Best RV Parks & Resorts near Vandalia, IL

The Forest Bo Wood Recreation area has grown each year since I first camped there in 1979.

In 2017 it has 150 camping sites, a boat ramp, fish cleaning station, several picnic areas and a bait shop at the entrance on Illinois Route 32 4 miles South of Sullivan. The camp sites all have parking space for a big rig and one vehicle. There are some tent only sites but most have been converted to at least 30 amp electric sites with water hookups near the site. Many lake side sites are available, some years back there was a problem with the bank, but that has been dealt with.

Bath rooms and shower houses are very clean and there is good bank fishing near the pavilion at the turn around at the west end of the area. There is a marina just 1 mile South and across the bridge another ½ mile is the Sullivan beach. Just 1 more mile South is a Rosatti's pizza located in a gas station with a liquor store. Rossati's delivers pizza's to the 2 campgrounds that are this close to the business. People that love the comforts of home while camping love this campground, so it fills up in the spring and summer months.

All sites are spacious and include a picnic table, lantern stand, fire pit with grill grate and some have added camp stove stands. I find that October camping at Bo Woods most agreeable with less people tent camping and less boat traffic on the lake. The fishing this time of year is also very good.

Big things happening at Country Bend Campgrounds in Montrgromy Co, IL. This beautiful campground has many things to offer and is only a few minutes from the local drive in movie theater in Litchfield Illinois. It has a pool, swing sets, playground, cabins, ponds with stocked fish, beautiful walking trails, camping, welcome center, baseball field, volleyball, games, horseshoes, paddle boats, miniature golf, and so much more. This family run business is under new management and is welcoming new seasonal campers and day campers with competitive pricing. This beautiful campground is nestled in a scenic area in the country and is pet friendly. It has clean shower houses with warm water. We just purchased our seasonal campsite earlier in the season. Come check out this amazing campground and all it has to offer! Our rough collies will be joining us at this dog friendly campground! There is always something to do here and the owners strive to make it a family place by providing many activities on the weekends. The owners have done an amazing job on this campground and have made it one of the best campgrounds around to create that lasting experience with our children before they grow up!!!

Rend Lake is a large COE recreation area with 4 campgrounds, some with full hook ups for $28 a night, two dams, 2 beaches, several boat launches, a marina, golf course and a restaurant.  Not all facilities were open when we visited in March.  Hiking and biking trails and close to town for gas and bait.  Each site has a stone picnic table and fire ring.  Showers, bathrooms and  playgrounds in multiple places and convenient locations.  Some sites do have steep grade, originally booked Bluejay 48 and moved.

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233504?tab=seasons

 Our motorhome is a big rig a 42 foot diesel pusher.. They squeezed site was 7 ft wide with little gravel mostly wet grass and mud.Our 40000 lb RV was 8 1/2"ft wide. We were put in a spot by Country Bend Campground not large enough for our vehicle. Not much gravel all mud. Due to a huge tree no satellite service yet the owners stated was good for our 42 ft diesel pusher motorhome and no obstacles.We were sandwiched between two living full time people right next to us. We waited 3 hours to come in since they charge$5 an hour extra for early arrival. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!$$$$ is their goal. They want you to rent their golf carts because everything is so spread out. We have been full timing for two years. This is the worst experience we ever had. No water hookup. We called Kate Tuxhorn the owner and she said sorry i forgot to tell you that you have to tap in your neighbors water. Her husband Jeff Tuxhorn has many bad reviews too.Leaving we hit that huge tree that we had no way to turn. Thousands of$ damage.

The Opossum Creek Recreation area is open year-round for the boat ramp and Disabled / children fishing pond and pier. The campground is only open Memorial Day to Labor Day. I camped here in June, however I did the photography in October so there are no campers in the shots. This campground is only about 6 miles from the town of Shelbyville where there is a Walmart, restaurant’s, gas stations, bait, hardware stores, medical care, the Shelbyville Dam, Beach, City Park with lakeside trails and firewood. This proximity to facility’s makes it popular, so having less than 100 campsites it tends to fill up quickly. It is advisable to book ahead on-line if you want to stay here. The sites are nice and the park is clean, but the sites are close together. The boat ramp is well thought out with tons of parking and being close to town is usually busy in the summer season. This campground is also cared for by the Corps of Engineers and seasoned camp hosts man the gate house at the campground. The disabled fishing pond is well stocked so it is easy for wheel chair bound fishermen to catch their daily quota. I recommend this campground for people with motorhomes, fifth-wheels and campers that want to take in the Shelbyville lake town experience while visiting.

Coles Creek Campground on Carlyle Lake has 219 sites, most with full hookups, and shade. (There is 30 & 50 a as no service). Internet is spotty. There are also 2 group campsites with cabins. There are showers, flush toilet, a playground, fish cleaning station, boat ramp and a dump station. There is also a laundry area. All the campsites are either on the shoreline or a short walk to the lake. The whole campground is fairly flat, so the sites are level and easy to get into. There are a few pull through sites. Comes Creek is on the east side of Carlyle Lake, away from the larger, more crowded Hazlet State Park area. It’s a great place for fishing and boating or just enjoying the lake. The lake is a prime fishing and boating lake, and is recognized as one of the nation's top ten inland sailing lakes.

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.