Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is a city of 19,416 people in Lake County, Illinois, founded in 1861.
Why visit Lake Forest
Townapedia lists 62 museums and landmarks, 80 parks and trails, 72 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 8 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Marriott Theatre, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Fort Sheridan Water Tower and Adlai E. Stevenson II Farm.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Lake Forest
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake Forest
Lake Forest is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, 31 miles (50 km) north of downtown Chicago. The population was 19,367 at the 2020 census. The city is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded with Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in 1857, a stop for travelers making their way south to Chicago.
From the Wikipedia article Lake Forest, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do8
Marriott Theatre
Cinema and theater · 4.6 mi
Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, United States
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
School · 4.5 mi
United States university
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
School · 2.9 mi
Academic divinity school
Museums and landmarks62
Fort Sheridan Water Tower
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic United States Army base water tower
Adlai E. Stevenson II Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
House museum and historic farm in northern Illinois, USA
C. S. Soule House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Clifford Milton Leonard Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic farm at 550-579 Hathaway Circle in Lake Forest, Illinois
Deerfield
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Railway station in Illinois
Deerpath Hill Estates
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Dewey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
House in North Chicago
Edward H. Bennett House and Studio
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Lake Forest, Illinois, NRHP-listed in Lake County
Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Building in United States of America
Ernest Loeb House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Historic house at 1425 Waverly Road in Highland Park, Illinois
Evert House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
House in Highland Park, Illinois
Frank Hibbard Estate House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
50 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds80
Prairie Wolf Forest Preserve
Hiking and trails · 2.2 mi
11403 West Half Day Road, Deerfield
06:30-sunset
68 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes72
Dogout
Restaurant · Sandwich, American, Hot Dog, Sausage, Burger · 2.5 mi
2567 Waukegan Road, Bannockburn
Mo-Su 11:00-15:00
Eggspresso
Restaurant · Breakfast, American, Burger, Salad, Soup, Sandwich, Diner, Coffee Shop, Juice · 2.5 mi
2545 Waukegan Road, Bannockburn
Mo-Su 06:00-15:00
Hometown Coffee & Juice
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.5 mi
235 East Wisconsin Avenue, Lake Forest
Mo-Su 07:00-17:00
Le Colonial Lake Forest
Restaurant · Vietnamese, French · 1.4 mi
655 Forest Avenue, Lake Forest
Su-We 12:00-21:00; Th-Sa 12:00-22:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 3.4 mi
2060 Skokie Valley Road, Highland Park
Mo-Fr 05:00-22:00; Sa 05:00-21:00; Su 05:30-21:00
Sushi Kushi Toyo
Restaurant · Japanese, Sushi, Udon, Ramen, Curry, Soba, Noodle, Seafood, Beef Bowl · 1.0 mi
825 South Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Tu-Th 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:30-14:00, 17:00-21:45; Su...
The Peanut Gallery
Restaurant · American, Ice Cream · 1.4 mi
588 North Western Avenue, Lake Forest
We-Sa 11:00-20:00
Courtyard Wines
Brewery and winery · 1.4 mi
590 North Western Avenue, Lake Forest
Tu-Fr 11:00-18:00; Sa 11:00-17:00
60 more on the map.
Where to stay6
Deer Path Inn
Motel and hotel · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
255 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest
Residence Inn by Marriott Chicago Lake Forest/Mettawa
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
26325 Riverwoods Boulevard, Mettawa
Churches and places of worship16
Ascension of Our Lord Greek Orthodox Church
Church · Greek Orthodox · 2.8 mi
1207 North Riverwoods Road, Lincolnshire
Church of St. Mary
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.2 mi
175 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest
Shopping12
Lake Forest True Value Hardware
Hardware store · 1.0 mi
825 South Waukegan Road, Lake Forest
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries68
Woodland Academy of the Sacred Heart
School · Roman Catholic · 1.4 mi
760 West Sheridan Road, Lake Forest
Lake Forest Country Day School
School · 1.0 mi
145 South Green Bay Road, Lake Forest
Trinity International University
School · Evangelical · 3.0 mi
2065 Half Day Road, Deerfield
Deerfield High School
School · 3.3 mi
1959 North Waukegan Road, Deerfield
Healthcare8
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital
Hospital · 1.4 mi
1000 North Westmoreland Road, Lake Forest
North Shore Medical Group Bannockburn Medical Office
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.0 mi
2151 Waukegan Road, Bannockburn
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Health & Fitness Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.8 mi
1200 North Westmoreland Road, Lake Forest
Map of Lake Forest
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 16°F | 2.1 in | 11.3 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 19°F | 2.0 in | 7.7 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.3 in | 5.6 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 1.1 in |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 3.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 2.6 in | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 2.3 in | 5.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chicago Botanic Garden (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lake County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-13: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Highwood 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Lake Bluff 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Bannockburn 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Knollwood 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Highland Park 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Lincolnshire 4 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Deerfield 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Vernon Hills 5 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Riverwoods 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- North Chicago 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Lake Forest City Hall, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bike-ped detour and stay on sidewalk signs - Lake Forest, IL - July 2025, AlphaBeta135, CC BY 4.0
- Deerpath Inn, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sheridan Water Tower, US gov, Public domain
- Lake Bluff Uptown, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Haerman Lanzl House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Edward L. Ryerson Country House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Louis F. Swift House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mrs. C. Morse Ely House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clifford Milton Leonard Farm, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Barrell Memorial Gate, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Willits House, User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Ross Beatty House 1499SheridanRd, Ronincmc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 265 King Muir, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Noble Judah Estate, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Edward H Bennett House, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Samuel Holmes House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Linden Park Place-Belle Avenue Historic District, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- William McCormick Blair Estate house, Nyttend, Public domain
- Richard Churchill House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Great Lakes Bldg 1, Goldnpuppy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ross J Beatty House 344RavineDr2, Ronincmc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John Griffith Store Building, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Frank Hibbard Estate House-Deerpath Hill Estates, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dewey House North Chicago, Teemu08 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ernest Loeb House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Humer Building 1894SheridanRd, Ronincmc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Image Hosmer Morse House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hazel Avenue Prospect Avenue Historic District, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oakwood Ave Houses, Teemu08 ( talk ) (Transferred by Bill william compton /Originally uploaded by Teemu08 ), CC BY 3.0
- West Park Pavilion, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Adlai E. Stevenson II Farm, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Passenger Depot, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jean Butz James Museum of the Highland Park Historical Society, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sylvester Millard House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Highland Park Water Tower3, Ronincmc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Innisfail Lake Forest, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jerome Caruso in 2026, Chooseso, CC0
- Jerome Caruso in March 2026, Chooseso, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.