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Best Campgrounds near Lake Bluff, IL

450 Reviews

Campgrounds near Lake Bluff, Illinois extend along the shores of Lake Michigan and provide diverse camping areas for tents, RVs, and cabin stays. Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park, located in Zion approximately 10 miles north of Lake Bluff, features electrical hookups, picnic tables, and direct beach access. Other nearby options include Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort in Volo and Camp Reinberg in Palatine, both offering cabin accommodations in addition to traditional tent and RV sites. Several campgrounds in the Chain O' Lakes State Park system, including Honeysuckle Hollow and Fox Den, provide developed campgrounds with varying levels of amenities and proximity to water.

Electrical hookups are common at most campground options in the region, though water hookups are limited at certain sites. "The campground is huge! The sites are nice enough although the site I was in was much better suited for tenters than an RV," noted one visitor to Illinois Beach State Park. Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally, with Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort specifically open from May 1 to October 15. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during summer weekends when lakefront sites fill quickly. Weather conditions vary significantly by season, with cold Lake Michigan waters even during summer months. Mosquitoes and flies can be problematic during warmer months, as multiple reviews mention. Facilities typically include restrooms with showers, though water pressure and temperature are inconsistent at some locations.

The proximity to Lake Michigan represents the primary draw for many campers visiting the area. Campgrounds such as Illinois Beach State Park feature multiple access points to the shoreline, allowing visitors to enjoy sunrise views over the water. One camper described the experience: "We woke up early and got to see an amazing sunrise coming up over the lake." Sites near Chicago provide accessibility for urban residents seeking quick weekend getaways, with several reviewers noting the convenience of reaching natural settings within an hour's drive from the city. Campsite privacy varies considerably, with some locations offering spacious sites separated by trees while others provide more open layouts with limited screening between campers. Despite being near urban areas, many campgrounds maintain natural settings with trails through diverse ecosystems including beaches, dunes, forests, and wetlands.

Map showing campgrounds near Lake Bluff, IllinoisExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Lake Bluff, Illinois (44)

    1. Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park

    66 Reviews
    Zion, IL
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 662-4811

    $25 / night

    "The group camp site is located pretty far away from the rest of the campsites, bathrooms, trails and amenities."

    "We had a phenomenal time at Illinois State Park camping facilities! Space was clean, nature was alive, and the neighbors so friendly!"

    2. Camp Reinberg

    12 Reviews
    Palatine, IL
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (312) 636-9750

    $45 - $60 / night

    "Lots of biking and walking trails and plenty of off trail paths that lead to unique clearings, bridges, etc."

    "tucked alongside a bike and walking path that goes through a beautiful forest preserve. The path is gorgeous dipping through forested sections, open fields, and lilly pad covered ponds!"

    3. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 546-2228

    $43 - $73 / night

    "Very Friendly Staff I received warm welcome from nice staff at the entrance gate. Tent Campground is nicely tucked inside by the lake. Quit place night time I can hear fish jumping from the water."

    "We biked around the campground during the days and took advantage of the adult only hot tub hours at night. It was a nice getaway from Chicago."

    4. Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    14 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    20 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "*** reviewing as a baby/toddler camp family on the go :-) we chose the loop 11 was on because it was close to the path to the playgrounds and lakes plus bathrooms… avoid the first 2 sites from either end"

    "Campsite is nice, we're pretty close to our neighbors but not as bad as other places I've been. Walking distance to a fishing dock!"

    5. Fox Den Campground — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    12 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "We can both drive to work and then come back to relax. Close to some great places for antiquing if you don't want to hike the trails or fish."

    "It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but it is close to everything. "

    6. Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    13 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    20 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60& 61."

    "You can hear whatever highway is nearby pretty clearly and constantly.

    But if you’re not looking for something super remote then it’s fine!"

    7. NAVSTA Great Lakes RV Campground

    2 Reviews
    Great Lakes, IL
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 688-6675

    8. Prairie View — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    8 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    20 miles
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    "Prairie View campground is in the Chain O Lakes State Park series. This is the no services campground. We could walk to fill up with water but no electric on site. Checking in was interesting."

    "You could barely see the neighbors because of how overgrown the edges of the site were. We felt like we were in our own little bubble."

    9. Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    23 Reviews
    Burlington, WI
    27 miles
    Website

    "I would recommend this for anyone for starting to step out of the comfort zone for the outdoors. very simple, many paths to walk, jog, or ride a bike. a small lake is near the further parking lot. dogs"

    "Had some cool amenities like the off road park and multiple fishing spots. Has a winery and cool dive bars all within 10 min. Only downside is all the noise from the road and the drag strip near by."

    10. Mud Lake East — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    7 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (847) 587-5512

    $12 / night

    "This State Park isn't too far off the beaten path which is nice. Fairly close to gas stations, convenience stores, etc. The park is clean, and has the bathrooms and utilities that would be needed."

    "There are numerous sites that are on a small lake with great sunset views. Sites are decent size but not much privacy in between sites. Lots of wooded trails within the campground."

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Recent Camping Photos near Lake Bluff, IL

140 Photos of 44 Lake Bluff Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Lake Bluff, IL

450 Reviews of 44 Lake Bluff Campgrounds

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Camp Bullfrog Lake

    Great camping spot

    This is my second time staying at Bullfrog lake. The first time I was in spot 2 which had more privacy but felt more cramped. This time I was in spot 18 which felt like it had more space but had almost no shade.

    The camp hosts are really hit or miss. One guy was so nice and took a bunch to photos for me of me kayaking. The other guy seemed mad to be alive lol.

    The kayaks are $15 and hour and include life vests. The lake is pretty small but it was fun to putter around.

    Unfortunately the wood I bought from the camp store took forever to catch flames—my other two neighbors had the same issue.

    Bathroom/shower facilities were clean and well stocked.

    Overall I’d definitely stay here again.

  • K
    Aug. 28, 2025

    Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    Not communicable, fraud administration

    I reserved 5 nights, paid in full. After just one night, management cancelled my stay because my service dogs(Maltese) supposedly barked. I was fully cooperative, kept them quiet, and even documented this in emails. There was a stray cat near my RV that caused the issue, but instead of solving it, they forced me to leave. No refund for 4 nights. This is unfair, discriminatory, and against ADA law.

  • Kevin B.
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Camp Sullivan

    Enjoyed the camping experience

    Nice and clean areas, staff was very professional and helpful while I was there

  • Tim L.
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Chicago Northwest KOA

    Chill Vibes, quick get away from the city

    Far enough from the city lights, close enough to civilization. Cozy, small park with friendly staff and plenty of amenities. You can walk from one side to other no problem. Plenty of large and small RV's and Trailers with tent camping. Our home away from home, so relaxing!

  • Tim H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Sunset Campground — Richard Bong State Recreation Area

    Private sites, lots of wildlife ... and mosquitoes

    It's a wetland, mosquitoes are happening, but the trade off is just about worth it. If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go. 

    We're from the south, so we are used to mosquitoes, but I have seldom been around so many all at once. Thankfully we had a pop-up screened gazebo that made sitting outside our tent much more enjoyable. I will say this though, even with there being more mosquitoes constantly attacking, I did not have the reactions to them like I do the mosquitoes back in Alabama and Mississippi. I wasn't itching much at all.

    But back to the fun part. It was pretty hot a couple days while we were there and to take a break from the heat, we enjoyed the ac in the car and drove around the recreation area and the campgrounds. I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two. 

    What drew me to this campground was how private the individual sites were. Each campsite is cut back into the trees so that most are at least semi-private. This was a nice feature given that many other campgrounds you are stacked in like cord wood.

    Our first night there, we left the rain fly off of the tent and just enjoyed the stars and the satellites streaking across the sky.

    Overall, it was a rather enjoyable week. The shower/bathrooms were nice and clean, though I will admit the shower got too hot even for my wife. It is an easy drive from the recreation area to Kenosha or other points of interest and Lake Michigan is worth a visit if you aren't from the area.

  • D
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Big Rock Campground

    Needs some shade

    This is a pretty new camp site, so the trees need some time to get big enough to provide some shade.

    The flush toilet building was very clean, but there was no TP in the ladies' room. And I have to wonder why you would build a new campground without showers?

    It is very close to the cities so we will stay here again.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Camp Shabbona Woods

    Not the best but acceptable

    Stayed the weekend. Definitely felt the urban community close by with ambulances and firetrucks noises in the background. They close the gates after 10pm was weird but overall ok. No electric or water hook ups can’t keep your vehicle close to your campsite. The good the bathroom are in good shape and the staff was friendly.

  • D
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Paul Wolff Campground

    No showers

    We would gladly stay here again!

    Great campsite with the best staff ever! The sites are clean and very well maintained. We loved the staff patrolling the grounds. The trail system is great for walking the dogs. And I even grew to like the no alcohol in the preserve rule.

    The vault toilets are clean but smell like vault toilets at 95 degrees. There is one very clean flush toilet building but no showers. They don't advertise showers, but this is the newest and nicest campsite I have seen without showers. There is some shade, but you have to search for it.

  • Kaitlin M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2025

    Camp Bullfrog Lake

    Close to city, very peaceful

    Really nice campground. No water hooks up. Water on site but, not ideal. Really nice views. Very quiet. Super friendly staff and neighbors. I made a reservation for the wrong campground and meant to book this one and the staff helped me switch my reservation and make a new one. Really great!

Guide to Lake Bluff

Camping near Lake Bluff, Illinois, offers a great mix of nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Trails: Explore the scenic trails at Indiana Dunes State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "We enjoyed riding ebikes on the trails," highlighting the great biking options available.
  • Fishing and Boating: At Rock Cut State Park Campground, you can enjoy fishing and boating. A reviewer noted, "There are plenty of scenic photo opportunities especially during the fall season," making it a perfect spot for nature lovers.
  • Beach Access: Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park offers beach access. One camper shared, "I brought my dog to an animal-friendly area of the beach, which was small and secluded."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the sites. A visitor at Dunewood Campground said, "The bathrooms were clean with individual locking showers."
  • Friendly Staff: Many reviews mention the helpfulness of campground staff. A camper at Blackwell Family Campground noted, "The ranger offers evening entertainment for the kiddos."
  • Spacious Sites: Campers enjoy the spaciousness of the sites. One reviewer at Camp Bullfrog Lake mentioned, "The campsite overall is beautiful and the land is well kept."

What you should know:

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with activities for kids. At Blackwell Family Campground, a reviewer said, "The ranger did stop by around 5 or 6ish with some activities for the kids to do."
  • Choose Sites Wisely: Opt for sites that are more secluded for family privacy. A camper at Kettle Moraine State Forest - Ottawa Lake mentioned, "Sites are not too secluded, but they’re clean and well taken care of."
  • Plan for Noise: Be aware of potential noise from nearby roads. A visitor at Pinewoods Campground noted, "You could hear a bit of road noise, especially motorcycles and heavy trucks."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Electrical Hookups: Ensure your site has the right electrical hookups. A camper at Camp Bullfrog Lake mentioned, "Hot water for showers did not work and floors were nasty."
  • Book Early: Popular campgrounds fill up fast, especially during peak season. One visitor at Indiana Dunes State Park Campground advised, "Very popular campground so you do have to book well in advance during regular season."
  • Be Prepared for Crowds: Expect busy weekends at campgrounds like Big Foot Beach State Park Campground. A camper noted, "The campground was full for the weekend but emptied out on Sunday."

Camping near Lake Bluff, Illinois, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Lake Bluff, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Lake Bluff, IL is Adeline Jay-Geo Karis Illinois Beach State Park with a 4.1-star rating from 66 reviews.

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