Cabin camping near Wilmette, Illinois offers options within a 40-mile radius of the north suburban community. Located along Lake Michigan about 14 miles north of downtown Chicago, Wilmette sits at an elevation of 636 feet. The camping season typically runs April through October, with July temperatures averaging 73°F and January dropping to 24°F.
What to do
Kayaking on Turner Lake: Turner Lake South in Chain O' Lakes State Park provides a quiet paddling experience about 45 minutes from Wilmette. "I love to kayak through here because I don't need to paddle through the river unless I'm feeling competitive. I enjoy this route for the wildlife and nature scenery. I've seen beavers, minks, ferrets, and sand cranes on my two trips so far," notes one visitor to Turner Lake South.
Mountain biking on trails: Camp Bullfrog Lake features extensive trail systems perfect for mountain biking. A camper at Camp Bullfrog Lake shared, "What's great about this location is the access to the miles and miles of MTB and hiking trails just out the front step of your campsite." The single-track trails accommodate various skill levels.
Fishing from your campsite: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort allows fishing directly from lakefront tent sites. "The lake is beautiful and surprisingly picturesque as it is all nature preserve on the opposite side. The beach is large enough and there are clean bathrooms right there," explains a camper who stayed at the resort.
What campers like
Free firewood allotment: Camp Bullfrog Lake provides a complimentary bundle of oak firewood with each site reservation. "Each site comes with a free bundle of oak firewood which is nice to use on the fire pits," mentions a regular visitor who enjoys midweek trips to break up their work routine.
Indoor recreational facilities: Camp Sullivan offers an activities barn with a rock climbing wall that stays open regardless of weather. "There is an activities barn with a rock climbing wall. There are smaller family cabins with heat available to rent as well as large bunkhouses for organized groups," explains one visitor to this Cook County Forest Preserve location.
Accessibility to Chicago: Several campgrounds provide quick city access while still offering natural surroundings. "We live 15 minutes away so like to take midweek camping trips to break up the work week," notes a Camp Bullfrog Lake visitor. This convenience makes cabin sites perfect for short getaways from Wilmette.
What you should know
Campground noise levels: Some locations experience higher noise levels from nearby roads or neighboring activities. A visitor to Sunset Campground mentioned, "The only downside is all the noise from the road and the drag strip near by." At Lakeshore Camp Resort, another camper noted, "The train is so loud that it's bound to wake you up numerous times in the middle of the night."
Insect preparation: Ticks and mosquitoes can be significant at certain locations, particularly in wetland areas. "SO many ticks. With a baby crawling that needed to be set free, we were constantly doing checks," warns a visitor to Honeysuckle Hollow. Plan for toddlers and babies to have contained covered screen houses.
Reservation timing: Many campgrounds fill quickly during summer months. At Chain O' Lakes State Park, "This IL state campground fills up quickly on the weekends over the summer. While these sites are usually slated for walk-ups on the weekends, it seems like a lot of people go early on Thursday or even Wednesday to secure their sites."
Tips for camping with families
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Sunset Campground offers abundant wildlife watching that appeals to children. "If you enjoy bird watching or rabbit spotting, this is a great place to go... I have seldom seen as many rabbits as we saw. There were relatively few campers during the week and just about every other campsite had at least a bunny or two," says a visitor to Richard Bong State Recreation Area.
Kid-friendly scheduling: At Chicago Northwest KOA, text message communication helps with activity planning. "Plenty for the little kids to do, and the text message communication was great with regards to weather updates or any goings on around the campground," notes a weekend visitor to the Chicago Northwest KOA.
Cabin selection for privacy: At Camp Reinberg, cabin layout contributes to comfort. "The campsites are small, the amenities are super clean and the rentable cabins are as well. The trails through the grounds are varied and long--you can find something to suit just about any preference for suburban midwest hiking," explains a fall visitor to the site.
Tips from RVers
Site selection considerations: At Honeysuckle Hollow, electrical hookup locations affect site choice. "These sites share an electric box. Some spaces the box is further than 30 feet from the pad. A lot of the spaces are also crowded together. Recommend sites 23 to 46 for spacing and electric distance," advises an RVer who stayed at Honeysuckle Hollow.
Water access points: Several campgrounds lack direct water hookups but offer filling stations. "There is no water on site but water spigots next to our site that we could use to fill up jugs of water," notes a weeklong visitor to Honeysuckle Hollow. This requires advance planning for water storage.
Leveling requirements: Site terrain varies significantly across campgrounds. At Camp Bullfrog Lake, a camper noted, "Site was not level but it had a lot of shade which was nice." Bringing leveling blocks is advisable for most area campgrounds.
