Someone asked about camping. Cook County has no forest preserve camping. But nearby DuPage County has
Blackwell Forest Preserve.
Another camping option that should be really nice right now, but a bit further away from the meets, is the
Indiana Dunes State Park. These campsites are right up against the dunes, which in themselves are fascinating. They're huge. And there are some good hiking trails over and through them, to Lake Michigan. There's even a 10k run every fall over those trails, so a morning jog could be rather spectacular...for the midwest.