25 Best Parks for Walking with Beautiful Trails to Take Together

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Parks & Playgrounds

Get a change of scenery and enjoy a walk at one of our beautiful neighborhood parks! We scoped out parks for walking; these paved paths with fairly smooth surfaces are perfect for strollers, rollerblading, and more.

All of these parks have playgrounds along the paved trail, so you can stop along the way and let your kids play too. We think these make for a perfect after-dinner outing, with a walk followed by plenty of playtime.

Ty Warner Park, Westmont

Ty Warner Park
700 Blackhawk Drive
Westmont, IL 60559

The grounds of this park are nicely landscaped with hills and a marsh area, which adds to the beauty of your walk. There are several forks in the path, enabling you to take a different route each time around, making it one of the best paved trails.

Patriots Park, Downers Grove

Patriots Park
501 55th Place
Downers Grove, IL 60515

This beautiful path winds its way around the pond with trees overhanging for some shade. My kids love running over the little bridges and picking up sticks in the small wooded portion.

Four Seasons Park, Lombard

Paved walking path that leads to a lagoon, with benches and a picnic table.

Four Seasons Park
Finley Road & 16th Street
Lombard, IL 60148

This park has a fishing pond, playgrounds, log cabin, and 0.66 mile trail.

Eldridge Park, Elmhurst

Eldridge Park
363 W Commonwealth Lane
Elmhurst, IL 60126

This park has a 1.5 mile paved trail around the perimeter, which serves as a link to Salt Creek Greenway Trail. There is also a lagoon and two playgrounds!

Harvester Park, Burr Ridge

Harvester Park
15W400 Harvester Drive
Burr Ridge, IL 60527

Harvester Park doesn’t just have one of the coolest playgrounds around… they have winding paths! They lead you all around the park and main recreation building.

Phillips Park, Aurora

View from the paved path around a lake, with a bridge and playground visible along the path.

Mastodon Island Peninsula at Phillips Park
Ray Moses Drive
Aurora, IL 60505

You can easily spend the day at Phillips Park. On the grounds, there are sunken gardens, the free Philips Park Zoo, and Mastodon Island, which has a one-mile trail around the island and playground.

Castaldo Park, Woodridge

Castaldo Park
3024 71st Street
Woodridge, IL 60517

From the park entrance, you can walk down paved paths to enjoy the scenery or try your hand at frisbee golf. There is a covered area with picnic benches and also a water fountain along the way.

Central Park, Oak Brook

Central Park
1510 Forest Gate Road
Oak Brook, IL 60523

There are multiple loops of paths in this park, with the longest being 1.29 miles. Take a look at the map before you go to plan your walk along one of the best paved trails provided by a park district.

Walker Park, Burr Ridge

Walker Park
7425 S. Wolf Road
Burr Ridge, IL 60480

The grounds of Pleasant Dale Park District are great for walking. There’s even a gazebo and small bridge along the way. You also won’t want to miss the newly renovated playground.

Berens Park, Elmhurst

Berens Park
493 N Oaklawn Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126

The paved path at Berens Park weaves around the sports fields, with legs leading to The Hub, splash pad, and playground areas.

Countryside Park, Countryside

Countryside Park
6030 Kensington Avenue
Countryside, IL 60525

Walk down tree-lined paths and get some fresh air at this great park near Brainard and north of Joliet Road.

Ebersold Park, Downers Grove

Ebersold Park
5923 Main Street
Downers Grove, IL 60516

This 0.75 mile path winds around the perimeter of the park.

Spring Rock Park, Western Springs

Spring Rock Park
4400 Central Avenue
Western Springs, IL 60558

The inner loop of paths around the playground is paved and winds up and down hills as well as through garden areas, while the outer loop is a combination of compacted, crushed gravel and paved surfaces.

Lake Ellyn Park, Glen Ellyn

Lake Ellyn Park
645 Lenox Road
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

Take a walk along the winding sidewalks to enjoy the ducks, lake, and boathouse.

Mending Wall Park, Woodridge

Paved path through a grassy field at Mending Wall Park in Woodridge.
Playground and ride-on car play structure at Mending Wall Park in Woodridge.

Mending Wall Park
8406 Mending Wall Drive
Woodridge, IL 60517

You’ll find a playground with equipment for toddlers and elementary school-age kids and paved paths.

Hoopers Hollow Park, Downers Grove

Hoopers Hollow Park
Chicago and Cornell Avenues
Downers Grove, IL 60515

This nicely paved path winds around Hoopers Hollow Park and leads through a small wooded area. There is also a small bridge on the way to the playground.

Lisle Community Park, Lisle

Lisle Community Park
1825 Short Street
Lisle, IL 60532

The grounds of Lisle Community Park are huge! There are a few parking lots and you can jump onto the paved path from any of them. Walk along the East Branch of the DuPage River or cross over on the wooden bridge.

Darien Community Park, Darien

The path at Darien Community Park that connects the two playgrounds, with a gazebo in the distance along the path

Darien Community Park
7100 Clarendon Hills Road
Darien, IL 60561

There are two playgrounds at this park with paths connecting the two and a gazebo along the way, which makes it an enjoyable walk for everyone.

Northside Park, Wheaton

Northside Park
1300 N West Street
Wheaton, IL 60187

The Lincoln Marsh Waterway runs through this park with sidewalks that meander from the playground across the bridge.

More Great Places to Walk

Best Forest Preserve Trails for Kids

We also have a great list of trails that are perfect for families with locations and descriptions!

St. James Farm, Warrenville

Shady tree-lined avenue at St. James Farm in Warrenville.

St. James Farm is a free local destination to learn a little local history and enjoy the gorgeous outdoor landscaping.

Lake Arlington Park, Arlington Heights

A two-mile paved path winds around the park, with lanes marked for traffic both ways. Read more about Lake Arlington Park and what you’ll find there, including playgrounds, boat rentals, game tables, and more.

Cantigny Park, Wheaton

Your kids will love climbing on the giant tanks at Cantigny Park! The grounds are beautiful with winding paths and breathtaking landscaping. Be aware there is a parking fee most days at Cantigny.

Have another to add? We would love to hear your picks and explore those to add them to the list!

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