Chicago has an abundance of beautiful residential neighborhoods. Explore the gorgeous homes, pristine sidewalks, and distinct character of Chicago’s top places to live. Here are some of our must-run destinations:
NORTH
Evanston Area. Wonderful running in this upscale suburb on Chicago’s north shore, just north of the City of Chicago border. Explore the Northwestern University Campus, including 2 miles of lakeshore path. Also beautiful residential streets, and inland the Channel Trail along the North Branch of the Chicago River.
Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka. A route featuring the wonderful for running streets of Chicago’s North Shore neighborhoods, including a tour of Highland Park following the North Shore Classic Half Marathon course. Glencoe and Winnetka are also great for running.
Fort Sheridan: A gorgeous residential neighborhood spread between Lake Forest, Highwood, and Highland Park, Fort Sheridan offers multiple opportunities to explore this part of the Lake Michigan Coast. Most runners use the Robert McClory Bike Path, which is really just a wide sidewalk along the shops and restaurants of Sheridan Road. One can also run north on Sheridan Road to the trails of Moraine Park — this rolling reserve is the best bet for hill work in otherwise flat Chicago. Moraine Park MAP
WEST
Oak Park: For a residential run just west of Chicago, Oak Park offers some safe, pleasant streets where one can exercise with minimal interruption from traffic. The streets are more or less a grid, so you can manufacture a run of any length. One good bet is Chicago Ave., where you can enjoy the nice homes, including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio.
Clarendon Hills: This suburb west of the city ranks consistently high on lists of the best places to live in Chicago. It’s no wonder, with its pretty homes and curling networks of well-kempt sidewalks. Create a run of any length on the close-set streets here. One good option is a “Figure 8” around the center of town, using Burlington Ave., Chicago Ave., and Norfolk Ave. to the north, and Park Ave,. South Prospect, and Harris Ave. to the south.
Buffalo Grove: Another desirable neighborhood northwest of Chicago, Buffalo Grove is known for a large Fine Arts Festival and many fine homes with the wide lawns and concrete sidewalks typical of suburban Chicago. For a tour of the area, we recommend circling some of the loopy streets of the Parks District, or a circle around Lake Arlington.
Riverside. Located in Cook County 9 miles west of Chicago and near Midway Airport, Riverside is a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1870s. It’s gorgeous for running. See our separate Riverside post.
Chicago has an abundance of beautiful residential neighborhoods. Explore the gorgeous homes, pristine sidewalks, and distinct character of Chicago’s top places to live. Here are some of our must-run destinations:
NORTH
Evanston Area. Wonderful running in this upscale suburb on Chicago’s north shore, just north of the City of Chicago border. Explore the Northwestern University Campus, including 2 miles of lakeshore path. Also beautiful residential streets, and inland the Channel Trail along the North Branch of the Chicago River.
Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka. A route featuring the wonderful for running streets of Chicago’s North Shore neighborhoods, including a tour of Highland Park following the North Shore Classic Half Marathon course. Glencoe and Winnetka are also great for running.
Fort Sheridan: A gorgeous residential neighborhood spread between Lake Forest, Highwood, and Highland Park, Fort Sheridan offers multiple opportunities to explore this part of the Lake Michigan Coast. Most runners use the Robert McClory Bike Path, which is really just a wide sidewalk along the shops and restaurants of Sheridan Road. One can also run north on Sheridan Road to the trails of Moraine Park — this rolling reserve is the best bet for hill work in otherwise flat Chicago. Moraine Park MAP
WEST
Oak Park: For a residential run just west of Chicago, Oak Park offers some safe, pleasant streets where one can exercise with minimal interruption from traffic. The streets are more or less a grid, so you can manufacture a run of any length. One good bet is Chicago Ave., where you can enjoy the nice homes, including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio.
Clarendon Hills: This suburb west of the city ranks consistently high on lists of the best places to live in Chicago. It’s no wonder, with its pretty homes and curling networks of well-kempt sidewalks. Create a run of any length on the close-set streets here. One good option is a “Figure 8” around the center of town, using Burlington Ave., Chicago Ave., and Norfolk Ave. to the north, and Park Ave,. South Prospect, and Harris Ave. to the south.
Buffalo Grove: Another desirable neighborhood northwest of Chicago, Buffalo Grove is known for a large Fine Arts Festival and many fine homes with the wide lawns and concrete sidewalks typical of suburban Chicago. For a tour of the area, we recommend circling some of the loopy streets of the Parks District, or a circle around Lake Arlington.
Riverside. Located in Cook County 9 miles west of Chicago and near Midway Airport, Riverside is a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1870s. It’s gorgeous for running. See our separate Riverside post.
Chicagoland almost has too many neighborhoods to count, but this guide to some of the top residential and corporate areas of the suburbs can help you find a place to run near your home, office, or hotel.
The Forest Preserves in the Chicago suburbs are a unique feature of the Chicago running scene. Here are our favorites of these beautiful green spaces, with route recommendations and trail maps.
Illinois has preserved the legacy of its railroads with an extensive network of multi-use paths. We’ve picked out the top paths for running, with maps and suggestions of best sections. See our overview map for the path closest to you!
Located in Cook County, this Olmsted-designed neighborhood -- one of the first planned communities in the United States -- is a gem for running, with leafy streets and historic homes.
Wonderful running in this upscale suburb on Chicago's north shore. Explore the NWU Campus, including 2 miles of lakeshore path. Also beautiful residential streets, and inland the Channel Trail along the North Branch of the Chicago River.
This run features the wonderful for running streets of Chicago’s North Shore neighborhoods, including a tour of Highland Park following the North Shore Classic Half Marathon course. Glencoe and Winnetka are also great for running.
Some scenic running in Zion at the north end of Chicagoland: nature trails and multi-use trails through dunes & wetlands at Illinois Beach State Park; 2.2 mile Zion Trail; and trails in North Dunes Nature Preserve and around North Point Marina. Can be combined!
Wonderful running around Wolf Lake and along Lake Michigan in the Chicago East Side/Calumet area on the Illinois/Indiana border. Lake views, savanna, marshland, dunes. We've mapped several terrific loops, which can be combined.
Adjacent parks feature some wonderful running options through a variety of terrain, including spectacular dunescapes, marshlands, forests, and many miles of beachfront along Lake Michigan. Only an hour from Chicago!
Forest Preserves aren’t the only natural spaces for running in Chicagoland. These other parks have great trail systems for escaping the city to run on dirt or sand.
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Clarendon Hills: This suburb west of the city ranks consistently high on lists of the best places to live in Chicago. It’s no wonder, with its pretty homes and curling networks of well-kempt sidewalks. Create a run of any length on the close-set streets here. One good option is a “Figure 8” around the center of town, using Burlington Ave., Chicago Ave., and Norfolk Ave. to the north, and Park Ave,. South Prospect, and Harris Ave. to the south.
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Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!