Chicago RV options?

[RVcrazy]

We would like to see a few places in Chicago downtown. Does anyone know of an RV park that offers bus tours or shuttles to avoid driving there?

[jeffcarp]

The Cook County Forest Preserve RV sites in all three of the RV campgrounds accommodate coaches up to 40' but no water at the site. The Palatine location has a sewer connection at the individual site.

The problem with being farther out at other campgrounds is that you'll have to bring Metra into town. Metra is a scheduled commuter rail service and the trip will be 60 minutes or more depending on the line. It also doesn't run near as often as a subway.

The Forest Preserve campgrounds, even though they may not have full hookups will allow you to skip the Metra train and use the Chicago CTA train (the L) instead. These are "subway trains" that run much more frequently and are much quicker and cheaper into town. You also have CTA and Pace bus options for other destinations not downtown. You can buy a visitor pass that allows unlimited use of the CTA subway and bus for a certain number of days.

It may exist but I've never heard of any campgrounds in Chicago with tours like Cherry Hill has.

[Lauren]

Unfortunately, I do not think you will find anything close to The Big Windy for your rig. When we went back to our hometown of Geneva (40 miles west of downtown Chicago) we stayed out in Sycamore which is 60 miles into Chicago. You can catch the commuter train from Geneva or Elburn now I think. But your commuting time would kill a one day visit. There are some forest preserves in the area but no sure about big rig availability or hookup situation.

BTW, I have also checked RVParkReviews and RVParky before responding.

[RVcrazy]

We would prefer FHU with 50 amp for a big rig. I had hoped to find someplace that offered bus tours or transit from the RV park, like Cherry Hill MD for visiting DC. We know we will be a ways out. We would prefer to use transit and not drive in if possible. We want a hop on type bus tour. The toughest place to visit appears to be the FLW home in Oak Park. Thanks!

[Lauren]

In all due respect, there have been discussions on here addressing just that distinction. As well as an RV resort. I do not disagree with you offering the info; it is just that it is very limited and should be recognized as such. There are no full hookups that I could see at these places and not sure about water - some have electricity.

With 20 / 20 hindsite the question should have been asked of him what he is looking for.

My bad.

[jeffcarp]

No need to get caught up in semantics. When an OP wants to visit Chicago in a RV, a city with notoriously limited options for RVing overnight, I'm going to provide info on any place that legitimately permits RV parking. Feel free to call it whatever you'd like. Personally, in 8 years of doing this I've never heard anyone try to make a distinction between a RV park and a campground.

[Lauren]

If you go to the link jeffcarp mentions you will see these are primarily campsites for tents; though some have RV. This is a campground; not an RV park. t There is a difference for sure.

A great major of the RV parks do not allow tent camping or have a very limited section of it; in fact, nearly all of the 178 we have done here in the 11 western states and 2 western provinces did not allow tents. And we are staying a very good rv parks, but not luxury ones.

[3oaks]

Lauren wrote:
He asked about RV parks; not campsites.

All of the RV parks that I have seen have campsites in them.

[Lauren]

He asked about RV parks; not campsites.

[Matt_Colie]

Do what you need to get there, but parking in Chicago is EXPENSIVE. So, Uber to the rail/bus head would be a great idea. That is just one of the reasons I did not stay at that job.

Matt

[kknowlton]

Depends on your definition of "near." 🙂 Best suggestion is to camp near a commuter rail station and take that into the city. Buses (and in the summer, water taxis) can get you around in the city. The water taxis are fun, and a good way to travel from near Union (rail) Station to Navy Pier and from there to the museum complex.

[jeffcarp]

Lauren wrote:
There are no rv parks in the near suburbs of the Big Windy. I would suggest you do take transit of some sort in though.

That's not accurate. Two parks within the Forest Preserves of Cook County system have RV campgrounds. You can find more information here http://fpdcc.com/camping/. This are in the city limits of Chicago. You can get an Uber from the campground to the nearest train station and be downtown in no time.

If you can boondock then you can also make a parking reservation at the McCormick Center Marshalling Yard which permits overnight parking. In good weather you can wall to the Red Line station near Chinatown or again take an Uber to the train station.

[scbwr]

We're headed tomorrow to the following campground:
Michigan City Campground

It's about 15 minutes into the train station at Michigan City. Fair to Chicago is $4.95 for seniors (65+) and I think it's around $9.50 full fare, one way. The campground is near the Indiana Dunes parks and attractions. Depending on weather, we're going to go into Chicago for one day, and if we like the campground, we'll head back on another trip and spend several days in the city.

[Lauren]

There are no rv parks in the near suburbs of the Big Windy. I would suggest you do take transit of some sort in though.

[brirene]

Probably your best bet would be to stay at one of the outlying areas and take the Metra into the city. Stations are all around, north, west, south, and even the south shore line around the lake into Indiana. Most cg's are sufficiently far away from the city that they wouldn't offer a shuttle, at least AFAIK.