Let’s begin by highlighting what an amazing family-oriented, mega-campground compound this is, perfectly situated on Lake LaDonna, which offers up non-stop fun for every member of your family - young and old alike. And it doesn’t matter if you’re driving an RV, hauling a 5th Wheel or looking to pitch a tent – whatever you are bringing to camp out underneath the stars out here in the Midwest prairieland, no worries, Lake LaDonna Family Campground has a spot for you. And even if you don’t have anything, it’s not a problem, as this campground will easily rent you one of their A/C-equipped cabins (either Primitive of Deluxe) that offer up a stove-top, oven, refrigerator, wet bar and full-sized bathroom with shower.
Throughout the entire campground, you’ll find there’s tons of shade with ample amounts of giant oaks lining the pathways and roads along with 2 meandering streams that create a really cool natural vibe. The most consequential amenity here at LaDonna is, of course, the lake itself, which provides a pretty amazing white sand beachhead. This is unusual because of, well, let's be frank, here smack dab in the middle of north central Illinois, there should not be any beachheads, so you’ve got to appreciate this man-made convenience that offers up a perfect spot for sunbathing, sipping Mai Tais or building a sandcastle. There’s tons of water toys here including two oversized Funbrellas that offer a decent amount of shade during a hot summer day. You’ll discover there’s a rope swing deck that sits atop a pirate ship, where you can plunge through 30 foot tall waterfalls before hitting the nice cold lake water. Waterslides, trampoline, floating innertubes and water spray cannons are also a blast for the kids that will be sure to keep them entertained all day long. As a parent, what I appreciated most of all is the fact that LaDonna has very well-trained, certified lifeguards who remain constantly vigilant about keeping an eye on your kid’s safety, leaving us parents to enjoy our time worry-free.
Off the water, the amenities don’t stop, and also include: basketball courts, beach volleyball courts, kids playground, outdoor stage and pavilion, live music, themed weekends, full-service lodge and market selling snacks, beverages, groceries, ice, candy, sundries, beach toys and firewood. Let’s just say, if you forgot anything, it’s definitely a drive from here back to civilization, but LaDonna has you covered, once again. For RVers, there’s full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric and water) along with flat pads that are easy to get set-up on for just about any size of RV. There’s a designated dump station in the corner of the campground that you would have passed just as you crossed the railroad tracks to access the entrance of LaDonna right on Harmony Road. Most all sites come with a BBQ grill, fire ring and picnic table.
As for the downsides, there are really just two to be aware of. First of all, if you are just a day camper or looking for a nice long weekend to enjoy out in the midst of nature, you will feel like a second-class citizen here at Lake LaDonna, who places much more focus and provides greater service and access to those RVers who are seasonal. And from a business standpoint, while I understand it, as a weekend tent camper, it’s certainly a draw back. What do I mean? Well, if you book a weekend like we did, you are only allowed certain spaces to choose from that are earmarked for overnight or non-seasonal campers, which have basically been isolated right next to the train tracks. This is the second, but arguably, the biggest negative for LaDonna – if you are located right next to the train tracks, at least once a night, if not 2-3 times a night, you will be startled awake by the blaring horn of the train and after it passes, a good 10-15 minutes of a roaring train, which our kids were certainly frightened of. So if you do come, a simple solution is to bring ear buds, if your negotiation efforts aren’t good enough to land you a spot somewhere far enough from the tracks where the commotion won’t disturb you.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you do end up renting one of the cabins, be sure to remember to bring your own bed linens, towels, toiletries and anything you need to make use of the kitchen. I have to admit, when I heard that the cabins didn’t come furnished with this stuff, I wasn’t as interested; (2) While the Pioneer cabins are moderately priced at $75-$85, I thought the Deluxe cabins were a bit pricey at $129-$149 for what they offered; (3) Should you be interested in getting some good hiking in, head back east to Route 2, where you can access the decent trails at Castle Rock State Park, including Pond Trail with 2 miles of easy-to-moderate trails and Oak Ridge Trail, which is a bit more challenging, but only a single mile in length, with Fox Trail the shortest at a half mile, but quite scenic. These 3 trails make up the South Trails; (4) The far better and more challenging hiking over at Castle Rock SP can be found with the North Trails, where there’s a total of 5 trails to choose from: River Bluff (.5 mile), Wildlife Viewing (1 mile), Heather Valley (2 miles), Timber Edge (1/4 mile) and Forest Ridge (1 Mile). These make up the North Trails; (5) There’s also a sweet little picnic area up here in the North Trails area called Aspen Ridge that is nice, and closer to the river, near River Bluff trail, you’ll see the picturesque Old Orchard picnic area, which I highly recommend; and (6) When you get tired of trying to figure out that next meal from your on-board mini-fridge or from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler, head east to Oregon (the town, not the state, mind you) and try out Jay’s Drive-In, which will take you back to the 1950’s where you can pull up, stay seated in your car and have a server take your order from the parking lot, or head on inside, where you can put some quarters in the juke box while munching on any of the traditional burgers and hot dog combinations you might imagine, although I HIGHLY recommend trying out one of their pork tenderloin sandwiches and washing it all down with a chocolate cake shake. Yeah. A cake shake. Go ahead, just process that!
Happy Camping!
