Tucson/KOA/Lazy Days now $52/night! Alternatives you like?

[DesertDogs]

We have enjoyed the LazyDays/KOA/Tucson park for years, but now, they are priced so outrageously ($52/night, with no weekly rate either) that we are seriously open to considering alternatives. This is a wonderful park with nice, wide spaces, but sheesh... $52 a night???

Do you have a favorite RV park in the greater Tucson area, other than KOA/LazyDays?

[donkeydew]

your rv has wheels. if you don't like then price just keep on trucking.
it is a supply and demand business,if the majority agree with you they will either sell or go out of business.if most people feel it is a reasonable price they will be very successful and live happily ever after.it is the great American way

[chindog]

We like Sentinel Peak RV Park near downtown. It is close to a lot of things, including the trolley.

[LJAZ]

azdryheat wrote:
Nice thing about the Lazydays KOA is you're within walking distance of three RV dealers: Lazydays, La Mesa, Pedata. Freedom RV is down the street but it's a hike.

And Camping World is right around the corner.

[SidecarFlip]

It's been our experience that in general, KOA employees have no sense of humor and even less bedside manner.

I did realize that Jerry LaPlante commented on East Coast camping. 52 bucks is super cheap on the east coast. I've seen 80+ and it wasn't a Krudground either.

Actually, I draw the line at 70 because I can Super 8 it for that and park the RV in their back lot.... and have done that, many times in the past. I'm not a 'have to camp in the RV person. I'm cheap. We've been known to have dinner in the camper, parked in the motel parking lot and retire to our room to sleep and bathe. All good with me.

I prefer Quality Inn's because I'm on their bonus points program (free stays with points) but I can do anything where I can park and it costs less than an RV campground.

[azdryheat]

Nice thing about the Lazydays KOA is you're within walking distance of three RV dealers: Lazydays, La Mesa, Pedata. Freedom RV is down the street but it's a hike.

[oldmattb]

Aside from $100+ on the coast, I really don't remember what we have paid at campgrounds. If we just need a place to park, we will likely be at the Walmart, Flying J or BLM land.

We have stayed at some really nice KOAs - live bands, coffee houses, restaurants, dog parks, huge no-waiting laundry rooms, etc. I remember a KOA somewhere in the northeast that had an indoor heated swimming pool. Swimming in a warm, steamy pool with a light snowfall outdoors was fun beyond a small price.

For Tucson, Gilbert Ray Campground is beautiful and slightly rustic. Electricity and water, central dump station. No activities other than enjoying beauty.

Matt B

[rr2254545]

we too stayed at Lazy in 2015 the rates were much lower - this winter I moved to Butterfield in Benson AZ for a week it is $240

[Dutch_12078]

If a park is staying full or near full at the current rates, expect those rates to increase periodically until the occupancy starts to fall off. That's the way it works...

[OutdoorPhotogra]

A legitimate question quickly turned to a bash KOA. You have to camp the entire country to compare rates. KOA usually is in line with the area if looking at similar amenities. I just completed a trip from Louisiana to Arizona. KOA West of Ft Worth for around $25. I stayed at the Picacho/Tucson KOA for $39.37 with my discount. $43.75 without. It was my cheapest option West of Tucson for an overnight stop. Winter in AZ. Rates go up. Yes, I pay for the KOA membership. See the price on the app no hassle. Book on the app at a fuel stop when I decide where I'm stopping for the night.

For the record, I paid $80/night for crappy hotels with uncomfortable beds and trying to avoid bedbugs on the drive over to pick up the fifth wheel.

[jplante4]

Yeah, you campers out west are spoiled. Spend a few nights on the east coast.

Our personal cutoff price is $75 a night. If we pay more that that, someone is coming in the morning to change the sheets.

We averaged $38 a night over the 6 month winter trip all around the southeast.

[mikebreeze]

The going rate at a KOA near Washington, DC that I stayed at earlier this year was $78. I stayed there during VKR appreciation day and got a BOGO rate of $39 a night.

At this point in time there are many RV's being sold but few new campgrounds being built. So I see crowding and higher prices for the foreseeable future. The only way to get around this is to boondock, camp during the week or utilize PA, GS, Escapees or some other discount program.

[dodge_guy]

$52 a night sounds reasonable. Gone are the days of $25 a night campgrounds. On our Yellowstone trip the average rate was $45, some nicer places were a bit more, some so-so places were cheaper. I’ve paid as much as $90 a night for a campground that is close to attractions with nice amenities.

[Ralph_Cramden]

$52 per night for FHU actually sounds reasonable for A KOA if you like such places. The one 4 miles from our home in PA is more than that I think (they don't put their rates up so you can check them on the websites without a lot of BS), and IMO it's a sort of dumpy, crowded place filled with about 75% seasonals. I'm certain it was more than $52 a few years back. I just played with the Tucson KOA site and it shot me back $100 per night.


Heck, for full hook ups here at any of the PA state parks that have them, you'll be set back $44-$46 per night and no pool, goofy golf, etc.

I think if $52 is too much for a FHU at such a place, you may want to re think the RV thing? I don't see rates going down.......anywhere.

I wish we had the millions of acres of BLM facilities and all the dispersed camping available like out west. If you want cheap AZ has what? 12 million acres? From what I can tell the BLM developed campgrounds are cheap. But if you absolutely need hook ups and pools, bring the checkbook I guess.

[MarkTwain]

bigorange wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Catalina State Park up in Oro Valley.

+1

Never stayed there but there’s also Cactus Country near the fairgrounds and have heard good things. https://www.cactuscountryrvpark.com

X1!!!

[Trackrig]

I would shy away from the Prince of Tucson. When we stayed there, there were a lot of work campers staying there working on the highway projects. Because of the crews start very early in the morning due to the mid day heat, the workers would go roaring out of there before 6:00AM on their Harley's waking everyone up.

And certain sections of the park are too tight for RV next to each other for both to put their slides out.

Bill