Re: New to Illinois Quad Cities area...
Not sure if you're still looking for an answer but you may have noticed that HUGE river that runs right through the Quad Cities. It is a river so you have to respect the dangers but if you talk to some locals (like me), you can learn to safely navigate it and have loads of fun. Also, there are numerous campgrounds right along the river. As a matter of fact, there's a very popular one just to the south in Buffalo IA. A lot of people camp right on the islands in the river. No facilities but they have a good time. If you're set on a lake, the closest is Coralville Lake and there is camping places there but the lake gets crowded. About 3 1/2 hours will get you to some others (Mark Twain MO, Clinton Lake IL, and Shelbyville IL.
