KOA's in General

KOA. The 3 letters people love to hate. They are quite consistent. Mostly convenient to a major highway. Have the stuff kids want. Are predictably more expensive than anything else in the area. Must be doing something right because they almost always seem to have good occupancy levels.

I dont think you can geerlize KOA's. There are some super nice parks and then there are the ones we have in Washington state..

I would highly recommend the West Glacier KOA Holiday. Beautiful place, huge, great staff, very clean, and very nice amenities.

On last month's trip to the Dakotas we stayed at several KOA's enroute. The one in Billings, MT is the original KOA and it's a masterpiece. Will gladly stay there in the future. The KOA in Miles City: management was nice and accommodating but the campground is on the other side of the tracks and park itself just did not "feel" secure with a city access road and city dump trucks loading up dirt right there. Kind of a creepy place. The KOA just south of Livingston, MT: Yes, even though you're packed in like sardines. Beautiful location on the Yelliwstone R.

Quite a variety within KOA so I guess you just never know when you're out on the road.

I learned something this summer by reading their 2016 directory - KOA currently has four classes or categories of campgrounds. They are "evolving many of our locations" into the first three:

Journey - not fancy, for overnighters, has 50 amp pull-thrus, well-lit after-hours checkin.
Holiday - more amenities like patio sites, deluxe cabins, and meeting rooms.
Resort - Fanciest and of course more expensive.
These categories promise certain things, and the CG owners apparently agree to go with the gameplan.

However, if you read between the lines, there is a fourth group which is None of the Above. I guess these owners are not yet, maybe never, signing on to whatever standards are being imposed. Or maybe it will take time to change their facilities to conform.

I've stayed in some so-so KOAs I wouldn't recommend and, sure enough, they were not identified with a badge in the directory book...not part of the three groups. I'm going to avoid such CGs in favor of Good Sam and Passport America - why pay a premium?

We stayed at Quechee Pine Valley, Vermont this summer ("Holiday" class) and it was great. Also stayed at one of the "Journey" locations for an overnighter and had great service.

I'm guessing the KOA organization has known for a long time that their product quality varies tremendously and can be a real turn-off. So maybe they are trying to differentiate what you're likely to find.

We like the KOAs for the most part because they always have activities for the kids.
We have stayed at many different ones and KOA always seems to have stuff planned out for the kids

Staff has always been great and helpful. We generally stick to the small ones and more out of the way places. The one we like in New Hampshire doesn't have any paved roads or sites and iall the sites are tucked into the trees.
A few of the good Sam ones we have stayed at we're nice but didn't compare. Stayed a large Good Sam one and they had stuff for the kids to do.

And our local camp grounds are nice. We just don't do to much local camping.

All the prices seemed to be with in line with each other. But the KOAs prices do go up on holiday weekends more than the other places.

We use KOA's when we can't find a cheaper comparable park in the area. Yes they are pricey but if you don't need full hookups some have water electric only for cheaper price. Get a KOA card and save 10 percent plus you earn points which can be used for coupons up to $50 off camping at other KOA's. I use www.woodalls.com and www.rvparkreviews.com to find campgrounds.

I only use them for overnights. Nothing special about them. However out of the 6 of them we've stayed at only 1 was great, Hayward WI. 2 were decent, 2 were just OK and 1 was the worst!!! Butte MT. 50% for me isn't a good record! That doesn't stop me from using them though. You just have to research very good! And yes they are pricey, but the majority are right off the highway.

Passport first

Good Sam second

KOA third

ON EDIT: KOA definitely has the best reservation system if you are going to be in high demand area or on a holiday weekend.

We use to stay at KOA's exclusively but also belong to Good Sam and are now using them a lot more.