Chicago for now! (Never say never, though!)
Then, when the conversation shifted to us grappling with the idea of moving to the suburbs or staying in the city, we had to think long and hard of how we could experience nature. Luckily, we landed on a spot in the city, still surrounded by plenty of nature- kind of the best of both worlds! While we have our little slice of urban nature for now, one of our favorite things to do on a nice day is to get in the car, drive a little ways out, and just experience somewhere that can (somewhat) give that sensation that hiking in California has given us… but locally.
Now hold on. Before you call me crazy, I am not saying that the suburbs of Chicago are ANYWHERE near as beautiful as Malibu or San Diego… BUT… I have to say, when you lean in and learn to appreciate the midwestern nature we’re surrounded with here- it may surprise you how much beauty and serenity we actually have.
Let’s virtually visit some of our favorite spots to go on a suburban or urban “hike”, if you will:
- Fort Sheridan Nature Preserve– This is our favorite one! Go at sunrise for the most beautiful beach reveal at the end of a winding road. This spot actually saved my sanity during the pandemic.
- Openlands Lakeshore Preserve– this one is near Fort Sheridan. It was closed for a couple years recently, but it looks like it is back open for explorers, now! This one definitely feels like a little escape from the city walking around all the trails!
- Gallery Park at The Glen– if you’ve ever shopped or dined at The Glen, you’ve probably seen the park across the street. What you probably don’t know is that it’s actually a glorious suburban little hike! Melo LOVES this one and all of the different trail options. There’s even a little lookout point/hill to climb.
- The 606 Trail – obviously. We all know and love the 606! The way the sunset hits along this elevated trail is just unbelievable. Only watch out- like all city trails, be aware of speedy bikers, of course!
- Riverview Bridge Trail– Begin at the WMS Boathouse at Clark Park, and continue north towards Horner Park. If you walk this trail, you may run into Melo and me- as we are frequent flyers here! 😉 You’ll walk along the river, see basketball, tennis, soccer, kayakers… you name it. Captures the lively Chicago spring/summer scene perfectly.
- Independence Grove – this is a very underrated naturous area in Libertyville, Il. I remember going to the beach here very often growing up, and now I look forward to visiting the trails, too!
- Starved Rock/Matthiessen State Park – These are quintessential Illinois hikes. I personally prefer Matthiessen over Starved Rock, due to the crowds! After your hike, check out Tangled Roots Brewing Co.
- Busse Woods – Yes, the one by Woodfield Mall. Excellent trails that just seem to go on and on for days!
- Skokie Lagoons– Great for bikers, walkers, and even kayakers! Underrated suburban adventure, not far from the city at all!
- Rosewood Beach – Beautiful beach to enjoy in the warmer months, but just as beautiful to walk around and explore the shore in the chillier months!
I’m sharing this list not only so you can discover places to go explore, but also to encourage you to make it a point to get out into nature more often! I don’t know about you, but I spend the majority of my day looking at a screen. The feeling I get just tucking my phone in my pocket to immerse myself in nature for a couple hours is irreplaceable. I hope you allow yourself to unplug like this, too.
If you visit any of these locations, send me a pic or tag me in your photos! I’d love to see your adventures! Happy ‘hiking’!
