What Do Wilmette Teens Do For Fun

By: Rebecca Lee

Many, if not all, parents looking to purchase homes in the North Shore are especially concerned with the types of environments in which they will raise their children. Not only do families of this community boast of spacious backyards and access to swimming pools their toddlers and elementary age children enjoy, their teenagers are also offered a great and unique variety of activity.

As a teenager who has lived in Wilmette her entire life, I have fond memories from sixth grade about the countless weekend evenings I spent with many of my peers at Panera Bread. All forty of us middle schoolers would have bagels and Mac ‘n Cheese for dinner, then spend hours running around the restaurant giggling and yelling. Every day throughout the summer, we would ride our bicycles to the Gilson Beach, Cocomero Frozen Yogurt, school playgrounds, Homer’s Ice Cream, and the local library. In the winter, we would hit Centennial Ice Rink for Friday Night Skate!  Along with the amount of free time I had, I played soccer and basketball and swam for years through various local programs, where I met some of my closest friends. Clearly, especially at an age when I had few worries, I never struggled to find something to do.

Although I am now older, I find that I have an equally as abundant amount of options. My friends and I can drive to Westfield Old Orchard, where we shop, eat, and watch movies. Wilmette is home to both a Metra station and a CTA station, which we frequently ride to Evanston, Chicago, and Highland Park, among others. This being said, certain places, such as the local beaches, are timelessly popular locations. Although, as I am a student in high school, I find that I very frequently visit one of the many nearby locations of Starbucks to grab coffee, work on homework, or chat with friends. In general, teenagers in the North Shore have a great amount of freedom to walk, bicycle, and drive around our communities.