Round Lake Beach is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts
Round Lake Beach, which began with a scattering of summer resort cottages, is a thriving suburban community offering affordable housing, an excellent park district and recreation galore.
People became familiar with the area when Chicago magazine publisher Curtis Howe Springer offered a home in Round Lake Beach as a contest prize. Later, during the Depression, developer L.B. Harris sold homes at rock-bottom prices.
From a housing perspective today, there are a lot of very affordable homes in Round Lake Beach, and as far as square footage and lot size, you get a lot of house for your money, said Matthew Lawrence, broker-associate with Crown Realty Network.
"Many newer subdivisions include trails and parks, and some are built almost like year-round resorts, which are very attractive. The area has forest preserves and a lot of open trails and pretty scenery, which was a plus when my family decided to come here," Lawrence said.
"Right now they're making a lot of improvements in the community, and the park district has increased its facilities in the past several years to where it has incredible offerings. These enhancements continue to make the community a desirable place to live.
"Programs include everything from swimming to archery. There's the Hart Road swimming complex and children's museum, which is really nice," Lawrence said.
The children's museum offers a hands-on experience for youngsters who can drive a car to the grocery store, gas up at the gas station, get in an ambulance, and more - all in miniature, kid-sized settings.
Hart's Hill is a lighted sledding hill with warming house and concession building, and Hart's Woods has a ropes course. The nearby Renwood Golf Course offers lessons, camps and special promotions for seniors. Other park district facilities include a teen center, child development center, skate park and BMX park.
Round Lake Beach is a family-oriented community that has a very nice park district with lots of activities and sports programs, said Holly Blanchette, Realtor with RE/MAX Grand. The village hosts a lot of family activities, such as family night out, and during the holidays it sponsors "shop with a cop" for underprivileged children.
"The park district opened a new Sports Center a few years ago with volleyball, soccer and basketball. We also have great soccer programs through the American Youth Soccer Organization," she said.
A sports enthusiast, Blanchette runs the AYSO sports program for children with special needs.
The community has two major forest preserves, many parks and biking/jogging trail that runs through the village. Round Lake and several other lakes offer a beach, swimming and other summer activities for families. Pontoons or speed boats can be used on some of the lakes. The lakes are shared by the different villages in the area, Lawrence said.
A new Cultural and Civic Center with an outdoor stage and view of Hook Lake attracts a lot of different ethnic groups, Lawrence said. "It's exciting what they're proposing and the building that they're doing here."
For shopping, the Rollins Road corridor and Route 83 offer a strong retail area with strip malls, big box stores, restaurants and convenience stores.
A popular spot on Rollins Road is Kristof's Entertainment Center, which has been providing fun for families for more than 30 years with all kinds of activities - bowling, billiards, arcade, minigolf, go-karts, batting cages and birthday parties.
A Metra station is adjacent to Mallard Creek Shopping Center.