Hit The Beach, Enjoy Those Final Carefree Days Of Summer

By now, you probably fall into one of two camps: can't wait for the kids to get back or dread the return to school (or maybe a little of both).

Whatever you're feeling, now is the time to drop the back-to-school list, forget about buying school clothes, stop micromanaging your calendar, and just enjoy the sweetest days of summer.

There's no better spot to park your blanket than in Lake Forest or in Lake Bluff. Most people are back from their travels, so even if you take your kids alone, chances are they will run into a classmate or two and find plenty to do.

If you're short on toys for the beach, make a quick stop at in Lake Forest. They've got everything from shovels and buckets for the wee ones, to wake boards and tubes for the older ones.

If you don't have the energy for sand cleanup, there's always the in Lake Bluff. The only public pool nearby, is one of the few that still has a high dive (a rarity in this litigious world we live in today).

There are no slides, no dumping buckets, and no zero depth — just a big pool for tossing the water basketball around or for playing shark and minnows. And, plenty of lounge chairs for you.

When you’ve had enough of the sun and water, take the kids to get ice cream. Who cares if it’s an hour before dinner. Saddle up to the bar at and let them go crazy. Then take a seat on the bench outside and let your kids know that nothing matters more than the simple pleasures of sticky fingers, sunburned cheeks and time together.