Campgrounds and RV parks near Golf, IL

Water is the main draw. Chain O' Lakes State Park sits at the heart of Illinois' largest concentration of natural lakes, with fishing for bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, muskie, northern pike, bullhead, catfish, and yellow and white bass. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available seasonally through Gill's on the Chain concession. On the Lake Michigan side, Illinois Beach State Park offers a campground, camp store, picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, and swimming along 6.5 miles of beach. A gravel bike trail connects the North and South units. At Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort, amenities include a heated outdoor pool, hot tub, dog park, indoor pickleball court, basketball courts, a softball field, playgrounds, and a full calendar of activities at the pavilion.

The camping window in this corner of Illinois is short. The Illinois Beach campground is open from April 1 through November 15, though reservations are only accepted for stays between May 1 and September 30. Chain O' Lakes State Park keeps summer hours from April 1 through the last weekend in October, when the park closes for hunting. Private resorts follow a similar pattern: Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort runs overnight camping from May 1 through October 15. Summer weekends are the pressure point. Due to high use of the Illinois Beach area on summer weekends, reservations are strongly recommended, and unreserved campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Turner Lake South and other Chain O' Lakes loops book up quickly for holiday weekends. Winter shifts activities off the campground and onto the ice and trails. Ice skating, snowshoeing, sledding, and ice fishing are popular when the ice thickens, with ice fishing available on the Chain O' Lakes and Turner Lake and a sledding hill at the park office.

Expect state-park campgrounds to feel rustic and private resorts to feel like small family camps. At Chain O' Lakes, Honeysuckle Hollow and Fox Den are Class A-Premium electric loops, while Prairie View, Mud Lake East, and Turner Lake South are Class B-Premium without electric. All campsites have raised firepits and a picnic table. Only certified firewood may be brought into the park due to the Emerald Ash Borer. Gates and re-entry rules matter for late arrivals. Entrance gates at Chain O' Lakes are locked from 10 pm to 6 am during summer hours and sunset to 8 am during winter hours, the tire shredder is activated, and campers may leave at any time but re-entry to the park is not possible. At Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort, sites include water and electric, a fire ring, and a picnic table, with full-hookup options available. Bug spray is worth packing anywhere in this region during warmer months.