Situated in the heart of Illinois between Chicago and St. Louis, Springfield offers plenty for you to see and do on your next RV trip. Springfield was originally established in 1821 by a combination of European and American settlers, and it is best known as the home of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln resided in this blossoming town from 1837 until he won the presidential election and moved to Washington, D.C. Because of this, you will find numerous related attractions in the area. Some of these are the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Lincoln Tomb and the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site.
While you are in Springfield, you can spend a few hours learning about the state's history and government by touring the capitol building as well as the Old State Capitol Historic Site. The Illinois State Museum is filled with fascinating exhibits that also cover history as well as local wildlife and more. Other points of interest in Springfield are the Edwards Place Historic Home, the Dana Thomas House, and the Illinois State Military Museum.
From Springfield, you will be in a convenient location to take day trips to Chicago and St. Louis. In Chicago, you could catch a professional sports game at Soldier Field or Wrigley Stadium. Millennium Park, Legoland Discovery Center, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Field Museum are some of the many other attractions that await you. In St. Louis, popular destinations are the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium, The Grove, Union Station, and others.
Campgrounds Near Springfield, Illinois
Several RV parks are located in the vicinity that make it convenient to enjoy all that Springfield offers. If you want to stay in a campground that offers more amenities, the Double J Campground and RV Park in Chatham is a great choice. It is open throughout the year and offers 120 sites with full hookups. During your stay, you can enjoy access to cable and internet service, a picnic table, and a fire ring. Amenities include a dog run, a swimming pool, a convenience store, a propane fill station, and more. Full hookup sites are available for $59 per night.
Rustic Acres RV Park is located just outside of Springfield and provides 250 RV sites with full hookups. This park offers family-friendly activities and amenities, including two playgrounds, movie rentals, hay rides, rental carts, laser tag, a lending library, a swimming pool, and more. Pad sites are available for $30 nightly or $180 weekly.
On the west side of Springfield, Crazy Horse Campground provides travelers with a relaxed home away from home. The well-maintained grounds feature wide, tree-covered streets and pads as well as two fishing ponds. All 55 of the RV sites have full hookups. During your stay, you can enjoy the park's swimming pool, lodge, and hiking trails. Most weekends during the summer feature themed events like luaus and live music, so you'll have a great time meeting other RVers. Sites start at $45 nightly.
State Parks Near Springfield, Illinois
Illinois is home to 309 state parks, and several popular parks are a short drive from Springfield. Beaver Dam State Park is located near Carlinville and covers 750 heavily wooded acres. The park is appropriately named after a beaver-made dam that resulted in the on-site, 59-acre lake. If you hike on the park’s eight miles of trails, you can enjoy both forest and marsh environments. Other activities at the park include hunting, fishing, boating, archery, ice fishing, ice skating, sledding, and cross-country skiing.
Sand Ridge State Forest is a 7,200-acre protected area just outside of Springfield. In addition to having oak, hickory, and pine trees, the area includes sand prairies and grasslands. An archery range, picnic tables, and miles of trails are available at the park. The trails are suited for hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling. Other activities in the Sand Ridge State Forest are hunting and geocaching.
In Fulton County, fishing enthusiasts will love spending time at the Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area. The lake is filled with carp, largemouth bass, bullhead buffalo, and other popular species. Hunting deer and duck is a possibility as well. Rice Lake is also an ideal place to spot wildlife. This is a major breeding area for many species of ducks and geese.
National Sites Near Springfield, Illinois
Many fascinating points of interest near Springfield may captivate your attention on your next RV trip. If you are an architecture enthusiast, a stop at the Dana Thomas House in Springfield is essential. Frank Lloyd Wright designed and built this masterpiece between 1902 and 1904. It has lovely Japanese influences, stunning windows, wood accents, and more. This home covers 12,000 square feet, has 35 rooms, and stands three stories tall. Guided tours are available.
Wildlife Prairie Park is a picture-perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts to explore. Conveniently located a short drive away near Springfield, this 1,800-acre is teeming with 60 unique species of animals. These range from bison and bobcats to waterfowl, elk, bears, and more. The park offers mountain biking, hiking, fishing, disc golf, educational activities, and more.
Situated in the Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods is home to some of the state's most engaging natural rock formations. There are several scenic hike trails that offer expansive views. In addition to hiking, these trails are used for horseback riding and backpacking. The main Observation Trail features educational signs that tell you more about the rock formations.
National Forests Near Springfield, Illinois
Many people associate Illinois with farmlands, but there are also thousands of acres of protected forests in and near the state that are ideal for recreational activities. A few hours away from Springfield, Mark Twain National Forest wraps across 1.5 million acres. The stunning landscape is beautified by streams, rivers, hills, and forests. Across the grounds, you can enjoy exploring the wilderness, hiking, or backpacking across the forest's 750 miles of trails. There are many other enjoyable ways to spend the day at Mark Twain National Forest, such as hunting, camping, ATV riding, fishing, swimming, paddling, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Hoosier National Forest is a 204,000-acre wilderness area in southern Indiana. If you make the short drive to this protected area, you will find rolling hills, caves, karsts, unspoiled woodlands, and a system of back-country trails. Some of the notable points of interest in Hoosier National Forest include the Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower, Hemlock Cliffs, Clover Lick Barrens, the Charles C. Deam Wilderness areas, and others.
South of Springfield, the 289,000-acre Shawnee National Forest is a gorgeous area to spend time in. Spanning the diverse landscapes between the Ohio River on the east and the Mississippi River on the west, the forested areas are interspersed with canyons, wetlands, lakes, and ridges. During your visit, look for points of interest like Garden of the Gods, Bay Creek Lake, Jackson Falls, High Knob Lookout, and Cedar Lake. You can also enjoy hiking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, and more in the area.
