The summer season is associated with spending time out in the warm weather, and what better way to enjoy it than with a game of tennis?
Here are a few of our favorite courts, where you can amp up your game.
Arlington Heights:
Forest View Racquet & Fitness Club*
Hours: Open seven days a week, 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
** On Saturdays and Sundays, open until 1 p.m. Closing hours vary by special events on weekends.
Courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at no charge to the general public. It can get very busy since the facility is one of the fewest in the area that has lit courts; advanced reservations are recommended (up to 24 hours for non-members and up to a week for members).
Located right off the Arlington Heights exit on the Edens, this tennis club is easily accessible. The facility features seven outdoor hard tennis courts, with 5 of them lit—perfect for playing late at night.
One of the highlights of this facility is its QuickStart program for kids, a fun and engaging way to play the game earlier in the learning process. The program, sponsored by the USTA, provides children 10 and under with age, size and ability-appropriate equipment, from smaller racquets to smaller courts.
Highland Park:
Deer Creek Courts*
Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., M-F & S-S
This park district-owned facility features 39 outdoor courts, with 7 of them lit. Four of the seven courts are hard clay courts. The facility is seven minutes by car to downtown Highland Park, so perfect for a little “après tennis” fun (it is near the restaurants Hole in the Wall and Charlie Beinlich’s). Located in the back of Fink Park, parents can play their game and drop their kids off to frolic in the two brand new playgrounds.
Call ahead to reserve a court and to register for lessons; up to a week for members and up to 3 days for non-members. Non-members also have to pay an $8 guest fee to use the facility.
Lake Forest:
Lake Forest Park & Recreation Center
Hours: Vary by park, typically 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
In conjunction with College Park Athletic Center, this Lake Forest facility features tennis courts at 3 different parks: Deerpath, West and Waveland. Less than a mile from downtown Lake Forest, West Park offers newly resurfaced courts. The facility also offer the QuickStart tennis program for children.
Northbrook:
Wood Oaks Green Park
Hours: Sunrise-sunset, early April through mid-October
The park features 8 asphalt-covered tennis courts and a practice wall. Courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Skokie:
Skokie Park Tennis Center
Hours: Sunrise-sunset, Sunday-Saturday
Prime Hours (under supervision) 6-10 p.m., M-F and Sundays
Members must call 24 hours to seven days in advance; non-members can show up on the day they want to play to reserve a court.
Located in the heart of Skokie, this facility features 8 courts in the complex; 6 can be reserved and 2 are reserved for lessons. A great way to start your day!
Winnetka:
A.C. Nielsen Tennis Center*
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 6:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Friday-Sunday 6:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Reservations will be accepted for members up to seven days in advance, non-members 48 hours in advance. Outdoor Court reservations will be held up to 10 minutes after court start time. Empty courts will be assigned to waiting players.
This recently resurfaced state-of-the-art facility features 12 free outdoor courts, with 5 of them lit. Located right next to the Winnetka Golf Course and less than one mile to downtown Winnetka and Northfield, this tennis center is also a great place to host parties.
*Also features indoor courts—great for playing in the winter!
