Camping area in the Chicago area??

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2KViggen

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Looks like we are going to take our Bounder to flexsteel in October to fix some of the issues we are having with the leather.  We though we could possibly stop by Chicago for a little if we have time & also catch a soccer game (my team plays the Chicago Fire the week we plan on going).

Any ideas on possibly camping areas around the Chicago area?? 

thanks
 
The Chicago area is a wasteland of campgrounds. We always try to leave our coach in Elkhart for repairs and drive back to Chicago. I may be off a few miles but I don't think that there is a CG within 50 miles of downtown.
 
that's what we figured, nothing close ..... any suggestions that are withing a hour or so away? 

Such a huge city I figured 50miles is probably still the suburbs
 
We stay at Fish Lake Resort in Volo. They have a commuter train in nearby Fox River which has service to down town. We will be there Friday Sept 3. There are some further away.

Algonquin has one but I haven't checked it out.  I think there is also one in the southern part of Chicago.
 
As Bernie put it, the Chicago area is a wasteland as far as camping grounds go, in fact it is quite dismal If you are not familiar with the area, you are in trouble, as far as camping and the traffic is concerned. Fortunately we lived in that neck of the woods for many years.

When in that part of the world, we usually stay at Indiana Dunes State Park CG, in the Chesterton ID area, on Lake Michigan.  This is a beautiful campground, the downside is; only electric hookups, with a station for dumping and water. Staying there, you would never know that you are that close to such a big metropolitan area. It also is quiet at all the times.

The South Shore Line - electric commute train into Chicago - is close by as well. In fact the terminal station is at Millennium Park.

Mariekie
 
I am looking for one next summer as we venture on a 5 week excursion from Cambridge, Ontario to Vancouver, BC (via MI, IN, IL, MN, SD. WY, MN).

Chicago or somewhere thereabouts is our day one stop. I checked out Indiana Dunes but it seems that a minimum number of days stay is required (ie. 2 days). I really only want to stop there overnight and then head for the northwest side of Chicago. We plan to stay there for two or three nights and catch a Cubs game at Wrigley and maybe head downtown!

I've been using this website:

http://www.epgsoft.com/CampgroundMap/

hoping it's accurate enough to pinpoint some spots to stay at!

Mike
 
    Last year we stayed at a private park in Michigan City and drove to and from Chicago.  There was a park attached to a Casino that was supposed to be closer, but it was closed last year because of a fire at the casino, it may be open again by now.  However, as stated, there is nothing really close to Chicago.

Ed
 
Have not stayed at any of the following. Used to go to shows in St. Charles and looked into campgrounds but have not been back.


Oasis RV Park at Empress Casino Hotel in Joliet
Address:  2300 Empress Dr
Joliet, IL 60436
Phone: (815) 744-9400


Burnidge Forest Preserve (Paul Wolfe Campground) in Elgin
Phone: 630-232-5980

Windy City Campground and Beach in Tinley Park
Tinley Park Campground Phone Numbers:
Phone: (708) 720-0030
 
We are currently parked at Leisure Lakes Membership Resort at the junction of I-80 and I-55 just SW of Joliet. It is a private membership park but accepts Passport America members. We have stayed here for the past 5 years while visiting our kids in Plainfield and Mike the manager has been working diligently to improve the park. It has nice sites many of which have been upgraded to 50 amp and sewer in the past two years. We are close to the I-80/I-55 intersection but keep the a/c fans running as white noise while sleeping.

It is 46 miles (50 min after rush hour) to the loop via I-55 or you can use one of two Metra lines running from the Joliet station 10 minutes from here.
 
Sometimes, where you plan on being can make some locations more palatable. Our family live on the north side of the city or the north suburbs. We took a look at the campground at Illinois Beach State Park on Lake Michigan next to Zion, IL. Nice looking campground. You can pick up a CNW commuter train in Zion that takes you to the Loop, about a 48 mile train ride.
 
The problem that I have with Zion is that it's too far north of our intended path.

I'm looking at a couple of campgrounds:

One is Chicago Northwest KOA....looks like it has terrible reviews but I'm camping there for 1 or 2 nights....not a week. With a fully enclosed trailer, how bad can it be?

Our intended path leaving the Windy City is via I-90 west.

Mike

 
Our intended path leaving the Windy City is via I-90 west.
Click to expand...

Depends on where on I-90 you are going. If west of WI, from Zion you take US 41 north to WI, merging with I-94 to Milwaukee and west to the I-39 merger. You'll eventually come to the I-94 split and then the I-90 split about 40 miles east of LaCrosse, WI.
 
That would be a good alternative!

We're heading for Sioux Falls, Mount Rushmore and Yellowstone areas and looks like that might work.

What's it like going through Milwakee traffic wise around 9:00 am? I'm sure no where near as bad as Chicago, but still.....

Mike
 
From the IL-WI state line to I-894 in Milwaukee there is road construction.  If you do come up on I-94 take I-894 around Milwaukee and you should have no problems after 0900.  An alternate is to go west and pick up I-39 and that will take you to I-90/94 at Madison and avoid the construction south of Milwaukee.
 
    Mike, we stayed in southern Milwaukee last spring.  We drove one way on the interstate, and the other on back roads, as there was construction on the interstate.  Either way was not overly stop and go due to traffic.

Ed
 
A few more suggestions for Chicago area camping:  There is a nice campground in Sycamore, Ill about 60 miles from Chicago. We have stayed there on 2 separate shakedown trips with new trailers. Small private park with catch and release fishing and pretty sites. There also is a campground in Plainfield Ill which is also about 60 or so miles south of Chicago. The Empress Casino campground is in Joliet Ill. Train goes into city if needed. I'm sorry I don't have campground names as all my books are in my trailer right now but I'm sure you can find them in campground directories.

Bob
 
Bob:

The next time you are near the directory could you get the name of the campground in Plainfield for us? We would love to be closer to our kids when we visit.

Thanks
 
Jeff: I'm sorry, I was thinking Plainfield but meant Yorkville. Hide a Way Lakes Campground in Yorkville was pretty good last time I was there (5 years ago). Just a suggestion. Hope it helps.

Bob
 
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