Many nearby golf courses, country clubs, recreational complexes, theaters and semiprofessional sports arenas offer Hanover Park residents an array of leisure and recreational opportunities. The Chicago metro area also provides near endless opportunities to explore entertainment, professional sports, museums, opera, art exhibits, symphony and theatre.

The Mallard Lake Forest Preserve is located on the south side of Hanover Park and is part of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. This Forest Preserve encompasses a large portion of beautifully wooded areas with plenty of opportunities to explore outdoor activities. Amenities within the boundaries include a fishing pier, a shelter, a dog exercise area and a bike path. Plenty of wildlife inhabits Mallard Lake including meadowlarks, great-horned owls, red-tailed hawks and kestrels.

To the west of County Farm Road is the Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve, which will soon be connected to the Mallard Lake Forest Preserve via a bike path. Hawk Hollow is comprised of over 1,000 largely undeveloped acres and offers spectacular views of the West Branch of the DuPage River Valley. This meandering river flows through Hawk Hollow from north to south. Over 500 plant species inhabit this Forest Preserve including wild bergamot, prairie sunflowers, wild geranium and white, bur, red and black oak trees. More than 130 animal species – several that are listed as endangered or threatened – can also be found in Hawk Hollow. Black-crowned night herons, great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, redheaded woodpeckers, minks, raccoons, coyotes, deer and beavers are just a few of the animals that visitors can view.