KOA - RV park or campground?

Which category do KOAs fit into? Are they simply glorified RV parks, or can they properly be called campgrounds?

I would stay at an RV park overnight while on a roadtrip, but I wouldn’t choose one as a destination for extended camping. Where does KOA fit in these scheme?

Please make your choice aboce. The results will be used by Jim Carter, our new moderator of the Campgrounds and Parks section, when cataloguing reviews for KOA.

 

I don't think I've ever stayed at a KOA. I stay where ever I happen to stop for the night which includes truck stops, rest areas and Walmart parking lots.

 

That Little Guy needs more stickers. I see a lot of white space there...

 

It probably isn't fair to completely lump them all into one category or the other, but the vast majority of the KOA's that we have passed by during our travels over the years would qualify as RV Parks for a nights stay along your path of travel between destinations.
When we see so many of them where the campers are stacked in like cord wood with nearly no vegetative separation between them for privacy, it's hard to call it camping, but then we haven't seen them all by any stretch, and many of the ones we've passed by have been out west in areas where trees weren't a large part of the local landscape either. So maybe we just haven't seen the ones that have nice large, tree shaded campsites, with enough separation so that the neighboring camper isn't tempted to answer the question you just asked your spouse in a normal voice volume.... but then again maybe our idea of camping is not the norm.

 

I love staying at KOA when we are traveling. They are for the most part an RV park, but we've stayed in some beauties! Souix St. Marie in Ontario, Miles City in Montana, Maple Grove in Minnesota, Cedar City in Utah and Quebec City in Quebec are all examples of great KOA parks. These parks are all very different. Some are well treed and some are more open, but the service (for us) has always been great, and the washrooms are usually very clean. I guess it boils down to expectations for us. I pretty much know what I'm going to get at KOA, and I appreciate that.

 

The KOA's I've inquired about were $100.00 per night. That takes the joy out of camping.

 

I wish that not so many were located so near freeways. LOUD!

 

I couldn't agree more, but honestly, that hasn't been my experience. I would be hard pressed to think of one that cost more than $60.
I'd restate here, that we stay at KOA when were are travelling from one place to another. I don't think we've ever stayed more than 1 night at a time in any KOA park.

 

This is at a KOA in Colorado...so, mileage may vary.

In general I think the answer has more to do with *why* someone goes camping. Some folks experience camping as a getaway but appreciate the fun things that a KOA might provide - WiFi, pool, laundry, mini golf.

Personally, I prefer camping to be more of an experience with nature, so we shoot for state parks, NFS campgrounds, etc.

KOA is a great place to host a family reunion, for example, or to set up base camp while exploring a city/region.

 

what's wrong with staying there with the van for a longer time?

 

Nothing if its you're choice --- I can just say that from my experience, the KOAs I've stayed at are generally close to the freeway, so noisy, and generally much more expensive that state parks.

For a quick overnighter, they are OK...an hour drive for a cheaper rate may not be worth it. In fact, Forsyth, GA is a place that I stay almost every time I go to Florida. For a 1 night stop, it's a great nights rest. The last time we were there (In March) the person next to me was sleeping in the back of his Subaru outback.

For week long stays, I can say that my KOA was a miserable. We enjoyed the area, but the KOA itself was horrible. We stayed at Pigeon Forge where they had reconfigured what was once pull-throughs to back-ins -- each "halved" so to fit 2 where 1 used to be. This meant your curb side was adjacent to your neighbor curb side. I had similar sardine experiences in Pittsburgh, and central Kentucky. KOA is all about maximizing revenue, and I don't need the pool.

Its all about what meets your needs best.

 

I have a lot less experience than most here. But I’ve found myself in a few KOAs because that’s what I could find availability when and where I wanted to be. Yes, they are more crowded than I would prefer. But I travel to see things. I don’t spend a lot of time in camp. I’m out often during the day. In the evening I’ve enjoyed socializing with some of my neighbors. It’s worked out well for me.

I have one booked in West Yellowstone this September. It worked out perfect on timing for me to be camped in Grand Teton NP the following week. Especially because I’ll be able to have shore power both weeks. That’s important to me on this trip since weather may be a bit iffy the last half of September.

 

We're thinking about road tripping to Disney next year with the kids and the KOA in Kissimmee is at least half the price of comparable hotels in the area. So ‍♂️.

 

KOA's are really hit or miss. The only one we routinely stop at is in West Wendover, Nevada. It's not fancy, and it's overpriced. BUT...it's in a good spot for a night after a long day's drive across Nevada, and the casino across the street has a decent Philly cheesesteak sandwich. We've occasionally hit the KOA in Tucumcari, New Mexico for similar reasons...convenient location after a long, though minus the decent food nearby (fortunately we usually prefer to make our own food). There ARE some really nice KOA's out there...I'll second Jim Carter's comment about the level of KOA making a difference: the KOA at Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota, for example, looks great (it's one of the "resorts").

For us, we much prefer state parks, national forest land, and BLM land. Spacious campsites and nature suit our needs perfectly. We only do KOA's when we have to, or when we need a quick overnighter on the way to somewhere amazing. Looking forward, KOA's have a lot of potential if they're smart enough take advantage of what they have going for them, particularly with so many people working remotely.

 

This is probably the one compelling reason to go to KOA. As a kid, I would have been MISERABLE at places we go as adults. Remember when a spanking and being sent straight to bed was punishment? (I'm sorry...no, I'm not)

Be sure you pay attention to the lot sizes, the last KOA we stayed at which was in a tourist area the sites were TINY. Only about 10 feet between campers and they were backed in zipper style, so my curb side was aligned with their curb side.

With the kids argument, I think the KOA might be a good alternative.

I have been told that the Thousand Trails in Orlando have better sizes spots --- especially if you can get into the "wooded" area -- Nomadic Fanatic (youtube channel) had a few positive things to say on one of his trips there. That would have been about 3 to 4 years ago. I don't know if they have a pool or not...and I would imagine KOA is still slightly cheaper. Thousand Trails sells memberships, but they will allow ad-hoc reservations for non-members.

When you're down there, be sure to slice off a little adult time -- look at Bok Tower. (Home - Bok Tower Gardens) The tower on the web site --- its a musical instrument. REALLY amazing stop.

 

We use commercial campgrounds only when we are traveling on long distance trips. Convenient tot the highway so you don't lose time driving to and from the highway. As most of you we prefer state parks, national parks, COE, national forests, etc for camping. The best commercial one we stayed at was Santa Fe Skies in 2016 when headed to the Southwest. It was pretty new so the facilities were nice. The area behind the office with the back in sites was like a park setting plus they had old farm and mining equipment all of the place which was pretty cool to check out. Now if you were in front of the office with the RVs and 5th wheels, it was a parking lot. KOA in Laramie, WY was a good place to stop for the night too. We haven't stayed in one since 2016 since we have not been that far from home after that trip.

 

I'm a sucker for carillons and art deco architecture. I'll have to check this one out next time we roll through Florida.

We have at least one here on the West Coast, though it's more gothic revival architecture. The lab I work at is on a hill right above the UC Berkeley campus, and we are at about the same elevation as the height of the Campanile (Sather Tower) bells. The 61 bells go off three times a day during the week, and at least for me, they're always amazing to hear.

 

Us too. The only place I had ever heard of anything like this was a few years ago, in the "Renaissance Faire" circuit under the name "Ghost of the bells" If I recall correctly...can't find anything on it today. Since then we found Bok and several others.

In northern Florida (White Springs Florida, Stephen Foster park) for example is another one.

Sadly it needs about $80k in repairs so it is currently silent. I don't know details but apparently the electronics were fried -- I don't know if are Carrilloneir could play it manually or not. Naperville Illinois also has one. Currently I undestand it was not designed properly and is leaning and currently silent. I beliive there are a couple in Ohio as well....they aren't that uncommon but that are that exceptional.

Its intersing how many amazing parks Florida has...as shown by the year long wait to find availability.