Looking for spooky free fun? An army of skeletons have invaded Downtown Highwood,and searching for them has never been more fun!  If you do go ahead and visit, make sure to read these tips before you go.

Getting started to see the Skeletons in Highwood

Surprisingly, there was plenty of street parking available even for a weekend. We parked on a side street along Green Bay.

Treat yourself

It’s up to you if you want to treat yourself first or later, but a trip to the area must include ice cream from Chicago Mike’s Ice Cream. Homemade ice cream with tons of great flavors? What more could you want?

I consider lattes a treat so headed next door to Tala Coffee Roasters. One thing I love about Tala Coffee is that they roast their own coffee in Libertyville, and, if you’re obsessed with lavender like me, they have their own lavender roast. So you know we walked out with a bag! Watch out for their fall specials like the Kumbaya, a twist on toasted S’mores. It was absolutely divine and perfect for a fall windy day. 

Tip: We found the bathrooms here very clean. They also have a parking lot here if you don’t want to find street parking.

Walk along Green Bay and Sheridan/Waukegan

Skeletons can be found on Green Bay and Sheridan/Waukegan.

Short on time?

If you’re short on time and want to see as many skeletons in Highwood as possible, park on Sheridan. Plenty of skeletons could be found in front of the “Enjoy Highwood” mural. Don’t miss The Wizard of Oz skeletons in front of City Hall too!

Don’t forget to look up

While many of the skeletons can be easily viewed as you walk, take a second to look up to find more. 

Look inside

Not only are the skeletons visible outside, but if you take a peek through the windows you’ll also find plenty.

Make a game out of it

To spice up hunting for the skeletons, we tried to see how many we could find. (The kids found over 260!) Instead of taking pictures of each one, my little skeleton hunters chose their favorites and snapped a photo with them. (And yes, we still ended up taking tons of photos.) Here are some of our favorites:

Scope out the murals

As you know I’m obsessed with murals. Downtown Highwood has a couple you can’t miss! The “Enjoy Highwood” mural is located at 335 Waukegan Avenue. 28 Mile Vodka and Distillery had an awesome wings mural.

Dine out

As you’re walking downtown, you will no doubt notice the number of eateries here. (Many establishments had outdoor seating too!) Our ice cream and coffee may have filled us up, but the smells coming from the restaurants were amazing! Some of the places we’d like to try include: chicken from Cluckers,  Caribbean food from El Buren, or tacos from La Plancha Loca. 28 Mile Vodka and Distillery will definitely go on my date night list. I wanted to grab more treats and baked goods at Bent Fork Bakery but they were closed.

While You’re Here

A few minutes away, you’ll find Michael Jordan’s former home. Well, technically the gates to his home. 

Final thoughts about Skeletons in Highwood

Strolling through Downtown Highwood is a treat, but add in skeletons and it made for such a super fun way to celebrate the Halloween season! Highly, highly recommend!