Campground pricing.

Desert Captain wrote:

Redterpos3 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
... Avoid KOA's like the plague. They will always be the most expensive, full of kids and usually alongside a busy highway and or rail line. ....

I full time and I now stay at KOA's exclusively.

And no they are NOT always on a busy road and/or loaded with kids. Just like every other CG, if it is located near an attraction there are going to be tons of kids and close to a road for easy access to attraction.


After a long day driving I got tired of pulling into a crappy CG for the night. With KOA/franchise at least their is a standard required at all of them. I KNOW what I am going to be pulling into. Over the past 6 years I found their rates to be be right in line with other CG's within the same area. :C

BTW, the Nashville KOA is one of my favorites. Yes the rate is $65.00 for a huge pull thru WITH a concrete pad that comes complete with your very own patio furniture.......try and find a motel at that price!:W

We dont stay exclusive, but I know there is a standard, which works for me especially when I'm just moving down the road !!

KOA's will always be some of the most expensive parks other than the so called luxury resorts. if you can afford KOA's good on you but for what you pay and what you get, usually lots of sites on not many acres, I have consistently found better value elsewhere. Have yet to see a KOA that was not on a busy highway and often they are adjacent the local rail lines as well, no secret why, the land was cheaper.

KOA caters to families and have lots of kid friendly amenities but if you do not travel with children I see no reason to pay extra (and rest assured you do for those amenities), to surround myself with kids. I don't hate kids, I'm a former child myself but having long ago finished raising our daughter and given the often low level of parenting out there we choose not to seek out kid rich environments.

Lastly KOA's are a franchise operation and if you spend anytime on this forum you will know that the level of amenities and services can vary greatly. Also see RV Park Reviews for more than a few, less than favorable reviews of KOA's from coast to coast. We prefer campgrounds, larger sites in far more desirable locations and we simply don't need full hookups every night. If KOA makes you happy by all means plop down your money and enjoy but bang for the buck you can do a lot better.As always.... Opinions and YMMV.:C

Respective disagree with you regarding the kids, all located on busy highways and railways. :?

I have no stock or interest in KOA but to make blanket statements like those is irresponsible info for other RV'ers.

Again I can NOT speak for KOA's out west, but in the Midwest and south which is where I travel there is nothing further than the truth regarding your statements. ANY CG near an attraction is the exception to the rule regarding rates and sardine parking for obvious reasons.

Any and ALL CG's can apply for a KOA franchise name. That means every CG tucked away in the woods, on a lake, and mom and pop CG's on acres and acres of land, huge sites, can become a KOA and benefit from advertising etc.

The plus side is that they must uphold the standards of KOA. Unlike many CG's that can be run down as they come and certainly don't look like the pictures in their ads and sadly you don't find this out until you are pulling off the road for the night dead tired and faced with staying in a run down CG. :(

6+ years of full time RV'ing and I have found, and enjoyed staying at each and every KOA on the way to my destination.......which by the way my destination CG for the winter.......just turned into a KOA! :B