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Old 01-26-2013, 12:41 PM   #41
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Comparing KOA to a SP is like comparing towing a 16' Scamp with a KIA or a truck, apples to oranges. KOA is a private cg, just like thousands of other Good Sam or Passport America. A state park is subsidized by your's and my tax dollars, so the $12 more could represent your contribution already paid.
My point was that the KOA was not double the going rate, and I agree with the previous poster who said the KOA has to make a profit. This one is open all year which may help keep costs down.

Some people like all those amenities and are willing to pay for them. And the parks have a lot of rules, too, frequently including a two-dog limit (I have three.)
One park someone recommended to me recently reserved the right to refuse you entry if they didn't like the looks of your rig.
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Old 01-26-2013, 12:42 PM   #42
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I've liked most of the KOAs I've been to. The one in Greybull Wyoming is hands down the nicest, most well organized and run campground I've ever been to, ever and I'd be entirely happy to go back there.

The thing I hate about most campgrounds, and this is across the board public or private, is the tendency of many fellow campers to want to share their terrible taste in music with the ENTIRE place. So horrifyingly obnoxious.
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Old 01-26-2013, 12:50 PM   #43
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Where rules run a business, there is no management. Good management means a happier customer and more revenue. Good managers use rules as guidelines for good judgement. While it is true that KOA owners have expenses to be met, so does their competition which generally have lower rates.

We used to be frequent KOA patrons, but we have discarded their directories and ignored their signs for some time now, due to their prices and add ons.

There is a KOA at Benton Il. with a beautiful park,good management and fair prices.

WE have stayed at several former KOAs which have rejected their franchise, due to fees. The evidence was the architecture.


Beware of "Resort" campgrounds which are only worth the higher price if you want the amenities.

State campgrounds are catching up, many charge private rates and even tax their fees and require yearly park passes and entry fees.

We have still managed to keep our average cost down to around eight dollars per night by avoiding campgrounds while in transit.
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Old 01-26-2013, 03:18 PM   #44
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What any campground, or any business really, needs to offer is value for money and the sole judge of that value in you. IMHO the KOA campgrounds don't provide that as I can get the camping experience I am looking for elsewhere at less cost. That doesn't make KOA's evil or larcenous, just means that they don't offer, to ME, good value.
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Old 01-26-2013, 11:39 PM   #45
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I had a conversation with a Wisconsin KOA owner last summer about his rates . His campgrounds pays license fees , employees taxes , property taxes , inspection fees , salaries ,outside service fees , insurance, ETC . The State and County take his tax dollars and license fees ,open a public park with camping down the road and compete with him. He has to make a profit ,the government parks do not. The KOA parks in my area are only open 5 months out of the year due to cold weather yet their expenses continue all 12 months
In my area several campgrounds have closed up due to the economic climate.
I find it unfair to say they are overcharging for their services without knowing their costs
Steve, at no time did I state a or imply I was comparing to state or provincial pks. In fact in another thread I stated that we have pretty avoided them. I was comparing to places I stayed on the same trip where private operators were offering basically the same amenities.
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Old 01-27-2013, 12:52 AM   #46
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I think I could see having a night at a KOA or other similar RV park once a week or so on a long trip- they have laundry facilities, etc, that you might otherwise stop at a motel to get. And I think a lot of people use them as base stations for seeing things in the area- again, much like a motel. Plus we saw what looked like a lot of families just wanting to go somewhere where the kids could have fun without the parents having to drive them around or worry about them as much. It's a different experience than camping in a "real" campground (but for some, probably not all that different.)

PS, 100% agreed on the music, it has no place in a campground.
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Old 01-27-2013, 04:42 AM   #47
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Yes it always boggles my mind as to why people think they need outside speakers on their trailer/RV's. They surely must know that their music is going to annoy other folks.

It's sort of the same with those giant 5th wheels that have huge lights on the side fore and aft and persist in leaving them on all night. I don't know why anyone leaves an outside light on all night let alone those that light up the whole campground.

I added an inside light switch to use if for any reason I think I need to turn the porch light on to check the outside during the night.
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Old 01-27-2013, 06:55 AM   #48
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Hi: All... I find KOA's are as American as Apple pie. Would you like your slice with ice cream?
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 01-27-2013, 07:18 AM   #49
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Robin G. said it best in the thread right below this one:

"Unfortunately, none are completely "reliable" and all based on opinions! Either by individual campers or an employee of a company that sends individuals to rate and compare campgrounds (with a $ potential profit to their rating)

Keep in mind, we all don't agree on what is a nice campground. But if you learn to look at what meets your needs and use it as a guide, knowing that there will be hit and misses........ One campers perfect campground isn't everybodys perfect campground. You should be able to at least get a idea of potential campgrounds and what they have to offer that you may be looking for."
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Old 01-27-2013, 08:32 AM   #50
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KOA's are franchises, and so sometimes they are really just independent businesses in a sense, making their own rules. We have tried them on occasion. There is one in Cartersville GA where the reviews on the internet make your eyes bug out--he apparently cheats people, and also has them escorted out by police whenever he chooses...there are others that are so nice and so much in the business of making money, they allow youth tours from France to park tents around the pool area, and also have FEMA trailers for local construction workers...it all depends. I don't like KOA because usually they're near highways and noisy.
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Old 01-27-2013, 08:37 AM   #51
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PS, 100% agreed on the music, it has no place in a campground.
Unless it is an acoustic guitar played at a decent time of the day. I have seen many impromptu gatherings of people in campgrounds as they sit around music playing, and sign along with the tunes. This is usually just a short duration activity too.

I don't mind radios or other devices too, if they are played quietly as a person sits and listens, but not blaring so they can be heard everywhere.

That said, we hardly ever play music outside, except when boondocking with friends and family on our own land. Then, it is party time.
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Old 01-27-2013, 09:50 AM   #52
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Acoustic guitar in the afternoon or early evening, I have no problem with that, have at it! Acoustic guitar, church youth group with 20 amped up teenagers and it's 10:30pm and I've been up doing photography since 5am and would like to sleep? Ugh. Or it's midnight and everyone's favorite classic rock hits are being broadcast all over the campground...

Maybe people really are knuckleheads and believe that the rest of us enjoy listening along. Either that or they have no clue that their noise travels beyond the boundaries of their campsite.

The other thing is, I'm super sensitive to noise, so if you're a person who isn't you might have no darn clue that your ear-splitting-decibel party is audible to other campers.

Whoa, look at me, grumpiest camper ever!
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Old 01-27-2013, 10:13 AM   #53
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It is a sign you are getting old, Jen. As I age longer, my patience gets shorter.
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Old 01-27-2013, 10:20 AM   #54
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We stayed at the Cartersville, GA KOA just 4 weeks ago and were treated very nicely. No problems at all!
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Old 01-27-2013, 10:22 AM   #55
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I'm aware of several KOA's that have doggy parks where you can let your dogs frolic in a fenced in area, something they look forward to while traveling with us humans in our little cars and campers, running loose.
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Old 01-27-2013, 10:24 AM   #56
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Well Ive never camped at a campgrounds yet, and probably couldn't see it happening too often either. I usually camp on friends land for our parties, and go to music festivals and such like that. Have zero interest in some place with a bunch of kids running around, unless there college aged lol But Im single and usually up till the wee hours playin kill the keg with my friends.

I understand there are alot of families so places like KOA are geat...for them. If I was heading somewhere to see something and the only near by campground was a family park I would endure it for a day or 2 at the most and move on to something more my speed.

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Old 01-27-2013, 10:56 AM   #57
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In general the KOAs I have tried are OK but not a good value as they are always a lot more expensive than other parks.
I wish they could at least be relied on to be uniformly decent so that I could count on a level of cleanliness when trying them but that has certainly not been the case for me at all.

My favorite so far is the Terre Haute KOA where they have "Room Service" to your site and brought fresh hot food which I have never seen since anywhere? The place was just OK in other ways but the staff were friendly and it was clean so I would stay there again.

The worst I think was in Joplin,Mo. and I will grant them that it was during the aftermath of the devastating Tornado that ripped through Joplin which was the reason I was there as well.
They made no attempt it seemed to make the place clean or friendly for anyone during a tough and terrible time for all that were there.
They seemed to be taking advantage of the situation by raising the already high rates and lowering the service at the same time.

I have stayed at the Cartersville KOA a few times on the way to or from Florida and I only do so because of the convenience to the Highway and it is about the middle of the trip I am on.

The Bathrooms are usually not too nice and there is a lot of noise from the road and on weekends yahoos driving around like it is a racetrack or something.

I have sworn to myself not to stay there again but it is easy on/off the road.

I also stay in a lot of Hotels for work and if I am paying for it I stay one place but if the customer is paying I will stay at a nicer place in general.

The KOA is no different than any other lodging chain really? There are nice ones and not nice ones.

I have stayed in a lot of Hilton properties and have found them to be exactly the same experience. In general they can be among the nicest chain around but it is not always the case either.

It is just Hit or Miss when staying somewhere known.
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Old 01-27-2013, 11:48 AM   #58
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Jen...I agree with you about the music. I've often wondered what those people who play rock so loud would do if I played Mozart or Beethoven next to them just as loud as they play their rock. As for KOAs, the only time we stay in them is if they're the only game available. The worst we've been in was in Limon, Colorado where the restrooms were WAY TOO COLD for showers.
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Old 01-27-2013, 12:34 PM   #59
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We've thought about blasting out some loud Slim Whitman yodeling country music when bothered by inconsiderate car and trailer music. Thus far, we've just slightly cranked up some Celtic folk music in our Beetle convertible when loud thumping rap pulls up alongside us. Don't know who's carrying a gun in Chicago!
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Old 01-27-2013, 12:41 PM   #60
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We've thought about blasting out some loud Slim Whitman yodeling country music when bothered by inconsiderate car and trailer music.
When heads start exploding, you'll know who's an E.T.!

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