The definitive ranking of all the KOAs we've stayed at in two years

We've had quite an interesting history with Kampgrounds of America (KOA) in our two years as full-time RVers. It's a typical rom-com love story, where we thought we hated them, got to know them, and then fell in love with them...well, at least with some of them. We went from thinking we'd hardly ever stay at a KOA due to price and amenities that were wasted on us, to staying at 17 in 25 months.

Now, we get into the fun stuff. For the non-overnight KOAs, we've devised a scoring system to rank the categories that we find important when staying at an RV campground. We give scores out of 10, and at the end, add them all up for a total score out of 100. Then we give our own KOA classification, rating whether or not we think the park is correctly distinguished as a Journey, Holiday, or Resort, or if we would give it a different ranking in the hierarchy – because let's face it, that hierarchy is moo.

Here are the scorecard categories:

• Convenience of location to our route
• Convenience of location to civilization or attractions
• Proximity to the place it says in its name
• "Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)
• Amenities
• Convenience to hiking/nature trails
• Friendliness of staff
• Memorable and unique features
• Lack of noise pollution
• Overall vibe

Let's jump right in!

Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA Holiday

This KOA will always have special meaning to us because it's the first place we stayed after we officially launched into our full-time travel life and escaped winter in MA. But, when we break it all down, how does it rank?

Convenience of location to our route

We drove 350 miles that day in late February, and still got to the KOA before dark. It was only a few minutes off I-295, which was right off of our main route south, I-95. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Oftentimes when we stay at a KOA, we're not looking for vacation activities, but rather for ease of running errands, which is why we specified both in this category. Our Clarksboro stay was not about enjoying the RV life – after all, it had literally just begun. We just wanted a place to hang our hats, not get snowed on, and run a couple of errands. Score: 10

Proximity to the place it says in its name

We love a good KOA, but we often joke that their official names try to put them closer to the city or attraction than they actually are. On average, we assume that a KOA will be a good 20 minutes' drive at least to get to its namesake destination. In this case, "Clarksboro" is right on the money. It's 3 minutes away from downtown. However, "Philadelphia" gets a little trickier. It's about 30 minutes from South Philadelphia because you need to cross the Delaware River. More when you account for the inevitable traffic that forms in that area. So don't think that you'll be walking to the Liberty Bell if you stay at this KOA! Score: 5

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

This was a different kind of regroup, as opposed to the stays where we need to replenish our resources after being on the road for a while. In this case, we had just gotten on the road, so our regroup meant more mental and emotional replenishment. We also were able to do laundry and refill our propane with ease. Both cost within the expected range. If we had needed to stock up on resources, stores were easily accessible and nearby, but they were more budget-grocery level and therefore wouldn't have had all the options we typically choose to eat. We would have had to go closer to the city for those. Score: 8

Amenities

We definitely expect more amenities from a KOA Holiday, but this KOA had just the basics. We did enjoy walking the small wooden bridge over the pond, and we hear that in summer months you can fish there, and there are hayrides, but even with those added amenities, this KOA in no way felt like a place that families would want to visit on vacation, unless they were venturing into Philadelphia and Wilmington a LOT, in which case, this would just be the basecamp...in which case, why is it not a Journey?!?! Score: 3

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

Anthony just asked if this category is modular given that we were in Jersey. BURN! But no, if KOAs are expected to have friendly, helpful staff, then this should be the average. This means that staff who go above and beyond would garner a higher ranking, and those who don't seem to give a rig's bumper should get knocked down a notch. Neither of those happened here, and sooo...Score: 5

Memorable and unique features

...The little bridge over the pond? Score: 1

Lack of noise pollution:

Given its proximity to the interstates, this KOA was surprisingly quiet. Score: 9

Overall vibe:

We weren't looking for much from our launch day destination, but everyone was nice and the place was well-kept. Nothing special, but it fit the bill. Score: 5

Asheville East KOA Holiday

The KOA that made us realize we were KOA people! Although, that realization came when we booked our site, before we actually stayed there. Did it measure up to our expectations as new members?

Convenience of location to our route

Minutes away from I-40 and seconds off US70. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Technically, this KOA is in Swannanoa, NC, which has tons of shops and restaurants. If breweries are your thing, this is the place to be. We even found one of our favorite pizza places while we were here, Black Mountain Pizza. Score: 8

Proximity to the place it says in its name

We had already done our Asheville adventures the last time we were in the area, but from that campground it took us 45 minutes to get into the city. Had we known we'd be staying here, we could have gotten to Asheville in half the time. Still, 20 minutes to the east side of Asheville is a bit of a hike. We told you, KOA really likes being 20 or so minutes away from its namesake destination! Score: 5

Regroup facilities

We only had water and electric hookups because that's all that was available, but for a last-minute booking where we only stayed a few days, this was sufficient. This KOA had by far the cheapest laundry of all the KOAs we've stayed at, and the machines were good. The nearby stores had decent resources, but not the best. Score: 7

Amenities

When we first pulled in by the office, it was apparent that this campground was bustling with activity. They had sitting areas, the dog park, a pool, and the office had just finished snack time. They had popcorn a lot of the days and socials on weekends. The store was larger and better stocked than most. There was lots to do for both kids and adults, and we remember thinking that you could camp here for days, never leave, and still not run out of things to do! The only downside to having so many amenities was that the organization of these amenities was lacking a little. We were never quite clear about what events were being held when, or the details of specific amenity offerings. Score: 8

Convenience to hiking and nature trails

Our site backed right up to a pond that had a beautiful path around its circumference. This was one of several trails in the park. More than any other KOA we've been to, this one had the most peaceful nature feel. Score: 10

Friendliness of staff

Expected KOA level. Score: 5

Memorable and unique features:

The natural features and peaceful vibe made this KOA feel like an actual campground. It was also integrated differently, where RVs and cabins were dotted around all the loops, which was really cool. This means that families that RV could be a short distance away from their friends who rent a cabin. Everything seemed really inclusive for all camping types. Score: 9

Lack of noise pollution:

The place was hopping with happy families, but come nighttime, everything was delightfully quiet. Despite the nearby main roads and railroad tracks, we don't remember hearing any traffic or trains. Score: 10

Overall vibe:

This KOA does it right. We never thought we'd get such a natural, campy vibe from a KOA, and we were pleasantly surprised. Score: 10

Ashland/Huntington West KOA Holiday

This was our first official KOA "regrouping stop," which has now become a staple in our travels. We had left an extremely hot state park in Kentucky and decided to travel east, towards higher elevations, cooler weather, and civilization. Situated on the border of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio, this KOA stay set us up for the back half of our first season of travels.

Convenience of location to our route

One of the most convenient KOAs to access from the interstate, right off of I-64 and only large, industrial roads to the entrance. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

We were situated in the middle of nowhere, mostly surrounded by industrial areas and a few other RV parks, but for the area, a quick jaunt down I-64 was not a big deal to get to stores. We were able to have a productive errands day, restocking after our state park stay, which was even more in the middle of nowhere. It's all relative! Score: 6

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Ashland and Huntington, KY are not really coveted tourist destinations, and even still, this KOA does not have an accurate name for its location. Located in Argillite, KY, Ashland and Huntington are both about 20-30 minutes away each. This certainly isn't an area that we learn about in our geography books, so a name like "East Kentucky/I-64/Ohio River KOA" might serve travelers better. Score: 3

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

We had a level pull-thru site with full hookups and convenient access to the entrance and campground store, where laundry was located. The park was on two levels, and the lower level was nowhere near the office, so we were glad for our site. Score: 7

Amenities

The camp store was small, and while there were a few small amenities including mini golf and a volleyball net, they were not of the highest quality or aesthetic. A hiking trail was overgrown and we felt like no one had used it in months. The amenities would have been great for a KOA Journey, but not so much for a Holiday. Score: 4

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

One overgrown trail, but we were able to traverse it the whole way. Score: 3

Friendliness of staff

In all 17 KOAs, we have nothing negative to say about staff, except this one random instance. We were walking Tanner by the office and one of the staff member's dogs was tethered to a bench out front. As we walked by, the dog became aggressive, pulled away from the bench, and ran over to attack Tanner. We all grouped together to pull them apart, but we didn't get one word of apology from the staff, and that dog should not have been tied to that bench in the first place. Score: 4

Memorable and unique features

Nothing out of the ordinary, but at least the ordinary was done decently well. Score: O

Lack of noise pollution:

The sites were pretty close together, but the neighbors were all reasonably quiet, and there was no traffic noise. Score: 9

Overall vibe:

This KOA was definitely what we needed at the time, but the vibe wasn't anything special. Score: 5

Philadelphia/West Chester KOA Holiday

We stopped here on our way back east in Season 1 because Lily was sick and needed veterinary attention at a cat hospital in Media, PA, just west of Philadelphia. This was really the only reason why we'd be on the west side of Phili in the first place, and it certainly made us miss our no-frills Clarksboro KOA!

Convenience of location to our route

We had gotten so used to KOAs being easily accessible from major highways, but this KOA required us to drive through miles upon miles of Amish country to reach it. The roads were hilly and not very easy to maneuver. There was also a lot of road construction. All of this culminated in an insanely steep hill to even arrive to the camp store. Score: 1

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

We needed to be near Media, PA, which was still about a 30-minute drive from this KOA, but it was one of our best choices for a last-minute booking. As for civilization or attractions nearby, there was nothing worthwhile within this campground's immediate vicinity. Score: 1

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Proximity to Philadelphia: About an hour's drive. Proximity to West Chester: About 15 minutes. This KOA is located in Coatesville, PA, but it's not even technically near there either! Score: 1

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

After five minutes trying to remember what was up with the trash situation, you'll have to just take our word for it. There was something up with the trash situation! We think perhaps it wasn't communicated to us that there was trash pickup, or maybe there was supposed to be but it never happened...we don't remember. But we can say that our site was one of the most unlevel campsites we've had anywhere. That is just not okay for a KOA. We had to readjust our parking multiple times before we could even think about our hookups or other regrouping resources. The rest of the facilities were located down the hill and were not easy to get to, so we didn't bother using them. Score: 2

Amenities

Once again, all the amenities were located down a steep hill, and there weren't that many anyway. The camp store was cute, and there was a pool across from it. The website lists a whole plethora of amenities, but we have two theories about this. Either 1, we didn't see any of them because their location was down the inconvenient hill, or 2, the amenities don't exist anymore. But, if they did exist, then why would our neighbors use our site to play lawn games? No matter what, the amenities were not clearly communicated. We don't even remember getting a campground map, but as we look at it now online, we don't think the amenities at the entrance were all there. We do, however, remember taking Tanner to the K9 park and down to the creek, where people could rent kayaks. Score: 5

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

The website says there is a nature trail. We think it was way down the hill, near the creek. Sometimes we want a mountain hike. This was not one of those times. Score: 5

Friendliness of staff

Maybe we were here too late in the year and in the summer they do a better job, but it's important to make your guests feel welcome all year long. Looking back, we must not have gotten an information packet because there are so many listed amenities that, if they exist, we just never saw. We also got the sense that the staff is used to how unlevel and hilly everything is, and they weren't empathetic to those of us who had trouble leveling, like our neighbor who had to put actual cat litter buckets under his jacks. Score: 4

Memorable and unique features

This KOA was definitely filled with unique features, but some were not good. If we had actually seen the butterfly garden or other such amenities, we could raise this score, but all we really saw was the creek from a distance. Score: 7

Lack of noise pollution:

Our neighbors had absolutely zero camping etiquette, which we can only blame on the KOA as much as its staff not demanding respect. But, given that the KOA was near a construction zone and railroad tracks, the environmental noise was pretty low. Score: 8

Overall vibe:

Needless to say, this KOA missed the mark for us. Maybe it was a coincidence, but we did not have the experience that so many campers say they did here. Score: 3

Las Cruces KOA Journey

Our first KOA out west! And when we talk about unique features, just you wait and see!

Convenience of location to our route

A hop, skip and jump away from I-10. We exited the interstate, turned on US70, and voila! We had arrived. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Anthony needed to get our truck serviced while we were there, plus we ran a ton of errands. Granted, we felt a few parts of Las Cruces weren't the safest, but we had access to all the places we needed. Score: 10

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Even though not in downtown, this KOA is in fact in Las Cruces! Score: 10

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

Our site was gorgeous, the hookups worked great, and the camp store was well-stocked. The campground had laundry, but we opted to use a laundromat instead because we had tons of loads. Score: 10

Amenities

Our campsite overlooked the city, and the cutest little dog walk path ran just behind our patio. At one end of the walk was the K9 park, complete with a swinging bench and lanterns, and on the other end was a two-level sitting area and gazebo. There was an outdoor grilling area, a basketball court, and a pool. Certainly tons to keep the kids, adults, and pets happy. Score: 10

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Because this was more of a city stay, we weren't expecting wooded nature trails right from our site, but the addition of the walking path was a nice touch. We wish it would have been a little longer, perhaps going around the campground instead of just along one side, but we were happy to have it. Score: 3

Friendliness of staff

We walked into the camp store and saw that the campers here are treated like family. Then we each got a free ice cream, yo, in celebration of Anthony's birthday. Score: 8

Memorable and unique features

Being perched on a hill above Las Cruces, this campground really prioritizes the view of the mountains and city. The camp store also stocked a lot of local doodads, which we always appreciate. Score: 9

Lack of noise pollution:

This campground was bustling when we stayed, with campers and dogs everywhere, but no one was being too rambunctious. This is the vibe we love about KOAs. People are having a good time but not getting out-of-hand. We also couldn't hear much traffic noise even though we were situated above the interstate. Score: 8

Overall vibe:

This KOA was not the largest, but that almost made the vibe better because we all felt like a little community – dogs included! Score: 9

Williams/Exit 167/Circle Pines KOA Holiday

This is the longest stay we've ever had at a KOA, spending over 2 weeks transitioning from winter to spring in Williams, AZ.

Convenience of location to our route

Right off of I-40! Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

A 5-minute drive from downtown Williams and even closer to some of our other favorite Williams attractions (Deer Farm, anyone?). We used this KOA as our basecamp for the Grand Canyon, knowing it would be far away, but it was certainly a manageable drive for that, too. Score: 9

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Williams? Check! Exit 167? Check! Circle Pines? Check! What's funny though, is that the Grand Canyon/Williams KOA is up the street, and it's still almost an hour away from the South Rim! But, since our KOA technically wasn't a "Grand Canyon" KOA, it is proximate to its name. Score: 10

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

We were still battling winter here, and propane was super convenient. The laundry was good but expensive. Our hookups worked great, even having 30amp and solar working together. Score: 10

Amenities

This KOA had a food cafe that was open limited hours in the off-season. They had an indoor pool and a small arcade. The amenities for the kids were adorable. They included a little train that was pulled by the staff's tractor. We also got to see the KOA's Easter celebrations for the kiddos. Score: 9

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

We saw a hiking trail on the campground map and it took a second for us to find it, but once we did, it was freaking awesome! One of the best hiking trails we've had from a campground ever, let alone a KOA. The trail took us out of the campground and up Dude Mountain, to an incredible view of the mountains in the distance. It's technically a Kaibab National Forest Trail, and we got to access it right from camp. Score: 10

Friendliness of staff

Given that we had to have RV steps delivered there – twice – and a whole bunch of other packages, which the staff often delivered right to our door with smiles on their faces, we couldn't ask for better staff. They were communicative, personable, and extremely well organized. Score: 10

Memorable and unique features

That Dude Mountain was something else! The KOA also had Conestoga wagons in addition to cabins, and the kid train was also unique. Score: 7

Lack of noise pollution:

We aren't bothered by traffic and train noise, but we will admit, there was a lot. Score: 3

Overall vibe:

We liked being nestled among all the pine trees, and the staff made the vibe super friendly. We were there in winter, so it felt pretty desolate, which is nice for the peace and quiet, but we also felt like the energy was lacking at times. In the summer, it could be a different story, but there was something missing for us that we've gotten at other KOAs. Score: 7