KOA

[olfarmer]

Wow, one night at a KOA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was $60, guess this is the last KOA I will stay at! Stayed in a nice campground near Mt. Rushmore for $40.
😞

[johnwalkerpa1]

olfarmer wrote:
Wow, one night at a KOA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was $60, guess this is the last KOA I will stay at! Stayed in a nice campground near Mt. Rushmore for $40.
😞

I am always surprised when I hear what people think is "too much" for a campsite. Now, I am talking about full service commercial campgrounds here, not the more rustic state or national forest sites with no hookups and few to no amenities.

In most cases, I consider myself fortunate to find a site for $60. Now, granted, we have 7 so in some cases, we pay a little extra for the number of people, but still....

Perhaps I am not a savvy comparison shopper but honestly I chose a campground based on what is most appropriate for my needs/wants. Price is much lower on the list of things I consider. And, yes, I do realize that we are blessed to not have to look as closely at the costs...

[ChuckV1]

We stay at KOA allot, yes price's very but I have to say even in Minnesota, Missouri Iowa. Ohio, Indiana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Idaho, Washington S. Dakota with 50amp full hookups pull thoughts an never paid over $48 including tax per night ...

We have no kids, all have grown so we do not need the swimming pools nor kids play ground but do like that they always clean an staff are friendly an helpful
an most always sites are pretty easy to get into

Safe Travels

[DinTulsa]

We just stayed at a KOA in West Memphis, in fact we have stayed there a few times. Its a pricy, but has full hookups and the sites are flat so I don't have to level out for a nights stay. I will say this time it seemed that the park was having some issues, the electric cycled on and off during the night and the Mosquitos were horrendous.

[Veebyes]

If nothing else there is some sort of known consistency with a KOA. That consistency comes at a price, along with the pool & stuff most have no interest in unless they are there as the destination.

KOA must be doing something right. They always seem to be busy.

[rr2254545]

olfarmer wrote:
Wow, one night at a KOA in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was $60, guess this is the last KOA I will stay at! Stayed in a nice campground near Mt. Rushmore for $40.
😞

Overstating the cost there is 9% tax there the cost for this weekend based on available sites is about $55

Its the one of the top three rated campgrounds in the city

Dreaming about Mt Rushmore for $40 - I paid 76.60 per night there for 5 nights starting 8/12/13

[1stgenfarmboy]

We stay every now and then, but it is when we are traveling in the car and not with the camper, we " NEVER " stay in a hotel/motel yuk.... we take our sleeping bags and stay in the camping cabins in a KOA.


back in 2002 we took our kids on a 32 day outwest loop, 11,500 miles, taking the camper was out of the question for the time and miles we needed to cover.

we stayed in KOA cabins every night except for Yellowstone, Mount Rainier, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon, It worked well for us, they always had a pool, and my wife could wash laundry at night after the kids were in bed, while I checked over the car.

[SidecarFlip]

KOA = Krudgeound of America.

For 60 bucks I can park my outfit in the parking lot of a Super 8, have clean sheets, not worry about hooking up and have a continental breakfast.

I do that often.

[ScottG]

In the PNW, KOA's are generally dumps (there are exceptions). I know there are nice ones througout the country but they're just terrible around here and still expensive.
So we never stay at them anymore.

[1968mooney]

olfarmer wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Didn't you check pricing BEFORE arriving?

And if it was too high why complete check in -----just go elsewhere.

No I didn't but I was tired and I can afford it for 1 night, I just don't like to get ripped off. That is the highest price I have ever paid in 50 years of camping! To each his own but I think it is too high when you can stay in a beautiful area like the Black hills for less with just as many amenities as this! I just want people to know what to expect here. The park is nice although the interstate is near and the noise is noticeable, the people are nice but it just seems unreasonable to me (but I am old!) :W

Yea, I went to Walmart and purchased a item for $2. Could have got it at Amazon for $1.80. Last Walmart I will ever stop at. I hate to get ripped off and I am terribly old. :S

[kalynzoo]

We enjoy and seek out KOAs when traveling, especially when we take grandchildren. Planned activities, pancake breakfasts, well stocked stores, pool, spa, level sites (usually) and consistently maintained to standards. Sure, some are just adequate, most are nice, and some are exceptional. But if you haven't noticed the prices of everything is going up. KOA's often have significant staffing, and salaries are going up, and benefits are becoming standard. Anyway, I like KOA.

[jplante4]

What you pay for at a KOA is consistency. Not exactly the same experience at every one, but a known quantity. In the days before park review sites and apps, it was a way for people to not worry about the quality of the park and its residents. $60 a night certainly keeps the riff-raff out 🙂

And remember, most of the KOA parks were privately owned at some point, and for the post part it's the same people running the park. It's a good way for the older run down RV parks to infuse some money into infrastructure.

[mdcamping]

In the northeast most prices start about $45 per night.

Mike

[dodge_guy]

Sounds normal to me. I've paid between $40 and $60 a night for a campground. It all depends on the campground and its location. I've paid upwards of $95 a night before. It all depends on what you want and expect!

[korbe]

In reading about the requirements to become a KOA, specifically one of the three types, they are not going to be a place just for a quicky one niter. They want you to stay awhile and enjoy the swimming pool, the kids play area, the doggy play area, and the Saturday ice cream social.

[westernrvparkow]

Anmacc2 wrote:
My DW has a serious health issue. KOAs are all networked so emergency response has easy access to directions if needed. Response can come right to your site. To each their own but we stay almost exclusively at KOAs.

KOA has no special ties to police and fire. Local emergency response will arrive at your site just as quickly at Some Guy Named Bob's Campground as it will at a KOA.
As for pricing, like most everything else Site fees go up. When the OP first camped 50 years ago, I doubt site fees were in double digits anywhere. Today, $50 to $60 is pretty much common, especially when you add in the 10 Percent plus that the state and local taxes tack onto the bill. And like every other business, prices will vary from merchant to merchant. That burger at Burger King may be higher or lower in price than the equivalent burger at the McDonalds across the street. They are both fast food burgers, but they are a bit different, so each place has customers lined up to spend their money. Cost is only part of the equation.