The Botanic Gardens are about 20 minutes away from the hotel and are a great way to spend a few hours during the day.
Beautiful Chicago is only about an hour away from Lake Forest by train or car and we highly suggest you check it out! There are so many great things to do there - from The Bean (also known as Cloud Gate) and Millennium Park, to the Chicago architecture tour (must do!), to countless deep dish pizza options, to Cubs games and Wrigley field - you will have a blast. If you plan on going, let us know and we will send you detailed recommendations! If driving, beware of traffic (even on weekends). If taking the train, note that there are TWO train stations in Lake Forest, so make sure you go to the right one! Parking at the east side train station can be tricky (most spots are limited at 2 hours), so we suggest getting to the station a little early.
You can walk or rent bikes directly from the hotel. There are tons of different paths and you can see them all here: https://www.traillink.com/trail/north-shore-bike-path/ Check out the North Shore Bike Path, Skokie Valley Path or any of the other paths on the site. If you venture into the city, check out the The Chicago Lake Front Trail as this will take you along the lake.
Market Square: Lake Forest's town center and a great place to shop around (http://shopmarketsquare.com/) Northbrook Court: Closest mall in case you forget something! It also has a movie theater if your plus one isn't a shopper (https://www.northbrookcourt.com/en.html).
Everyone should try deep dish pizza because it's a Chicago tradition, and because it is amazing. Prepare to be full. Lou Malnatis: The Buffalo Grove location is closet to the hotel. There is also a location in Lake Forest, but it is carry-out only (order.loumalnatis.com) Ferintinos: A Lake Forest Tradition. The pizza and paninis are both amazing. There are two locations: an eat in location on the east side of lake forest, near Market Square (town center) and a carry-out location on the west side of Lake Forest (https://www.ferentinospizzeria.com/)
Check our Portillos for an amazing Chicago style hot dog!! The Vernon Hills location (221 E Townline Rd) is about 10 minutes from the hotel and from Lake Forest. The chopped salad and chocolate cake are also amazing!
Chief's Pub: Casual bar food, beer and spirits. Closes at 1am (http://chiefspub.com/) Lake Bluff Brewing Company: Local brewery (http://www.lbbrew.com/) The Lantern of Lake Forest: Very casual bar food and drinks
Ice cream, chocolate and all things dessert in Market Square
The BEST breakfast spot in town