Best Glamping near Loda, IL

Recent Glamping Reviews near Loda, Illinois

52 Reviews of 5 Loda Campgrounds

• 

  Ron D.

  Traveler

  

  May. 7, 2021

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Nice Campground

  Stayed here 2 nights on our way to Northern Illinois, easy access off the interstate, sites are spacious, grounds are well maintained, staff was very courteous and friendly, nice lake with trail around it, would highly recommend this place.

• A

  Alli

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 23, 2020

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Great find!!

  Great spot for an end-of-summer trip. Arrived on Sunday and nearly had the place to ourselves. Campgrounds are far removed from town and very quiet, large enough to feel isolated. Host sells ice and firewood for a reasonable price. Campsites are well-sized and offer grills and electrical outlets. Bathrooms and showers are extremely clean. Great oasis from Illinois’s light pollution for stargazing. Trails are perfect for easy strolling and offer diverse and lovely scenery. Lots of wildlife: heard many different bird calls & coyotes howling in the night. One very persistent raccoon: hide your food!

• 

  Marisa A.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 17, 2020

  Clinton Lake State Recreation Area

  Busy Central Illinois Campground on a lake

  This is our go-to campground when visiting the U of I. It is a large campground with well spaced campsites for tents and rvs. Almost every site has plenty of shade with lots of tree cover. This also means in the dog days of summer the breeze is blocked by the trees so get an electric site even with a tent and bring a fan. They have a beach and a boat launch. The loops that allow alcohol can get a bit rowdy with weekend partiers, but the alcohol restricted loops can get loud from all the families. However, with full hook-up options there is no generator noise. The showers/bathrooms are kept up well given the massive amount of people served. If you own a boat and camp, this place is ideal for central Illinois.

• 

  Jill T.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 30, 2021

  Kankakee South KOA

  Month to Month BEWARE!

  December 2020, we toured this KOA Holiday in Kankakee, Illinois for a long-term stay.

  We noticed a few trailers with a lot of junk piled all around their units. When we inquired about them, were were told that those people were being evicted and would be soon gone. Great, since our site was directly across the street from those.

  Well, no one left, the junk remained.

  There were other sites that had wooden cages, tables and other structures built on them. Clearly a violation of KOA written violations.

  Anyway, we weren't buying the place, but an awful eyesore.

  We couldn't find another site for a long way around. Without another good option, we checked in for an extended stay.

  We became friends with a few of our neighbors. We began comparing our utility charges and found that we were all being charged different rates for electric and internet. When we asked for actual "electric bills" we were told there wasn't individual bills, charges were taken by the owners reading your meter, strange. "Some" of us were paying for internet. Our neighbors had the ability to move to another job site,, so they packed up and left.

  Things aren't adding up.

  We had nice site on the interior of a cul-de-sac, with a nice large open grassy space right behind us. It is one of the quietest and largest sites in an area, where most of us were staying long-term. After a few months, it became apparent that the owners had their favorite renters. The ones who had wooden structures, piles of junk and that were allowed to park their vehicles in areas that were designated "keep off the grass". Yep, that nice grassy area right behind our RV was where they parked their 2 vehicles, not utilizing their own parking spaces in front of their trailer. When we complained, we were told that we were welcome to park our second vehicle there also. However, when we parked our second vehicle in the same area, we were asked to leave.

  As far as regular short-term camping, it's ok. It's older place with huge rotting trees, mostly dirt or gravel sites. The washers and dryers were nice in spring of 2021. The owners do a good job of "acting" nice and welcoming.

  I would not recommend an extended monthly stay at this KOA HOLIDAY in Kankakee, Illinois.

• S

  Sadie R.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 1, 2020

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Pretty spot/small gravel campsites

  Il start this by saying: we prefer tent camping/primitive/atleast semi isolated spots. If you’re looking for RV camping, this is probably a decent spot so read no further!

  We drove in to the Middle Fork Forest Preserve looking for a place to camp same day on our way down to Giant City. We weren’t able to make a reservation less than 5 days in advance online so we tried to call. No one in the office except Th-Sunday and it was Wednesday so we couldn’t get in touch. All good. It happens and it did say that clearly on their website and on voicemail. We needed a place for the night so decided to risk driving over from I57 S. Rolled in around 5 and all the campsites were marked reserved but there were about 3 people set up to camp there. We didn’t end up camping the night 1. Because we didn’t want to be jerks about the reservations although it seemed like no one else would be arriving until at the earliest the next day and 2. All of the campsites were pretty tight together and surfaced with gravel. That’s a personal preference thing. We always look for primitive/walk-in/hike in sites to set up tents/hammocks. This spot was mostly set up for RVs.

  The hiking looked pretty lovely and the grounds/facilities looked well kept! Just maybe not our preference.

• 

  Anne W.

  Guide

  

  May. 5, 2024

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Beautiful campground but very busy (and noisy)

  This is a really lovely spot! There’s 2 bars of Verizon service, a shower house with warm water and flush toilets, as well as pit toilets. There are a few hiking trails that leave from the campground as well. My only problem was that it was extremely busy when I visited and some of my neighbors were quite loud (although they quieted down by quiet hours).

• K

  Kerri W.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 27, 2021

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Peaceful!

  This quiet oasis was wonderful for our weekend away. Enjoyed the private sites and dark skies. Completed a few trails too.

• E

  Eric B.

  Scout

  

  May. 21, 2021

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Nice smaller campground

  This campground was clean and very well taken care of. It’s small and some of the sites are small so big campers on some sites could be an issue. Some of the sites are weird and literally just along the roadside in the campground. Sites had a bit of space and growth between them so they felt a little private. 3 nice ponds for fishing. We would definitely stay there again.

• R

  Rachel

  Guide

  

  Sep. 14, 2021

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Great spot for stargazing

  We've stayed at this campground twice so far and enjoyed it both times.  Our first visit was in April before they turned the water on (we were prepared for that).  The campground was mostly empty and I don't believe the hosts were there for the season yet, but it was very quiet and peaceful.  The shower house was closed until May but the pit toilets were open and still reasonably clean.  The hiking trails are great (although be prepared for mud) and one even takes you right under an eagle nest.  Bald eagles are visible on the river, and since the campground is right next to a Dark Sky Park, stargazing is amazing if you have good weather.  

  Our second visit was in August for the Perseid meteor shower and a local expert came to give a talk and there was a meteor viewing party of sorts, so that was very interesting.  The camp was entirely full and got pretty loud Saturday night, but otherwise wasn't bad.  At one site, people had squeezed a large camper, two large tents, and five cars on it, despite the limits - I felt bad for their neighbors!  We also had a lot of rain that weekend and one of the pit toilets appeared to have a problem because it smelled very strongly - the people in the sites nearest to it, 21 and 39, probably had a rough weekend.  

  There are several fishing ponds around the campground and a small swimming area with a beach, playground, mini library, and shower house.  The shower house is older but decent and clean.  The showers themselves have a lot of hooks inside to hang your things, and the accessible shower was very thoughtful with a bench and handheld shower head (not like some which have regular showers, just bigger). 

  Some of the sites are very private, others are closer together.  42 - 47 had a lot of vegetation between them and were very private. I believe sites 34 and 27 could be great buddy sites. Site 25 has a trail that leads to the back row of sites (and no one behind it.)

  The alphabetical sites are a little tighter, smaller, and with less privacy.

  The water faucet/pump in the middle of the back row is broken and has been removed, although it is still on the map.

  AT&T cell reception is good at any of the sites.

• 

  Matt M.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 24, 2024

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  It Was Alright

  I wrote out a 4 paragraph review and somehow it was just completley erased. Will update later.

• 

  Art S.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 5, 2020

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Ranger Review of the GCI Pod Rocker with Sun Shade at the Harry Swartz Camp

  Campground Review:

  This is a pleasant discovery! The drive into the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve winds between a few ponds. We saw many families fishing around each of them. Once at the campground, check in with the camp host. Right now you must register online due to COVID-19. There were no photos of the campsites online so we picked a spot distant from the others(my dog gets finicky). We should have picked a different site. Sites 40- 48 get full sun until around 2 in the afternoon. Luckily it was cool for our visit or we would have melted. Other sites are mostly shaded and beautiful. Some sites give more privacy than others(32 looked nice). There is a swimming beach and playground that were also closed for COVID. Each site has a raised fire pit, picnic table and lantern hanger. Every site comes with electric and still it only cost us $16 for the night. The shower house was also closed but pit toilets were available. There are double sites where small groups can share space. There is also a group camping area(near our site) that has a large open field right in front of it. A theater stage is found long a hiking path that starts near the camp host. Perhaps your family can put on a play :) 

  The hiking here is interesting! The Oak Burl trail is mostly wooded. We came upon a 8” deep creek to cross (thanks small tree branch to walk across!). We found little offshoots to spots along the Middle Fork River. One couple found a rock bar to lay out on for their own private river-beach. The hiking on the other side goes through a mix of prairie and woods. The prairie is in restoration and we saw some traditional prairie plants among field grass- signs that they are working on things. Going further out brings you right to the fork between Sugar Creek and the Middle Fork river. We hiked these during the morning and still needed water and a rest. The trails are wide but some of the grass was almost a foot tall- its been raining here. 

  We discovered a couple donut shops in a town about 20 minutes west- one is known for their scones! We enjoyed this campground but would hesitate before camping here during the heat of summer- unless you have a/c.

  Product Review: GCI Pod Rocker with Sun Shade in Loden Green 

  As a Dyrt Ranger, sometimes I get products to review. I am so happy that I found this chair! A good travel chair that is comfy and folds is key to summer-long adventures. The pod rocker folds into its own carrying case(extra tip: I put the case flat on the ground and my dog loves to lay on it away from some of the crawling ants and things). It is simple to push on the 4 corners of the chair and it opens right up. I immediately noticed that there are some extra shocks on the chair. This adds some weight so this chair might not be great for backpacking very far but it is still certainly carryable. 2 legs in front stabilize the pod rocker in a secure position. The first time I went to rock it I felt like I was falling over- there is a gap before you settle onto the flat base that allows the rocking. Once on this extra base, the shock compresses allowing you to rock your heart out! This transition from stable to rocking was easy to get used to and provides a solid base for eating/activity vs. rocking. This isn’t a chair that rocks on its own. You apply consistent force to rock. The sun shade is a retractable part that can rest behind your seat out of the way. It is really easy to click up above your head at different angles. I so often find myself in places without much shade that this is a feature I will continue to enjoy! When it came time to leave camp, the chair was easy to compress and slide into the carrying bag- no struggles at all. The arm rests are not a perfect fit for my body geometry but didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the pod rocker. Tucked under one of the arms I found a cup holder(big enough for my large coffee container) and a slim pocket perfect for my phone. I did enjoy one extra feature that the wide chair provided room for. The chair will allow you room to rock so I used this to turn the chair into a sort of recliner. I propped my feet on a table, scooted my butt forward in the chair and rocked back. My head was now supported by the top of the chair and my feet were up. Perfectly cradled for recovering after a long hike with my dog! Although you might see in the photo/video that my dog seems to like the pod rocker too. Maybe I need another one for her:) The material in the pod rocker feels like it will keep me sitting comfortable for the rest of the summer and in years to come.

• 

  Tim F.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 18, 2021

  Harry L Swartz Campground

  Our go-to campground

  Love this place. Quiet campground with plenty of room between you and your neighbors. It’s a dark sky park so you can get some nice views from the campground and surrounding areas. Hosts and forest preserve employees keep the grounds up nicely. Three lakes to fish for the small and big kids alike. Nicely groomed hiking trails in and around the park. Reservations were limited in 2020 due to the plandemic (cough cough) so getting a site was a bit of a task but not in previous years. We try to get to this place several weekends each season.

• F

  Frank

  Guide

  

  Dec. 31, 2020

  D & W Lake RV Park

  This place was is great

  Really nice place, very clean shower and toilet facilities, beautiful pond, the people are very friendly, and close to freeway exit. Would 100% recommend.

• 

  Laurie L.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 19, 2024

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Lovely campground

  Lovely little campground with its own little lake. Well maintained. Clean laundry. Friendly and helpful owner. Visible presence throughout campground checking that all is well.

• N

  Nick W.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 11, 2022

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Clean and neat park

  Check in was easy

• D

  David S.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 14, 2022

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Nice place

  Good value, large level site, friendly. We only stayed overnight and didn't bathrooms or laundry but the campground is clean and nice, a very pretty pond and shades at sites. We would stay again!

• 

  Kaitlynn B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2021

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Great Place

  Campground manager escorted us to our RV spot, very helpful. Spacious layout, we ordered DoorDash and the signs were not very clear of where to (not) drive so that was a bit confusing but good stay for the night.

• 

  Stephen C.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 15, 2022

  D & W Lake RV Park

  HIDDEN GEM. Amazing family owned camp.

  Amazing family owned camp. Full hook ups 50/30 and pull through. Super easy to get to from the highway. Super friendly and amazing service from the time you pull up till the time you pack up and leave. Level sites. Very peaceful and quiet at night. I 100% recommend.

• 

  Dave P.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 30, 2021

  D & W Lake RV Park

  This is an Excellent Campground!!

  I would highly recommend this campground.  It is close to the main highway, but far enough to not be noticeable.  Sites are level and in good condition.  Owner greets you on entering and then guides you to your site.  Signage to get to the campground is excellent.  The bath house is clean and up to date with lots of hot water.  The lake is pleasant and has a trail around it for walking.  There is a dog area that is fenced in for doggy pleasure and exercise.  I would be happy to return here when I could spend more time and maybe wet a line.

• C

  Charles M.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 9, 2019

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Highway haven

  Super easy on and off the highway. With that you do get some noise but not too bad.

  Office staff is very friendly and efficient. Full hookup sites. Wifi is available. Playground and dogrun for the pets.

  The pond is 1/2 mile walk around. Bathrooms we clean.

  If you need to get off the road and get some rest give them a try. Just north of town and you will be back on the road in no time.

• 

  Julie P.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 11, 2018

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Overnight Stop

  RV Park with 5 tent sites, a lake, small playground, and a dog run. The bathrooms and showers were very clean and well maintained.

  The host was extremely friendly and helpful. Our reserved tent site was waterlogged from torrential rainstorms just before our arrival. He created a space for us that was elevated, dry, and actually more private than the original site.

  Our only “problem” with the park can’t be changed. The interstate noise could be heard all night, and at times overpowered the sounds of nature. This is probably only an issue for tenters, though.

• K

  Keri W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 21, 2022

  D & W Lake RV Park

  Happy campers!! 😃

  This park is a gem! Friendly & helpful staff and very clean restrooms/showers. Some shady spots and a nice walking trail around the lake. Just off Hwy 57 & 74 - very convenient!

• V

  Victoria G.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 19, 2020

  Kankakee South KOA

  Not good

  Of all the KOA's so far on my journey was the worst. Not really the campground owners fault for the most part. Stayed on a Friday night, knowing I needed a rest in the trip, booked about 5 days in advance in app. First the camp store really had nothing, second there were some kind of car races until around 9:30, awful noise, third camper near by started banging inside the camper until 11:30! Everytime it would happen it would scare my dogs thinking someone was outside. People walking late at night shining lights towards others rvs around midnight. Needless to say no rest. Wouldn't stay there again.

• J

  Jennifer D.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 21, 2022

  Kankakee South KOA

  Nice little campground!

  The campground was nice and clean. Nothing super fancy but all the necessities were great and price was very reasonable! Pool was a bit chilly and small but very clean and the kiddos loved it. Playground was nice and geared toward smaller kids. Staff was friendly and very nice. Firewood, ice, etc. could be ordered via text and delivered. Trash pick up daily.

• 

  Debbie B.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 24, 2019

  Kankakee South KOA

  Nice enough for local camping

  Many very nice permanent sites. We loved the dog park along with the many activities available. We come here at least once a year. Check out their information on their website.

  If you want a quick local get away this is the place.

• H

  Harrison Z.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 3, 2019

  Kankakee South KOA

  Just another weekend :)

  Small campground but very friendly. A plus was the full hookups. The sights are very close together. Management is not over bearing and very friendly. Dog friendly lots of dogs this weekend nice size dog park! You overall great weekend

• 

  Marc W.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 15, 2019

  Kankakee South KOA

  Fun little campground

  Had a great time this weekend camping with my wife and two boys. We camp in an Hybrid trailer and really appreciated the price point with full hookups. Sites were decent size and had fire pits at each location. They had plastic picnic tables which where light to move and easy to clean. Decently quiet camp site with a pool for the kids to cool off made for an enjoyable weekend. Close to Kankakee and some of the other towns in the area for things to do. I would definitely come again to kayak on the Kankakee river. Unfortunately the water levels where too high for this trip as warnings had been issued