# KOA - need reviews/opinions



## Charley and Donna (Oct 8, 2003)

Would like to hear from those of you who have stayed at KOAs

Any you would avoid and recommend that folks NOT stay at???

Which one is your favorite and why??

Anyone stay at a Kampin' Kabin? Are they clean or full of critters??

Where can I find some good reviews of individual KOA sites??

thanks!


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## Ed H. (Oct 10, 2003)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

I have stayed at 4 KOAs and all were nice parks. 
The best way to get reviews of any campgrounds would be a directory like Trailer Life's or Woodall's. They cover the whole continet. The write-ups are done on a standardized format and can give you a fair idea of what to expect. After you have used the book a few times, you will see how their standards compare to yours.
Of course, the books won't tell you about the people at each park, but if it's a place you would like, chances are it would draw in like-minded folks.
Ed


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## C Nash (Oct 10, 2003)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

Charley and Donna,
Most that we have stayed in were ok but on the pricey side in my opinion. Haved stayed in kamping cabins at the Cherokee NC KOa and found them clean and enjoyed stay there but that was a few year back.  Did stay there this past summer and the campsite we had was ok and staff was friendly.  Some of the sites on the back side were kind of crudy looking.  I like the campground reviews by campers and find them to be a little closer to the truth than most publications. The campgrounds can also run down very quick so what some find ok today will be terrible next year.  The KOA discount card will pay for itself after about three nights stay. Local KOA here, Pelham Al., is very nice but, have heard it has changed owners.


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## janicenlarry (Oct 11, 2003)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

KOA is generally pretty pricey.  If you are traveling with kids they have a lot to do.  As full time retirees, we tend to avoid them.


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## jdk (May 27, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

My husband and I have been staying at KOAs with many types of rigs over 25 years plus.  We have never had a bad experience in a major area of service (security, site adequacy, hookups etc.)  They are not, however, ultra quality resort locations, but they are very convenient and in cenral easily accessible locations.  With the KOA Value Card you get a 10% discount.  When I travel with the rig alone I appreciate the family atmosphere the security and the safety.  I have had several KOAs volunteer to place my rig near the office if I wanted them to keep an eye out for me, or personally take me to the site to be sure I got in and got hooked up okay (neither was necessary, but it was nice of them to care and ofer). We now do most of our camping in membership campgrounds, but every trip still has at least one stop where nothing in the area can match the KOA for convenience on the way through.  Membership and discount campgrounds are not aways nicer and are never in populated tourist areas-KOAs are the reverse. Happy camping


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## hertig (Jun 1, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

We stayed in one in Missouri this last trip; it was nice and the people were great.  A tad pricey, and they claimed they did not give a AAA discount.  When I showed them the AAA book, they did honor it, but planned to contact AAA and complain.


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## Special K (Jun 1, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

I agree they are generally nice parks but on the pricey side. We don't need all the amenities available at these parks. Retired couple. Only bad experience we have had was at Terre Haute IN. Last time there was 2002. The place was mostly a mud hole and the laundry was in bad repair.


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## Wally40 (Jun 7, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

If you ever get up north in Washington state, try the KOA just north of Mt. Vernon.  Also I highly recommend the Winthrop KOA.  Ask for space 1 or 2 there.


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## ELscout (Jun 25, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

We stayed a a number of KOA's between Dallass and Yellowstone, al nice, West Yellowstone was best All clean


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## Dillon (Jul 23, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

Stayed at KOA West New Orleans and KOA Dallas/Caddo Mills and found both acceptable, but not great.


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## Kim Bodley (Jul 26, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

We have stayed at, and would recommend a couple of KOA's, in recent years.  First, I think that it is important to say that the KOA's, in my opinion, run about the same as any good quality RV park.  If you want to find a less expensive place, look for state, county, and local parks.  (This is particularly true in Oregon where we have absolutely beautiful state parks!)  That being said, here are a couple of our favorite KOA's.  First is the KOA at the Oregon Dunes in North Bend Oregon.  This is a very nice KOA, with access to the Oregon Dunes, and beautiful views of the Oregon Coast.  Second is the KOA at St. Maries, Idaho.  This is one of our favorite stopping places.  (We have kids and they KOA has a nice pool, a fish pond, and rents nice little 3-wheel bikes that the kids really enjoy.)  In addition, it is far enough off the highway so that you don't get too much freeway noise.)  Finally, there is a KOA located at the Devils Tower in Wyoming which is extremely nice! They have pool, located on banks of Belle Fourche River, right next to Devil's Tower National Monument, very clean and well maintained park.  Those are three of our favorites.  I would also comment that any number of the KOA's are located in fairly large cities, and while they may be a little on the pricey side, they are often much nicer, with much better amenities than other RV parks which are in same area.  They are also much less than some of the newer, high end RV parks which seem to be cropping up which limit their occupants to only Class A, no older than 10 years, no smaller than 28 ft.  (In other words, if you didn't spend $100 grand, they don't want your business!)


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## Suljer (Jul 27, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

Campground Reviews - by State 

Campground Reviews Submitted by Viewers

Find the campground reviews for any state by clicking on the map or choosing from the list below it on the website pasted below:

http://camping.about.com/library/perfect/blpcgndx.htm


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## circlegwranglers (Aug 29, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

We have just recently started "Road Tripping" in our rig.  The only KOA that we have tried we liked.  This was in Elizabethtown, KY.  It is conveinently located to I-65, WK Parkway, & shopping with no highway noise.  The facilites were clean, the staff was most helpful in locating a "Advance Auto Parts", when we had to replace the battery on our truck.  And the price was less than we had payed on the whole trip, even without a discount card.


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## janicenlarry (Aug 29, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

In my  opinion KOA's are way too expensive with many amenities you dont use and too many young kids running unsupervised.  We try to stay mostly at Passport America or Escapees campgrounds.   :laugh:


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## jhfnmm (Sep 7, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

We had stayed in the Watkins Glen KOA for the last three years.  This year, one of our dogs "scared" the owner when he knocked on our door...the dog is blind and doesn't bark and thought we were returning home.  Now, we are welcomed back, but not our dogs.  Lots of dogs in the campground, but we were singled out and told not to bring our dogs back.  Very upsetting to be told not to bring our "family" with us.  Because of them, we canceled out membership.  Also, when we started going there, the sites were around thirty dollars a night, pretty steep.  We were going to make reservations for next year, and told that the fee would be forty dollars a night!  Way too much money.  Then, when told we couldn't bring the dogs, we just told them we wouldn't be coming back.  The ones we have stayed in across the country are more for families, and there are always LOTS of noisy kids running around, unsupervised.  We stayed in the main KOA campground in Billings a few years ago, and it was nice, but very crowded.  As was stated above, there a lots of other campgrounds just as nice or nicer, and alot cheaper.


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## Shoshone (Nov 16, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

The KOA at Gunnison, CO, is excellent.  Green, clean, and quiet.  We often stop at the KOA in Apple Valley, CA overnight to break up long hauls from the Central Coast area of CA to our home near Death Valley.  It's not cheap, but there's shade and a pool which are important in summer desert crossings.  The permanent residents in the back of the park sometimes seem to resent tr4ansients like us walking dogs in their area.


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## bpetray (Dec 31, 2004)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

I can say that the KOA in St. Petersburg and Okeechobee Florida are very clean and friendly, although quite pricey. Monthly rents are the only way to get the services and keep the prices somewhat affordable. We were in St. Pete when the hurricanes hit and for Charley we went to "hide" in Okeechobee. The managers worked a deal so that anyone paying monthly did not have to pay rent while there. We were treated like family and were very impressed. The clean up after the hurricanes was not that considerable, and was completed within days. Both places would be hard to get reservations during winter months but do have some spots open.


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## Ryegal (Jan 1, 2005)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

I agree with most of the posts they are pricy I also agress with wally40 about the ones in wa state The one in winthrop is very nice right on the river


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## Mallory (Jan 1, 2005)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

Hey,
I'm looking for an RV park in the Florida Keys that allow small
dogs. Fiesta Key is a wonderful park but too pricey for us retirees
this year.
I know the state park on the Keys do not allow pets.
Anyone out there with advice or recommendation.
Thanks
Mallory


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## janicenlarry (Jan 4, 2005)

KOA - need reviews/opinions

Keys are not very RV friendly.  If you are retired military, there is a great park in Key West otherwise you may want to consider someplace else to spend your time and money


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