QUOTE(DXSMac @ Feb 14 2008, 08:53 PM) [snapback]10277[/snapback] Wow, a thread that started in 2004!!! LOL, now we're up to 2009, going into 2010! There seem to be fewer KOAs in New England, or maybe we just never seem to be near any. The only KOA we've stayed at was this summer in Canada, at the Niagara Falls KOA. It was really nice, really clean, well taken care of, the employees were all polite and knowledgable... Actually, I was surprised, considering how many "iffy" reviews I've seen of KOAs. Just going by that one KOA, I was impressed... but all the bad reviews really put me on my guard about KOAs!
There are some who say that the letters KOA stand for : Keep On Adding. It is my experience that they do tend to have lots of things which they charge extra for. We usually only stay in one when nothing else is available.
KOA is one we use only as a desperate last resort. I have never stayed at one that I liked. At one, they charged us $70 extra for electric and we know that there is no way in the world we used that much over the months rent since we didn't use heaters, a/c and were gone a lot. Our bus is old and ulgy and the owner came and told us that KOA doesn't allow buses.Of course he told me that after he watched his cashier take my months rent and I was told buses were welcome when I called in advance. I found out from corporate that it is up to the individual owner. I didn't have a problem with a no bus rule but don't lie about it. At another that was almost empty we got everything hooked up and they came and told us they had put us in a reserved spot and we had to move. We did and they never put anyone in that spot. None of the KOA's we stayed at were very clean, the price was high and the employees were rude.
We're different than most of the others on this post -- we actually look at KOA's first. We're VIP members with KOA and do enjoy the predictability. Yes, they're higher priced than average, run of the mill CG's; but we're OK with paying those extra few dollars. What we've found is where they're a little higher than others around, the clientele that stays there is also. We've seen some dumps along the way that have really surprised us. Not so surprising is after we stayed there was an email from Corporate wanting a "review" of those sites. As most all have said, this is the best site if you're going anywhere you're not accustomed to.
This is a tough question to answer. There are two types of KOA kampgrounds. Those that are individually owned and operate with a franchise and those that are corporate owned. By corporate owned I mean by the KOA corporation. Corporate is usually your best bet as they have a reputation to uphold. The individually owned are just like any other business, there are good ones and not so good ones. Just keep looking at the campground reviews, use your good judgement and go for it! Happy kamping!
QUOTE(olivercamper @ Oct 30 2009, 03:55 PM) [snapback]19822[/snapback] Corporate is usually your best bet as they have a reputation to uphold. The individually owned are just like any other business, there are good ones and not so good ones. Corporate KOA's are by far the worst KOA's on the planet. Not only will you not find an owner (ever) I challenge you to find someone to even take ownership of a problem. You will also pay 20 to 40% more at a corporate KOA for any given night. For example, Nashville KOA will run you over $80 night - in November!!
[/quote]Corporate KOA's are by far the worst KOA's on the planet. Not only will you not find an owner (ever) I challenge you to find someone to even take ownership of a problem. You will also pay 20 to 40% more at a corporate KOA for any given night. For example, Nashville KOA will run you over $80 night - in November!!
QUOTE Funny too....I came across this post of yours.....And YOU don't like negativity????? Ummm. . . . you might want to read a little more thoroughly before you reply. The thread I created was a quote from someone else - not me. I was and am not taking a stand on negativity but was simply pointing out that a camper is more likely to review if they had a bad experience. Either way, this thread is in regards to KOA - which your post did not reference whatsoever. After reading your reply again, I'm still unsure as to why you responded at all. Perhaps you are taking full privilege of the freedoms offered in this country?
Sorry that you can't understand my post. I was RE-posting something that you felt the need to share with us regarding how another person felt about negative posts. Then, lo and behold; you decide to ignore your own advice and turn a KOA thread into a negative comment regarding KOA's. The easiest resolve to your dis-like of KOA's is to simply continue to stay out of them instead of complaining about them.
QUOTE(summerland @ Nov 2 2009, 05:44 PM) [snapback]19873[/snapback] Sorry that you can't understand my post. I was RE-posting something that you felt the need to share with us regarding how another person felt about negative posts. Then, lo and behold; you decide to ignore your own advice and turn a KOA thread into a negative comment regarding KOA's. The easiest resolve to your dis-like of KOA's is to simply continue to stay out of them instead of complaining about them. Not dealing with a Rhodes Scholar here am I?? I don't know how to make it more clear. First: The "negativity" thread was generated from an article that I found interesting and applicable. There was no advice given, expressed, or implied - simply a forum for discussion based on an article I found pertinent to the site. For the third time - I did not write it. Do you understand now that I did not write the article, but that I pasted the article into the thread? Second: I've never stated I disliked KOA's - quite the contrary. While my experience with corporate KOA's has been negative, my experience with privately owned KOA's has been nothing less than excellent! In fact, I'll be at one tomorrow night through the weekend. Do you understand now that I like KOA's - with the exception of the ones that are corporately owned? Seriously man, read things through!! Do you understand??
QUOTE(easyrider65_01 @ Sep 30 2004, 01:22 AM) [snapback]1367[/snapback] I am relatively new to owning an RV and I was wondering if KOAs as a whole are nice or if it better to stay non-franchise cg s. I f have stayed a few KOAs and I get the feeling that KOA does not monitor the cgs that are not in the more tourist areas. I plan on doing a lot of traveling and KOA has a great website to locate a cg. I hope that my poor experiences have been the exception rather than the norm. So, as a whole are KOAs to be avoided :angry: or enjoyed ?
Sorry I'm new at this and have screwed up. So I think I have this right now. Anyway, My husband and I own a small KOA. I want to thank you all for the reviews we receive on this web site. I read this forum and campground reviews everyday, it's a obsession with me. I have learned so much from the good and bad. We as campground owners need your input. I want every person who chooses to stay at our place feel welcome and enjoy their camping experience with us. Again thank you.
QUOTE(nicki @ Jul 24 2009, 08:42 AM) [snapback]17716[/snapback] Last summer we drove from Michigan to California and back again, making 14 CG stops over a one month period, ALL KOA's, in a rental RV. We were brand-new to rv-ing so that's why we stuck to KOA's. The website is super easy to use, and we found the campgrounds predictable in that they were for the most part clean and the hook-ups were in pretty good repair in most cases, also every one we encountered was dog friendly (we have 2) and kid friendly (also 2)(pools/playgound) and none of them were "party campgrounds." We never had a problem with noise or rowdiness. Most of the owners were very friendly and helpful. These were all very important to us because we were brand-new to camping, and doing such a long trip as our FIRST outing was a huge endeavor. Well, the trip went fabulously, we learned alot along the way, and now we have had many many more camping experiences since, in our own camper that we have since purchased. Having said all that, there IS a wide range of quality in KOA CG's. Some were glorified parking lots, while some were incredibly beautiful and fun. My favorite was the KOA in Hill City, SD near Mount Rushmore. Another one we loved was the one in Pahrump, NV. So just do your research before going to a KOA or any CG really, especially if it's intended as a "destination" and not just a stopover. Now we have branched out to try all different kinds of CG's, not just KOA's, but I do believe KOA gave us the confidence to try camping and come to love it. I stand by them 100%. My husband and I also chose KOAs for some of the same reasons you stated. As new campers it was kind of like going to McDonalds . . . no matter what state you're in a Happy Meal consists of a meat, fries, drink and a toy. I think newbies like the predictability. We also have started branching out and trying different kinds of campgrounds but you're right, KOA gave us confidence and we absolutely LOVE kamping now!
We've camped all over the US in our 45' motorcoach. We've stayed at lots of KOA's and overall this is the way we would summarize them. 1. Overpriced compared to other similar campgrounds. 2. Good to excellent Work kampers in most facilities. 3. Generally speaking KOA's tend NOT to upgrade as often as other facilities. 4. Generally speaking not 45' compatible, not enough 50 amp sites, not enough quality pull throughs, trees too short and not tended often enough. 5. Too many amenities are add-on's (i.e. Wi-fi etc). 6. More run down compared to their counterparts. We'd love to stay at KOA's more often; unfortunately only a few meet our standards. With more and more motorhomes being 40-45 feet KOA needs to step up to meet the demand.
My family has stayed at 3 different KOA campgrounds. One was okay friendly, clean, indoor pool needed some work but overall good. One was a basic campground pool, clean some activities but they staff/owners a little abrupt when dealing with kids. The third was amazing and we now camp there often, worth the little extra you pay.
As I sit and write this I am at the Polson, MT, KOA. This is only the third KOA I have camped at and it is by far the best. We came here after checking straight out of a private site that we refused to stay at despite making a reservation based on positive reviews. This KOA was able to accommodate us and has provided us with a stunning site overlooking the Flathead Lake. While it is not the cheapest camp ground it is the best run and maintained. The facilities here a excellecnt and the staff so very friendly. The spaces are large and well cared for which is something I cannot say was true of the other KOA's I have camped at. I would recommend this KOA to family and friends without hesitation.
I guess it should be clear by now that KOA is not McDonald's. My experiences with KOA are similar to others who have posted on this thread through the years; some are good some are bad and most just OK. There is little consistancy from one to the other. So if you are considering staying at a KOA you should utilize all your sources (including this website) just like you would any independent or affiliated campground. Heres hoping all your surprises are pleasant ones.
QUOTE(chowhound @ Aug 12 2011, 02:15 PM) [snapback]27169[/snapback] I guess it should be clear by now that KOA is not McDonald's. My experiences with KOA are similar to others who have posted on this thread through the years; some are good some are bad and most just OK. There is little consistancy from one to the other. So if you are considering staying at a KOA you should utilize all your sources (including this website) just like you would any independent orf affiliated campground. Heres hoping all your surprises are pleasant ones. Chowhound, the comparison to McDonalds is excellent. We tend to look for a KOA on travel days since there is one thing that we have found we can depend on (Most Of The Time) is the long pull through sites. This way we can pull in and not unhook, a huge timesaver for me. W have a Yukon XL and pull a 31' travel trailer. This means that we need at least 55' of level ground to accommodate the rig. This is almost always worth the extra cost of the KOA. I guess what matters most is what you are looking for. I would also point out that we stay at way many more decent to nice parks overall than dumps. I guess that using this site and the reviews to determine where we stay has worked out very well for us B)
KOA's in my humble opinion gear towards campers with kids. The facilities can be good, bad, or in the middle. Checking with this web site helps sort that out. They also tend to be expensive. On our last six week trip that just ended the most expensive RV Park by far was a KOA. The second most expensive park was a KOA. I do like their on line reservation system. The best one by far that I have been able to find. I also tend to find their staff almost uniformly smiling and friendly.
