Venues & Event Spaces in Wilmette, IL

“A park and a beach is along the lake. Gillson Park is the best thing about Wilmette, and beats any of those overcrowded ones farther south. If you want to actually be able to walk on a beach and not feel crowded, then head up a ways. Be careful about where you park because you can find places for free. There's also plenty of green space for athletic fields. Gillson is a big park, and that makes it feel not as crowded. It has several different parts. There's the actual park with the grass and trees. It's often very quiet here. Where's all the people? At the beach. This beach is still less crowded than any of the Chicago beaches full of both locals and tourists. It has a nice little play area. The sand is pretty clear of debris for the most part. Also at this park is a big a** marina. There's lots of boats, and there's also a club you can join if you can pay up. However you spend time here, just be careful about parking or it may be costly. It has pay lots close to the beach but you can find free parking on the residential streets. They have certain places where you can't park though, so pay attention to signs and whatever.”

“Had my bridal shower here over the weekend and it was wonderful! It is a great space to hold a small event. The wine was delicious and the owner and woman pouring wine for us were so nice. Highly recommend!”

“I just love this place. So much history here. Not a big chain. You open the door and walk back into a time when life was simpler and kinder. It just feels like a home, a community. You can feel it with all the young people working there. They are just great. Smart and very attentive, trying their best to do whatever they can to help. OK, I'm old, but it's one of those things that makes you feel that the world is going to be ok with kids like this. And they've been working there for at least 3 years from what they tell me. How many teens work in the same place for 3 years, or come back from college to work in the same place? That says something about the management. I had a question about their pricing as the charge is $55/hr. In the old days, it cost $6/per person per game. Then, $2 for shoes. So, $8 per person per game. That would be $32/half hour for 4 people. But, they are charging $27.50 for a half hour. That's actually cheaper if you do the math. Way back in the late 1950's my older brother was a pinsetter here before they had the machines to set the pins. One of his jobs was cleaning the sticky grease off the tables, railings and bowling balls from all the food people brought in. So there's that as a reason to ask people to not bring food in. (That's my same brother who dated Ann Margaret who used to live above the bowling alley!!!) So, it's a funky place with lots of memories for me. If you want that special sparkling new mall feeling, then this is not your place. If you want some atmosphere with everything you need, it's great. I'd love to be there for the Big Labowski Tournament. Anyway, for my taste: 5 Stars.”