Teardrop in KOA's latest news letter

[grant whipp]

BTW ... back in the early '90s, KOA teamed up with Mac-Bilt Teardrops of Reigelsville, PA, to give away a teardrop and car (one year it as a '46-'48 Ford Woody!) in an effort to promote KOA and camping ... so, they've been "into" teardrop trailers for a while ... ...!

CHEERS!

[deleted]

Love that picture! As RV parks go I do like the KOA facilities because for the most part you know what to expect/what you're getting. Plus if I hadn't stayed at the KOA in Kennebec, SD I never would have seen my old "neighbors" from California (apparently I used to shop in a store they owned just a mile or two from my house) the first night after they picked up their Camp-Inn and I was on my second night back with The Glampette. What were the odds meeting up at a KOA?

[Vedette]

Back in the 74 I discovered KOA's and loved them!
But, we were paying $2.50/ night .....$3.50 if there was a pool.
But, now it is cheaper to get a motel?????
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Shadow Catcher]

KOA's are the McDonald's of camp grounds, ubiquitous and easy to find but you often find them too close to the highway and often at least along I 80, the railroad tracks.

[S. Heisley]

KOA's are the McDonald's of camp grounds, ubiquitous and easy to find but you often find them too close to the highway and often at least along I 80, the railroad tracks.

For traffic, the worst campground that I ever stayed at was a Cabelas, next to their headquarters in Nebraska. It had major highways on two sides, an I-80 on/off ramp on the third side, a traffic signal which made the truck drivers shift through their gears; and, railroad tracks on the forth side. ...Semi trucks and train traffic all night long. Stay away from that one! (It was not a planned visit...I had gotten lost and it was 10PM when I found that place to stay. ...Stupid move on my part. I would have been better off at a rest stop.)

[deleted]

KOA's are the McDonald's of camp grounds, ubiquitous and easy to find but you often find them too close to the highway and often at least along I 80, the railroad tracks.

Yes! ALWAYS there are railroad tracks. Doesn't matter what state I've been in. Well, except for Northern, CA at the Cloverdale KOA.

And lol I was going to add in my previous comment they're like seeing an American fast food restaurant when you're traveling internationally, you pretty much know all the menu basics will be there. It's the familiarity that can be comforting when you're thousands of miles from where you know.

[gudmund]

in 1983 when pedaling across the US on a bicycle they were GREAT with all of the amenity's for a flat $2.00 a nite and I got to sleep on the ground anywhere I could find space to set up my tent. Fargo, ND is the last time I ever sleep on the ground at one - stayed at Motel 6's after that for $18 a nite. Yes, some of them seem a little pricy now days for campsites but after seeing what the state of Washington raised their campsites to now, some KOA's $$$ aren't that bad. If you ever get to Washington on the southeast coast area just north of the Long Beach area on Wiliapa Bay by the town of Bay Center is one of the nicest KOA's I've ever stayed at, off the main road and with a nice access walk to the Bay, about the typical $30 price for the nite but is was a nice stay that I plan on doing again if I ever get back it that area (maybe enroute to the IRG in May) Now on the south side of this area on the Oregon side by the town of Warrington - be advised, the KOA there is $$$$$$$!!!!!!! asked the $$ and turned and walked out the door and kept driving, almost $60 for the nite!!!

[grant whipp]

KOA's are the McDonald's of camp grounds, ubiquitous and easy to find but you often find them too close to the highway and often at least along I 80, the railroad tracks.

Yes! ALWAYS there are railroad tracks. Doesn't matter what state I've been in. Well, except for Northern, CA at the Cloverdale KOA.

The tracks that go by the Willits, CA, KOA are for the scenic/tourist Skunk Train over the mountain to Ft. Bragg ... bitchin' ... ... and the last time I stayed, the hosts were the best and they had all kinds of activities, it was fun (for a corporate campground)!

CHEERS!

[NugHunter]

KOA should off a lower rate for Tiny's little more then primitiave tent...little less then full campsite price...would attract more of em !

[DrCrash]

KOA should off a lower rate for Tiny's little more then primitiave tent...little less then full campsite price...would attract more of em !

They do, all you have to do is ask for tent site . Have personally done this many times !

[doris s.]

Every summer while my kids were growing up I would take them on long summer camping trips all over the US. (mom's summer camp). My husband could not take long vacations so I was alone with three little kids. I always stayed at KOA'a because I felt safe, they usually had a pool and were relatively clean. I was always grateful for the nice facilities after a long day of driving or touring national parks with three kids. The kids are grown up now and I usually camp in state parks, however when I am on a long trip and a KOA is on the route I'll stay for one nighters when I'm in need of a shower, a swim or have to do laundry. KOAs have there place in the camping world!

Doris

[Mary C]

since my friend spent $3000.00 to rid her house of bed bugs I am sleeping in my own bed and since KOA is on my adventures I will stay in them for my work day to buy groceries and to wash clothes. I will do my housekeeping and repack clothes and clean my truck and wash my truck. I will use the day to re coup and be productive and then to spend the evening enjoying people watching reading or maybe getting on the computer to catch up on my communication. I may stay in one if it is near my site seeing area and be gone from my vehicle for extended time.

Mary C.

[GerryS]

They do, all you have to do is ask for tent site . Have personally done this many times !

I just visited the one in Wildwood Florida...and they wouldn't budge. Other than a true "tent" my only other option was a full size site. By full size I have to laugh as well...but being 10 feet on one side and 15 on the other from a Class C and a Class A was far tighter than I would have considered a "full size" site. To make matters worse typical of Florida, the soil was that sand/dirt mix --- makes everything feel nasty. They didn't even have "pads" to par on....just sand.

For the life of me, except for that "fly through" stop where you want a shower I can see absolutely no reason for KOA and am completely mystified why anyone would voluntarily stay there. It isn't just the one site, during the same trip I also stayed 1 night at the KOA between Macon and Atlanta. Fortunately, it was off season and not busy at all. I didn't have campers on either side of me, but I did have the dulcet tones of I75 all night long.

I"ve awful-mart camped once in my life, so I'm not opposed to it. Going forward for the 1 night stops...it really isn't much of a "step down" if you don't need electricity and can go without a shower for a day.

I think I've been spoiled by Indiana's state park system...

[DrCrash]

I am sorry to hear that Gerry, when we went out west both times all the Koa's we stayed at allowed us to park the teardrop in the tent sites for roughly 18 - 22 bucks a night. Maybe things have changed.

[S. Heisley]

Please realize that this is the exception to the rule as most KOAs are cost-effective and nice....:

The worst KOA that I ever stayed in was found by driving down an alley-like road, behind a casino and the grounds were made mostly of burr-infested gravel. The bathrooms were poorly maintained to the point that a person almost didn't want to use them. For that, I paid ~ $38 for the night, discounted from $46 because it had no water or electrical. But, I was in a bind to find a place to stay without driving, exhausted, for another couple hours in the dark. At least they had security cars, driving through all night.

- - - - -

Many KOAs differ, according to when they were built, whether they have had upgrades or are due for them or whether they weren't always a KOA. (Occasionally, KOAs used to be privately owned campgrounds that KOA bought out.) It should also be noted that KOA has recently categorized their campgrounds to show that there are different types in various locations, depending on your needs: http://koa.com/brands/

At the KOA web site, there is a section where you can get a small glimpse of what they have to offer by looking at the pictures and description of each individual KOA.

Let your fingers help you check out your campground using many of the reviews and review services online. If you type KOA ratings into your search engine, you can often find out more information about the camp that you are interested in, such as these:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... awaii.html (couldn't resist this first one )
http://koa.com/campgrounds/lake-isabella/reviews/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... orida.html

Here's a website that gives reviews on various campgrounds, including some KOAs:

http://www.campgroundreport.com/

As with hotels, you should do some investigation before you stay; yet, you may still be taking some risk with either a hotel/motel or a campground. At least, with your trailer, you know what you are sleeping in.