All About KOA Kampgrounds

Above, Beaver KOA in Utah. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's an old saying, "You learn something new everyday!" That certainly applies to an article that I just read at Do It Yourself RV.

They have an article on "Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Camping At A KOA".

They start it with:

You may have seen them: the bright, yellow signs marking the popular KOA campgrounds. KOA – which literally stands for Kampgrounds Of America – has almost 500 private, beautifully maintained campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada.

Above, Yellowstone/West Entrance KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I have stayed at several KOA Kampgrounds over the years, but what I didn't know is that they have three main categories of campgrounds.

According to the article:

KOA Journeys are conveniently located near highways and byways with long pull-thru sites, KOA Holidays are a little more luxurious with patio RV sites, premium tent sites, and deluxe cabins, and KOA Resorts provide a complete vacation with sites plus a swimming pool and other facilities.

Above, Los Banos KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As each is a privately-owned franchise campground, some are better than others. To date, I have not been disappointed. Only one, Yellowstone/West Entrance KOA in West Yellowstone, Montana, had been a destination campground for me. Otherwise, the others were for overnight stops while traveling.

Above, Elk City KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some RVers complain that KOAs are expensive. There are some that are, but on average, the cost per night is around $40 (give or take), the same as non-KOA campgrounds. I use my KOA Value Kard for a 10% discount. Some are Good Sam campgrounds, which will get Good Sam Club members a discount. I have also accumulated points that, when "cashed in", saved me $10 at the Needles KOA last November.

Above, a typical KOA A-frame campground office building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.