Iowa, welcome to the Forum. Yes, we are happy with it. It was the right combination of things—queen bed (though they are shorter than a standard queen), fits in a lot of campgrounds even though the longer trailers (27' especially) are nice too, we could tow it with our Tundra, has enough space for a long trip. I think the double kitchen sink is much better than the round ones for washing and drying dishes. Since we don't have kids or dogs, the space isn't too small (well sometimes it feels small after a while) and I don't know how people can do it with more than 2 humans. But we live in the wide open spaces, so we need a lot of space too.
We've found, like everything else, there are KOAs and then there are KOAs. Some are just too expensive for what they are, and then some are very nice. The one just a little North of Carlsbad, NM, comes to mind as being nice. However, one of the things that really gets me about KOAs is the time required to check in. I've been to five star hotels on business that were much easier and faster to check into than most KOAs. Don't they know that by the time you stop into a campground a 5 PM that you are tired, and just want to park? They ask you for all kinds of irrelelvant information, then try to act like a travel guide and show you all the literature about the surrounding attractions, and then to top it off, make you follow some guy on a golf cart that sometimes doesn't know anymore about the park than what you learned from looking at the park map!
However, one of the things that really gets me about KOAs is the time required to check in.
Really? I've stayed in a couple in recent years and haven't had a gripe with them. One of those I've stayed at 3 or 4 times, and they're as fast as anyone else.
I'm with the general consensus of this thread - like any other campground, there are good KOAs and there are bad KOAs. I don't think you can really make a judgement based on the KOA name.
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When Page and take our trips, we generally make no reservations when traveling. We'll often look to see if there is a KOA near where I'd like to stop for the evening, just because it is so easy. They will have drivethroughs long enough for me not to have to unhitch, their bathrooms are clean, showers adequate, and if it is that time of the cycle, they'll have a laudromat. In the midwest, we have found some that have glorious large trees and some that have little cafes so we can have someone else cook dinner every now and again.
So - I would say I like them well enough. The people I've met have always been nice and as helpful as I want them to be. I have never stayed in one that I wouldn't go back to. And the value card is a good value.
Ironically I was on the Airstream site yesterday and Airsteam has KOA linked off off their site!
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We recently stayed at the KOA in Oroville CA, it was called Feather Falls KOA. Was the nicest park on our whole trip, clean, friendly, spacious, reasonable and well appointed. There were even sites with nice patio furniture, bbqs and outdoor fireplaces! The had two sewer hookups at each site to make it easier to hook up. Would definetly stay again, they even sent us coupons for future visits!
We stayed at the Las Cruces KOA after the Balloon Fiesta last year. We paid the big bucks for one of the primo sites overlooking the city and felt we got what we paid for.
Liked the Las Cruces site after a haul from San Antonio...unfortunately, the prevailing wind that night was from the east...wafting gently over the stockyards before it arrived at our locale...somethings, even an air conditioner can't filter...
mike
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Michael & Tracy
1989 345 Motorhome
Visit our blog http://www.scrapirony.com/ We live for the moment, 'cause when you get there, it's gone...
We've stayed in KOA's in various locations around Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Mississippi and they've all been convenient, pleasant, clean, and provided a good stay. Average cost has been around $20 a night during the low season...$30 per night during the busy season. No complaints here.
Our experiences with KOA are in Cheyenne WY, Rock Springs WY, and in Corvallis OR.
We were on our maiden trip, heading home from Grand Rapids MI, with our new to us trailer 2006 34 Classic with S/O. November camping doesn’t provide a lot of options, as a lot of camps are closed for the winter, but the KOA camps on our route seem to be open year round. We were planning our stopovers next to a town that had some restaurants to choose from, and a open campground close by.
We pulled into the Cheyenne KOA, road weary, tired and hungry, and we were set at ease when we met by the enthusiastic owner, who at a glance knew our Airstream floor plan, all about our Hensley hitch, and all about our Tow Vehicle. It seems that he and his wife were looking at purchasing the same trailer-hitch-TV combo. The buildings were clean, and the grounds were tidy. The charges seemed to be a bit high, but we needed propane, filled on site, and we bought into the KOA Membership.
Rock Springs, WY KOA had their long-term campers separated away from the main campground, but they had to drive through the main campground to get to the outside road. The early campground traffic noise was not an issue with us on this trip, as we were up early anyway. An extra charge that I remember is $2.00 for the television cable, even though they had called in to the cable company to disconnect our line of camping spaces the week earlier, and we were told that ‘If the cable doesn’t work, come back and we will refund you”.
Corvallis, OR KOA was clean, and quiet. The girl behind the counter had just opened up the building at 3:00PM, and the early person had not shown up. We saw her handle a very irate and rude customer who wanted to blame her for all things wrong, very professional. We were treated very well with no carryover from her rude experience before us.
Based on these three camping experiences, KOA campgrounds do not stink. Some have extra charges for cable, 50 amp service, internet, and some don’t.
My experience with campgrounds, KOA or not, is that if they are clean and well-cared for, the employees/owners are happy folks...this would include state parks and volunteers.
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Michael & Tracy
1989 345 Motorhome
Visit our blog http://www.scrapirony.com/ We live for the moment, 'cause when you get there, it's gone...
We just finished four nights at the St Petersburg KOA. Very clean. Great work/camper staff. It's a totally urban location. Sights were tight, but, we have found most private campgrounds to be so.
Many snowbirds. Some there on very good mthly deals.
Tom
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