I am from the Chicago area. I am planning on camping with a 4 and 6 year old. Does anyone have any advice for good campgrounds for tent camping? We are camping newbies. I am looking for something in Illinois, Wisconsin, or Michigan. We plan to go camping in May or early June.
I second the recommendation for Jellystone Parks. I have fond memories of them as a child. They have tons of activities for kids. Plus younger kids like seeing Yogi and Boo-boo walking around. :)
http://www.campjellystone.com/
I recommend the Baraboo Hills Family Campgrounds in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It's extremely clean, and has a lot of activities for kids of all ages, including a heated (and very clean) pool, mini golf, bikes, go carts, sand volleyball, etc. the kids can take out all the equipment, it's included in the rate. My son, dog and I tent camped for a whole week and felt safe and really like the family who runs it. I liked it a bit more than Jellystone merely because my son was a little older, and Jellystone can be a bit cheesy for parents and older kids. Baraboo Hills is also really close to the beautiful Devil's Lake State Park and also very close to the Dells. Also, there are bathrooms and showers, clean clean clean.
In WI..go to Holiday Shores by the Dells...lots of great fun stuff. Or Devils Lake. In IL...Starved Rock State Park. There is also Indiana Dunes. I Highly recommend Holiday Shores we have been going there since our 4 children were little! Have fun
Any of the Jellystone parks are great! Most have cabins, RV spots and tent spots.
They have pools, miniature golf, etc. - family fun environment!
We love either Rock Cut state park in Rockford, IL - has a lake for boating and picnics, campground has full bathrooms and a playground. Or we like Illinois Beach State park in Zion. You have great beaches with Lake Michigan, a bike trail through the woods and dune area, a small playground and a lovely park and city pool in Zion. Kenosha is close by - miniature golf and outlet shopping there. Only about 15 min. from Great America too.
You can reserve campground sites for a $5 fee plus $20 to camp that night - look for Illinois DNR on the internet. Don't show up at 4:30pm on a Friday and expect to get a site for the weekend.
M.
E.-
You can try Hickory Hollow Campground in Utica Illinois - near Starved Rock Park. It's smaller - but it's very clean and well taken care of. My boys and I stayed there last summer - and all enjoyed it. Camping is a great family activity - and I hope that you have fun!! They have a website - www.hickoryhollowcg.com
P.
I used to take a group of kids to to the Indiana Dunes, they have a nice family friendly camping area. Starved Rock is also very family friendly.
If you come to Michigan, I suggest one of the Jellystone parks, they are very family oriented. The Jellystone in Frankenmuth is nice, because its located in a cute little town with lots of little shops.
www.smokeyhollywcampground.com
We have tent camped there for the past 3 years and LOVE it. I was also a camping newbie four years ago -- hadn't camped since I was a kid. This campground is VERY family friendly, quiet and pretty. Check out their website.
I took my hubby tent camping for the first time a few years back and we went to Devils Lake, which is about 20 min from Wisconsin Dells. It is a nice complex, not too crowded, and there is a very nice lake that you can swim and canoe in, as well as hiking trails all over. The lake is not incredibly deep and there are no motorized boats on it. We had a GREAT time and I am just dying to go back there!
