The best places to go camping near Chicago

Set on 6.5 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, you can enjoy picturesque stretches of sand, dunes, marshes, forests and hiking trails before heading to the campground in the southern portion of Illinois Beach State Park to get some rest. With 241 sites, there's lots of room for tents, RVs, cars and trailers—and they all have access to electricity, restrooms and showers.

Open Apr 1–Dec 31. Reserve a campsite.

Although most people head to Starved Rock to walk among the park's winding sandstone canyons and snap photos in front of its seasonal waterfalls, it's also possible to spend the night. Each of the 129 campsites at Starved Rock feature room for two vehicles, a picnic table, a fire pit and access to electricity. There are also two showerhouses (with flush toilets, a camping luxury!) and a playground for the kids.

Open year-round, weather permitting. Reserve a campsite.

To most Chicagoans, "a weekend at the Dunes" means a trip to this popular Indiana State Park, about a half-hour drive from the Illinois border. Visitors usually spend time relaxing on the beach or traversing a 1.5-mile trail that allows you to climb atop the three tallest dunes in the park. Campers have a couple of options: the small 66-site Dunewood Campground just south of the park or the larger (and very popular) Indiana Dunes State Park Campground, which is within a mile of the beach.

Dunewood Campground: Open Mar 31–Oct 31. Reserve a campsite.

Indiana Dunes State Park Campground: Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

A fan favorite for Chicago-based weekend adventurers, Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake State Park is just over three hours outside the city. Located along the 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail, the stunning landscape of hills, ridges and valleys was once the edge of the huge glacier that covered much of North America over 15,000 years ago. This park can get packed, but no stress–with three campgrounds and over 400 sites, make a reservation and you’ll be set. Spend your time splashing in the water or climbing up the 30 miles of trails for scenic views, and be sure to snap a photo overlooking the lake from the 500-foot bluff.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

You probably won't see a sasquatch at this Wisconsin State Park (just across the border from Illinois), but you can enjoy canoeing and kayaking on Lake Geneva before retiring to a cozy campsite. There are 100 sites to choose from—including a lower ring of sites that's just a short walk from a dedicated parking area—and each is equipped with a fire ring and a picnic table.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Just north of Rockford, Illinois, Rock Cut State Park contains two lakes (the sprawling Pierce Lake and the smaller Olson Lake) and lots of room for hiking, fishing and boating. The campground boasts more than 250 sites with access to electricity, showers and toilets. There's also a single cabin (with room for six people) that can be rented, though you'll likely need to plan well in advance. 

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Situated just over two hours from Chicago by car, this expansive state forest north of Milwaukee is named for the large depressions in the land (many of which later became bodies of water) formed by melting glaciers thousands of years ago. After you hike the Ice Age Trail, spend the night at the Pinewoods, Ottawa Lake or Whitewater Lake campgrounds. Each space offers different amenities (Whitewater Lake is primitive, without a showerhouse) and each boasts a few more secluded walk-in sites.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Tucked among the largest concentration of natural lakes in Illinois, Chain O' Lakes State Park offers scenic hiking and popular fishing spots as well as boat and canoe rentals. After a day on the water, you can pitch a tent in the Class A Honey Suckle Hollow and Fox Den camp areas or one of three Class B campgrounds (Turner Lake South, Prairie View and Mud Lake East), which are about half the price per night.

Open Jan-Oct. Reserve a campsite. 

Drive west of Chicago to this 1,550-acre stretch of prairie, surrounding a 300-acre manmade lake that is popular with fishers. The lake is stocked with large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, walleye, muskie and more—you can also take a boat out on the water if you like. A total of 150 campsites offer a place to rest after a sunsoaked day, each with electricity, a picnic table, fire rings and vehicle access.

Open year-round, with some exceptions. Reserve a campsite.

Set in a Cook County Forest Preserve not far from Tinley Park and Orland Park, this small campground has room for all types of campers, as well as access to the Tinley Creek Trail System and an indoor climbing wall. Bring a tent, park your RV or reserve one of Camp Sullivan's bunkhouses or cabins. Cook County residents get reduced pricing, which is as good of an excuse as any for a weekend away (but not too far away) from the city.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite. 

This expansive site in Michigan's "Harbor Country" has long been a favorite destination of weekending Chicagoans, and with the three miles of dreamy Lake Michigan shoreline, breathtaking dune views and activities ranging from the chill (bird-watching) to the extreme (hang gliding), we can see why. With 185 modern campsites with electric hookups, 24 rustic sites and three mini-cabins, there's a space for every kind of camper here. Give yourself time on the drive home to sample some of the many tempting restaurants, wineries and breweries nearby.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

As the name might suggest, the 3,200-acre lake is the big draw here. Campers can enjoy lots of opportunities for fishing, boating and swimming, or explore more than five miles of hiking trails through a variety of different habitats. The family campground sports 96 sites (29 with electrical hookups), but Lake Kegonsa's biggest advantage may be for groups—their six group sites can accommodate as many as 20 campers, with fun amenities such as a common area with a picnic shelter, a sand volleyball court and a horseshoe pit. 

Open May 1-Oct 31. Reserve a campsite.

Two hours from Chicago along the shores of Lake Michigan is Harrington Beach State Park, over 700 acres of forest, swamp, grasslands, wetland ponds and a limestone quarry lake. The 69-unit campground are located about a mile inland from the lake and one special kayak site for up to six people is feet from the water. The park includes about a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline and a series of moderate trails of less than a mile, so you can enjoy the outdoors at an easy pace. Just thirty minutes’ drive north of Milwaukee, stop in Cream City on your way back to Chicago for great breweries, art and history.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Another Forest Preserves of Cook County gem for camping close to the city is Camp Bullfrog Lake in the Palos Preserves system (and yes–you can actually hear bullfrogs here). Pick from six campsites and one large group campsite for up to 30 people, several cabins, or RV or trail sites and explore the extensive system of nearby hiking, trail running, or mountain biking routes. With Bullfrog Lake at your front door, you can enjoy ice fishing in the winter and kayaking and canoeing in the summer.

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Under three hours from Chicago in Angola, Indiana, Pokagon State Park is one of Indiana’s oldest state parks and has over 70 tent and over 200 RV and trailer sites. Located in the county with the most lakes in the state, it’s naturally a hotspot for water recreation, so pack your swimsuit. Winter visitors can bundle up and test the toboggan run, a quarter-mile, 90-foot drop built in 1935 that will have you flying at over 30 miles an hour. The flat drive east along Indiana’s I-90 isn’t the most exciting, but you can plan a series of interesting or quirky stops along the way–try South Bend for museums and great eats or Shipshewana for one of the country's largest flea markets and Amish culture hubs.  

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Less than an hour outside the city in Palatine, Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Camp Reinberg is perfect for a quick weekend escape or one-night camping experience. Located in the 2,000-acre Deer Grove Forest Preserve, you’ll have access to an estimated 15.5 miles of trails for biking, trail running, cross-country skiing or horseback riding. There are 13 campsites, six RV sites, and several heated cabins are available year-round (and don’t forget Cook County residents get a discount) so you can experience nature no matter the season. 

Open year-round. Reserve a campsite.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s Blackwell Family Campground is a seasonal (May-September) option with 60 tent sites. You’ll hear the sounds of summer just an hour outside Chicago and have activity options like archery, seven miles of hiking or running trails, and canoeing, kayaking or row boating on Silver Lake. And if you’re looking to strengthen your wilderness survival skills in a safe setting, try the self-guided compass course on Mount Hoy, a long-ago garbage site-turned winter sledding hill. 

Open May-Sept. Reserve a campsite.