OT New to Tent Camping looking for campsites near Chicago

[Laurabearz]

Hi all! I have got the tent camping bug bad!!! I went out and bought a lovely tent for us and have plans this weekend to set it all up in the backyard! I figure we would need some practice setting it up before really taking it out into the big world.

I have been poking around looking for places within 3-6 hours drive from the Chicagoland area, but how can you tell if a campsite is anygood??

List of wants...
Lots of trails to hike and things to explore...
really nice Showers/bathrooms,
electric/water
Pool

HELP!!!

 

[dreambound]

Hi all! I have got the tent camping bug bad!!! I went out and bought a lovely tent for us and have plans this weekend to set it all up in the backyard! I figure we would need some practice setting it up before really taking it out into the big world.

I have been poking around looking for places within 3-6 hours drive from the Chicagoland area, but how can you tell if a campsite is anygood??

List of wants...
Lots of trails to hike and things to explore...
really nice Showers/bathrooms,
electric/water
Pool

HELP!!!

Hmm, no help on the campsites here, but I can tell you I don't know of many campsites with all of the amenities you mention. (Never seen a campsite with a pool and showers/bathrooms, well, nice isn't usually the word I'd use!)

But I just thought I'd remind you to seal your tent before you leave while it is still in the backyard! Have fun!

Meg

 

[Laurabearz]

Hmm, no help on the campsites here, but I can tell you I don't know of many campsites with all of the amenities you mention. (Never seen a campsite with a pool and showers/bathrooms, well, nice isn't usually the word I'd use!)

But I just thought I'd remind you to seal your tent before you leave while it is still in the backyard! Have fun!

Meg

Most of the sites I have looked at have some sort of pool...

Are you telling me there are no NICE shower/bathroom Camp grounds?

And I saw that sealing stuff at the Camp store... looked like a real pain lol Our tent is 10x18... do you just do the top seems or all of them?

I do know that nothing should touch the sides of the tent when raining.... but the goal is to find a site close enough for last minute good weather trips

 

[dreambound]

Most of the sites I have looked at have some sort of pool...

Are you telling me there are no NICE shower/bathroom Camp grounds?

And I saw that sealing stuff at the Camp store... looked like a real pain lol Our tent is 10x18... do you just do the top seems or all of them?

I do know that nothing should touch the sides of the tent when raining.... but the goal is to find a site close enough for last minute good weather trips

Oh no, I'm sure there are nice showers/bathroom campgrounds and that's really cool that you've found some with pools. I'm just sayin' I can't help you there, because nothing I know of has those things. I've also never camped near Chicago.

But with the sealant, is not really so bad. You do all seams that aren't taped. Even with good weather trips, you can get terrible condensation that will make the tent unpleasant in warmer weather so sealing seams can be really, really worthwhile. It took us about 30 minutes to seal seams last time we did it.

Have fun!!!!!!

 

[nuke]

I would recommend Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville. The park is really nice. All the sites are pretty level and they have a really nice shower house and bathrooms.
The Preserve has hiking/biking trails, fishing, boating, and an archery range.

http://www.dupageforest.com/recreation/camping.html

 

[tazdeb]

Checkout this site www.rvparkreviews.com Just click on the state you want and read your heart out....TAZ

 

[Laurabearz]

I would recommend Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville. The park is really nice. All the sites are pretty level and they have a really nice shower house and bathrooms.
The Preserve has hiking/biking trails, fishing, boating, and an archery range.

http://www.dupageforest.com/recreation/camping.html

Thanks for the link! That is exactly what we are looking for!!!

 

[dreambound]

Thanks for the link! That is exactly what we are looking for!!!

My thanks too for that link! I just learned that I've been camping in all the wrong places!

Have fun Laurabearz!

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

... do you just do the top seems or all of them?

All of them. It is a pain at first but you don't have to do it again for a year or so, according to how often you camp. Don't forget good ventilation while you're seam-sealing otherwise you will be a Hippy Tippy Camper

Also, buy a can of Scotch Guard and spray everything (on the outside)....we spray ours before every trip. Our current tent is over 5 years old and it's starting to show some wear along with some old Scotch Guard drip marks

 

[Laurabearz]

Well our tent has been up for a week and has weathered well through 3 good rain storms (one of them with us in the tent with the top fly off! mind you! Nice way to be woken up at 330AM lol)

But she is holding up great. I have more seams to seal, and a few dry days and we will pack it up until our first venture out, which looks like will be next spring.