Great Parks! Rocket Ship Park in St. Charles

I'm optimstic that we have plenty of park weather left this falll, so this week we visit a park that will appeal to all the little astronauts out there.

Kehoe Park in St. Charles. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Kehoe Park, part of the St. Charles Park District. It is better known, however, as "Rocket Ship Park" because of the - you guessed it - rocket ship slide on the playground.

Location: Located at the intersection of 8th, Prairie and Howard Streets in St. Charles. It's located between downtown St. Charles and Randall Road. There is no parking lot, but street parking is easy.

Amenities: This is a small, 1.5-acre neighborhood park. It features a modern playground, 1960s-era rocket ship slide, swingset, drinking fountain and a small gazebo with a picnic table. It does not have bathrooms or a portable toilet.

Good For: Kids who love pretending to be astronauts or space aliens. The playground is good for all ages, although the area aimed at toddlers is connected by a swaying bridge to the equipment aimed at older kids. 

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Great Parks! Waa Kee Sha Park Park in Oswego

If you’re looking to find some peace and quiet, the most recent spot in our “Great Parks!” series might be a perfect fit.

The playground at Waa Kee Sha Park. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name and Size: Waa Kee Sha Park. It is 22 acres and part of the Oswegoland Park District.

Location: Located at 4700 Reservation Road in Oswego. (I used my car’s GPS to find the park; For those of you who are more familiar with Oswego, the park district’s website notes that it is located on the south side of Reservation Road, off of Grove Road.)

Amenities: A playground; swingset; large picnic shelter; grills and picnic tables; natural area; trails for hiking and cross country skiing; horseshoe pits; fire ring; portable toilet.

Good For: Families, children, birthday parties and other large gatherings, hikers, cross-country skiiers.

Our Experience: My daughter and I were in Oswego a few weeks ago, and I wanted to check out something new to us. I got on my smart phone, went to the Oswegoland Park District’s list of parks and headed toward Waa Kee Sha Park solely because I was intrigued by its name.

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Great Parks! Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township

Our latest in the "Great Parks!" series is one of the best-kept secrets in the far western 'burbs. It isn't easy to find on a map, but it's definitely worth the effort to get there.

The gazebo at the Headwaters Conservation Area. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Headwaters Conservation Area in Campton Township, west of Geneva.

Location: According to Campton Township, the address is 43W535 Beith Road, but I couldn’t get that to come up on Google Maps or my car’s GPS system.

So here are directions: From a starting point of Randall Road and State Street (Route 38) in Geneva, head west on Route 38 for about 4 miles. You’ll see a yellow road sign indicating Beith Road is coming up. Take a right on Beith Road and head north on it (up a rolling hill) for about 1 ½ miles. The entrance to Headwaters Conservation Area will be on your left. The parking lot is near the entrance. If youre coming from farther west, Beith Road eventually meets up with Route 47.

Amenities: This is a 349-acre site, most of it devoted to open space. It includes a great playground with equipment for both younger and older children; picnic shelters and tables; charcoal grills; gravel walking trails; equestrian trails; a viewing platform; a fenced off-leash dog area; prairie and wetland restoration areas and a small woodland. There are no indoor restrooms, but there is a portable toilet near the parking lot.

Good For: Families, children, dog owners, walkers, horse riders, nature lovers. The park is made up of three parcels acquired over several years by Campton Township to preserve the headwaters of Blackberry Creek.

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Great Parks! Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles

Those of you who live in or grew up in St. Charles are probably thinking “No duh. Of course Pottawatomie is a great park.” So this story is for the rest of you!

In the Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Pottawatomie Park. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Pottawatomie Park, part of the St. Charles Park District.

Location: The park is located on the east side of the Fox River, four blocks north of Route 64 (Main Street) and three blocks west of Route 25. If you’re looking for an address for your GPS, 8 North Avenue in St. Charles will work.

Amenities: Oh gosh. Where to start? This 92-acre park includes a community center, Swanson Pool, a 9-hole golf course, an 18-hole mini-golf course, paddlewheel riverboats, several rentable pavilions, a bandshell, summertime pedal boat and canoe rentals, lighted softball fields, lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball court, a native plant demonstration garden, fishing, picnic tables, paved trail system and two playgrounds. There are two sets of restrooms.

Good For: All ages. One playground (near the tennis courts) is best for the younger set, while the playground on the hill would appeal to older kids. Parents and grandparents will like the Native Plant Demonstration Garden, as well as the paddlewheel riverboats.

Our Experience: While we swam at Swanson Pool several times this summer, it had been probably a year since my daughter and I visited the rest of Pottawatomie Park. I have no idea why, because it truly is a fabulous park, with something for everyone.

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Great Parks! Lake Ellyn Park in Glen Ellyn

Has this steamy summer prompted you to search for a park with a shaded playground? Well, we have a great park to suggest!

Looking out at the small lake in Lake Ellyn. Photo by Tara Burghart.Park Name: Lake Ellyn Park

Location: 645 Lenox Road (at Linden Avenue) in northeast Glen Ellyn. The park is located just to the north of Glenbard West High School. There is no parking lot by the playground, you just park on the street.

Amenities: This 25-acre park features a 10-acre lake, fishing deck, boathouse, picnic area, walking paths, playground, see-saw and swings, including two swings for babies. The public restrooms, located inside the boathouse, are open from April through October. In the winter, Lake Ellyn offers outdoor ice skating and a warming house.

Good for: All ages, but especially preschoolers since the playground equipment is less challenging than some newer playgrounds I've seen.

Our Experience: A friend and I were looking to shake up our playdate routine a bit, so she planned a wonderful July outing to Lake Ellyn Park, followed by lunch at 2 Toots Train Whistle Grill in downtown Glen Ellyn.

My daughter and I met my friend and her two children (ages 3 and 1) at Lake Ellyn Park on a morning that was hot but not yet unbearable. My first impression was that the park is surrounded by some seriously beautiful old homes. My next impression? Shade! Shade! Shade! This lovely park has wonderful old trees, and much of the playground is covered in shade. 

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