The Columbia, Illinois area sits near the Mississippi River valley with elevations ranging from 400-600 feet. Most campgrounds remain operational year-round with moderate temperatures, though summer humidity can be significant. Highway access is excellent with most RV sites near Columbia, Illinois being within 30-45 minutes of downtown St. Louis.
What to do
Creek exploration: 4 miles from Pin Oak RV Park, fishing opportunities are available in their private pond. "Nice little lake to fish in and areas to walk around in," notes a reviewer about the Pin Oak RV Park facilities.
Water recreation: At St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park, visitors can enjoy paddleboats and kayaks. "Beautiful area next to a man-made lake. Concrete pads with full hookups, as well as dirt pads with full hookups," reports a camper at St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park.
Katy Trail access: Direct trail connection from Beyond the Trail RV Park. "This is a great park. It is located in a sleepy little winery town. It is just a few minutes from the main part of town with multiple beautiful wineries within a few miles. The park is bordered by the Katy Trail which will take you into town," explains a visitor at Beyond the Trail RV Park.
Gateway Arch viewing: 15 miles from East St. Louis camping areas. "Even though this RV park is in a city, we felt safe. And its view of the Gateway Arch can't be beat. Easy check in, but the camp host said the shaded spots were too narrow, they were not," shares a camper about their experience.
What campers like
Urban proximity with natural setting: Just minutes from St. Louis attractions. "Just minutes across the river from St. Louis. They have a shuttle to the various tourist attractions, just ask the staff at the office for details. The staff are friendly, the facility is clean and professional," notes a camper at Cahokia RV Parque.
Security measures: Gated access at multiple facilities. "Security is proactive in patrols and are friendly and helpful. No frills but a great view of the arch. Centrally located and across the bridge from downtown," mentions a visitor at Draft Kings at Casino Queen RV Park.
Level sites: Most campgrounds feature concrete pads. "Spacious for our Big Rig, Paved, Level. We loved how spacious it was. The roads within the campground were double-wide so we had no trouble turning and getting into our spot. The sites were double-wide concrete," reports a camper about Sundermeier RV Park.
Onsite amenities: Several parks offer recreational facilities. "This campground, a City of St Peters park and campground, is as excellent as a campground comes. The campsites are 'state-park-size', especially the back-in sites which all have plenty of lawns behind them. All sites have a view of the small lake."
What you should know
Flooding concerns: Low-lying areas may experience water issues. "While we were there they had a record rainfall amount and the park apparently already has flooding issues so it was flooding pretty bad but also our RV was right next to a creek that had risen really high and was in danger of flooding our site completely," reports a visitor at Covered Bridge RV Park & Storage.
Urban noise: Train tracks and highways border many sites. "Save your money! This place is a dump, in a dumpy area... Writing this review at 4am as a loud train goes by. Which it will about every hour."
Site spacing: Variable across facilities. "Spaces are tight but the overall camp ground is decent. Nice pool and an arcade area with plenty of room to hangout inside."
Weather monitoring: Campground staff track severe conditions. "There was some rough springtime weather expected one day. A park ranger went around to every site and notified every camper of where the shelters were and gave out a flyer about the specific weather forecast!"
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple sites offer play structures. "This park is beautiful. Located about 25 minutes from St Louis. They have paddle boats and bikes and group bikes for rental. Located right next to a lake with a lot of RV and tent camping spots. Kids had a blast riding bikes. Even finding a few little frogs jumping around and fireflies at night," shares a visitor to St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park.
Swimming options: Seasonal pools at select locations. "It was a nice campground with tree cover over most of it. Our site was gravel to park on with grass around it. Close to train tracks and highway, but didn't notice with AC on in the camper. Close to 6 flags," notes a camper at St. Louis West / Historic Route 66 KOA.
Indoor facilities: Game rooms provide rainy day options. "We stayed here for a week at the end of June. Spaces are tight but the overall camp ground is decent. Nice pool and an arcade area with plenty of room to hangout inside."
Campground activities: Scheduled events during peak season. "We go every October for Halloween. It is tight you need to reserve a premium spot for a little room. Staff and owners are great lots to do for the kids."
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Check location relative to noise sources. "Sites at the back of the property are large. Sites in the middle seemed more crowded. Facility was clean, owners and staff were friendly."
Utility positioning: Hook-up placement varies by facility. "Utilities are set up weird on all sites - Water and electric are at the very rear of the site by the sewer, so you will need a decent sized hose to reach if your water intake is in the front of your camper."
Regional connectivity: Cell service is consistent. "The wi-fi was surprisingly good enough that my wife and I could both work off of it and even stream shows on the Roku the whole week, except for our last day for some strange reason."
Reservations: Book early for weekends. "Spent two nights. Office Staff was super friendly. Went above and beyond for service. Separate handicap shower facilities are always a huge plus for us. Bathrooms were clean."
