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11 Unforgettable RV Camp Spots in Illinois (Both Parks and Rustic)

Published on April 1st, 2019 by Camper Report
This post was updated on May 17th, 2019

Whether you’re planning an RV cross-country trip, or you live in Illinois and want to explore the outdoors, we have some great options for you to explore today.

I love camping, so I hope you find the best Illinois camping experience of your life within this post!

1. Archway RV Park

Located at: 4810 Broadway, Mount Vernon IL 62864

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Family owned and run the Archway RV park has everything that you will need for either a quick pit stop or to serve as a base-camp for family adventures.

There are 42 RV sites available that appear in both pull through and back in formats. Enjoy the beauty of Illinois from the comfort of your RV in Archway Park.

There are several amenities ranging from taking care of your basic needs like laundry to giving your family the fun time that they deserve.

The large playground is great for the young ones in the family to get all of their energy out. While there is a fishing pond nearby for calmer hands to reel in those fish that’ll make for memories and photos.

The pond is catch and release though so that the fishing fun can be shared with others.

The Park is conveniently located near a Walmart superstore and a Pilot gas station so any needs that you may have is accessible through the stores nearby the park.

One of the popular amenities is the dog run and exercise field. The welcoming pet environment will make sure that man’s best friend does not to be left at home as they be able to enjoy the fields with you and you’ll all be able to enjoy Illinois and the beauty of the outdoors.

2. Leisure Lake Membership Resort

Photo Courtesy of: Leisure Lake Membership Resort

Located at: 21900 SW Frontage Rd, Joliet, IL 60404

With 180 full utility hook up sites the Leisure lake membership resort is a great place to relax just a couple of miles outside of Chicago. It’s just 40 miles outside of the big city so you can sleep in the campsite while seeing all the museums, shows, and eating in all the available restaurants in Chicago.

Just around the campsite, you have the option 9 hole mini golf; paddle boats for a 24-acre lake; rowboats; or playing games of horseshoes volleyball, tennis pickleball, or basketball.

There are even more games available in the recreation center where you can play Billiard, Golden Tee, Air Hockey, a variety of arcade game, all with the luxuries of WiFi and an in-park convenience store.

There is even a 2-acre sand swimming beach and a stocked fishing lake with 5 docks. The whole appeal of Leisure lake is to experience the outdoors without needing to travel all the way away from the big city. It’s a great stop so long as you can get a membership to be granted admittance.

3. Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park

Located at: 1 Lake Front Drive, Zion, IL 60099

Near Lake Michigan, Illinois Beach State Park is one of your best options for exploring the shore of the Great lake. With 241 available campsites, you have plenty of options for where you’ll situate yourself as you prepare to explore what exactly Lake Michigan has to offer.

The area is praised for the variety of the flora in the area with an astounding 650 different species of plants; it is a botanists dream. The Zion bike trail in the area allows for a long stretch of path for some good riding out in the Illinois Wilderness.

Fishing is allowed on the beach area and there are several smaller inland ponds that can also serve up a fair amount of fish. There is even a place called the disabled fishing pier which allows for even those with disabilities to participate in the sport of catching fish.

The number one attraction is the beach that the park is named after. A major summertime attraction it serves as a sandy paradise for whatever swimming your family seeks to get done.

If that all isn’t enough then you can head just 5 miles north to the North Point Marina. Which is in full service and has 1,500 slips, a boat service center and food concession.

So if you want to experience everything the lake has to offer you can take a boat out.

4. Pleasant Creek Campground

Located at: 926 N. 2150th Road, Oglesby IL 61348

Located 5 miles for the entrance of Starved Rock State Park you have the option of 140 sites to park your RV at. The largest benefit is just how close it is to Starved Rock which is an amazing camping area itself but only for tents or a stay in their lodge and cabins.

So stop on by the Pleasant Creek campground where you can either spend your time with the fishing ponds, picnic spots, and welcome center or use it as a place to store your RV while you drive up and camp out at Starved Rock to see what all the fuss is about with this State Park.

Starved rock is all about the amazing view. From waterfalls to canyons you get a year-round experience of the power and strength of nature. Each season is different and all are worth experiencing.

The vibrant fall colors are a favorite as you get to see the colored leaves among the beautiful natural stonework.

But even the Winter is a good season to visit as the snowfall and iced over water adds an extra element to the whole experience. There are even Bald Eagles in the area that will soar overhead allowing you to see just how well connected you can get to nature out in the woods.

Overall whether you are just seeing the natural sites that exist or getting to experience the trails that so many have walked before you’ll love what Starved Rock has to offer.

5. Fort Massac State Park

Located at: 1308 E. 5th Street, Metropolis, Illinois 62960

Travel back to colonial times while still enjoying the comforts of RV at Fort Massac a park rich in historical significance. The location has been preserved to look just like it did in the early 1800s. It became Illinois’s first state park in 1908.

Fort Massac is a historical replica of the 1802 American fort that existed in the same spot. The area contains 2 barracks, 3 block houses, officer quarters, well, and a stockade.

There is a visitors center/office and a museum in the area to learn about all the historical details of the fort and how things would be run if this was truly back in the 1800s.

Throughout the year there are several historical reenactments that take place the pull the audience back into yesteryear to experience the trials and tribulations of Colonial life.

There is plenty of land that can be used for picnicking, hiking, camping, boating, and hunting on the 1,450-acre area. Come take your family experience the outdoors, experience history, and stay in comfort in your RV.

6. MillPoint RV Park

Photo Courtesy of: MillPoint RV Park

Located at: 310 Ash Lane, East Peoria, IL 61611

80 hookup spots are available in the park which rests on the Upper Peoria Lake on the Illinois River.

With full showers and a bathhouse available you’ll be able to experience the outdoors in full glory while keeping all your needs at bay. Enjoy the land and the hiking and biking trails there or enjoy the water with the riverboat launch that they have available.

The Peoria Pizza Works is the staple food stop in the area serve you up those handcrafted pizzas that you’ll be able to experience in the outdoors while still feeling great about what you are putting into your mouth.

Nearby you have the Spring Bay Fen Nature Reserve is a bog-like environment that is encompassed by a whole range of shrubs and plants that you would rarely see anywhere else.

The unique environment spawns plants like skunk cabbage, blue iris, spreading goldenrod, and spotted touch-me-nots. With unique plants comes unique animals that serve up a great experience to all interested in experiencing life.

7. Sunset Lakes Resort

Located at: 3333 290th St N, Hillsdale, IL 61257

An award-winning vacation spot in the Midwest Sunset Lakes Resort allows you to either set up and live out of your RV or stay in a vacation rental.

The choice is up to you but either way, you get to experience the many options and activities that the Sunset Lakes Resort has to offer as well as the world class service that the resort has become known for.

The outdoor pool is a gorgeous option that allows you to cool off in style without having to worry about getting sand all over yourself.

You have fishing options as well with the five private fishing lakes in the area. Or you can challenge the family to a variety of sports with options to play horseshoes, tennis, volleyball, Rolle Bolle, and more.

Each weekend is packed with activities to excite guests and allows them to stay entertained while having guests mingle and socialize with others in the area.

There are even more water activities available in the area as the Mississippi is nearby adding a variety of riverboats and gambling cruises to the potential schedule as long as thing line up for you.

8. Sycamore RV Resort

Photo Courtesy of: Sycamore RV Resort

Located at: 375 East North Avenue, Sycamore IL 60178

Enjoy relaxing in style as you stay at the family-run Sycamore RV Resort. Visitors will be able to fish all day long if they want at the two spring-fed lakes within the park area. Or you can take to the water itself by renting a paddle boat.

Of course, there are plenty of options on the land where you can play tennis or volleyball, or stick your feet into the water at the sandy swimming beach.

Calm down back at your RV though as quiet hours are enforced between 11 pm and 8 am. You’ll be able to spend some quiet time with those you love as you continue to explore the natural world during the day.

In the area, you have a great many options to explore as well from Northern Illinois University which is only 7 miles away to the Great Western Trail that serves as a 17-mile trail from Sycamore to St. Charles.

There is even the Sycamore Speedway in the area allowing for you to see the wonders of those speeding cars in action.

9. Camp Lakewood Campground

Located at: 1217 W. Rickelman, Effingham, IL 62401

Camp Lakewood is the perfect place to use a quick stop or extended into a long stay. There are a lot of options available for maintenance on your RV. With camp store selling exclusive RV parts for anything, you may need to fix up.

There is even an on-site RV wash so that you can clean and wax your rig to keep it in the best shape you can.

You can even rent an RV from nearby if you wanted this to be the first stop on an RV trip of some kind.

Lake Pauline is the hit attraction in the area. Great for canoeing and Kayaking you’ll be able to hit the water with vigor as you row out and see what Illinois outdoors has to offer.

You can fish on the lake as well which is known to have Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Catfish, and Bluegill for fishing.

The Playground outside as well as the personal fire ring that you’ll have allows you to spend time on land with the family as well.

Spend some time at the picnic tables or roasting marshmallows over the fire with the family. Overall, it’s a great way to spend a vacation with the family.

10. Geneseo Campground

Located at: 22978 Illinois Highway 82, Geneseo, IL 61254

With 40 pull thru RV stops and 23 mostly pull-thru sites, you’ll be able to take care of the needs of your RV first. With a full set of water, electricity, and waste hook-ups you can clear your RV for any travel you’ll need to take ahead.

You’ll be able to take care of all the needs of yourself and your family next with a laundry room and convenience store nearby providing you with whatever you need to clean up and head out for more on the road.

There are plenty of options for those that want to stay in the area as well as canoes and kayak rentals to take out on the lake or even pedal cart or bike rental to travel the paths in the area. You’ll be able to experience the outdoors in style and enjoy the outdoor games that have been set up in the vicinity.

There is a playground for the young ones in your family as well so experience it all as you allow yourself to be swept into the beauty of the outdoors. There are also plenty of signature cabin options should you want to stay in something other than your RV for a while.

11. Whittington Woods Campground

Located at: 14297 IL-37, Whittington, IL 62897

Get a truly wooded resort experience at Whittington Woods campground. You’ll be able to enjoy the on-site attractions of the saltwater swimming pool or take your pets out to walk the well kept wooded area.

The environment is even better if you set up a picnic or a barbecue for your family to feast upon. WiFi is available for everyone throughout the park as well as a restroom with heating and air conditioning for an escape for the outdoors should it be needed.

If the local environment isn’t enough there are plenty of other attractions in the area that’ll serve up some more fun for the family. Such as the antique mall that is only 10 minutes away. or the Benton Country club that has a 9 hole golf course.

Experience all the wonders around and then come back to commune with nature while living in style in your RV.

Related Questions

Are trailers allowed in the city of Chicago? Unfortunately, you cannot take your trailer into Chicago. The streets are packed as is and it’s hard enough to get a normal sized car through those streets let alone a trailer. So for your sake, and everyone else’s in Chicago, leave your trailer out of the city.

Can you ride in an RV in Illinois? The only form of RV that you are allowed to have passengers in while in Illinois is a pickup camper. For all other RVs that you have, you must have all passengers within the tow vehicle.

1 thought on “11 Unforgettable RV Camp Spots in Illinois (Both Parks and Rustic)”

  1. Explore the Second Largest Canyon in the Country Origin City : Dallas, Texas Destination : Canyon, Texas Distance : 375 miles The second largest canyon in the USA, located in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, is only a 6-hour drive from Dallas, but feels like a different world. Visitors can enjoy over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails or, for something a little different, sign up for a guided equestrian tour to Timber Creek Canyon. In the summertime, catch the outdoor musical drama that takes place in the amphitheater. Where to Camp : Palo Duro RV Park

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