Chicago RV parks?

[DinTulsa]

Thinking about taking a trip to Chicago the end of August and I'm looking for Park recommendations. Everything I'm finding is about 50 miles from downtown, I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks

[Two_Jayhawks]

DinTulsa wrote:
Thanks for the prompt responses. After talking with the wife, I think the Chicago trip will be one where we don't take the RV and we stay at a hotel within walking distance to aquariums and museums. With 2 smaller children we don't want to waste 1-2 hours in the car each way driving to see the exhibits.

I was born & raised on the south side and we ultimately moved to the burbs (Arlington Heights) in high school. I'm in KC but still have nearly all family back in Chicago. Chi is a short 8 hour trip from KC and we are back at least once a year for family for 33 years now. We have never and likely won't ever make it a RV trip either as I am not interested in camping that far from where I am visiting. We did try the Hollywood Casino in Joliet and it was very nice but unfortunately too far from where we wanted to be. Lastly, consider the train it takes you right to Union Station which is very close to the museums, planetarium, Navy Pier, etc.

[dodge_guy]

DinTulsa wrote:
Thanks for the prompt responses. After talking with the wife, I think the Chicago trip will be one where we don't take the RV and we stay at a hotel within walking distance to aquariums and museums. With 2 smaller children we don't want to waste 1-2 hours in the car each way driving to see the exhibits.

I kind of agree with you. But my only argument is it would be nice be outside at night instead of stuck in a room.

The closest there is is the Forest preserve in Elgin (5 min from me) very nice place with large sites. And only 45 minutes into the city with no traffic. Or you could take Metra which ends in Elgin. The kids may love a train ride into the city. And it will save on parking. Plus it's not far from Union Station to the museums.

[DinTulsa]

Thanks for the prompt responses. After talking with the wife, I think the Chicago trip will be one where we don't take the RV and we stay at a hotel within walking distance to aquariums and museums. With 2 smaller children we don't want to waste 1-2 hours in the car each way driving to see the exhibits.

[Edd505]

Snowman9000 wrote:

Edd505 wrote:
50 miles from Chicago is too close, need 100 mile radius to be safe. I stayed here last year, nice place with trees and stuff for the kids. http://www.blackhawkvalleycampground.com/

Now Edd...

I just looked up the crime rates for your town and for T or C, and for my town which is 50 miles from Chicago. Wanna guess?

Yours is almost twice the national average.
Mine is less than half the average.

Jeesh.

We are twice the average? All I can say is 100 shooting in a weekend? We have had 9 homicides in the last 9 years, & 31 violent crimes county wide for 2015 the last year reported. Whats your counties stats? Albuquerque? #1 nation wide for auto theft.

I have always lived near towns under 1200 in three states, on dirt roads, septic tanks, etc. They paved my road two years ago and put in sewers - getting too civilized, might be time to move again. But different strokes for different folks - I'll stay rural where I know all my neighbors, most armed.

BTW - I'm retired LE from a WA county - major crimes -so I know stats

[Snowman9000]

Edd505 wrote:
50 miles from Chicago is too close, need 100 mile radius to be safe. I stayed here last year, nice place with trees and stuff for the kids. http://www.blackhawkvalleycampground.com/

Now Edd...

I just looked up the crime rates for your town and for T or C, and for my town which is 50 miles from Chicago. Wanna guess?

Yours is almost twice the national average.
Mine is less than half the average.

Jeesh.

[Edd505]

50 miles from Chicago is too close, need 100 mile radius to be safe. I stayed here last year, nice place with trees and stuff for the kids. http://www.blackhawkvalleycampground.com/

[Lauren]

Wife and I grew up in Geneva, IL - 40 miles west of Chicago. There is a place near there in Elgin I think. Nothing really close to Big Windy itself - have to take trains in.

I also went to IIT for engineering - it is in the middle of the South Side -- this is about 1960ish. It was very bad then and only gotten worse. Have to say though, in my 4 1/2 years there I only personally saw one murder on the streets in the area (I was in my car).

I would be very careful where I went in Chicago.

[kerrlakeRoo]

At the Zoo. Hopefully the fences can keep the animals OUT.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
... Some people have dry camped at the Marshalling Yard just south of McCormick Place. The area around there has gone downhill, so your safety might be a concern.

FYI, over 100 people were shot in Chicago over the recent long holiday weekend. As others have suggested, Indiana Dunes is your best option.....

They were ALL shot on what is called the "South Side" of Chicago. A very " 'WELL DEFINED' given square block area" where they shoot each other every single night and have been for years.

There is NO violence/shootings in downtown Chicago. One specific person has repeatedly stated that these shootings are in downtown Chicago. When in fact the shootings are all located with a very well defined square block area. Talk about fake news. :R

I never said nor implied the shootings were downtown. Instead of just ignorantly labeling a situation as "fake news," let's look at some facts. A well defined square block area? Here is a map which shows the locations of the shootings in Chicago which occurred over the long July 4th weekend. Here is a map of this current weekend. Definitely not a well defined square block area! In general the west and south sides are where the majority of the shootings occur. The majority are gang-related. I feel for the innocent people that have to live with this.
More facts. Shootings do occur downtown though they are rare, especially when compared with the rest of the city. There were 3 that I know of this past June. One was near Millenium Park and the other 2 were along the Riverwalk on the north side of the loop. I believe in both incidents the people involved had gang ties.
I freely admit that I am not a fan of Chicago. Some people love it. I don't. I do believe that downtown Chicago is generally safe during the day when people are working and the streets are crowded. I also believe the city as a whole is on a downward spiral.

[rockhillmanor]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
... There is also Illinois Beach State Park to the north near the state line. Some people have dry camped at the Marshalling Yard just south of McCormick Place. The area around there has gone downhill, so your safety might be a concern.

FYI, over 100 people were shot in Chicago over the recent long holiday weekend. As others have suggested, Indiana Dunes is your best option.....

Safety MIGHT be a problem there?!
That is on the South Side of Chicago and is a place to stay WAY WAY away from if you are thinking of parking an RV.

Those 100 people you mention were shot?
They were ALL shot on what is called the "South Side" of Chicago. A very " 'WELL DEFINED' given square block area" where they shoot each other every single night and have been for years.

Every single major city I have visited across the US has a bad side of town. You just need to know where it is and stay away from it.

There is NO violence/shootings in downtown Chicago. One specific person has repeatedly stated that these shootings are in downtown Chicago. When in fact the shootings are all located with a very well defined square block area. Talk about fake news. :R

To the OP:
Chicago unfortunately is not RV friendly nor Pick up Truck friendly. If you are taking a truck downtown Chicago, You will not be able to park a truck anywhere on the streets downtown or drive on LSD and many of the interior streets.

[GizmosMom]

There is the Hollywood Casino in Joliet. Has an RV Park.

Looks like there is a train that goes from Joliet to downtown HERE

[Matt_Colie]

What you have heard is what there is. There is a truck and buss marshaling yard for McCormick Place. It is a Truck Yard.

There are actually reviews in RV Park Reviews. I did leave a truck there once, but I would never park my coach there.

Matt

[Janss]

To the west, Paul Wolff campground in Burnidge Forest Preserve in Elgin is nice.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

There are some campgrounds in the west suburbs. Google Kane County Forest Preserve Campgrounds. There is also Illinois Beach State Park to the north near the state line. Some people have dry camped at the Marshalling Yard just south of McCormick Place. The area around there has gone downhill, so your safety might be a concern. FYI, over 100 people were shot in Chicago over the recent long holiday weekend. As others have suggested, Indiana Dunes is your best option.
Should you have a pickup, stay off any Chicago street designated a boulevard. This includes Lake Shore Drive.