We are looking to save a few bucks on fuel this summer and are looking for some good recommendations for camping with our two children (4 and 7) in our 26 foot Jayco. We can probably create our own fun, so we don't need waterparks (could use 'em, though), but we could use some direction on what Southern Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, or Eastern Iowa have to offer. Chain of Lakes State Park in Illinois is pretty much booked this summer, and my work schedule doesn't really support driving and hoping a site is available - we pretty much need reservations. Thanks for any recommendations.
2009 North Trail 31BHD
2008 Ford F-150 King Ranch Supercrew
Equalizer & Prodigy
Me, the DW, and the Two Rugrats
Lake Louise campground in Byron, IL is fun for kids, as is Pearl Lake in South Beloit, IL. Both are private campgrounds that take reservations. Not sure how far you are willing to travel, but Timber Lake campground in Mt. Carroll, IL is a also a top notch campground.
It's about a 20 minute drive to Great America, The Jelly Belly plant (tours and tasting room) and about 2 miles from Waukeegan Regional Airport (2 day air show in mid-summer).
In late July and early August, the water temp in the lake is frequently in the upper 70s.
Paul - K9ERG
Campground host at IBSP
Single - Full-timer
Coachmen Cadet 25
6.2L Diesel Suburban 2500
We just camped at Le-Aqua-Na, very nice. Some sites are much nicer than others.
We also enjoyed Ottawa Lakes, part of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin, nice big sites there, very clean park. You might get lucky with a reservation there? Don't wait tho. Ottawa Lakes is near Eagle, WI and about 30 minutes to Lake Geneva, for some tourism time. Still very much wilderness by the park, not like the town of Lake Geneva at all.
Did you try Shabbona Lake near Dekalb? They have a nice campground, some of the sites are reservable. They have a map that if you click on the site number a picture of the site comes up. Only one loop is reservable tho. No beach there but there is boat rental and rumored to be good fishing, tho we've always had bad luck. Playgrounds, hiking. Usual cg stuff.
Another option is Cliffside County Park in Caledonia. Its clean, quiet, and close to Milwaukee and Racine. You can tour the Jelly Belly factory, the Racine Zoo is free, Windhover Hall at the Milwaukee Art Museum is free (not the museum itself though).
Chuck D.
'03 Jayco Kiwi 17a, '03 Chevy Trailblazer EXT, Garmin Nuvi 200 GPS
Photography is my obsession: http://coldwater.smugmug.com/
“Adventure is just bad planning.” - Roald Amundsen
Check out Crazy Horse Campground in WI. I`ve heard good things from this place. you can take tube trips down the river and there are many other things to do here. we may go in aug. depending on $$$$!
Wife kim
Son brandon 7yrs
Daughter marissa 6yrs
Dog shadow
07 Cherokee 32B
02 Excursion 4X4 V-10 4.30 gear
Reese HP dualcam,Prodigy brake controller,
Air lift air bags.
Better to have a bad day of
camping than a good day at work!
Lena KOA is pretty nice. Not many sites not taken up by seasonals this year, but it's a pleasant park, owners/staff are friendly, seasonals are newer & not junky, and there are activities for kids & family, including pool and "jumping pillow." Country atmosphere; right along US 20 west of Freeport IL.
Bong SRA is likely to have all/most of the elec hookup sites booked up on weekends, as Chicago, Milwaukee & Kenosha County have discovered it. Non-elec sites may have some openings, however. Nice place; has small swimming beach near the CG (not walkable); good place to ride bikes, and some day-use activities to watch, including model rockets, model planes, ATVs, etc. Ottawa Lake (Kettle Moraine S. SF) will have the same problem as Bong - nearly all sites are reservable, and will likely be booked solid on weekends; the nonreservables will have been occupied since about Wed.
IL Beach SP may have some openings on weekends, especially in the no-alcohol section. Nice park,pretty sites, can be buggy; has the beach to play at.
* This post was
edited 05/28/08 04:50pm by kknowlton *
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