Campgrounds and RV parks near Northbrook, IL

Water is the main draw. Chain O Lakes State Park connects to a network of lakes and the Fox River, and Grass Lake Marina and RV Park gives direct access to the same waterway for boating and fishing. Turner Lake South at Chain O Lakes State Park offers quieter, wooded sites within the park. At Illinois Beach State Park, the 4,160-acre park features a wide range of recreation, including swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, picnicking and camping along Lake Michigan, with beach access and trails through dunes and oak savanna. Families staying at Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort get a heated outdoor pool, dog park, indoor pickleball court, basketball courts, a softball field, playgrounds, and a full calendar of pavilion activities. Pingala RV Resort works well for travelers who want hookups close to Northbrook itself.

The Illinois camping season is short and weather-driven. Campsites are available from April 1 through November 15, with reservations accepted from May 1 to September 30 at Illinois Beach State Park, and holiday weekends fill first. Chain O Lakes State Park follows a similar warm-season pattern, and private resorts like Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort typically operate from mid-April into mid-October. Summer weekends are the pressure point. Due to the high use of this area on summer weekends, reservations are recommended. Unreserved campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, though weekend walk-ins are unreliable in peak season. Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day sell out earliest. Spring and fall bring smaller crowds and cooler nights. Winter camping at state park campgrounds is not available in this corner of Illinois, so December through March trips generally require a private park that stays open year-round, and even those scale back services.

State park sites are basic and functional. A campground in the South Unit offers 241 Class A Premium sites with electricity, showers and sanitary facilities. Camping permits are required upon arrival with a camping unit. There are no sewer hookups at the site, but ADA-accessible campsites are located near accessible restrooms and a dump station. At Chain O Lakes, Turner Lake South is a more primitive area, so plan on using onboard tanks. Fish Lake Beach Camping Resort and Pingala RV Resort offer full hookup RV sites, cabins, and family amenities that suit longer rigs and multi-night stays. Mosquitoes are common near the lakes and marshes in midsummer; pack repellent and expect sandy soil at Illinois Beach.