Fall Features and Festivities on the North Shore

Crisp Fall breezes herald a favorite, colorful season on Chicago’s North Shore. The calendar is full of fresh fun to be had out and about. Get your spooky on with a jack-o-lantern extravaganza or take in a concert, art walk, or market visit. Our area attractions have outings for nature lovers, history buffs and beachcombers.

See a more things to do on Chicago’s North Shore here.

MUSEUM ME

Bring the wee ones out to a V.I.P. (Very Important Play) Session at Kohl Children’s Museum  (2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview) for exclusive, two-hour access to a section of the museum—maybe Thomas the Tank or Young@Art—for your group of up to 10 to explore and create. Illinois Holocaust Museum (9603 Woods Dr., Skokie) has timed entry visits to witness their special exhibit Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (extended through Jan. 3, 2021) and the permanent, groundbreaking Take a Stand Center. Wednesdays are free.

Notorious RBG Exhibit, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Skokie

CELEBRATE FALL IN THE GARDEN

Hosting some of the most beautiful seasonal celebrations, Chicago Botanic Garden (1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe) is always a feast for the eyes. Take in the flora and purchase your bulbs to plant in your garden now. Enjoy a harvest market including cider, wine and beer for purchase as well as local vendors offering baked goods, honey, fresh jams and more at the Fall Bulb Festival, Oct. 9-11. Behold 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins—some a whopping 150 pounds—that light up the Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns Halloween event (Oct. 14–18 and 21–25) with seasonal snacks, spiked cider and ale. Slip in a stop at one of the tasty Farmers Markets on the North Shore, boasting a bountiful Fall fare of mums, root veggies and apples galore¬ through Oct. or Nov.

Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe

OPEN AIR HISTORY AND THE ARTS

Glimpse into the past with the Evanston History Center (225 Greenwood St., Evanston) specialty walking tour of Downtown Evanston, Oct. 17, beginning at the remodeled Fountain Square. For real honest-to-goodness entertainment, North Shore Performing Arts Center (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie) has a few more of its winning Outdoor Concerts, including Tributosaurus (Oct. 1) and The Flat Cats (Oct. 3). Reserve your time slot to stroll the 12th Annual Glencoe Festival of Art (700 Vernon Ave., Glencoe), Oct. 17–18 (free), showcasing painting, jewelry, sculpture, photographs, fashion wearables and more.

Glencoe Festival of Art, Glencoe

EMBRACE THE GREAT OUTDOORS

The grounds at Evanston’s picturesque Gross Point Lighthouse (2600 Sheridan Rd., Evanston) give you fab photo ops plus access to the adjacent beach. Keep heading south and enjoy the miles of Evanston Lakefront which extends south to the City of Chicago. The Grove—short for Grove National Historic Landmark—(1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview) features an Interpretive Center where you can bask in the past while exploring this unique outdoor history and nature museum. Enjoy the sculptures as you walk, bike or skate along the Skokie Northshore Scuplture Park. Venture out on trails with more than three miles of mature oak forests and wetland pools using their free app as your guide. Explore the River Trail Nature Center (3120 Milwaukee Ave, Northbrook) grounds on three walking trails or extend your hike along the Des Plaines Trail System.

The Grove National Historic Landmark, Glenview

WATER WORKS

The 894-acre Skokie Lagoons (multiple locations) are a prime destination for water fun offering public boat access, canoe and kayak rentals, fishing, biking and hiking trails, and picnic areas. Rent Kayaks (through Oct. 31) at the Tower Road boat launch in Winnetka. Just because swimming season is behind us doesn’t mean our local beaches aren’t still glorious spots to enjoy the charms of Lake Michigan. Absorb the views and clear your head with a stroll, a run or some yoga at Evanston Beaches (2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston), Glencoe Beach (999 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe) and Winnetka Beaches (540 Hibbard Rd., Winnetka).

Skokie Lagoons, Multiple Locations

 
 

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