Campgrounds and RV parks near Des Plaines, IL

Des Plaines sits in Chicago's northwest suburbs, roughly an hour's drive from the largest concentration of natural lakes in Illinois. RV renters typically head north into Lake and McHenry counties, where state parks and private resorts line the Fox River and the Chain O'Lakes waterway. Pingala RV Resort is a nearby full-service option, while Chain O'Lakes State Park is 60 miles northwest of Chicago, 20 miles west of Lake Michigan and only 4 miles south of the Illinois/Wisconsin border. For Lake Michigan shoreline camping, Illinois Beach State Park runs north toward Zion. Stretching 6.5 miles along the shores of Lake Michigan, the park offers a landscape of dunes, marshes, forests and diverse wildlife, and remains the state's only surviving beach ridge shoreline. Inland, Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort and Grass Lake Marina and RV Park cater to boaters using the interconnected lakes. Turner Lake South is one of the state park's designated camping loops, giving renters a quieter, non-electric alternative within Chain O'Lakes. The area works well for weekend trips out of O'Hare, with paved routes north via I-94 and US-41.

Illinois state park campgrounds use a single reservation portal. Camping reservations are accepted at ExploreMoreIL or by calling 866-716-6550, and youth group sites must be booked through the park office. The system holds sites up to 180 days out at Illinois Beach, and sites are reservable for the entire camping season, so holiday weekends fill quickly. Private resorts including Pingala RV Resort, Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort, and Grass Lake Marina and RV Park take reservations directly through their own websites or by phone, often with longer stay minimums on holiday weekends. Maximum stay for state park campsites is 14 nights within any 30 day period, a responsible adult must have a camp shelter set up at registration, and campers should bring their own firewood since gathering wood in the park is prohibited.