Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Naperville, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. The Dyrt can help you find the best cabin camping destinations for your next trip. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your Illinois camping adventure.
Camp just steps from the water in the heart of the vast, hilly Palos Preserves. Camp Bullfrog Lake offers year-round camping, group activities and water-based recreation such as canoe rentals and fishing. Just around the corner from Maple Lake’s boathouse and the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, it’s also a perfect launching pad for hiking, mountain biking and birdwatching adventures on Palos’ 50-plus miles of trails.
$20 - $138 / night
The Shabbona Lake SRA campground has available 150 Class A Premium campsites, with 90 campsites available for advanced reservation through www.reserveamerica.com. Additionally, 60 campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All sites have electricity, picnic table, fire rings, and vehicle access. A sanitary dump station is available to all campers. One family is allowed per campsite, or four unrelated adults with up to two tents. Campers must be ready to camp upon arrival. The campground may be closed during the spring thaw due to road conditions. Alcohol is prohibited. To check on the status of the campground or for further information, call 815-824-2106 during the week or the campground check station at 815-824-2565 on weekends. There is also a Campground Store on-site that offers firewood, groceries, snacks, ice cream, camping supplies, fishing tackle, and boat rentals. Camp Cabin Two rent-a-camp cabins are available at the park. The rustic cabins have two rooms and will accommodate a maximum of six people. They are located on the shore of Shabbona Lake. Electric baseboard heat allows year-round use of the cabins. No Pets are allowed in the cabins with the exception of service animals. Youth Group Shabbona Lake's Youth Group camping area will accommodate two groups of up to 50 campers each. Water and privies are available at the site, but there is no electricity.
$25 / night
$35 - $250 / night
Camp Reinberg’s tent sites and heated year-round cabins—plus dining hall and outdoor gathering areas—make it perfect for a group event or private getaway. Set in the oak woods of historic Deer Grove, Camp Reinberg provides access to miles of trails, beautifully restored landscapes and nearly unlimited recreation opportunities.
$45 - $60 / night
Illini State Park is the type of park you think of when you think of big picnics and family gatherings. With its rustic Civilian Conservation Corps buildings and riverside picnic areas, Illini State Park offers beautiful views and a sense of history not found in many other parks.
Picnic areas, shelters and playgrounds are found throughout the park. Several of the shelters also have working fireplaces. Both tent and trailer campsites, including electric and sanitation service, are offered and some of the sites offer outstanding views of the river. A youth camp area is available for youth groups.
$12 - $55 / night
Your camp hosts, and of course Yogi Bear™, invite you to"Discover the Experience" at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™,"Where you always camp with friends™". When you visit us you will see why we have been ranked in the top ten of all the Yogi Bear Parks™ in North America. We now offer one or two-room rustic cabins, sleeping four to eight people respectfully, three deluxe cabins sleeping up to eight and park model trailers sleeping up to eight. We have two heated pools, a kiddie pool, and a hot tub. Of course, we still have all the amenities you expect as well as planned activities, and theme weekends. The best part about Jellystone Park™ is that parents get to take a real break while the kids enjoy our planned activities which are sure to be a hit. There are plenty of fun activities for adults too! Yogi Bear™ looks after all ages while at our Jellystone Park™. Whatever your preference, make your vacation plans early and come camp with us. Whether you stay a day, a week or your entire vacation, you'll agree that camping at Jellystone Park™ is the best for Great Family Fun and memories to last a lifetime!
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ is also less than two hours from the bustling Windy City. Spend the day in Chicago and enjoy the stunning shoreline of Lake Michigan, stroll the Magnificent Mile, or take in a game at Wrigley Field. You can also take advantage of Chicago area theme parks like Pirate’s Cove™, LEGOLAND™ Discovery Center, and Six Flags Great America™. Locally, there is Fox Paintball, Millbrook Trail Rides, The Farnsworth Estate in Plano, Illinois; antiques shopping in Sandwich, Illinois; and Raging Waves Waterpark in Yorkville, Illinois. For the true adventurers, check out Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois! The Fox River is just minutes away for fishing, kayaking or canoeing.
Enjoy a peaceful camping experience in a friendly and quiet country setting, with long, pull-through RV sites, shaded tent sites, rustic and deluxe camping cabins, and even fully equipped travel trailers for rent. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the park. There is a lot to do for families! Check out the Gem Mining, Jump Pad, Gagaball, Minigolf, Frisbee Golf, Polipong and huge playground! Join us for hay-wagon rides, face painting, flashlight candy hunt and more on weekends. Have fun at Onesti's Wild West Town next door, visit the Illinois Railway museum, Santa's Village Azoosment Park, Six Flags Great America and cool off at Magic Waters near Rockford or in our own crystal clear pool. Take the "Metra" train from nearby Crystal Lake or Woodstock to visit Chicago for sightseeing, festivals, and tours. We are also a convenient distance to the Woodfield Mall, Prime Outlet Discount Mall, and the Grand Victoria Riverboat Casino. Various local restaurants are within minutes. {Additional Info}: 2 Deluxe Studio Cabins with patios are set up next to each other in the RV park to facilitate families, that like to camp close to each other. All of our rustic cabins are equipped with an A/C unit. You will find us approximately 55 miles from downtown Chicago, 4.5 miles to I-90, in a rural setting of northwestern Illinois. Open from mid-April through mid-October. Gated campground 24hrs a day (after hour arrivals need a reservation) Dogs are allowed, but breed restrictions apply.
Leisure Lake Membership Resort is a family camping and RV resort. Enjoy the great outdoors without the long drive. Located in Joliet, Illinois, we are 40 miles from Chicago and only minutes from Chicago Land's Route 66 Speedway, 10 miles from Metra Train Station. We are owned and operated by the members for the members. We do allow Good Sam members in based on availability.There are many organized activities, dances, and live entertainment provided throughout the year. We have many amenities to offer! Featuring a 24 acre stocked fishing lake, 2 acre sand bottom swimming lake, swimming pool, convenience store, and free WiFi.
$37 / night
Our Class-A Premium campground is located in the main park with shower facilities, flush toilets, and all sites have electricity. Water is available by pump at designated locations throughout the campground and at the sanitary dump station. This is a very wooded area with 4 loops-Oak, Hawthorne, Osage & Hickory. Pit toilets are also located near each loop. Alcohol is prohibited and credit cards are not accepted at the site.
Legend
Welcome to Illini SP and hopefully before you read this review, you will have learned that there is not 1, but 2 campgrounds to choose from, so pay attention if you want to select the right one for your camping outdoor nature blissful experience. To begin with, if you are not familiar with the name Illini, make it your business to grab some intelligence on the subject as this isn’t a nickname for the great state who produced Abe Lincoln (note: like Barack Obama, Abe wasn’t born in the Prairie State, both moved here and made their bones here), but rather the greatest honor that our state could be referenced to, the Illiniwick (or Illini) native American Indian tribe, who were one of the most prolific and important native American Indian tribes to have settled in the Mississippi River valley, of which large sections of Illinois represented.
But let’s get back to the reason likely you are reading this review in the first place. Net-net, while you could make a case for going to either one of these two campgrounds that comprise the overnight accommodations you are afforded here at Illini SP – that would be a choice of either Whitetail to the west or Grand Falls to the east – the short and the quick of it all would be this: if you are tent camping, choose Whitetail. If you have an RV or 5th Wheel, then likely you are going to be more suited for Grand Falls. And while you could still get by with hauling your RV over to Whitetail or making a night or two out of ‘pitching a tent’ over in Grand Falls, I’m just saying that certain campgrounds make for better destinations for the particular type of camping you are engaging in.
What are the major differences between these 2 campgrounds? To begin with, Grand Falls has more sites with full hook-ups, so if you are in an RV or 5th Wheel, me thinks that having all of the usually amenities like water, electric and sewage might be important. If you are a tent-pitching member of my tribe, we actually prefer ‘less is more’ and are less reliant upon such amenities, making Whitetail a better choice for tent campers. While both campgrounds offer close proximity to the Illinois River, you will be challenged to actually see the river from Whitetail, unless you head far west on Hawk Road where there is a separate picnic area complete with in-ground fire pits, stand-up grills, picnic tables, designated fishing areas and bathroom facilities that have sweeping views.
Over at Grand Falls, you’ll have sweeping riverfront views of the Illinois River, providing you are lucky enough to book any of the sites numbered #003–#018. The last big difference is that while both offer up their own amenities and access to some pretty great hiking trails, Grand Falls is clearly the busier and much larger of the two campgrounds, where I would also add, apart from a smaller loop, the vast majority of camping areas here are wide open offering not so much privacy. You’ll experience much richer areas of privacy, solitude and unadulterated noise along with a healthy dose of P&Q over at Whitetail.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) At $10 per night for type ‘C’ primitive camping and $20 per night for the deluxe well-paved and connected accommodations, either campground here at Illini SP are some of the most inexpensive campgrounds you’ll come across; (2) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or on-board mini-fridge, fret not, there’s some really decent restaurants around this area of which I highly recommend the following: Snug Harbor Marina or Bobaluk’s Beef & Pizza; Further afield, of which you’ll have to trust me, is completely worth the drive: I recommend Lone Buffalo, Hank’s or Red Dog Grill; (3) Should you come towing canoe or kayak, you’ll definitely want to take a spin in the Illinois River, wherein I HIGHLY recommend heading westward towards Buffalo Rock SP and further west the ever amazing, Starved Rock SP; and (4) If ‘getting dirty’ is on the menu, then head on over to The Cliffs Insane Terrain Off-Road Park, which is pure fun for both kids and adults alike, but be sure to wear that helmet as it does get bumpy!
Happy Camping!
Legend
My first impression when I first arrived here was the overwhelming scent of a newly minted campground, what with the freshly laid gravel, the mint condition security gates, finely manicured and recently raked greenery (as it was October when we visited, it might be better described as brownery) surrounded by a fairly decent gated enclosure lined with perfectly pruned tall towering oaks. Upon arrival, you’ll find what looks to be a brand-spanking new log cabin office on the right after passing a seemingly freshly-minted activities center / community lodge complete with in-ground heated swimming pool and jacuzzi on the left.
Amenities? As you could guess, this pet-friendly 60-acre RV resort has all the attractions in spades from pickleball, playgrounds, volleyball, log pergola patio, full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water & sewage), picnic tables, fire pits, BBQ grills, wagon rides, river access, picnic areas, bathhouses w/ showers & restrooms, cable TV WiFi (pretty poor connection though), gaga ball, game room, community room, billiards table, playground, wet bar, tabletop shuffleboard, community living room with large screen TV, DVD player w/ DVD library, clubhouse, dog park, horseshoes, hot tub, covered pavilions with picnic tables, catch & release ponds, inflatable water toys, jumping pillow, laundr-O-mat, propane refueling station and dump station.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) This place isn’t EZ to find – for some reason, if you plug the campground into your GPS, you’ll literally be on the wrong side of the tracks, where you will arrive at a dead end with a sign that says you are in the wrong place and that you’ll need to double-back, cross the train tracks heading north and turn right just before arriving to High Road School of Belvidere (so if you see a school, you’ve gone too far); (2) You will want to take note that yes, you actually cross train tracks to get to this campground, so if you’re sharp, you’re going to want to ensure you haven’t booked a site right next to where trains will shoot through every few hours, this specifically means avoiding sites #E1-#E5 and #FS23-#FS36 as well as #FE1-#FE20; (3) If you’re a tent camper, you can certainly stay here, but you will want to note that this is very much an RV outpost; (4) The best sites IMHO are those on the northernmost perimeter, as far away from the train tracks as you can get and that also border the Kishwaukee River with sites #S9-#S20 being excellent, as well as #S25-#S81, which are equally amazing; (5) If you are planning on using that amazing pool that you saw as you came in, make sure you call management a good day or two before you come in to ensure that they turn on the heater – when we were there for 2 days, by the time we left, the pool was still too cold to go for a dip; and (6) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up a meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler and want to venture out to try some local fare, just a short walk into the nearby town is Garden Prairie Café, which has a very simple menu offering no shortage of fried everything (fish, shrimp, chicken, etc.) and then there’s Pleasant Street Tavern, but that’s mostly cheap national beers and frozen pizza fare, so if you want something a bit more substantive, head west of here to Miles Bar N’ Grill that serves up typical Midwestern fare like cheese curds, pork tenderloin, Italian beef and a variety of fried fish like blue gill, cod and catfish.
Happy Camping!
Guide
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
Guide
Camp Sullivan offers a charming and well-maintained space for campers of all kinds, from tent enthusiasts to RV travelers like us. All the RV sites here are back in, and while they are tight, they are certainly manageable. We brought our 36-foot RV, the Badger, and although it barely fit, we were able to position it close enough to the power box by choosing not to extend the slide. This turned out to be a smart decision, considering the timbers that line the gravel surface of the site. These timbers add a bit of a challenge when maneuvering a larger rig, and in our case, (note to staff) removing the timber closest to the road would have made things much easier.
Each RV site is equipped with 15, 30, and 50-amp electrical connections, though it’s worth noting that there’s no water or sewer available at individual sites. As a result, water conservation becomes essential. The bathrooms here, however, are clean and well-kept, which is always appreciated, especially after a few days without on-site water. There is also a stainless steel sink for use in front of the RV area's bathroom where you can do dishes.
Security at Camp Sullivan feels solid, and while there is some noise, it wasn’t disruptive. We stayed over a weekend, and though there was a lively group in the group campsite Saturday night, they respectfully wrapped up their activities by quiet hours, ensuring a peaceful night's sleep.
The roads throughout the campground are in good condition, and the trees aren’t a concern for your RV clearance. In addition to RV sites, Camp Sullivan offers a range of accommodations for all kinds of campers. There are small rental cabins, large bunkhouses for group camping, and plenty of tent sites spread across the grounds. We didn’t have the chance to check out the"Barn" yet, but it’s a major feature here, housing a climbing wall and concessions.
We also noticed staff busy cleaning the bunkhouse areas and taking care of trash removal, even on a quiet Sunday. Everyone we encountered was friendly and added to the overall positive vibe of the place. Camp Sullivan is an excellent spot for a weekend getaway or an extended stay, (up to six days allowed) with plenty of amenities and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s a place where we feel comfortable and cared for, with just the right balance of adventure and relaxation.
LegendWe stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com(where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. 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. Facilities are clean and well lit. Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill. This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood. To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north(including a bar& grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora. There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground. Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason. An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm& Orchard(which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market. One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in… unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark:)
ScoutWe booked a month stay but weren’t able to stay over 2 weeks because water is so horrible. Our cat got diarrhea, clothes got ruined, you can’t even make tea with that water. But everything else was good. Nice helpful staff, clean, quiet rv park.
Traveler
Can get a little crowded ar times
Ranger
I somehow booked a different campground- website was confusing apparently. However the worker was so helpful and found me a spot anyway. Sites are kind of small so not a lot of space for big big campers. Cute lake and relatively quiet. Odd though that when I asked questions like where can we fill water and if they had a park map I got looked at like I had 3 heads.
Scout
Review: Holiday Acres Campground Our recent stay at Holiday Acres Campground was nothing short of a nightmare. From the moment we arrived, we felt unwelcome and targeted by both the staff and the locals. It's hard to say definitively if this place was racist, but the behavior we experienced certainly felt that way. Firstly, we were harassed and intimidated by the locals. They would drive around our campsite at night, yelling racial slurs and other offensive comments. This created a disturbing and unsettling atmosphere that made our stay extremely uncomfortable. The staff were equally unpleasant. We were falsely accused of peeing in the pool without any evidence, which seemed more like an excuse to target us than a genuine concern. Additionally, one staff member consistently displayed unprofessional and rude behavior. She berated one of us and treated him condescendingly, as if he were a boy rather than an adult. She exhibited this condescending behavior with the locals as well. Requests for assistance were met with eye rolls and obvious reluctance. Her dismissive and offensive attitude was consistent throughout our stay. The final straw came when we were kicked out for calling her a name after she persistently treated us with disrespect. While name-calling isn't appropriate, her behavior towards us was intolerable and unprovoked. The facilities were also abysmal. The bathrooms constantly smelled like fart, possibly due to the high sulfur content in the water, which only added to the overall negative experience. The showers were yellow with orange bits that could be scraped off, and the lack of cleanliness was appalling. The playgrounds looked so poorly maintained that you could get a splinter just from looking at them. To make matters worse, we were falsely accused of stealing by a local camper. Despite promises to review security footage, no evidence was provided, and no apology was offered for the false accusation. The pool area was another disappointment. The pool was cold, likely because it had just been filled. While the pool area itself was nice, it lacked lounging chairs, which would have enhanced comfort and relaxation. Overall, our experience at Holiday Acres Campground was horrific. The combination of harassment from locals, the hostile attitude of the staff, the filthy facilities, and the lack of amenities made for an extremely uncomfortable and distressing stay. I would strongly advise anyone considering this campground to stay far away, especially if you are looking for a welcoming and respectful environment.
Guide
Just 5 minutes to Starved Rock state park and one mile from interstate 80. Great country setting with full hook ups, pool, laundry, camp store and showers.
Traveler
Well maintained bathrooms, great secluded sites. Super easy no registration its first come first serve. I will be goin again with my family.
Scout
This new director smokes pot while children are out there camping! This is a children’s camp! My children will never be returning
TravelerThe campsites are kinda small but not on top of each other. Had some raccoons at night even after we locked up everything in the car. The lake was very nice. We were able to kayak but be careful getting the kayaks in. Stairs down to the pier and the bottom of the lake is very mushy. The water was very clear and you could see the fish swim by. This loop is best for tent camping. The other loops are basically all rvs. The boat launch to the fox river was nice too but it does get busy.
ScoutThe sites are pretty big. The campground is not congested at all. The people are very nice. Everyone waves to everyone.
We came here because they showed a water obstacle course on their website. When we got here, we were informed that their beach hasn't passed health tests for the past few years. So no obstacle course or beach area.
The pool is very clean and the staff helped us pick a better site upon arrival. They also have a very pretty river to fish.
There is no store. The only thing available is firewood. If you need anything at all, there is a Walmart about ten minutes down the road.
The site is nice and grassy but there are a ton of bugs; mostly gnats.
All in all, it's a very clean place with great people. The pool is wonderful. The parks are great. But it's definitely a more lay back and relax kind of place. Not a ton of stuff to do for kids.
Guide
We stayed in Honeysuckle Hollow for a night. Not many people were there that night, as it thunder stormed. However site was well kept and concession stand available by the boat dock with everything you might need.
Legend
Welcome to Illini SP and hopefully before you read this review, you will have learned that there is not 1, but 2 campgrounds to choose from, so pay attention if you want to select the right one for your camping outdoor nature blissful experience. Regardless of either campground that you might chose, the area that you find yourself in is quite special, from both an historical perspective as it was in this Illinois Valley that the French traded with Native Americans, chiefly (pun intended) in these parts that means the Illiniwek or Illini for short. Hence, no matter where you might stray, you’ll come across a litany of either indigenous Native American or French named towns, such as the small town of Marseilles, which is just across the river from Illini SP, and because you are in Illinois and not France, you must purposefully mispronounce (those 2 ll's are hard, like the L in Lumber, versus the Latin version, which would have you pronouncing those 2 ll's like a Y).
And while you could make an argument for staying at either one of these two campgrounds here at Illini SP – that would be a choice of either Whitetail to the west or Grand Falls to the east – the short and the quick of it all would be this:
If you are tent camping, choose Whitetail (west).
If you have an RV or 5th Wheel, choose Grand Falls (east).
Don’t have time to read anything further? Then take it from me, if you follow my sage advice, you won’t be disappointed. But hey, if you’ve got time and want to read some of the finer points of these 2 campgrounds, then read on.
Let’s get down to brass tacks. The major differences between these 2 campgrounds? There’s essentially 3 noteworthy points that you should give consideration to.
First, let’s highlight the view. While both campgrounds offer close proximity to the Illinois River, you will be challenged to actually see the river from Whitetail, unless you head far west on Hawk Road where there is a separate picnic area complete with an in-ground fire pit, stand-up BBQ grills, picnic tables, designated fishing areas and bathroom facilities that have sweeping views of the mighty Illinois River. Over at Grand Falls, you’ll have magestic riverfront views of the same river, but you can do so from the comforts of your actual campsite (unlike over at Whitetail), providing you are lucky enough to book any of the sites numbered 003– 018.
Second, let’s talk about amenities. Grand Falls has more sites with full hook-ups, so if you are in an RV or 5th Wheel, me thinks that having all of the usual amenities like water, electric and sewage might be important. If you are a tent-pitching member of my tribe, we actually prefer‘ less is more’ and are less reliant upon such amenities, making Whitetail the better choice for tent campers.
Third, let’s consider the ambiance. While both offer up their own amenities and access to some pretty great hiking trails, Grand Falls is clearly the busier and much larger of the two campgrounds, where I would also add, apart from a smaller loop, the vast majority of camping areas here are wide open offerings with not so much privacy. You’ll experience much richer areas of privacy, solitude and much less noise along with a healthier dose of P&Q over at Whitetail.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If ‘getting dirty’ is on the menu, then head on over to The Cliffs Insane Terrain Off-Road Park, which is pure fun for both kids and adults alike, but be sure to wear that helmet as it does get bumpy!; (2) At $10 per night for type ‘C’ primitive camping and $20 per night for the deluxe well-paved and connected accommodations, either campground here at Illini SP are some of the most inexpensive campgrounds you’ll come across here in the Prairie State; (3) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or on-board mini-fridge, fret not, there’s some really decent restaurants around this area of which I highly recommend the following: Snug Harbor Marina or Bobaluk’s Beef & Pizza; Further afield, of which you’ll have to trust me, is completely worth the drive: I highly recommend Lone Buffalo for its fish & chips followed by any one of their local micro-brews, which in particular, I prefer the lager; (4) Should you come towing canoe or kayak, you’ll definitely want to take a spin in the Illinois River, wherein I HIGHLY recommend heading westward towards Buffalo Rock SP and, if you have time, even further west the ever amazing, Starved Rock SP.
Happy Camping!
Legend
OK, let’s put the most important thing here in perspective – you are in north central Illinois and there should be absolutely no reason to find a beach anywhere in this state apart from a few select places bordering Lake Michigan, right? Other than this, finding a proper beachhead is impossible. Yet, here at Hi-Tide Recreation, the sandy beach is exactly what you’ll find and what a great time it is for the whole family, complete with all of the many on-water distractions and entertainment options this place offers from sand castle building, waterslide, ‘moonwalk,’ ice berg (a 15’ climbing wall in the center of the lake), water trampoline, log roll, rocket balls, floaties, inner-tubes as well as floating ‘lilly pads’ and shallow waters for the young kids. Let’s just say, in the heat and humidity of a Midwest summer, Hi-Tide offers a really great respite with this toy-packed lake refuge.
As for the campground, upon entry, you will have no other choice but to head straight to the main lodge where you will check-in. Here you’ll meet the crew that run this place as well as see the market that’s here, offering up just about anything you could think of (and quite a bit of what you didn't imagine) while you are camping: ice, propane, s’mores, ice cream, chips, soda, water toys, firewood, fishing supplies, RV maintenance items and campground gear. You'll also discover an arcade complete with video games as well as air hockey, foosball and billiards.
Behind the market, you’ll find both pedal carts for rent as well as a pretty decent 9-hole mini-golf course that has recently been upgraded. There’s also a picnic area back here, lakeside deck, fishing dock, further afield as well as an in-ground community heated pool and playground just in front of the main office. The on-site restroom and shower facilities are first-rate, offering sparkling clean and well-maintained showers, toilets and even baby changing stations. There’s also an on-site laundr-O-mat located right near the shower / restroom facilities with 4 sets of coin-operated washers and dryers. On-site, you’ll find a proper dump station as well as designated dumpsters throughout the entire property. A handful of reservable small pavilions (no electric, 60 people max) and large (electric, 80 people+) are offered for rent at $50/day and $100/day respectively as well as a very small ½ mile hiking loop that follows the Little Indian Creek, which is kind of a joke, but hey, it’s a nice stroll.
Like most entertainment-themed campgrounds like Hi-Tide, every week has a theme, so there’s planned activities like bingo, hayrides and disco parties to keep both young and old alike busy and entertained. In short, what’s the upside to being here at Hi-Tide? Well, if you have a young family and are looking for a lot of distractions and planned activities that allows you to enjoy a fairly mindless planning experience that you can either participate in with the kids or just let them run wild and do their thing, well then, Hi-Tide has you covered in spades. Nobody is going to get bored in this place!
Downside? While it is true that you are out in the middle of nowhere, which has a semblance of feeling as though you are engaging in nature, with all of the entertainment and distractions that you will discover here, along with arguably the biggest downside – the place is completely overrun with management packing in RVs and 5th Wheelers as close to each other as possible – it will be actually pretty difficult to truly commune with nature. This is a campground campus that packs RVs in pretty snug, while feigning at offering tent campers some nice flat land to pitch a tent, and for those that don’t have either, you can still rent a cabin. But make no mistake about this place, you are in a little ‘camping city’ and everywhere you go, you’ll have endless options to distract you and keep you entertained, as well as being overwhelmed by the sheer sense of over-crowdedness. So, if you want peace and quiet and some really pristine moments with nature and wildlife, this really isn’t going to be the place you want to call home for a night or two under the stars.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of rustling up beans & franks for dinner and want to try out some local fare, you’ll have to drive a decent distance from here to get to anything, let alone of quality. The closest place you could consider is Somonauk, located on 34 just continuing due east where there’s just a few joints: Hot Diggity Dogs, Rambo’s Bar & Grill where Uncle Milty’s Pizza Palace is located right next door too, but the standout favorite in town is Country Kitchen for down-home Midwestern comfort food; (2) If you have any form of watercraft, you won’t really be able (or want) to use it here on the small lake that Hi-Tide has, especially with all the kids swimming, but nearby and just east is Lake Holiday which makes for a very great place to dip your kayak, canoe or outboard in; (3) For kicking back and enjoying some drinks, I highly recommend Tin Roof Tavern right on 34, where Teeks serves ‘em up strong, there’s a juke playing good tunes and even a mechanical bull riding, but was unfortunately not working when we were there; and (4) If you are looking for a real outdoors encounter with nature that may (or may not) include camping, give Shabbona Lake State Park a visit – it’s only 20–25 minutes from Hi-Tide and has everything, whether that’s fishing, hunting, hiking, biking or kayaking – you’ll be amazed at what you have so nearby.
Happy Camping!
Guide
My daughter and I stayed here twice. Oct 2019 and Aug 2020. We kayaked around the lake and enjoyed the natural setting.
The store is very nice and well stocked. Never left the park so not sure how far to “town”.
Traveler
Loved everything about this place. The staff is so helpful, well maintained, nice trail system. We tent camped on site #1 and would definitely book that spot again. We also came back last weekend and stayed in one of the large cabins- game changer in the winter! It’s a perfect spot for a weekend away from Chicago, will definitely be back.
Scout
I’ve been to this site a handful of times growing up and it’s a good campsite for the kids. Lots of activities to do everyday like crafts to keep the kids preoccupied during the day. RV, tent, and cabins make it easy for everyone to enjoy their stay. Bathrooms need some attention and hotter showers would be wonderful. Always came here for trick or treating and it’s a fun event for the camp ground with plenty of spooky things to do. Might come here when I have kids of my own, but I know there are better camp sites out there!
LegendIf you find yourself out in these parts near Shabbona in north central Illinois it is because of either one of two reasons - you are incredibly lost and stumbled across this hidden natural preserve gem by accident OR you are incredibly knowledgeable already or resourceful. Whatever drew you to this particular location, here's the fact of the matter - you have arrived at an absolute natural treasure trove, whether in the midst of a humid and hot Illinois summer or in the bitter cold of a snow white winter looking for great cross-country skiing trails. So now that you've found yourself nearby or contemplating a stay at Shabbona Lake SP, let me just forewarn you - you are about to embark upon one of the most amazing outdoor camping experiences Illinois has to offer!
As for this campground, PLEASE NOTE: there exists not 1, but 3 separate, individual campgrounds here at Shabbona Lake State Park: Teal Bay Campground (Sites#1– 60), Merganser Circle (Sites#61– 100) as well as Canvasback Cove (Sites#101– 150). In this review, I will be isolating my contributions towards the Shabbona Lake State Park – Teal Bay Campground. That said, please do look at all the reviews that I leave behind here on TheDyrt, in order to find the absolute best campground for you and your family / friends, should that be arriving by RV / 5th Wheel, those looking for an existing wooden cabin by the sea (er, as it were, because we're in Illinois, a lake) or for mi tent-pitching bredren.
The first of these three campgrounds is the first loop you will encounter after passing the Ranger Station at the front of the park, where you’ll drive about a half mile around the bend before reaching the first of three clearly marked Camp Host spots. At this point, you’ll want to hang a right, where there will be a slight left bend where sites #2–10 will be on your right, wherein site #1 is earmarked for the Camp Host, and at site #10, you’ll see opposite this spot a small water / privy facility, following which, you will see the rest of Teal Bay campground as it encircles a small loop (effectively sites #11–31 on the exterior of the loop, interrupted by another small water / privy facility between sites #29 and #30, with sites #32– 47 being plotted on the interior of this loop and finally, you’ll see sites #48– 50 upon your exit from the loop, where you’ll encounter that first small water / privy house, before coming across the final sites #51– 60 on the right as you exit Teal Bay. Immediately to the right, once you exit this campground, you’ll come across the lone Shower Building (more on this below). You will need to pass the Shower Building to access the second campground, Merganser Circle and to access the third campground, Canvasback Cove, where you would have turned left before passing the Shower Building as you head towards the lakefront and boat launch area.
With Shabbona Lake State Park specifically in mind… Holy Cow! (nod to Harry Carey and all my Cubs loving friends there!) are you in for a treat if you find yourself in north-central Illinois right off the I39 corridor and are rolling with either your RV, 5th wheel or are packing a tent and looking for an exceptional lakeside camping experience completely surrounded by God’s greatest natural prairie! To be blunt, Shabbona Lake State Park could be, quite possibly, one of the best, most pristine camping experiences that exists in this sweet corn riddled and drilled bean harvested farmland in the entire Land O’ Lincoln.
From a clandestine entrance, beset with golden tall grasses and strategically planted old Pines along with its superbly laid out and easily sign-posted inner roadway to the non-stop 3 meter wide natural hiking trails that are jam-packed in this luscious, picturesque state park along with its signature sparkling clear blue, man-made Shabbona Lake, this is one multi-campus campground that you must prepare yourself for, because it packs quite the punch! All in, there’s 150 Class A Premium campsites with 90 of these available for reservation with the remaining open on a first-come, first-served basis through the state’s online reservation system: ExploreMoreIL.
With amenities in mind, you will discover scattered spots that accommodate both RV and tent camping brethren alike, where half of the slots are nicely paved concrete, while the other half are cleverly laid small pebble-strewn platforms. All sites come with a fire ring, picnic table, water and electric hook-ups and no matter where you go, you are surrounded by some solid wilderness so there is never the chance that you will wake up or go for a hike and feel as though you are not being embraced by one of the best wilderness areas in the country.
Beyond the basics, and this is where Shabbona Lake SP shines brightest, you’ll discover that there are tons of additional bonus features such as: scattered picnic tables and sheltered pavilions, designated dump stations, (2) lakefront log cabins for rent (complete with their own balcony / veranda, grill and fire pit), Pokanoka’s Dockside Café with spectacular views of Shabbona Lake, concession store offering wood, groceries, bait & tackle, snacks, soda and camping items, over 8 miles of hiking in pristine wood- and grasslands, fishing piers (this is the Muskie Capitol of Illinois, BTW!) where you’ll find no shortage of bluegill, walleye, perch and many other fish. If you’re into hunting, Shabbona Lake SP has you covered too with 744 acres of land that allows for archery hunting of deer, dove and waterfowl (for those wanting to use firearms, there is discretionary times of the year where deer and pheasant hunting is allowed).
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) This SP strictly enforces its ‘no alcohol’ policy, which is a massive bummer; (2) Tired of fixing beans and franks and want to sample some local fare? Well, you’re in luck because in the nearby hamlet of Shabbona, there’s a few options, top of which I recommend Shabbona Café, which is a no-frills local diner serving up burgers, sandwiches, skillets, salads and typical Midwestern fare followed by a few scoops at Screamers Ice Cream; (3) If you don’t mind a slight drive to arguably the best fried chicken in the universe, then check out Rip’s Chicken in Ladd and trust me, while a longer drive than you might expect, this place is legend in these parts; (4) When thinking about Winter activities, this is one of the very few SP’s that allow for snow-mobiling and cross-country skiing where trails are open between 8am to 4pm with at least 4” of snow. Ice fishing and ice skating are also allowed if the thickness of the ice is good enough; and (5) During the summer months especially, this place fills up, so I would definitely recommend calling ahead for those first-come, first served campsites. Call 815-824-2106 during the week or the campground check station at 815-824-2565 on weekends.
Happy Camping!
GuideOur stay here was a great experience. The town of Shabbona has a population of 900, and you get that homely good-natured feel while being there as well. We had breakfast at Shabbona Cafe in town, and we received a great portion and oh so good as well. While leaving on the last day at the BP gas station there is even a corn 🌽 stand $5 for a dozen of oh so good and sweet corn, the best part is all you need is to drop the $5 in a cash box on the honor system, love that. Now the camping grounds was great as well. Completely surrounded by woods and nature at site 147, very close to bathroom shed, and also not far from the shower/bath house (clean). The Restaurant & Bait Shop are all in the same building. The restaurant had a great Nachos and grass-fed burger, top quality definitely. The bait shop we rented a pontoon boat (reserved online) they show you the safe areas to boat and where to look out for as well, before boarding the pontoon they also give you a refresher on operating the boat etc. Oh! I forgot about the store, the hours seemed off but once open the store has all the essentials one would need. $7 for a bundle of wood also on the honor system cash box.
We highly recommend camping here.
GuideThis was a walk up quick overnight for me. Plenty of sites available and self registering was easy(cash or check only). Tent loop was surprisingly dark at night for how close to town you are. There is a train somewhere in the area that I heard few times. Interior of the loop had more level sites with less privacy where as external were a various degree of slope but more private. The shower was hot and clean. For the price it's a solid experience, though plan on a car & tent wash after lots of tree sap.
Legend
We use this as our base when we went to Chicago. The only problem is that it is anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half from downtown Chicago. The facilities were nice and maintained. We had a nice Prairie view spot.
LegendPotowatami campground is divided into four loops. We camped in the Osage loop. Garbage cans are at the start of the loop. A central shower house is on the main road midway between the loops. Right at the start of Osage is an entrance to the crushed gravel bike path. It gave us a great hike through the trees. You can find picnic areas and playground equipment by following the bike path. The camp host checks you in. He gave us the signal in case we drive out of camp. Wave the sign out your window and re-enter camp. He also told us about rock creek nature trail. It’s just across the main road near the ranger office entrance. There are another couple miles of trails if you want some diversity.
TravelerFirst off the camp hosts were amazing! Very friendly and helpful!
Ok. Came in on a Thursday with no reservations. Camp Hosts got me a spot for Thursday and only had 2 available spots in the whole campground for the weekend so I took Oak 1 over the only other open spot.
Thursday night was GREAT. It was quiet and peaceful. Had a great day chilling on Friday during the day too. Friday afternoon people started funneling in and it still wasn’t too bad into the evening.
About 8 is when it got a little worse. There was a group that came in and occupied 2 sites. They were a little more loud but bearable. About 9:45 another part of their group came rolling in. That’s when it wasn’t as nice. They were trying to set up their tent with headlights/flashlights shining into our camp. Yelling back and forth between the 3 sites, etc. Finally I think the quieted down about midnight. Saturday. Still loud and a few of the cars in their group were in and out several times. Not a big deal except every time they were driving out a one way.
ScoutAlthough we camped in Illinois record rainfall, we still had a blast. Plenty of trees to hammock, clean bathrooms, and a great river view.
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