Good Starter Camping Near Chicago
This is our go-to state park when I need to get out of Chicago for the afternoon. We camped here once as a starter trip with our two kids, since it was easy enough to go home if it all went south.
Non-electric sites in the loop on the small fishing pond were relatively quiet, well shaded, with decent screening between sites. Easy walk to bath house adjacent the electric sites, which were jammed with RVs.
Nice easy hiking/biking trails. Boat rentals. Stocked concesion building.
Our kids, 4&8, really like it here. Nothing too hard or scary for my little city kiddos.