KOA worth it?

[CAT-RN]

I have never stayed in BFE. Is that in the East or West. Please elaborate

Russell

[dj3spots]

When traveling to and from a "designated" weekly/monthly getaway/stay action we often use KOA. Mostly because they are on the route we traveling and because most have a dog park. We've found the majority to be friendly and clean with level sites. Yes, some are very tight, Delaware Gap KOA is one of those; while Petaluma California KOA has almost spacious sites and is exceedingly well run and clean. We spend a week every summer at the West Chester KOA in PA so we can host our grand kids and still be close to their home(just in case). KOAs can be pricey, but with a KOA membership, the more often you visit the more reward points you collect. Reward points = free nights at KOA.


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[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by AquaMan

The thing I don't like about KOA's, is that if you have kids, the cost gets out of sight! The last one I even looked at, wanted $10 a night extra for each kid, on top of the already exaggerated price. We may travel with 4 kids, and to pay over $100 a night in the middle of BFE, is just insane.

I never understood why a family oriented business operating in a family oriented industry would charge extra for bringing your family!!

Crazy!

[RollingDownTheHighway]

IMO, We stayed at several Private CG, 1 Yogi and several KOA's and I prefer the KOA's hands down. However, the only issue we run into in some of the KOA's is the site size. There are some sites that are small but some have larger ones as well. We never had an issue getting ours on the site, with all slides out. We have run into issues in the private ones just getting leveled, let alone getting all 3 slides out. In our experiences the KOA's are clean, the folks are friendly and there's activities to do for the kids or the entire fam.

NOTE: we've been to the KOA's in CT and VA Beach, we're going to the on in Copake new york on the 4th, I'll report back and we're going to the Williamsburg KOA in a few weeks as well

[Iwritecode]

I've stayed at a few different KOAs in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan and have never heard of charging extra for kids. Ditto with the many Jellystones I've stayed at. For the most part, I've always had good experiences with both of them and typically sought them out when looking for a place to stay.

There is one KOA near us that we've never been to and probably never will because they don't allow rottweilers.

[Witch Doctor]

I was just at the best KOA ever. It was Luray Virginia. I was in a pull through that was along side of the open area, they had a wood pizza oven, ping pong and volley ball all set up in this field that could fit 2 football fields in. They could have put TT spots for atleast 75 trailers, but choose not to do that. They just finished a new pool and have a smaller pool next to it. They had a dog run with obstacles for your pet to use. It was also spot less 100' between spots. The Luray Caverns are 5 miles away and New Market is 14 miles. Big civil war museum. If your ever up in Northern Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley, that is a must stay..Also got a free night for joining KOA at that CG....

[firedaniel]

Ok we drove about 450 miles and wouldn't you know it the only thing on our route was a KOA in Albuquerque. This one was very nice and $30 cheaper than the one we stayed at last night! Spaces are bigger and well manicured. The owner came up 5 min after we got in and checked on us and invited us to a movie tonight and breakfast in the morning. I wish there was some way to differentiate the different ones. The KOA website is nice to reserve though...

[accumack]

Just on the west side of Albuquerque is American Rv park on interstate 40. We've stayed there a couple of times and like it.
American RV Park

[dannyabear]

KOA & Yogis were a great place to stay 20 years ago. Problem is owners suck all the money out of them and then sell, new owner trys to do the same, don't have enough money to update them and sell again; it's a downhill spiral that they can't break. No way are they worth what modern well layed out resorts are charging. Most in La. & MS. are becoming 'trailer parks'.

[Fivealive]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

There is one KOA near us that we've never been to and probably never will because they don't allow rottweilers.

We wouldn't go there either, and we don't have a Rottweiler. Just don't care for that kind of mindset. Now pittbulls are another matter... 😉

[schrederman]

The last KOA I stayed in was in Holbrook, AZ, in February of 2012. They were exactly twice per night what the private park across the road charged. That private park looked nicer, but has a big red "no vacancy" sign flashing. It was apparently full for a reason... nice park fairly priced... The KOA had 2 other RVs other than mine. I hooked up to power but it was cold, so I left the water hose in storage. I was there just 1 night and it was about $50-... I used their restroom/shower facilities, which were clean and nicely maintained... but I still felt ripped off at the price for what I received. I tend to avoid KOA if I can.

[lbrjet]

We overnighted at the Holbrook KOA last September and it was 36 bucks for their 50 amp pull through site.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

[4mula1fan]

Originally Posted by CAT-RN

I have never stayed in BFE. Is that in the East or West. Please elaborate

Russell

It's in Egypt...

[schrederman]

Originally Posted by lbrjet

We overnighted at the Holbrook KOA last September and it was 36 bucks for their 50 amp pull through site.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
Equal-i-zer 4pt 12K

It probably was $36- when I was there... I don't exactly remember. I do remember the rate being exactly twice what the park across the road had posted outside...

[danielabram71]

I guess I kinda feel alone on this one. But I have stayed at 4 koas and would stay again in a heart beat. To be honest the ones I have stayed at are the same price as other CG both state and private CG. Very helpful and nice.

[bend302]

we have stayed at a lot of KOA's and find there are nice ones and not so nice ones. We liked the one in Pine Island FL with level concrete pads and spacious sites.

The one in Perry FL was a bit rougher with sandy sites and a bit un-level. They fall up and down the scale from bad to nice.

It seems KOA's to have to meet some criteria to get the franchise. Like most guide you to your site and sell propane. They also have a convenient website to make your reservation, a member discount and a point program

We always have stayed at a campground rather than a rest area or parking lot and we try to skip pricey campgrounds regardless of the brand name.

Bill

[acadianbob]

We've been "ripped off" by KOA more than once. I avoid them like the plague.

[dj3spots]

We stay at KOA for the convenience. Most are on the major routes, which is where we tend to travel. No problems at any of the ones we've stayed in.


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[fanrgs]

We stayed at a KOA just west of Yosemite last month that was 95% full of RVs, but had no one staying in their numerous "Kamper Kabins." The cabins were on nearly level sites at the top of the hill, while the RV sites were on a steep slope with two very steep access roads. Due to the narrow, crowded sites and vehicles parked along the driveway, we couldn't turn sharp enough to back into the pay-in-advance, W/E site they had reserved for us. The only alternative was one empty back-in FHU site for an extra $10/night.

Then this KOA required some special black tank chemical for their septic system. They would sell it to you, but we had already put our normal chemical pod in the tank because we thought we were going to be in a W/E site. Without their chemical, you could only dump at the city sewer access located at the bottom of the hill (who knows why were they on septic with a city sewer line near the entrance). But the access road that we had to park on to dump was so steep that nothing came out of the black tank--it was too far forward of the outlet.

So, to make a long story longer, we paid $10 extra at KOA to be able to haul our black tank waste to our next night's campground because the KOA had spent all their money on empty cabins and a very nice swimming pool and neglected to spend any money on a decent RV dump. That's just one example of why we only stay at KOAs under extreme duress.