Planned Activities

Sankoty Lakes

Sankoty Lakes Resort in East Peoria brings a genuinely exceptional resort experience to the Illinois River Valley — built on the crystal-clear waters of the Sankoty Aquifer, one of the deepest and cleanest natural water sources in the Midwest, where spring-fed lakes have the remarkable clarity of a mountain trout stream in the flatlands of central Illinois. Twenty minutes from Peoria and two and a half hours from Chicago, Sankoty Lakes offers resort-quality amenities and a natural setting that consistently surprises guests who didn't know this caliber of Illinois camping experience existed. Accommodations range from glamping safari tents and well-appointed RV sites to upscale lakeside cabins sleeping up to eight guests — each with fully equipped kitchens, decks, and outdoor fire pits — and the exclusive 1840 Ranch House, a private guest property suited for larger groups and special occasion gatherings. The Woolly Bugger, Sankoty's signature on-site restaurant and bar, provides full-service dining and evening atmosphere that sets this resort clearly apart from conventional campground food. A beach pavilion and bathhouse, outdoor fireplace, free bicycles for guest use, picnic spots, a 24-hour front desk, and a coffee shop deliver service quality alongside the outdoor recreation. Pets are welcome at Sankoty Lakes Resort. The Sankoty Aquifer lakes provide a water recreation environment of genuinely unusual quality — the kind of visibility that makes kayaking, canoeing, and swimming feel like engagement with a natural aquarium rather than typical Midwest lake recreation. A dedicated fly-fishing trout stream on the property adds a specialty fishing experience alongside the lakes' broader angling, birdwatching, and hiking trails that keep guests occupied from dawn into the evening hours. Peoria, 20 minutes from the resort, offers more cultural depth than its Midwest city reputation sometimes suggests. The Caterpillar Visitors Center chronicles the engineering achievements of one of the world's great manufacturing companies in an interactive exhibition that resonates well beyond industrial tourism. The Peoria Riverfront Museum combines natural history, art, and a giant-screen theater in a well-funded facility anchoring the riverfront. The Peoria Zoo and the Historic District's restaurants and live music venues fill an evening excursion with ease. Starved Rock State Park, roughly an hour east, provides the Illinois River's most dramatic canyon scenery with 18 canyons, waterfalls, and trails for a full day of hiking. Sankoty Lakes Resort operates through the Illinois camping and resort season, with summer representing peak demand for the lakes' swimming, kayaking, and fishing recreation. The Woolly Bugger restaurant and the resort's premium amenity level have created a devoted local following — Sankoty lakes guests often describe the resort as a destination in its own right rather than a base camp for elsewhere. Reserve early for summer weekends and cabins, which fill ahead of RV and glamping tent availability.

NorthWoods RV Resort

100 RV Sites

NorthWoods RV Resort in Garden Prairie, Illinois, offers 100 full-hookup premium pull-through RV sites on the Kishwaukee River with 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet. An outdoor pool, spa, clubhouse, game room, and jumping pillow serve a riverside retreat between Chicago and Rockford. One hundred sites are premium pull-through throughout, carrying water, sewer, and electric on 50-amp, sized to 50 feet. A single-category, all-pull-through layout means no backing at any site and no guessing about what you are booking — every guest gets the same premium spec. Service is 50-amp, so bring an adapter if your rig runs 30. A laundry and propane fills handle the practical side. An outdoor pool and spa anchor the property, with inflatable water toys and a jumping pillow for children. A clubhouse, game room, billiards, basketball, horseshoes, playground, and snack bar fill the grounds, with fishing on the river and planned activities through the season. Pets are welcome. The Kishwaukee's wooded riparian corridor is the property's defining feature — a tree-canopied river environment that sets it apart from the open farmland of most of Boone County, and a genuine escape from both the Chicago and Rockford metropolitan areas without a long drive from either. Summer is the season in northern Illinois, when the pool, the river, and the activity program are all running. Reserve well ahead for July and August weekends, with easier availability through the spring and fall shoulders.

from $55/night

Sun Retreats Rock River

44 RV Sites, 52 Tent Sites, 7 Cottages

Sun Retreats Rock River in Hillsdale, Illinois, offers 142 RV sites, seven cottages, and 52 tent sites on the Rock River, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 55 feet behind a gated entrance. Deluxe waterfront and 50-amp pull-through categories join a splash pad, beach, mini-golf, and fitness center on concrete pads with patios. One hundred forty-two sites span deluxe water-and-electric 30-amp, deluxe water-and-electric 50-amp, deluxe water-and-electric 50-amp pull-through, and deluxe waterfront categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with site WiFi, sized to 55 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Seasonal concrete-pad sites with patios are the property's signature. Seven cottages and 52 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, firewood, RV storage, and boat storage handle the practical side. The property was formerly Sunset Lakes RV Resort. An outdoor pool and splash pad anchor the summer, with a lake, beach, and boat docks supporting boating, paddle boats, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. Mini-golf, a fitness center, craft room, library, jumping pillow, gaga ball, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, and corn hole fill the grounds, with walking trails, a playground, dog park, snack bar, and on-site dining besides. Pets are welcome. The Quad Cities sit 15 minutes south, with the Rock River's limestone bluffs framing the property. Summer is the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $45/night

Lost Acres RV Park

72 RV Sites

Lost Acres RV Park in Monticello, Indiana, offers 72 full-hookup back-in RV sites within a half mile of Indiana Beach Amusement Park, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 40 feet. A renovated outdoor pool, mini-golf, disc golf course, craft room, and library sit under mature oaks in White County's lake district. Seventy-two back-in sites run in 30-amp and 50-amp categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric, sized to 40 feet. Note the 40-foot cap before booking a larger rig. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The office is open 9am to 5pm daily. A renovated outdoor pool anchors the summer, with mini-golf, a disc golf course, game room, arcade, clubhouse, craft room, library, billiards, basketball, volleyball, pickleball, corn hole, a pond for fishing, and a playground filling the grounds. Planned activities run through the season. The craft room and library are unusual finds at a park this size and give guests something to do on a rainy afternoon. Pets are welcome. The setting is distinctly Midwestern: wooded campsites under mature oaks, Lake Shafer and Lake Freeman a short walk away, and the rumble of Indiana Beach's roller coasters carrying across the water. The amusement park is a half mile off, which makes this practical for families who want to walk rather than drive and park. Summer is decisively the season, tracking the amusement park's operating calendar. Reserve well ahead for June through August weekends.

from $47/night

Coconut Cove RV Resort

51 RV Sites, 10 Cabins, 4 Glamping Sites

Coconut Cove RV Resort in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, offers 52 RV sites, 10 cabins, and four glamping sites on a lakefront property in the Driftless Area, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 72 feet. Five categories include deluxe waterfront back-ins, alongside a water park, jumping pillow, bar, and live music. Fifty-two sites span standard, premium, and deluxe back-ins, deluxe waterfront back-ins, and premium pull-throughs, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 72 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Ten cabins and four glamping sites round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, RV storage, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Two wristbands are included with each reservation for the pool, sandy beach, and beach playground; additional wristband access is required beyond that. The amenity scope is exceptional for the region. A water park, outdoor pool, sandy beach, and jumping pillow anchor the summer, with a lake supporting boating, kayaking, paddle boats, paddle boarding, and fishing, plus kayak and boat rentals on site. A clubhouse, recreation center, arcade, bar, on-site dining, and snack bar cover meals and evenings, with live music through the season, golf cart rentals, a playground, pavilion, and dog park besides. Pets are welcome. Hazel Green sits in Grant County near the Mississippi's Wisconsin shore, in the unglaciated Driftless hill country. Dubuque, Iowa and Galena, Illinois are both close. Summer is decisively the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $49/night

Elkhart RV Resort

36 RV Sites, 22 Cabins, 4 Tent Sites

Elkhart RV Resort in Granger, IN, offers 36 full-hookup pull-thru RV sites, 22 cabins, and 4 tent sites, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 70 feet. Every site is a pull-thru, in three categories: 30-amp, 50-amp, and deluxe 50-amp with a patio. All carry water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi and a barbecue. Nothing needs unhitching, and at 70 feet the sites take long coaches. The resort is rated big rig friendly. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a general store, a snack bar, on-site dining, a bar, a library, firewood, propane fills and exchange, and a dump station cover everything. Wristbands are not required to use the amenities. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. The recreation runs long: a water park, an outdoor pool, mini-golf, a game room and arcade, a pavilion, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, a playground, walking trails, live music, and paddle boats, kayaking, boating, and fishing on the water. Granger sits in St. Joseph County in northwestern Indiana, minutes from South Bend and Notre Dame. Rates for every accommodation type are on the booking page. Notre Dame home football weekends are the tightest of the year.

from $45/night

Lantern DeForest RV Resort

64 RV Sites

Lantern DeForest RV Resort in Wisconsin offers 64 full-hookup pull-through RV sites eight miles north of Madison, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 83 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Premium and standard pull-through categories mean no backing at any site, with an outdoor pool, game room, sports courts, and walking trails. Sixty-four sites run in pull-through and premium pull-through categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 83 feet, with picnic tables. An all-pull-through layout at 83 feet is a genuinely practical combination — no backing after a long driving day, and room for the longest coaches with a tow. Cabins round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, restrooms, showers, firewood, and recycling handle the practical side. Mention a late checkout at check-in and staff will accommodate it where the site is not turning over. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a game room, sports courts, volleyball, horseshoes, walking trails, a playground, pavilion, dog park, and picnicking filling the grounds. A lake, river, golf course, and wine and beer tasting are all nearby. Pets are welcome. Madison is eight miles south, and it rewards the trip — the University of Wisconsin's flagship campus, the State Capitol, State Street's independent shops and restaurants, and a 17,000-acre urban lake system centered on Mendota and Monona make it one of the most livable mid-sized cities in the country. Summer and Badger football weekends drive demand. Reserve well ahead for both.

from $82/night

Lakeside Timbers RV Campground

126 RV Sites

Lakeside Timbers RV Campground in Neoga, Illinois, offers 126 full-hookup RV sites across 18 lakefront acres on Lake Mattoon, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted to 80 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout, open all year. Waterview, field view, and interior categories join a standard tier, with a marina, boat ramp, outdoor pool, and general store. One hundred twenty-six back-in sites run in 30/50-amp full-hookup, full-hookup field view, full-hookup interior, and full-hookup waterview categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site WiFi, sized to 80 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Naming categories by outlook — water, field, or interior — tells you what you are booking, and 80 feet accommodates the longest coaches with a tow. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The store's provisions go well beyond standard camping supplies. A marina and boat ramp open the lake for boating, with an outdoor pool, game room, pavilion, dog park, swimming, and picnicking filling the rest. Wine and beer tasting is nearby. Pets are welcome. Lake Mattoon sits in the agricultural lake country of Cumberland County, where east-central Illinois's flatlands open onto one of the region's most productive recreational lakes. Effingham, Mattoon, and Charleston are all close, with I-57 and I-70 within a short drive. Summer lake season drives the heaviest demand. Reserve well ahead for June through August weekends.

from $35/night

Jellystone Park™ Monticello

188 RV Sites, 8 Cabins, 9 Tent Sites

Jellystone Park Monticello in Iowa offers 188 RV sites, eight cabins, and nine tent sites on the Maquoketa River, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service, ADA-accessible sites, and rigs accepted up to 120 feet. Premium riverside, full hookup, and electric-only categories join a splash pad, disc golf course, and beach in Jones County. One hundred eighty-eight sites span 20/30-amp electric back-in, 20/30/50-amp electric back-in, 30/50-amp full hookup back-in, 30/50-amp full hookup pull-through, and premium riverside categories, sized to 120 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The 120-foot capacity is exceptional, and the electric-only tier gives self-contained rigs a lower rate. Accessible sites are available. Eight cabins and nine tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, boutique shop, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Day use runs $10 per person, with WIBIT passes $20 Sunday through Friday. A splash pad, outdoor pool, and inflatable water toys anchor the summer, with the river and lake supporting boat rentals, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and a beach. A disc golf course, jumping pillow, basketball, gem mining, golf cart rentals, a playground, on-site dining, and a bar fill the rest, with live music and planned activities through the season. Pets are welcome. Monticello sits between Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, near Maquoketa Caves State Park. Summer is decisively the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $31/night

Fairgrounds RV Park - WI

33 RV Sites

Fairgrounds RV Park in Beaver Dam, WI, offers 33 full-hookup RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 50 feet. The categories are unusually specific about surface and purpose: 30-amp grass, 50-amp grass, 50-amp full-hookup gravel, and dedicated 30-amp and 50-amp grass special event sites. All carry water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi, and ADA-accessible sites are available. Premium WiFi is available across the park, and it's rated big rig friendly. A bathhouse with showers, a dump station, a pavilion, a barn, and RV storage cover the rest. Pets are welcome. The special event sites tell you what this park is for: it sits on 60 acres of the Dodge County Fairgrounds, so fair weeks, shows, and events are the rhythm of the place, and it's quiet in between. Beaver Dam sits on Highway 33 four miles west, in the agricultural lakelands of south-central Wisconsin between Madison and Milwaukee. Golf, boating, a lake, and off-road riding are all nearby. Rates by site type are on the booking page. Check the fairgrounds calendar when you pick dates.

from $31/night

Whitetail Bluff Campground

46 RV Sites, 5 Cabins

Whitetail Bluff Campground in Cassville, WI, offers 46 full-hookup RV sites and 5 cabins, with 30 and 50-amp service. Sites come in three categories — back-in 30-amp, standard back-in, and pull-thru — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with a fire pit and picnic table. The campground is rated big rig friendly; confirm your rig's dimensions against the specific site when you book. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a general store, firewood, a dump station, golf cart rentals, and on-site dining cover the practical side, with cabins for guests without a rig. Pets are welcome. The recreation runs deep for a bluff-top campground: an outdoor pool with inflatable water toys, a jumping pillow, gaga ball, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, ping pong, horseshoes, a clubhouse, a pavilion, a playground, a beach, a pond, and hiking trails, with planned activities through the season. Cassville sits on the bluffs above the Mississippi in Grant County — one of the most commanding positions of any campground on the upper river, with trails climbing to views across the whole valley floor. Rates for sites and cabins are on the booking page. Bluff-side sites and summer weekends book first.

Terre Haute Campground

35 RV Sites, 7 Cabins, 5 Tent Sites

Terre Haute Campground in Terre Haute, Indiana, offers 35 RV sites, seven cabins, and five tent sites with 30 and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 89 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. Every RV site is pull-through, including premium categories with patios, alongside an outdoor pool, fitness center, and clubhouse in Vigo County. Thirty-five pull-through sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30-amp, 50-amp, and 30/50-amp service, sized to 89 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Premium categories add a patio. Every site pulling through means no backing after a long day on I-70, and the 89-foot capacity handles large coaches with a tow. Seven cabins and five tent sites round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, RV storage, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side, with WiFi throughout. Late arrivals are covered: if you have a reservation and arrive after the office closes, your name will be on an envelope by the front door. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a fitness center, clubhouse, and game room open through the season. Sports courts, basketball, horseshoes, walking trails, a playground, a dog park, and a community fire pit fill the grounds, with planned activities besides. Pets are welcome. Terre Haute sits on the Wabash River at the Illinois-Indiana border, on the US-40 and I-70 corridors. The Lincoln Heritage Trail and Indiana's covered bridge country are both within day-trip range. The campground serves both through-travelers and longer Wabash Valley stays. Summer is peak — reserve ahead.

from $40/night