Yeah, I get it, you bought that annual membership at Sam’s Club and you have come to think (especially as you move around the country in that oversized RV or 5th Wheel you are pulling around) that said membership will always guarantee you a pristine overnight parking situation, right? Well, you would be wrong if you came here to this location. Don’t get me wrong, while the Sam’s Club here is just fine and the parking lot is MUCH better than some of the other alternatives you’ll find around here, make no mistake about it, you’ll still find yourself in a pretty rough patch.
That said, if you find yourself barreling up or down two of the most heavily trafficked highways in and around Chicago – 290 or 294 – and simply looking for a place to layover for a few hours, then this particular Sam’s Club wouldn’t be the worst decision of your life. But I would stop short of outright recommending an overnighter here. Why? Well, to begin with, while the lot itself is decent quality, it’s jam-packed. Add to this that tight spaces within the just ‘meh’-sized parking lot and you’re going to feel crowded. Oh, and there’s a steady stream of non-stop inbound / outbound traffic that will not only aggravate the congested feeling you have, but will compound the noise you’re going to be no doubt deafened by. Lastly, while I’m sure the good folks here at Sam’s do a decent job at making their customers feel safe and secure, despite their best efforts, that’s going to be a difficult feeling to satisfy here.
Warnings aside, should you decide to layup here for a few hours or overnight, you will have no shortage of amenities and retail shopping options completely surrounding you at this spot as it is certainly jam-packed with tons of retail options, should your desires not be satiated by what you find inside Sam’s Club. Up and down the nearby avenue, you’ll discover an array of gas stations, cell phone carriers, retail shopping store fronts, restaurants and even a bowling alley. As for the landing strip you are trying to navigate, the quality is actually decent and there’s very good lighting at night adding a bit of an edge to the overnight security arrangements.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) It would be my pretty strong recommendation to bypass this paved retail parking lot in favor of maybe not higher ground, but certainly a spot that takes you as far away from the downsides that you’re bound to find here; (2) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or inside that roto-molded Cordova cooler you’ve been hauling around, then nearby you’ll have access to fast food joints like Panda Express and endless Mexican cantinas of varying quality as well as decent sit-down restaurants like Portillo’s (for the most amazing Italian beef on sausage sandwich) in addition to The Winking Dog for Polish sausage, corned beef and, of course, gourmet Chicago hot dogs; (3) Should you be RVing with your four-legged friends entowe, you’re in luck as just due west of here you’ll discover two nice patches of nature called Elm Lawn Memorial Park and just due south of the spaghetti mess that is where 290 and 294 intersect there’s also East End Park, both of which offer a few miles of decent paths for you and your pet to stretch your legs; and (4) Located just due southwest of here is Morton Arboretum, which if you haven’t been to or even heard of, trust me, you’ll be in for a treat, whether with the kids or just your friends or partner, this little known Chicago treasure is a natural escape from an otherwise concrete jungle offering up 1,700 acres of blissful nature preserve with a maze garden, hiking and biking paths as well as many other Instagram-worthy shots that will impress your friends, social following and family back home.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience(EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 3
Safety & Security: 2
Quality: 3
Peace & Quiet: 2
Amenities: 2
Overall, I scored this location a 2.
Happy Overnighting!
Overnight Parking
