If you want to explore the beauty of Swansea, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping near Swansea, IL is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. You're sure to find glamping for your Swansea camping adventure.
Horseshoe Lake State Park is located off Highway 111 in the southwestern part of Illinois in Madison County. With easy access from the Metro East for visitors from throughout the region, the park offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities on 2,960 acres.
Horseshoe Lake State Park accommodates 26 tent or trailer campsites. A sanitary dump station, pit toilets, and hydrants are conveniently located. The campground is open from May 1 - Sept 30. Campers can stay a maximum of 7 days in a 30-day period. We do not take reservations for camping. Although, group camping reservations are accepted through the ExploreMoreIL™ website.
This is the KOA closest to St. Louis attractions! Set up camp on Old Route 66, just 12 miles from downtown. See the soaring Gateway Arch. Walk or bike across the Historic Route 66 Chain of Rocks Bridge. Whether you want to cheer on a pro team, shop until you drop or try your luck at casinos, St. Louis has it all! Visit Cahokia Mounds and Lewis & Clark state historical sites, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the unique City Museum. At the campground, you can swim, romp on the playground or play horseshoes. Kids love the free Jumping Pillow. Sorry, but NO CAMPFIRES are allowed due to county ordinances. Pool: Memorial Weekend - Labor Day Weekend. Max pull thru 75 feet. Your hosts: the Cuvar family and friends.
Enjoy picturesque camping as it was meant to be - with lots of trees, a babbling creek, fireflies, a campfire under a starlit sky, and all Pull-Thru RV Sites. Located on Historic Route 66, this KOA is less than 1 mile from Six Flags St. Louis and I-44. It's an easy 30 minutes from other St. Louis attractions, including the Gateway Arch, Forest Park, Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, City Museum, Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and Grant's Farm. Stay in a Deluxe Cabin or on a Patio RV Site or Premium Tent Site. Kids love all the activities/amenities, such as the heated pool, gem mining station, and new Jumping Pillow. Groups love the pavilion and meeting space with A/C. Pool: May 10 - September 30. Your host: Paul Shepherd.
$35 - $60 / night
$15 - $30 / night
For Active and Retired Military/DOD only.
Pere Marquette State Park is a nature lover's paradise. In addition to enjoying the spectacular views of the Illinois River and its backwaters from several points atop the bluffs, visitors can take advantage of a variety of year-round recreational opportunities, including horseback riding, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and boating.
Pere Marquette's Visitor Center has a 3-D map of the park and wealth of other displays and exhibits concerning the Illinois River, wildlife habitat, local history and geology.
Fall color drives are popular along the wooded ravines and riverside roadways at and near Pere Marquette. In January and February, the park is a hot-spot for bald eagle watching. For many years, the park has hosted tours of the river bluffs and woods for visitors to get an up-close look at wintering bald eagles in the hundreds along the Mississippi River and lower Illinois River near the park.
Campers will find plenty to like at Pere Marquette, from camp sites and cabins to the popular Youth Tent Camp and three group camps. Campground reservations can be made at ExploreMoreIL.
The beautiful Pere Marquette Lodge and Conference Center is an ideal place to stay for a weekend or weekday getaway. Built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the lodge has been expanded and updated in recent years. The mammoth stone fireplace in the lobby soars to a roof height of 50 feet, and is said to weigh 700 tons. There are 50 spacious guest rooms and 22 stone guest cabin rooms.
While groups of 25 or more are welcome and encouraged to use the park's facilities, they are required to register in advance with the site office to avoid crowding or scheduling conflicts. At least one responsible adult must accompany each group of 15 minors. Pets must be kept on leashes at all times. Actions by nature can result in closed roads and other facilities. Please call ahead to the park office before you make your trip. We hope you enjoy your stay. Remember, take only memories, leave only footprints.
$10 - $20 / night
Coles Creek Campground is situated on the eastern shore of Carlyle Lake, a prime getaway for city-dwellers and families. Located 50 miles east of St. Louis and a few miles from the town of Carlyle, the area offers the peaceful retreat of a small town combined with the grandeur of Illinois' largest man-made lake.
Coles Creek Campground provides fun both on the water and on shore. Boat ramps and courtesy docks are provided, and the vast lake allows for plenty of water sports. Fishing is a popular pastime, and the lake offers year-round varieties of fish such as bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, largemouth bass, freshwater drum, carp and walleye. There are multiple playgrounds on-site, as well as a swimming beach and an amphitheater for educational programs. A multi-use biking and walking trail is located a short drive away at the dam.
Created in 1967, the 26,000-acre lake is recognized as one of the nation's top ten inland sailing lakes and hosts several annual races and regattas. Carlyle Lake is home to an array of wildlife that can be seen throughout the year. Its waters and shores are a resting spot for migratory waterfowl and other birds. There are six established Watchable Wildlife Sites with viewing towers open to the public around the lake.
For facility specific information, please call (618) 594-2484.
The Carlyle Lake Visitor Center, located in the Dam West Recreation Area, has information available and nature exhibits on display, including a 215-gallon aquarium with native fish.
Camping No Show - Camping no-show customers who do not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by check out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date will be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit their reservation. If the no-show service fee is greater than the reservation amount, the customer will not be charged any additional service fees. Cancellations - A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
$150 / night
Scout
Had a great fishing trip and swimming trip
Scout
Right next to a huge reserve for fishing and boating. Campsites are very spaced out. We had 30 amp electric but no water on the campsite. Wasn't a problem for us we just filled our water tank. Bathrooms and showers were very clean. Look forward to coming back
Legend
East Dam ACE, IL: Not an interesting view from here, but well maintained campground . Quiet.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 4 for cleanliness and location for travels on nearby highway. Spillway is not particularly pretty. Price 2024: $9 w interagency pass Security: No gate Usage during visit: 60% during the week Visual Privacy Between Adjacent Sites: No Site Spacing: Good Pad surface: Blacktop Reservations: Required. Can be made upon arrival through rec.gov Campground Noise: Quiet Outside Road Noise: No Through Traffic in campground: No Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: At nearby ACE campground Potable Water Available: At site Bathroom: In adjacent day use area Showers: No. Nearby - check w host. Pull Throughs: Some Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars Setting: along Kaskasia River/ spillway Recent Weather: 80s Insects: no Host: yes Rig Size: large Sites: Some sites are along the spillway.
Guide
The management and owner of this place do not care about their business or their customers. We had a terrible accident at this campground over the summer where a tree crushed and totaled our camper van, thankfully none of our family was harmed. KOA immediately wiped their hands of this telling us they have nothing to do with it and we needed to deal with our insurance. They did not even feel the need to refund our stay. I would NEVER stay here again and suggest if you do, hopefully you have really good insurance.
Traveler
Well maintained and well managed park. Staff on duty at all hours is awesome! We called ahead but didn't need a reservation. It is a city park and had that feel... not many trees for shade but the lake was pretty and the playground was good for the kiddos. Five minutes from food and stores. 30 minutes from downtown Saint Louis. I'll
Traveler
Great spot in a beautiful area close to St. Louis. No power but access to drinking water and waste water dump for just 8$.
GuideWe stayed for 1 night, had a spot in the back with a perfect view of the lake. Lots of room for dogs.
TravelerArrived just after a terrible storm so parts of the park were closed for clean up. The parts that were open were all cleaned up, spacious sites, easy access, with fantastic hosts. An absolutely beautiful evening in gorgeous surroundings…we’ll be back and so glad we stumbled upon this place. Didn’t use the showers so can’t report on the facilities….
Traveler
Very secluded!!! Hiking was great!
TravelerStayed here most of the several weeks we needed to be in St. Louis for family matters. Definitely our favorite place in the area. The grounds are clean and pleasant, if a bit sparse with little shade. This will change over the subsequent years, however, as there are many relatively newly planted trees. The nicest spots are the ones by the lake, with only one neighbor and a better view of the lake. The staff are kind and helpful. Water and electric worked fine. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Trash and recycling receptacles are huge and convenient. My only complaint is the poorly thought out sink situation in the bathrooms which make it impossible to wash in a sanitary way as you must hold the tap to keep the water flowing and there are no paper towels to that with, only hand dryers. There is boating and archery on site, a dog run, and a small playground.
GuideLoved the campground! However, lesson learned to reserve a campsite further from the road. Great hiking trails. Fishing not so much. Scenic views. Easy plug n play electric on a 30 amp box, no issues with blowing fuses like I have at other big state parks. Clean vault toilets (I didn't like how people would drive into the park from the highway just to use the bathroom).. overall good stay though. I'll definitely go back!
Scout
Wild pads are allowed in the RV area. They are not allowed in the camping area.
LegendWe stayed here for one night on our way home from Colorado. After checking in at the office, an employee escorted us to our site. Site A13 was a combination of mostly gravel and soft ground. The site was not level front to back and we had to build a sizable pyramid with our blocks to get the rig leveled out.
The pool area was very nice. It was great to be able to cook off after a long day of driving. We’d definitely stay here again.
LegendWe actually didn’t hang out in the campground very much because we spent a lot of time in St. Louis. The campsite was very nice with lots of trees. It had a pool for the kids and some fun things for little ones to do there. The campsite is 30 minutes from downtown St. Louis, and a great place to stay if you’re looking to go check out the gateway arch or go to a Cardinals game.
Traveler
I have stayed in hundreds of places and hiked many miles and have never experienced a tick infestation like I did at this park. I stopped counting at 20(!!!) pulled off my dogs(yes, they are on prevention meds), myself(yes, I was wearing DEET), and inside my camper in just two days. 0/10 do NOT recommend
GuideGetting here is an adventure but the park is nice. I only had 30 amp electric and no water or sewer hookup. Didn’t see any sites with water but there were ample water spigots to fill our tank.
GuidePopped in late on July 4th during a cross-country trip just for the night. Wonderful hosts checked us in (Happy Anniversary!) Absolutely huge site with old growth trees throughout the campground without lots of space between.
Scout
We have tent camped at this quiet campground many times. We just recently purchased a travel trailer, and being only an hour from home decided this would be a good spot to test it out. Had a great weekend with our family and our two dogs and ran into some friends from home camping right across the street! Went down to Grafton for their fireworks last night too. This site has a very deep "backyard" perfect for dogs and shaded in the afternoon but no shade in the morning.
ScoutGood spot for a St.Louis stop. Sites are paved and relatively level. $25 for electric only but with a dump and fresh water fill up stations. Hot water showers in bathrooms. Reservations on the website are until 7pm day-of or first-come first-served need to arrive by 9pm before gate closes. Little tags on each site to say which is still available for that night. No pay station so if office is closed can pay in the a.m.
GuideWe booked this campground because we were spending time in St Louis. It only took about 35 minutes to get from here to downtown. The campground is close to grocery stores and lots of shopping! The sites themselves are very clean and well kept. Our site, 32, was huge and grassy! If you want to be close to the playground and bathrooms, this site was perfect.
Ranger
We stopped her for a few nights to check out St. Louis. It’s about a 30-40 min drive to the arch from campground
Sites were all gravel, fire pits were poorly placed and frequently it fell under someone else’s slide or trailer. We always bring our solo stove so we could have a fire in a better spot on our lot
Pool and bathrooms were clean, staff were very friendly
This campground has a ton of “cabins”
There is a very large hill to get in and some sites are VERY tight - we thankfully had a decent size site comparatively
ScoutMost important, if you put Scott FamCamp in google maps, it will take you there, BUT google maps will take you to no longer operational entry gates. It takes you to gates that have been closed for years. So put in Commissary to get on base. Once on base put in FamCamp. Does not have sewer hook up. One dump station that is clean, black water hose provided, but used a lot. Expect to wait your turn. A lot of spots are not level, so come prepared. Some spots are shaded. Some spots are in full sun. Darn the bugs are miserable, miserable, miserable. Showers are 2ea male for almost 30 spots. Sites have water only and 30&50amp plug in at pedestal. You are on the entire opposite side of the base, away from everything, absolutely everything.. You are only kinda close to the golf course which being Illinois the golf course and golf course cafe run seasonally by days and various hours depending on what month of the year. Food is simple pub food, but is great. Be prepared to drive to everything, nothing is walking distance. Even cafe is a couple miles away. It is very quiet even when full. All, i mean all RVers and tent campers we met, were very nice. It is my go to place, since i local to set up and enjoy quiet. They have one soda machine at the camp site. I have never seen it work. Don’t come thirsty. Stayed Aug, Sept, November 2022, May 2023.
LegendQuick decision to stop here on a road trip. Was extremely easy to book only a few hours in advance over the phone. Very friendly and attentive staff. Site was very clean and well kept as well as quiet and peaceful
GuideThis is a city run camp with like-new amenities. Unfortunately it sits on the wrong side of a levee with not much atmosphere. The water is part of the Missouri river flood control. An overnight site in my opinion.
GuideHighly helpful staff. A guide will assist you to your site and helped with backing in and leveling the RV. Tons of activities for the kiddos and right next door to Six Flags.
ScoutThey have several attractions and plenty to do for young and old
ScoutI love it
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Swansea, IL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Swansea, IL is Horseshoe Lake State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Swansea, IL?
TheDyrt.com has all 18 glamping camping locations near Swansea, IL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
