Hi, we'd like to spend a few days in Chicago this summer. Any suggestions on a campground that we could use as a base from which to make day trips into city? Thanks in advance for your help. Details: We have a 35' TT, and two daughters, ages 7 and 9. No dogs. Would also love your ideas on family-friendly activities in the Chicago area!
Hi everyone, I noticed that no one has replied to this post...probably because there are not any campgrounds near Chicago! However, 60 people have viewed the post, so I figured I'd share the results of my additional research. At this point, we're planning to stay for 3 nights at the Illinois Beach State Park north of the city. It is right on the lake, well-rated, and the website says it is near a train line that will get us into Chicago in one hour. It was rated pretty well in the parkreviews on this site. If anyone has any details to help flesh out the above information, that would be helpful. Thanks.
Use the search button above. I put in Chicago and got hits for several previous threads that discussed RV parks around there. They might have the info you need.
Hi, I used the search, and that worked super! Don't know why I didn't think of that sooner. Thanks for taking the time to tip me off. Marisa
Chain O lakes State park is nice. I have stayed there. Antioch has train service, though not as often as other towns. The park is about 10 minutes or so from the station.
Fish Lake campground is about 30 minutes from downtown. Check out the reviews on this site though. It's not for everyone. Later
Hi, Somehow I missed the original post. I want to thank TX for suggesting that the OP check out previous threads on this topic. That's probably the first thing I would have done. The OP has probably seen that I have made a number of posts on this topic in those previous thread. I know from some of the OP's other recent posts that she is trying to be as economical on this trip as possible, so IL Beach SP is probably here best bet from that standpoint. It has been years (possibly decades) since I have camped at IL Beach, so I can't really give a current opinion on the camping facilities. As far as family things to do, you and the family could spend the day downtown just walking around (Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain, Sears (now Willis) Tower, various other tall buildings and scultptures. etc.). Now if you want to go into some of these attractions (Navy Pier, top of Sears, Field Museum, Art Institute, etc. you may encounter some entrance fees that times 4 will add up. There are also bus and boat tours, but again $$$$. This is just a bit of what downtown has to offer and that's just what's downtown. There is also Six Flags Great America not far from IL Beach - but again $$$$. There are also dozens of Chicago neighborhood and suburban festivals during the summer. Then there is stuff north of IL Beach in places like Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee, WI. If you are only going to be here 2 or 3 days, I'd stick to 1 full day downtown extended to 2 if you enjoyed it. It would be different if you were here for a week. If someone tells you that a train ride is just 30 or 40 minutes to downtown, remember that is how long the train ride is - you also have to get from the campground to the station, wait for the scheduled train, and it is a bit of a walk from the commuter train stations downtown to the lakefront. Then there is the return trip to the campground. So allow at least 1+ hour for any trip downtown and the same for the return. Enjoy your trip.
