Rend Lake

It's all about the water at Rend Lake, where you can swim, boat, water ski and fish. Relax at Rend Lake Resort, tee off at the 27-hole Rend Lake Golf Course or do some target practice at the Rend Lake Shooting Complex. Also located at Rend Lake is the Southern Illinois Art & Artisans Center, featuring more than 800 artists.

CITY: Benton

Rend Lake Golf Course

This 27-hole golf course, part of the Rend Lake Recreation Complex, was ranked as one of the best public courses in the Midwest by Golf Digest, which rated it 4-1/2 stars. Chicago architect Lawrence Packard designed the course with some fairways overlooking scenic Rend Lake. The on-site Seasons Lodge and Condominiums offers golf packages that let you stay close to the action.

CITY: Whittington

Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park

3,300-acre peninsula in Rend Lake. Beautiful park offering boating, camping, and picnicking with shelters. Programs include pheasant hunting, field trials, and bass tournaments. Bicycle, horse trails, and stables.

CITY: Whittington

Foundation Park

Home to the Balloon Fest, Foundation Park has many walking trails, nature areas, and gathering places.

CITY: Centralia

Fairview Park

With 45-acres of recreation, Fairview Park features a swimming pool, baseball and softball fields, Skateboard Park, several picnic shelters, and a variety of playground equipment.

CITY: Centralia

Benton Country Club

This semi-private, nine-hole course features a historic three-story clubhouse, surrounded by Lake Moses. Host of the annual Benton Gold Cup, the course also features a well-stocked pro shop, driving range, rental clubs and carts, and a golf pro on site.

CITY: Benton

Nu-Bowl Lanes

28-lane bowling facility with snack bar.

CITY: Mount Vernon

Centralia Carillon

Centralia's resident carilloneur performs on the town's 65-bell carillon, one of the few in the country. The surrounding park also features a museum and tours of the 165-foot-tall tower.

CITY: Centralia

Flying M Ranch Golf Course

This public nine-hole, 32 par course also offers a driving range, rental carts and clubs. Miniature golf, camping and fishing are also available for a fee.

CITY: Centralia

Hawkins-Schwartz Orchards

This orchard features fresh-picked apples, peaches, a pumpkin patch, cider and special events for children during apple season.

CITY: Dix

Indian Hills Golf Course

This public 18-hole course offers challenges for both beginning and advanced golfers. A lighted driving range allows extended practice hours, and free group golf lessons are available every Saturday.

CITY: Mount Vernon

Salem Country Club

This 18-hole course has lots of character, and is open to the public from 9am-12pm Monday through Friday. Golf carts are available.

CITY: Salem

Benton KOA Campground

Full-service campground with pool, pavilion, grocery shop, RV supplies and laundry available. Modem hookups. Shopping, golf, Rend Lake water activities (1½ mi.), 20 shaded tent sites.

CITY: Benton

South Marcum Campground

Campground open April 1st through October 31st. Activities begin in May and run through September. 147 sites with electricity and 14 tent sites. Close to Rend Lake and Visitors Center.

CITY: Benton

Best Holiday Trav-L-Park-Benton

A private, family-oriented RV campground with 120 sites from tents to huge recreational vehicles. Peaceful, wooded setting close to all the activities at Rend Lake.

CITY: Whittington

Greenview Golf Club

This public 18-hole, 72 par course offers rental clubs and carts, and a pro on site.

CITY: Centralia

Green Hills Golf Club

This 18-hole, semi-private country club features lush Bermuda fairways and bent grass greens with four sets of tees (the longest over 6,500 yards). Green Hills also offers a large driving range, plus practice and chipping greens, a pro shop, lounge and restaurant.

CITY: Mount Vernon

Mt. Vernon Veterans Park

86 acres of shaded playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pool, in-line skating area and walking path around the lake. Fishing is allowed with proper license.

CITY: Mount Vernon

Colonial Golf Course

This public 18-hole, par 70 course is open year round, with rental clubs and carts, plus a snack bar.

CITY: Sandoval

Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area

Anglers looking for crappie, catfish and bass drop their lines at this area, located on the 18,900-acre Rend Lake. A comprehensive management program provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including great blue herons and many species of shorebirds.

CITY: Bonnie

Quality Times R.V. Park

Shady drive-thru spaces for RVs, with water, sewer, electric hookups, tent sites, picnic tables. Close to the visitors complex.

CITY: Mount Vernon

Marion County Fairgrounds

20 sites, big rigs welcome.

CITY: Salem

North Sandusky Campground

Beautiful campground on Rend Lake with 118 sites with electricity. Full hookups available on selected sites. Three picnic shelter areas (wheelchair accessible). One group area with 21 wooded campsites for $100 a day.

CITY: Sesser

Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area

Multiple-use recreational area with a 194-acre lake. It provides habitat for shore birds and upland game and offers camping, hunting, hiking, fishing and horseback riding.

CITY: Johnsonville

Macedonia Game Preserve

A state-licensed hunting preserve, we provide hunters with a good environment and quality deer management. Also quail, pheasant,chukar and dove hunting available. Package prices available upon request for walk-in hunts, corporate & business hunts.

CITY: Macedonia

South Sandusky Campground

120 camping sites with electricity and 8 tent sites on beautiful Rend Lake. Full hookups on selected sites. Beach.

CITY: Sesser

Rend Lake Shooting Complex

400-acre facility with trap shooting, sporting clay range, shooters' pro shop, 3-D archery range, hunting preserve, skeet and 5-stand. Monthly registered shoots. Open year-round.

CITY: Whittington

Gun Creek Campground

Campground with 100 sites with electricity located on Rend Lake. The Seasons Lodge Restaurant, the Rend Lake Gold Course, and the Southern Illinois Artisans Shop are all within walking distance.

CITY: Whittington

Racoon Lake

The park is open for boating and fishing year round and hosts a major drag boat racing event each year.

CITY: Centralia

Sherwood Camping Resort

Camper and tent sites, approx. 60 hookups; shaded, family-oriented camping. Only 2 mi. to Rend Lake.

CITY: Ina

Old Bates Campground

Located on the west side of Rend Lake off of Route 148 at the intersection of Peach Orchard Road. Offers electricity, water and sewer, shower house, bottle gas filed, dumping stations as well as campers to rent. Owners: Robert and Angela Holder.

CITY: Sesser