Splash pads in Evanston, Illinois

Lighthouse Beach Splash is one of the rare lakefront-Chicago splash combos where you can run from sprays to Lake Michigan in twenty steps. The splash is small and supplementary — the real draw is the beach (paid for non-Evanston residents in summer) and the historic Grosse Point Lighthouse. Paid lot parking; restrooms at the beach. Parent gotcha: the lake breeze can chill toddlers fast on a windy afternoon — pack a real towel and a hoodie even in July. Best on weekday mornings before beach crowds. Pair with a tour of the lighthouse. North-suburban Chicago summer at its lakefront best.