Tower Road Beach-Winnetka

Take Sheridan Road north to Tower Road, go right into the beach area.  In the summer from 9-5 you will need beach passes to get down (see scott)  Park and walk north through the public beach into the grassy area ... lots of nice shade, sand, sea grass, and lake views.

Be careful ... sometimes there are broken beer bottles back here so watch out.

Gilson Park-Wilmette

Two spots ...

South End - by harbor - enter the park at the South end by the harbor.  Follow the road around keeping right.  You will have to talk your way buy a guard but that may be possible if you have a family from Wilmette that you are photographing ... bring something for your windshield pleading for mercy from the police.

Park in the first few spaces after you can see the lake.  Then you have nice sand, benches, sea grass, lake views.  Also walk south down the path into the woods and there is a nice flagstone bench and park area with shade, trees and views of the harbor.

North End - By Michigan Shores - go East on Lake street from sheridan.  Just before it goes down the hill into the public beach and across from Michigan Shores Club on your left is a street, go right and proceed 50 yards down.  No parking or access restrictions apply here.  There is nice grassy vistas with shade trees as well as a split rail fence for posing.

Crow Island Woods - Winnetka

On the South Side of Willow road between Hibbard Road and Greenbay Road. The park is just west of Crow Island School ... there is a street then a small gravel driveway for and a sign that says Crow Island Woods.  Follow the gravel drive until it ends at some split rail fences and a grove of pine trees.  This is a great late fall and early spring spot with evergreen trees that stay green all year.  They have very knobby branches etc. and a soft pine bed under them.

Very cool spot to simulate green summer when the trees are gone.