RVing from New York to Chicago - suggestions please

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ceejayt said:
Ah, thanks - campground suggestions for Chicago?

Cheers
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See my previous reply. Also we have stayed at Leisure Lakes RV Resort in Shorewood, IL, just SW of Joliet. It is a "membership" park, but they accept Good Sam members. GoodSam is not expensive and will give you 10%off at all Goodsam associated parks (there are many).
 
ceejayt said:
Ah, thanks - campground suggestions for Chicago?

Cheers
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You can dry camp in downtown Chicago.  NO FACILITIES. McCormick Place, a large convention center just south of the city, has a large parking lot where overnight parking is allowed. It's a commercial parking lot with lots of tractor trailer traffic, but if you park on the north end of the lot with the other RV and tour busses it's pretty quiet, again considering it is a commercial parking lot.  No problem running your generator all day and you will have plenty of space to park.

It's not particularly pretty, but it is safe with security patrolling the lot regularly.  It is a $11 uber to the north end of Michigan Avenue, so probably half that to the south part of the city near Millenium Park and the museums.  You're also within easy walking distance of the lake and the bike/walking trails that extend for miles and miles in each direction along the lakeshore.

Don't have the links handy, but just google RV and motorcoach parking McCormick place and it should pop up.  I think it runs around $35/day.
 
Ken & Sheila said:
See my previous reply. Also we have stayed at Leisure Lakes RV Resort in Shorewood, IL, just SW of Joliet. It is a "membership" park, but they accept Good Sam members. GoodSam is not expensive and will give you 10%off at all Goodsam associated parks (there are many).
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Thanks again - added as a note to my trip, the above and your previous reply
 
ualdriver said:
You can dry camp in downtown Chicago.  NO FACILITIES. McCormick Place, a large convention center just south of the city, has a large parking lot where overnight parking is allowed. It's a commercial parking lot with lots of tractor trailer traffic, but if you park on the north end of the lot with the other RV and tour busses it's pretty quiet, again considering it is a commercial parking lot.  No problem running your generator all day and you will have plenty of space to park.

It's not particularly pretty, but it is safe with security patrolling the lot regularly.  It is a $11 uber to the north end of Michigan Avenue, so probably half that to the south part of the city near Millenium Park and the museums.  You're also within easy walking distance of the lake and the bike/walking trails that extend for miles and miles in each direction along the lakeshore.

Don't have the links handy, but just google RV and motorcoach parking McCormick place and it should pop up.  I think it runs around $35/day.
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Thanks - another great suggestion - added as a note to my trip plan
 
Some great additions - thank you

I am now starting a second thread covering our second leg which is from Chicago to St Louis - basically taking in this section of Route 66.

All suggestions welcome :)

Chris
 
ceejayt said:
Some great additions - thank you

I am now starting a second thread covering our second leg which is from Chicago to St Louis - basically taking in this section of Route 66.

All suggestions welcome :)

Chris
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This is working much better since you started separate threads for each leg.
 
SeilerBird said:
This is working much better since you started separate threads for each leg.
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Thanks - and do you really have three mountain lions???
 
Sheryl grew up in Chicago. Highly recommend Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry. As SeilerBird stated, Wrigley Field is not to be missed. If Cubs not playing or you don't really want to watch baseball, we recommend taking a tour of Wrigley Field. Make sure you do it on a non-game day. Then you get to go in the dugouts, locker rooms, press box, on the field, and in the bleachers. Lots and lots of history.

We also live in Orlando and love all of our theme parks and roller coasters.  But don't skip the Kennedy Space Center.
 
In Indiana a great place to camp is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. You will be driving right past it. We have 59 National Parks, 10 National Seashores and 4 National Lakeshores and they are the creme de la creme of beauty in this country.

I second the Indiana Dunes.  Also consider Amish areas along northern Indiana such as Shipshewana and Nappanee.  And the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  The top of the Hancock is much better than the Sears (or whatever it's called now) especially if you time it to see all the city lights come on at dusk.
 
SeilerBird said:
Yep, here is a recent photo of them relaxing on the stove.
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Very young - will take them a long time to grow into adult mountain lions!!!  But I guess they still boss you about!
 
Dream Chasers said:
Sheryl grew up in Chicago. Highly recommend Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry. As SeilerBird stated, Wrigley Field is not to be missed. If Cubs not playing or you don't really want to watch baseball, we recommend taking a tour of Wrigley Field. Make sure you do it on a non-game day. Then you get to go in the dugouts, locker rooms, press box, on the field, and in the bleachers. Lots and lots of history.

We also live in Orlando and love all of our theme parks and roller coasters.  But don't skip the Kennedy Space Center.
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Agree with the above, but also visit Millennium Park and the "bean". Near by is the Art Institute museum and if the Chicago Symphony is practicing in the Pavilion it's worth a few minutes (or an hour).
 
ceejayt said:
Not towing a vehicle - plan on hiring a car if needs be when visiting larger cities or using public transport.
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I absolutely love Chicago, and am jealous of their public transportation system.
We've never RV'd near Chicago so take this "as is".
We usually fly in or drive to O'Hare, stay at a motel near there and take the EL into the city. We've never had a problem accessing all the things to do, as they are at, or a short walk from the CTA stations. A 7 day unlimited pass is 28 bucks)

As pointed out, RV spots are a distance out from the city. Renting a car or uber can add up fast since there are so many great places to see. Parking is horribly expensive.

For example, if you stayed at Martin Campground near Joliet, it's about a 45 min. drive to Midway airport where you could park and take the train in and explore all over the city. The downside is travel time is a little longer.
 
Again, thanks - all great suggestions to be added to the trip
 
You had a suggestion tat the kids would enjoy the Field Museum of Natural History. They will, but I remember that when I was a kid, I really preferred the Museum of Science and Industry.

Another suggestion for Chicago was camping in the McCormick Place parking lot. It indeed convenient, and so far as I know, there is no place else to camp within the city. However, if camping in a big parking lot doesn't appeal to you, the Fish Lake Camping Resort is a 5 to 10 minute drive to the Round Lake Beach Metro station where you can catch a train to downtown Chicago. There is free parking at the station.
 
BinaryBob said:
For example, if you stayed at Martin Campground near Joliet, it's about a 45 min. drive to Midway airport where you could park and take the train in and explore all over the city. The downside is travel time is a little longer.
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But it's not that far to the commuter train in Joliet. BTW, I wouldn't stay at Martin's, I prefer Leisure Lakes in Shorewood or the Hollywood Casino Campground just south of Joliet.
 
Great Horned Owl said:
You had a suggestion tat the kids would enjoy the Field Museum of Natural History. They will, but I remember that when I was a kid, I really preferred the Museum of Science and Industry.

Another suggestion for Chicago was camping in the McCormick Place parking lot. It indeed convenient, and so far as I know, there is no place else to camp within the city. However, if camping in a big parking lot doesn't appeal to you, the Fish Lake Camping Resort is a 5 to 10 minute drive to the Round Lake Beach Metro station where you can catch a train to downtown Chicago. There is free parking at the station.
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Thanks, made a note of this in the trip
 
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