Best Glamping near Marengo, IL

The Chicago Northwest KOA in Union provides several upscale glamping options within an hour's drive of Marengo, Illinois. Visitors find yurts with comfortable furnishings, electricity, and private outdoor spaces at this well-maintained property. "This campground has really grown on me a lot. My family and I have seen the newer owners clean it up, remodel sites, add new equipment for children and added more activities too!" remarked one satisfied guest. The KOA maintains clean facilities with regularly serviced bathrooms and showers, offering a more luxurious alternative to traditional camping. Other glamping accommodations in the region include Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort in Volo, featuring premium canvas structures with real beds, climate control, and convenient access to recreational amenities.

Adjacent to the Wild West Town attraction, the Chicago Northwest KOA creates distinctive glamping experiences for families seeking outdoor stays with modern comforts. The property includes scheduled weekend activities specifically designed for children, with a secure gated entrance providing added peace of mind for overnight guests. According to a visitor, "The attendant was very nice and informative" about local attractions and on-site amenities. Beyond the campground, guests can explore the Illinois Railway Museum located nearby or visit the numerous antique shops scattered throughout the surrounding communities. Seasonal availability typically runs from early April through mid-October, with advance reservations recommended for premium glamping accommodations during summer weekends and holidays.

Best Glamping Sites Near Marengo, Illinois (22)

    1. Thomas Woods Campground

    17 Reviews
    Marengo, IL
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 338-6223

    $20 - $35 / night

    " We came across this one day during a day hike in the Marengo Ridge Forest preserve in McHenry county. It's about 90 mins NW of Chicago."

    "Firewood is cheap on-site and delivered to your site on demand."

    2. Chicago Northwest KOA

    16 Reviews
    Union, IL
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (815) 923-4206

    "Plus they have a quiet time at night.So people and kids can go to bed without a bunch of noise."

    "We stayed here for a weekend and there were plenty of activities for the kids...the staff was friendly and the bathrooms were clean...our camp site was near the bathrooms, pool, and store so we were nice"

    3. Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Lake Geneva, WI
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 248-2528

    "Popular destination for locals and people from Illinois. 4 stars because it's not the camping in nature experience I am looking for. Lots of noise. Lots of kids. Lots of dogs."

    "Nice large sites. gravel spot for arc/trailer. fire pit and picnic table. trails for hiking are nice, but the overall camping area isn’t very big. 100 sites only. 30 with electric. this was the first time"

    4. Honeysuckle Hollow — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    14 Reviews
    Spring Grove, IL
    26 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"

    "Non-electric sites in the loop on the small fishing pond were relatively quiet, well shaded, with decent screening between sites."

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

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

    "There’s some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night."

    "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."

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

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

    "We stayed in the Fox Den electric sites. The campsite was very clean and the fire pit and table were in good condition. Our site was very shaded and quiet at night. The bath house was very clean."

    "Fox den at Chain-o-Lakes state park provides a more secluded camping experience than Honeysuckle or the 2 tent camping areas."

    7. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort

    8 Reviews
    Round Lake, IL
    24 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."

    "The staff is very friendly the grounds are beautiful and well maintained We kayaked in the lake and it's small but nice."

    8. Kishwaukee Valley Farms

    Be the first to review!
    Woodstock, IL
    9 miles

    $74 - $100 / night

    9. Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    39 Reviews
    North Prairie, WI
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 594-6200

    "Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. Ours had a grill the folded in and out, not sure if all have it."

    "The campground is well kept with several bathrooms and showers. We have a 30ft travel trailer, and it was easy to maneuver around the campground."

    10. Elkhorn Campgrounds

    4 Reviews
    Elkhorn, WI
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (262) 723-3228

    "Nothing crazy fancy but hook-ups and fire pits available if needed. Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana."

    "Easy access to electric and/or water. If unsure, contact office. Site, restrooms, and showers were clean. There are a lot of sites but still felt like there was ample space."

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Glamping Reviews near Marengo, IL

242 Reviews of 22 Marengo Campgrounds


  • Hannah T.
    Oct. 1, 2018

    White Pines Forest State Park Campground

    Lots of things to do!

    Well kept camping sites. Easy drive up style. Picnic tables and fire pits on site. Bathrooms and dumpster close by. River that is walk and drive through!

  • Stacie H.
    May. 29, 2022

    White Pines Forest State Park Campground

    Lovely natural scenery; campground leaves something to be desired

    Let's start with the good stuff:

    • The park is beautiful. Lovely trees, lots of shade, the hiking trails are nice, well marked, and they even have an accessible trail for those with disabilities!
    • There is a restaurant and gift shop on site. Gift shop sells wood if you run low or forget.
    • The bathrooms and shower house are relatively clean and well kept.

    Now for the not so great stuff:

    • Many of the campsites are sloped and some are sloped A LOT. This isn't obvious from the booking page.

    • The campground is absolutely jammed with camp sites- it's ridiculous. I've never been to a campground where the sites were so on top of one another.

    • We stayed in the Sunny Crest loop and the drinking water well was broken so we had to travel to other parts of the campground for water. When carrying a 10 gallon jug full of water back, that really sucked.

    • The sites that are marked as "hike in" aren't secluded and away from other sites at all, as one might expect. They are jammed in with all the others but there just isn't any parking nearby.

    • It had rained the day before was went and so the road to the campgrounds was blocked off (presumably because the creek was running too high), but there was NO SIGNAGE telling us how to get there another way. There was no one in the park office or in the camping registration station to ask. We finally figured out that we had to take an emergency road/auxiliary road to get to the campground, but that was after about 30 minutes of confusion.

    • The breakfast buffet at the restaurant is mid but very pricey- $50 for 2 of us.

    • The quiet hours and no alcohol policy are not enforced at all. While we were there, there was a very loud group playing beer pong into the wee hours of the morning.

    • About half of the fire rings don't have grill grates so bring your own or bring a camp stove (See pic). Also, when you book your site, there is no way to know if your fire ring will have a grill grate or note.

  • Addison G.
    Oct. 23, 2024

    Turner Lake South — Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Awesome choice for campers on a budget

    These campsites are as low as $12/night!! One of my favorite spots to test new gear. Family friendly. There’s some small trails around as well that are beginner. There was electricity, however those sites are $25/night. Bathrooms could’ve been cleaner but we were grateful for the facility which doubled as a storm shelter. There’s indoor showers and bathrooms. There are also cabins at this campsite, not sure on pricing tho

  • Kelly M.
    Aug. 18, 2021

    Ottawa Lake Campground — Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit

    Enjoying Ottawa Lake Campground

    We've camped here before and like it. The sites are spacious and most seem to have shade for at least part of the day. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. Ours had a grill the folded in and out, not sure if all have it. The beach is great, open and lots of room to set up for the day either on the grass or sand. There are flush toilets at the beach. There are rentable pavilions. We didn't see any garbage bins nearby so bring a trash bag to carry out. The showers are hot but that's the best thing about them. They're not very big and don't have a curtain to separate changing area and shower. With 2 kids, things tend to get a little wet. However, they get the job done. We love the location. Close to hiking: Scuppernong Trail on the Ice Age Trail and Scuppernong Spring Nature Trail and a few others. Close to shopping and restaurants, if needed. Only downside to our site was the highway (CR-ZZ) was on the other side of the trees and busy. All said, we'll most likely be back again.

  • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 7, 2021

    Thomas Woods Campground

    Small treasure in Illinois, near Illinois RR Museum

     We came across this one day during a day hike in the Marengo Ridge Forest preserve in McHenry county. It's about 90 mins NW of Chicago. The trails are both wooded and hilly, but there's also a large prairie nature walk. 
    The campground has many secluded walk-in tent sites and a variety of sites for other types of campers. Many with elec and some are ADA accessible. The county website doesn't have photos, but does describe the sites well (" suitable for truck camper" "up to 40' trailer") Maximum people per site is ten, so good for family gatherings. Sites are widely spaced, and even the most open ones feel private. The campground is heavily wooded and there is a nearby pond.
     We camped here to spend time at the Railroad museum, 8 mi away, The weekend we were there, the museum was open till 9:30 PM, and the campground closes at 10, so it was perfect for an overnight stay. We had no problem reserving a space with just a few days notice (48 hrs min). There is a friendly host on site, and you can purchase wood in advance when you make your res and they will deliver it to your site. Good wood too, dry and easy to split.
    Fire pits are low to the ground, except in ADA sites, so bring your own grill. The pumps have water with a strong iron taste, and the toilets are clean, but only outhouses. There is a dump facility.
    Marengo and Union are both nice little towns with some good dining options; Niko's Supper club, Fire & Ice BBQ/Ice Cream and Clasen's a 120 yr old tavern. Cody's Orchard, 3 mi away, has Apple and strawberry picking, great fresh veggies, pies, donuts, cider and jams.

  • Brenton S.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Elkhorn Campgrounds

    Affordable and friendly!

    Such a great little place to escape to or visit if you're just passing through. Nothing crazy fancy but hook-ups and fire pits available if needed. Within walking distance to downtown Elkhorn, EAHS, and the horse areana. You might even be able to catch a show or two on site at the fair grounds, depending on the time of year.

  • Tricia E.
    Jul. 4, 2018

    Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Fort Atkinson

    Wonderfully clean family campground

    My husband and I plus our 3 kids stayed in a rustic cabin. The cabin was exactly how it was described and thankfully so! Since it had air-conditioning we all slept great. The grounds itself was very clean, the portable toilets were cleaned twice a day. There were many activities for all ages both for a small fee and free. Our kids used the pools quite a lot and were a bit disappointed with the skatepark. They enjoyed all the airfilled bouncy activities.

  • M
    Jul. 30, 2023

    Big Foot Beach State Park Campground

    Not a nature type campground

    Always full on weekends. Popular destination for locals and people from Illinois. 4 stars because it's not the camping in nature experience I am looking for. Lots of noise. Lots of kids. Lots of dogs. It's park area is very nice. Nice playground for kids. Volleyball nets. Lots of picnic tables and grills available. Dogs not welcome in most of the park. More of a party place. But the staff is very active. They clean sites quickly, clean the bathrooms regularly.

    We stayed on site 50. We were closer to our neighbors than I'd like, including the campsite behind us. The campsite behind us had a path thru it to get to the bathrooms. There was a thin layer of growth between sites but not much. Our site had a nicely placed tree providing just enough coverage but nothing stayed wet in the rain. We camped in a popup, if we had a tent I think we would have been soaked. Lots of pooling water on the backside. The campground just added new gravel to the sites and asked that all trailers and vehicles stay on the gravel but the gravel doesn't go back far enough for both car and camper to stay on.

    The inner ring of the campground are smaller(shorter) sites. The outer ring sites are better for RVs. Except for site 70. That should be tent only because there are 2 trees right in the middle behind the gravel. 50, 69, 74 seemed the best for both shade and sun combo. Site 79 is paved but not marked as handicap because it isn't being maintained as handicap and is not close to the new bathrooms. Not enough sites with electric, however we didn't need it for the weekend.

  • Mountainman McBeachfront
    Aug. 24, 2021

    White Pines Forest State Park Campground

    Nice park, with some downsides.

    This is the type of campground you go and check your spot out before you reserve it. Many of the tent campsites are literally on a hill. Some are very close. They really crammed them wherever they could. The amenities are excellent and the only reason I gave 3 stars, the shower/restroom was very nice and air conditioned. Potable water available. If I knew the campground was gonna be sideways I wouldn’t have reserved it, not gonna lie I was pissed when I saw it as I reserved it for 3-4 days. There’s lots of them that are on flat ground/tucked away and look excellent but it’s a gamble unless you go there beforehand to look. There’s a ford you have to cross to get to the campground but its not that bad people this isn’t Oregon Trail you won’t float away and lose an Ox and wagon wheel.


Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Marengo, IL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Marengo, IL is Thomas Woods Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 17 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Marengo, IL?

TheDyrt.com has all 22 glamping camping locations near Marengo, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.