When summer heats up and you need a quick cool down, Oak Park and the surrounding suburbs have the solution.
The days of running through the backyard sprinkler are gone. Oak Park and the surrounding suburbs are filled with cool splash pads and pools to keep your kids entertained. Many local parks feature splash pads with a wide array of nozzles and features that can shower, spray, rain, mist, and shoot streams of water. Recently, public pools have upped their game by adding slides, sand, and zero-depth water areas.
We’ve rounded up some of our favorite spots to help you create your summer bucket list. So suit up, grab your towel and sunscreen, and prepare for some great ways you and your kids can cool off and have fun this summer—just due west of Chicago.
Splash Pads & Spray Parks
Splash pads are a great way to beat the heat and have a blast during the warmer months. Since they're usually in or near public parks, getting to them is super easy and convenient. These play areas often have cool water features like rainbow, mushroom, or tree-shape showers. Many splash pads also have interactive elements, such as sprayers that activate with a jump and movable nozzles that look like those on fire trucks, keeping kids entertained for hours.
Before you head out to a splash pad, it's a good idea to check their website or Facebook page for daily updates. Many splash pads post info about closures due to weather and any changes to their hours. Most of these facilities are open through Labor Day. And best of all, most are free!
Let's look at splash pad favorites in the near west suburbs.
Oak Park
Field Park | 932 Division Street, Oak Park, IL
Field Park offers loads of summer fun! Lush trees shade the splash pad, which sits near the field house, where you’ll find public restrooms. Outside the splash pad, a button on a green pole activates the ground sprayers. You'll find two benches in the shade right next to the splash pad, and the park has plenty of room to spread out a picnic blanket. Field Park also features two play structures, a pavilion, and a bocce court. The park is open daily from sunrise to 10:00 p.m.; the splash pad is open daily from Memorial Day through Sept. 30, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Fox Park | 624 South Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, IL
At Fox Park, the splash pad is elevated and accessible by a small ramp, offering a one-of-a-kind experience for kids. Just push the button on the blue pole outside the splash area to activate the whale sprayer. The park features a fully enclosed tot-lot with a sandy beach, making it perfect for little ones.
Fox Park is open daily from sunrise to 10:00 p.m.; the splash pad is open daily from Memorial Day through Sept. 30, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Longfellow Park | 610 South Ridgeland Avenue, Oak Park, IL
The Longfellow Park splash pad has a fun seal water feature, kid-activated geysers, and an adjacent small sandy beach. Both the beach and the splash pad are in direct sun, but there’s a nice shaded area north of the splash pad where you can lay out a blanket.
Insider tip: A water wheelchair is available in the splash pad; please reserve a week in advance.
Longfellow Park is open daily from sunrise to 10:00 p.m.; the splash pad is open daily from Memorial Day through Sept. 30, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Brookfield
Brookfield Chicago Zoo Spray Playground | 8400 West 31st Street, Brookfield, IL
Splash pads located at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, near The Living Coast and at the Pavilions, are open when no private events are happening. Splash pad access is included with the cost of zoo admission.
Franklin Park
James Park Splash Pad | 10600 James Street, Franklin Park, IL
The James Park splash pad offers multiple push-to-activate sprayers that keep kids cool and entertained. Open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Championship Park Splash Pad | 9201 Crescent Drive, Franklin Park, IL
The Championship Park splash pad is a local favorite, featuring a tall structure with five buckets that randomly dump water onto kids below. The splash pad is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily.
La Grange
Gordon Park Splash Pad | Ogden Avenue & Tilden Avenue, La Grange, IL
Just steps from the charms of downtown La Grange, the Gordon Park splash pad is a gated spray area where water shoots up from the ground and from a few overhead structures. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day.
La Grange Park
Memorial Park | 132 West Oak Avenue, La Grange Park, IL
Memorial Park's splash pad features a small overhead spray, a water play area with spouts and troughs, and a water table where kids can press buttons to their heart’s content. Best suited for kids 8 and under, it’s open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
