City life is great, but every once in a while you’ve got to get back to nature.
The great thing about a city as centrally located as Chicago is that it’s not hard to find a solid camping site within range of a quick weekend getaway. None of these campgrounds are much more than a two-hour drive from the city and offer beautiful views and all of the amenities you’ll need to get off the grid for a few days.
Photo via Facebook/Indiana Dunes State Park
Chesterton, IN
Live it up with a beach getaway on the third coast! Indiana Dunes State Park is a beachfront campground less than 90 minutes away from Chicago. With pet-friendly and electricity-accessible campsites available for around $30 a night, you won’t need to feel too far out of your element while enjoying a dip in Lake Michigan and scaling the beautiful dunes surrounding the waterfront.
Photo via illinois department of natural resources
Morris, IL
Fishing and wildlife enthusiasts should enjoy a campout on this undisturbed prairie land. You’ll feel like the first settlers of Illinois—but modest amenities like grills, restrooms, and a nature center are never too far out of range in case you need to get back to the future. It takes right around two hours to get to these quaint campgrounds.
Photo via Facebook/Starved Rock State Park
Oglesby, IL
We’re sure you’ve seen at least a few pictures on social media of this beautiful, shady state park just two hours outside of Chicago. It’s not the most remote camping destination in the Chicago area, but it’s one of the most popular and fun. Spend a zen afternoon tracking down the most breathtaking waterfall in the woods, take a guided hike, or pull up to one of the area wineries. Lodge and cabin accommodations are also available if you want to leave your tent at home this time around.
Photo via Facebook/Tippecanoe River State Park
Winamac, IN
This state park is best known for attracting—you guessed it—canoers! You can also make the two-hour journey to this state park to enjoy hiking, fishing, and—of course—camping. Not a big paddler? Rent tubes for a lazy (but lovely) ride down the river!
Photo via Flickr.com/Lotzman Katzman
Bourbonnais, IL
This 4,000-acre state park is home to more than 200 campsites with shower and electricity options that are a roughly 90-minute drive from Chicago. Set up camp for the weekend and enjoy hiking and equestrian trails, hunting, fishing, canoeing, and more. Your activities will never take you far from the gorgeous 11-mile stretch of the park’s namesake river.
Photo via Facebook/Illinois Beach State Park
Zion, IL
“Beach” and “Illinois” are two terms that aren’t associated with each other enough in our opinion. This state park stretches six and a half miles along the Lake Michigan shoreline and is only an hour and a half away. The Midwest beaches attract a diverse and beautiful swath of vegetation—from cacti to cattails. Campsites have access to showers and sanitary facilities so you’ll have nothing to worry about except taking in some stunning sunsets.
Photo via Facebook/Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve
Beecher, IL
Barely more than an hour south the city, Goodenow Grove is a family-friendly hideaway for campers looking to enjoy horseback riding, fishing and wildlife viewing. Campsite renters will have access to firepits, latrines and water fountains.
Photo via Facebook/Forest Preserves of Cook County
Willow Springs, IL
You don’t even need to leave Cook County to enjoy some grade-A camping! Bullfrog Lake, part of the county’s forest preserves, offers year-round camping an hour outside of the city. Explore the hilly Palos Preserves on one of the many nature trails or stop by the boathouse and make your journey by boat. Tent sites, RVs and cabins are available for rental.
Photo via Facebook/Bong Recreation Area
Kansasville, WI
We know what you’re thinking. No, it’s not that kind of recreation. But you can enjoy hiking, biking, swimming and kayaking at this little Wisconsin oasis. Campground amenities include a shower building, restrooms, playgrounds and option electric hookups. You can get to “the Bong” from Chicago in less than two hours if traffic is in your favor.
Photo via Facebook/Warren Dunes State Park
Sawyer, MI
Get to the dunes, maaaan. Warren Dunes’ three miles of shoreline and six miles of hiking trails are open year-round and a roughly hour and a half drive away. Its nearby campground makes for a cute summer getaway by the lake. Just don’t come crying to us when you’re glutes are sore from climbing the park’s centerpiece 260-foot dune!
Photo via Facebook/Camp Reinberg
Palatine, IL
That’s right! Most people think “suburbs” when Palatine comes into the conversation but Camp Reinberg is buried within the city’s nearby forest preserves. If you only have time for a quick getaway this campsite less than an hour outside of the city has a lot of what you’ll find at a more remote destination including bike and hiking trails, plus a dining hall if you don’t feel like cooking on vacation.
Photo via Flickr.com/Brian Jelonek
Warrenville, IL
An hour in the car gets you to the best camping in the west suburbs. This small, 1,366-acre preserve is packed full of scenic sites, wildlife, trails, a sizeable lake for boating and fishing and more. These campgrounds are especially family friendly.
Photo via Flickr.com/EarlRShumker
Oregon, IL
Campers looking to honor the Native American way of life that once dominated Illinois’ prairies will love Lowden—supposedly one of Sauk tribe leader Chief Black Hawk’s favorite areas. A massive statue, erected in his honor watches over the picturesque Rock River that runs through the park. Of course, the views and history that this park is home to aren’t the only reason to spend a few nights here. There’s also boating, canoeing, fishing and hiking! This trip should take you around two hours.
