Looking to go glamping near University City and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Glamping is not only a fun alternative to traditional tent camping, but also allows you to pack more or less gear as you see fit. Glamping offers quick access to one or more of University City's most popular destinations.
$35 - $60 / night
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.
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
Cuivre River State Park is one of the state’s largest and most rugged parks! Cuivre River State Park lends a wilder, Ozarkian flavor to the otherwise predominately agricultural landscape of northern Missouri. Although not far from St. Louis, the park is a nature lover’s paradise. It is an outdoor delight to stroll through the park in the spring when flowering dogwood is in bloom or in the fall when the trees are ablaze with autumn colors. The park is perfect whether you want to enjoy an afternoon visit or spend a few days. Both primitive and modern campsites are available, and Lake Lincoln offers swimming, boating and fishing. The park’s wild and natural areas provide hiking, backpacking, photography and wildlife observation activities. There is also an equestrian trail with a campground for overnight stays. Cuivre River State Park offers reservable basic, electric and sewer/electric/water campsites, an equestrian campground, three organized group camps and a special-use camping area. Try one of the park's family campsites for a little extra space or a platform tent site for a unique camping experience.
$15 - $38 / night
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.
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.
Laying at the foothills of the gently rolling Ozark mountain range, Greensfelder Park features lovely shaded trails and spectacular views, horse boarding, equestrian and group camping, hayrides, trails, nature learning center, picnic sites and shelters, playground and trim orienteering course.
The area was donated to St. Louis County in 1963 by the Trustees of the St. Louis Regional Planning and Construction Foundation. The Foundation was established in 1939 by A. P. Greensfelder, civic leader.
This is primarily an equestrian campground. There is a tie horse stall located behind the restroom that is lighted and will hold approximately 30 horses. A round pen is also available for horse turn out. Two trail heads are at opposite ends of the campground, with connectors to additional trails.
Guide
This park is so rich in Missouri and USA history - from buildings costructed by the African-American CCC stonemasons to Native American petroglyphs, there's some fascinating stuff here. The campgrounds are a bit rocky like, but each has a picnic table and fire pit, and they sit on the hills of a beautiful Missouri pineforest. Big River runs through this park, so there's some great swimming and fishing here, and there are three hiking trails of varying difficulty, so most people can do whatever. No supplies are available onsite, so bring everything you need!
Guide
This 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.
GuideWashington State Park is a hidden gem in Missouri! We camped in mid-March 2021 for 7 days and thoroughly enjoyed the area. They had just opened a new shower house which was clean and well kept. The campground hosts were especially helpful and friendly. The prehistoric Petroglyphs nearby are a must see.
GuideWe utilized the special use area of the campground for our Cub Scout family camp, but visited the main loop during our trip.
Best campground hosts we ever encountered! Knowledgeable and friendly. The park has a pool, river access, canoe & kayak rentals and miles of great trails. Great program for kids on staying out of they get lost presented by hosts. This is a great park for organized groups, with lots to do!
Shower house was clean and convenient. Hands down one of Missouri’s best!
Tip- check out the petroglyph site.
Traveler
We really enjoyed this campground. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Check-in was very easy and we were met at the gate. They drove us over to our spot and brought us over a firepit. The electrical box was setup correctly and everything worked as expected. Water hookup was very close as well and water pressure was strong. As an FYI, we did have to use a regulator to reduce the water pressure.
We were able to stay right along the river. We had arrived a little too early in the camping season and we happened to pick days where Missouri had a cold front (previous weekend was warm). Even with the cold weather, we were able to really enjoy the trip and get our RV ready for the upcoming season.
The camping spots are basically just spots in a big parking lot layout. It is fully paved, but during busy season, you would be very close to other rigs. The park is beautiful and a very short walk over to the cave and ziplines. There is easy access to the river and you are able to easily put in your kayak or small boat. Restroom, showers and trash were a short walk as well.
We will return to this site.
ScoutI love it
TravelerWe stayed here for 10 months. The place did nothing but improve the entire time. Rent is cheap, and the people are nice.
Scout
Wild pads are allowed in the RV area. They are not allowed in the camping area.
ScoutPretty nice campground, but is near a racetrack. Loud engine noises can be heard past 10pm. Otherwise, no real complaints!
GuideSpent one night on our way through. We had tram tickets for the arch so we needed a shore power hookup for run the AC for our dog. This was a good spot for that. Some grass and shade, a pool and a playground for the kids. When you first pull down the road you’ll be worried you’re going to end up in the train yard, but the campground is hidden and actually really quiet and secluded. Laundry, showers and bathrooms available as well.
GuideGrounds were nice enough. There was a slight sewer smell throughout the park. Staff didn’t talk much. The water spigot was broken at our sight. Couldn’t get the water to turn off. Pool was in good enough Out caching with 2AussieDad. From Alaska. Got our Illinois cache. Headed to the St.Louis Arch. TFTC shape. Busy with families. The tiny pens in the back for the dogs were a little more muddy. Not enough room to play, just poop. The waste receptacle was full.
GuideStayed at overnight. The host couple is very friendly and helpful. Place was clean. Sites were pretty level and shaded. Host helped us with ladder and broom for the stuff that fell off the trees. Cute pool but didn’t use it. Laundry worked good. Pizza was good. Pet runs clean and in good shape. Good air signal for tv.
TravelerDoesn't allow pets for tent sites
ScoutClean and fairly well maintained. Close to St. Louis attractions. Nice enough for staying a night or two.
RangerWe stayed overnight on the way home, the park is in an industrial area, that didn't really didn't bother us though. Not a long stay location in my opinion, but for what we needed it was great! Very friendly host, nice pool and the kids park was great.
GuideConveniently located just outside of St Louis. We camped here for a trip to the city for St Louis cardinals game and zoo. My kids loved the jumping pillow at the park. Minimal playground but they still enjoyed it. Wish there was more of a good walking/biking area around it (I love to be able to walk the dog around the playground while kids play and this wasn’t really an option. Waffle House and gas station nearby but mostly industrial area immediately around campground.
GuideWe stayed in a tent spot... Had shade and a nice concrete pad to park on. Good clean power. Clean bathrooms and pool looked like it was taken care of.
Tent spots have Charcoal grills, table and benches, and a nice metal cover to sit under if it rains.
It's not in the prettiest location, very industrial and the train tracks run close. First night one came through blowing its horns around 5am.
Spent the day in Forest park, a much prettier place to park and explore.
GuideThere are few campgrounds with full hook-ups in the Edwardsville, IL area, so we were pleased to find this one. Yes, trains pass 2 blocks away several times nightly, but after the first night you won't notice. During modified car racing season, Friday nights are roaring loud from the racetrack nearby. This last stay in September 2020, we were surprised to see many full spots with residents living full time there. The playground and bounce pad and store were closed due to coronavirus, but the bathrooms and showers were open. Laundry is by appt. only. Not fancy, not quiet, but clean and safe. A bit pricey for the area, but as I said, not many choices there.
Guidebathrooms were good but the bathroom entrance was hidden and it made me wary about the kids going alone. the pool, playground and bouncepad were nice and there was no road noise, however, a train honked early in the morning.
it was nice overall but in an industrial area off the beaten path a little.
Scout
There is a homemade sign that says no camping. I wish we would have known that before we got here. As far as I could tell the website said it’s open.
ScoutThe campground is relatively small but has great sites to camp. Very private and clean. 5 ⭐ in my opinion simply because of the overnight price and privacy. Not much to do if you have kids. If you're looking for quite camping trip this is a great park to camp.
ScoutHorseshoe Lake is one of my most visited parks and most favorite park in the STL and surrounding areas. First off absolutely beautiful land and peace is easily achieved. Self service pay system makes it simple, easy, and fast. Camping can be reserved but no need. Just pick your spot go to the office building, and fill out the form, pay and slide in envelope and drop in box. Staff/ Security is super friendly and helpful with directing throughout the park. Also not nosy and mind their own unless you are just being that guy. Clean and well kept up with spots, water Spickets never far from your camp also nice cast iron fire pits. Good fishing, trails and memories waiting to be made.
8$ a night
TravelerHad a great experience . It was my first time. Rangers were helpful and friendly. Came back a second time . Great for first time campers good rates and amenities
TravelerVery primitive camping. Toilets only, but the campsites are spaced comfortably apart. The grounds are well maintained.
GuidePeaceful tent camping on Walkers Island at $8 per day.
GuideThere is no electric or running water. The lake is ok but no swimming, boating and fishing only.
GuideThis is a great place when the geese are migrating thru, I really hope to be back here some day!
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near University City, MO is St. Peters' 370 Lakeside Park with a 4.6-star rating from 24 reviews.
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