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Post by Chuck on Jul 23, 2017 12:04:43 GMT -5
Well I have to say that now almost 2000 miles away from home and the difference in the camp grounds is still amazing as it was in past years camping in the county's camp grounds  We have stayed at Good Sam an KOA's along the way on our trip to the Kz Rally. KOA CG The KOA's we have both low end travel types and the higher end (swimming pools, kids activities) all have gravel pull thoughts with 50 amp, water, sewer, WIFI (ie full hookups). All all except one in Idaho are gravel sites with no grass an one has a pine tree almost in our way of the door to our trailer (ask owner of camp ground to cut it down Ugh) We only had one miss site problem were they put us in a 30amp site, I told them we had asked for a 50 amp site when calling 3 days in advance, they quickly changed us to a 50 amp. The next day the manager ask us why we were at the site we were in, we were suppose to be in another site, I told him what had happened and he stated he was sorry an they had not noted in the computer an have a nice stay as he walked away smiling  The last KOA we stayed at in Iowa had the WIFI was ok but every time you logged on you were taken to a web page of the KOA asking you to log onto their face book page, but if you didn't want to you had to enter a code into a box to get past this page. It was a real pain in the backside even thought once past their page the WIFI was not bad untill the DW and I were both on then it slowed down to a crawl Ugh !! Good Sam CG So far all the GS camp grounds we have stayed at except in Washington state when camping with our Good Sam camping group have had cement pads, full hookups, good WIFI and cheaper prices than KOA, the one we are staying right now you had to back into the site. There was plenty of roam to back in, full hookup with 50 amp, but sewer is all the way in the back of the site so I have to get out the 40ft of sewer hose when I want to dump .... All in all the GS seem to be way cheaper, better sites than the KOA's, for kids the KOA's I have to admit are far better do to the fact their are lots of things for them to do. For us old folks GS seem to be better, less if not any things for the kids to do but better sites to park in ... Lastly Most all camp grounds except one GS an one KOA all have been close to the HWY, so you have the HWY noise all night from the interstate...Say this our 5th wheel is well insulated an we hear hardly any of such when going to bed or even during the day with the windows and door closed ... So if you have Kids, I'd say KOA's are the way to go, if your older than dirt like the DW and I, GS is the way to go Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. |
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Post by rvdude on Jul 23, 2017 15:03:44 GMT -5
I'll be at the KOA in North Little Rock, Arkansas on Monday morning for a couple of days. I have noticed on the internet that they are way more expensive than other rv parks. I do have a 10% coupon that I got at the rv show this year, so that will help out. They are usually real nice. As for internet, since I live in a fifth wheel, I use a wifi hotspot through Verizon for my internet. I bring it with me wherever I go and I don't have to worry about the lack of internet service when I'm on the road.
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Post by lynnmor on Jul 23, 2017 15:23:00 GMT -5
I find that KOA's vary quite a bit. Most are above average in quality and some not so much. Prices can be a little too much up to; Ya Gotta be Kidding. They are last on my list when searching for a campground because of pricing, but on occasion there is a good one right where I need it.
I have done well with Passport America, if you use it a couple of days a year, the membership is paid for.
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Post by Chuck on Jul 23, 2017 16:30:02 GMT -5
lynnmor We have looked into Passport America but seems like it's sort of hard to figure out how to apply ... I know you have to pick out a home base /campground but some are pretty pricey and others are nor so pricey so to me it was sort of confusing about getting your monies worth ... Since we have the daughter and her husband looking after our home we thought we would make the most of it an stay out a few months after the Rally and see the sites. After driving by numbers of places over the years at 70 and 75mph across the country from point A to point B and sometimes C and D I'd like to see what I have been missing an so would the DW We have done GS for a number of years and belong to a Good Sam camping group (old duffers like the DW and I) but they do not venture far from home (150 miles at most). We however go to different tractor show as far away as South Dakota and Nebraska thus have spent most of our stays at Good Sam CG. Thus this year I thought we would try KOA's just to see how the other side lives. I have to say they are clean, friendly, all but one has lead us to our camp site (the one that didn't the owner said it wasn't needed because people know how to park, I had to laugh an told him the other had did so )... But as you stated and so have I some are pretty pricey an they think there sites are made out of gold I believe LOL ... Anyway we are in a GS CG that for three days was cheaper by 15% that two days at a KOA, other than a swimming pool and playground for kids just as nice an above all no noise from the HWY, screaming kids running thought your camp site or load people after quite hours like the last KOA with cabins across from us, Ugh Rvdude Sorry we will be here till Tuesday, then in Illinois next to the Mississippi River till Thursday from there your guess is as good as mine but it will be in the direction of the Rally Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. |
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Post by rvdude on Jul 23, 2017 16:54:13 GMT -5
I only chose the KOA for my first stop because I have a 10% discount and it was in the area I want to make my first stop. I'll find cheaper places on the rest of the trip.
I was going to get a Passport America membership before this trip, but work and life got in the way of that happening so it will have to come later. But, you can get a membership for PA from Camping World. I do not know about a home park, haven't really checked into it. If you know somebody that has one, get their membership number and they will get a referral bonus. That's what my friend told me.
I am still leaning toward going through Tennessee and Kentucky to get there, but can't fully make up my "empty" mind. I'll decide Monday or Tuesday while in North Little Rock before I leave there on Wednesday morning. It's not that much further than going the direct route up through Missouri and Illinois.
Anyway... whichever way I go, I'll see everybody there!!!!
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Post by Chuck on Jul 23, 2017 17:43:38 GMT -5
ok rvdude, are next stop is Mark Twain Landing Monroe City, MO on Tuesday till Thursday and them Maybe Galesburg east Best Holiday Trav-L-Park on Thursday till Sunday an then the Rally Sunday afternoon ... Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. |
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Post by lynnmor on Jul 23, 2017 18:27:11 GMT -5
PA has no home base. Each participating campground sets there own policy within bounds. Usually they offer 1/2 price for a couple of days midweek. Just two days per year might pay the $44 annual membership. I find that campgrounds that do a good weekend business and light occupancy midweek are the ones that participate.
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Post by jetzen on Jul 23, 2017 18:39:47 GMT -5
ok rvdude, are next stop is Mark Twain Landing Monroe City, MO on Tuesday till Thursday and them Maybe Galesburg east Best Holiday Trav-L-Park on Thursday till Sunday an then the Rally Sunday afternoon ... Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. Don't forget to stop in Hannibal, to meet Mark Twain. 
Galesburg Best Holiday Trav-L-Park. That's the old Montana and the old Dodge Tk.  
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Post by rvdude on Jul 24, 2017 20:07:02 GMT -5
This KOA must be an older pre-slide park. The spot is long enough but it is very narrow. It is not a real big park but overall it is a nice place. The one BIG problem I think I might have is getting my long truck and 35 foot trailer out of this spot. There is a big pine tree right by the road on the left side where I need to pull out. I am seriously thinking about backing out of the spot when I leave.
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Post by Chuck on Jul 24, 2017 21:25:25 GMT -5
Yikes those darn pine trees again, there everywhere LOL I was told by one of the KOA managers that if you do not like were you are you can request to be moved, I did so on the last one we were at and they moved me from a 30amp un-level spot to a level 50 amp spot on a cement pad as I stated in another post ... rvdude, i'd ask for help if you need to back out of that spot or even pull out, one can never be to safe in that type of condition, as the saying goes better be safe than sorry Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. |
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Post by rvdude on Jul 24, 2017 21:57:59 GMT -5
Yeah, I had planned to get one of the KOA people or one of the neighbors to help me. Backing out is definitely my plan. I looked at that several times today and I do not plan on going out to the front. I don't know how others in this site got out of here. I don't have to worry about it until Wednesday morning.
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Post by bc75 on Jul 26, 2017 19:04:04 GMT -5
Just stayed at a koa in hot springs I usually stay at state park. The worker helped me back in for some reason it threw me off I couldn't back in straight if my life depended on it.
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Post by Chuck on Jul 26, 2017 20:10:55 GMT -5
Well jetzen as I said in another post in the Rally thread we stop in Hannibal, stayed at the Mark Twain Cave RV Park and went into town to hunt down Mark Twain an see if her remembered you LOL Well no Mark Twain anywere, you didn't warn him we were coming did you Ugh  bc75, I can tell you I use to teach over the road truck drivers, there was many a time when a student was watching I could'nt get the darn trailer to do what I wanted LOL, thus I couldn't back into a slot to save my soul, so you are not alone my friend ... Say the above when I was on the Oregon coast at a camp ground I had to back into the slot from the blind side. I wiggled around a few times an got the darn thing into the site, guy walked over and said "man you really know how to back a trailer into a site" I smiled and thanked him but thought to myself it was just a bit of dumb luck LOL, of course I didn't tell him that LOL Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in MO. |
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Post by rvdude on Jul 26, 2017 20:54:51 GMT -5
I did get brave and decided to pull out of the spot after all instead of backing out of it. I figured many have done it before me, so why not? All ended up fine with no problems. There were 2 really tight turns getting out of there.
bc75, I was just down the highway from you at the KOA in North Little Rock... at least I was until 6:20 this morning.
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Post by Edd505 on Jul 27, 2017 17:46:15 GMT -5
I find that KOA's vary quite a bit. Most are above average in quality and some not so much. Prices can be a little too much up to; Ya Gotta be Kidding. They are last on my list when searching for a campground because of pricing, but on occasion there is a good one right where I need it. I have done well with Passport America, if you use it a couple of days a year, the membership is paid for. Passport's my first search and I try to avoid moving weekends, you just have to read the fine print on each CG. I have found most KOA's in the you got to be kidding, a mile down the roads a nice mom pop GG with everything I need. I think KOA is geared to families with kids. |
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Post by Chuck on Jul 27, 2017 21:12:53 GMT -5
I agree Edd, KOA stated that there are a couple of different KOA camp grounds in their system, the travel KOA and the Family/ Park KOA I think they call it. The family KOA's are much higher because of the pool and playgrounds etc ... I have to say the GS camp ground Jetzen turn us onto is an EX KOA, really nice, has a pool, store, laundry, fishing pond and tons of grass for the dogs to walk in. $35 a night, a KOA like this would have been 55 or 60 a night ... Thanks to jetzen for turning us on to this camp ground Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in IL. |
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Post by jetzen on Jul 27, 2017 23:00:24 GMT -5
I agree Edd, KOA stated that there are a couple of different KPA camp grounds in their system, the travel KOA and the Family/ Park KOA I think they call it. The family KOA's are much higher because of the pool and playgrounds etc ... I have to say the GS camp ground Jetzen turn us onto is an EX KOA, really nice, has a pool, store, laundry, fishing pond and tons of grass for the dogs to walk in. $35 a night, a KOA like this would have been 55 or 60 a night ... Thanks to jetzen for turning us on to this camp ground Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in IL. Is this the camp ground in Galesburg?? If it is it hasn't been a KOA for over 20 years. One of my niece's lives in Burlington Iowa when we go to visit her we stay at this camp ground. First time we were there was around 2006. They don't have a ton of amenities and activities but what they do have is top notch. Glad you liked it. |
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Post by Chuck on Jul 28, 2017 11:28:53 GMT -5
Yep same place jetzen, was a KOA now a Good Sam, still never nice and people/owners are friendly, rate is $35 a night, I'm sure if it had been a KOA it would have been $55 with all the things to do for kids ... I have to say that when we went to the store in Galesburg the people that worked there look like they were mad at the world, even the managers seem to not smile, only one person said thank you an that was the helper bagging our stuff, she said thank you and smiled ... I can tell I'm getting close to the east side, people are mad at the world an never smaile LOL Safe Travels Chuck and Hildi out and about in IL. |
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