Northbrook has a plethora of fun recreational activities and facilities in which residents can participate. The Northbrook Park District maintains over 500 acres of parks, facilities and playgrounds that house more than 1,300 leisure programs. Furthermore, the Northern Illinois Realtors Association cited the Northbrook Park District as one of the top reasons families' move into the community. Eight recreational facilities including a 27-hole golf course, aquatic and sports centers. A project is underway for a 60 acre open space recreational area that includes golf, fishing and a skate park.

From an academic standpoint, kindergarten through high school, Northbrook students consistently score above average on standardized tests including the Prairie State Achievement Examination, ACT and SAT.

Shopping is plentiful at Northbrook Court on Lake Cook Road and Village Square of Northbrook on Skokie Boulevard. Northbrook has low municipal tax rates due to its strong commercial and industrial districts.

To date there have been two movies filmed in Northbrook. The comedy movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off was filmed at Glenbrook North and South High Schools. The closing scene from the film The Breakfast Club was filmed in Northbrook at the Glenbrook North High School football field

Attractions:
Northbrook include the spacious Meadowhill Aquatic Center pool complex, the state-of-the-art Sports Center ice arena and the Sportsman's Country Club championship golf course. Villagers also have ample opportunity to attend live theater productions, a winter ice skating competition, a Daddy-Daughter dance, a Northbrook-on-Ice Show, summer Park Fest concerts, and the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra.

Northbrook is home to the Chicago Botanic Garden, a world-renown 385-acre preserve featuring 23 display gardens and three native habitats. The gardens and habitats are breathtakingly designed across nine islands surrounded by lakes. Chicago Botanical Garden is one of the country's most visited public gardens and a preeminent center for research. Northbrook offers easy access to some of Chicagoland's most favorite attractions like the outdoor musical offerings of Ravinia in nearby Highland Park.