Our favorite KOA! But where does it fall in the ranks?

Before we jump into part 2 of our KOA rankings, here is a reminder of our scoring system. We have 10 categories and give a 0-10 score in each category. Then we add up the scores for a total out of 100. At the end, we designate whether we would call the KOA a Journey, Holiday, or Resort, based on what was actually offered. Hint: It's often not the same as its actual designation.

Here are the 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 gooooo!

Devils Tower/Black Hills KOA Journey

If we had to choose a favorite KOA among the 17 we've stayed, this would be it. We visited at exactly the right time – after a very hot and smothering summer of boondocking across Wyoming. We were in desperate need of some luxury!

Convenience of location to our route

The closest interstate is I-90, but that's still a fair ways away, especially from what would be expected from a KOA Journey, aka, convenient to major highways. You need to get off the interstate, take a US route, and then take a state route. Granted, they are all easy main roads, so the drive goes by quick, but it's not just a short hop like so many other KOAs. Score: 5

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

In Western Wyoming, civilization means something different than other parts of the country. This KOA is a half hour's drive from the main towns of Moorcroft and Sundance. That said, visitors don't go for civilization; they go for attractions. And this main attraction is literally at the KOA's doorstep. Also, civilization means less when the camp store is so well-stocked, and the trading post is right across the street. Score: 7

Proximity to the place it says in its name

We always joke that KOAs are notoriously 20 minutes away from where they boast they are in their names, but the Devils Tower KOA is the exception. The entrance to Devils Tower National Monument is right next door! As for the Black Hills part, the KOA is on the outskirts of the Wyoming side of Black Hills National Forest. It's not the part of the forest that most people flock to. For that, you're looking at about an hour of driving into South Dakota. Can this KOA serve as a basecamp for the Black Hills? Absolutely. Do people use it as such? For sure. But Devils Tower is the main draw, and you simply cannot get closer unless you're camping on top of the tower itself. Score: 9

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

We desperately needed a regroup after our month boondocking in the summer heat, and this KOA delivered. The hookups were all functioning and convenient, there were dumpsters nearby, and the campground had two laundry rooms. Score: 10

Amenities

Where do we even start? The pool was under construction, but who cares? There was mini golf, playgrounds, the giant camp store complete with ice cream stand and, next to it, a restaurant. Their main attraction is the outdoor movie theater that shows Close Encounters of the Third Kind every night. In fact, we quite enjoyed the thematic amenities that really milked the whole Devils Tower vicinity. The KOA owners even offer hayrides on their ranch next door, complete with amazing tower views! Now, when we were there, we were given an events list, but some were not being held. Not a big deal considering how much else was going on, but it's worth a mention. Score: 9

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

This is an interesting one because the campground itself did not have any nature trails, but the National Monument had plenty of hiking. It is a decent drive to actually get from the entrance to the tower, but once there, we had miles and miles of fantastic trails, complete with various landscapes, vegetation, prairie dogs, and of course, one heck of a view. Score: 8

Friendliness of staff

A well-deserved normal score! Score: 5

Memorable and unique features

Seeing Devils Tower from our RV window will go down in history as one of the coolest views out our window ever. Beyond that, we have a giant list of memories, from arriving during an antique car show, to watching Close Encounters, to the teepees available for rent in addition to the cabins! Then we've got the hayride and our cafe food which we ate outside on their deck, plus the delicious ice cream. Score: 10

Lack of noise pollution:

Each night we heard the distant drones of alien melodies coming from the theater. Otherwise, for how close together the sites are and how much the KOA was a giant camping-fest, the noise level was surprisingly low. Minus 2 points for the one night they forgot to shut off Close Encounters and we heard the DVD menu music for hours. Score: 8

Overall vibe:

This isn't even a shocker. Score: 10

Rapid City/Black Hills KOA Holiday

We went to this KOA right after Devils Tower, so it had some big shoes to fill. Let's see where it lands in the ranks.

Convenience of location to our route

Extremely close to I-90, with multiple ways to get to the KOA entrance...and multiple KOA entrances, at that. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Located along route 44, this KOA served as a great basecamp to accessing all things Rapid City and Black Hills. It's a large area, so we did end up changing campgrounds to be even closer to the southern Black Hills, but we could have easily stayed here the whole time and been just fine. Also, Anthony needed to do his big "residency switch" while he was there, and the Rapid City department of motor vehicles was only 8 minutes away. Score: 10

Proximity to the place it says in its name

This KOA is in Rapid City, fairly close to, but not directly downtown. The Black Hills are close by, but similarly to Devils Tower, one needs to drive pretty far to get to the features that are most popular. Still, we went to Mount Rushmore from this KOA and had about a half-hour drive, which isn't terrible. Score: 9

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

We not only needed civilization when we were here, but we also needed a trailer repair, so this regrouping was a bit different. We also used our usual KOA resources like laundry, and everything was great. Score: 10

Amenities

Unlike Devils Tower, this KOA was actually holding all their listed events, which included pancake breakfasts on weekends, a train ride for the kids, a wine tasting for the grown-ups, and some sort of watermelon feed, which we had no clue what it was, but it was literally just getting a slice of watermelon. Beyond the events, this KOA had the best pool we've seen at a KOA, plus lots of other amenities like playgrounds, basketball, a community garden and firepit, and a game room that wasn't the best, but it existed. Score: 9

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Nope. Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

The staff was expectedly friendly. Score: 5

Memorable and unique features

What's more unique than a watermelon feed?! We appreciated the unique touches like the events and community garden, but one unique feature really lowers the score. This KOA did not let us check in before their designated check-in time. We arrived only 10 minutes early! Apparently, their computer system just does not allow it, unless we pay a $10 fee. This is strange because no other KOA has done this, and shouldn't they all use consistent computer systems? So we waited out our 10 minutes and ended up chatting with a very nice gentleman who arrived after us. We commiserated together on this horrible policy. Score: 5

Lack of noise pollution:

It's always a good sign when you're in a metro-area KOA and can't remember noise. I could definitely hear the traffic on my campground walks, but nothing unexpected. Also it was a full campground and our site was right across from the pool, and even with all that, the noise level was kept pretty low. Score: 8

Overall vibe:

The check-in policy was weird, and despite offering a lot to the campers, we didn't really vibe with this campground as well as some of the others. It was situated on multiple levels, making it feel disjointed, and while it had a lot of amenities, some could have used a little TLC. Not the pool. The pool was dope. Score: 6

Alamosa/Great Sand Dunes KOA Journey

We were able to grab a last-minute site at this KOA, so we could venture into Great Sand Dunes and check another National Park off our list. It was more a matter of convenience, but this KOA had some strong points.

Convenience of location to our route

I-25 is about an hour away, and we didn't even take it to get to this KOA. We took backroads instead, which led to some interesting incidents, like driving past an alien house, and trying to rescue two dogs that had gotten loose and were running down the road. Was it a memorable drive? Yes. Was it convenient? Not so much. Score: 3

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Can we call downtown Alamosa civilization? Because that's what they've got. It does have stuff, but you won't get the selection of shops like you would at so many other KOAs. Also, while you can see Great Sand Dunes from the KOA, it actually takes a half hour to get there. Score: 5

Proximity to the place it says in its name

This KOA is in Alamosa, only a few minutes from downtown. As with so many KOAs, it boasts being near Great Sand Dunes, but it's not actually that close. In fact, when I booked our campsite, I looked up the distance between the two, and maps took me to a park entrance that doesn't actually exist, so we thought it would be a lot closer. To the actual entrance road and visitor's center is 30 minutes or more. Score: 6

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

Not much by way of regrouping, but the hookups worked and the laundry was normal. Thankfully, we weren't there to regroup, but if we were, it would have been lacking, mostly due to the lack of nearby stores. Score: 5

Amenities

We went on the off-season, so many of the amenities weren't open, but they had a pool and a pedal cart track, which is pretty cool for the kiddos. The office had a Hunts Pizza and they also offered breakfast, though we always find it strange when the pizza is only open while the office is, because it closes right in the middle of dinnertime. They also offered sandboard and bike rentals for the National Park. The amenities were fascinating to us, because there weren't a lot, but the ones they did have were more unique and better than we'd expect from a KOA Journey. Score: 7

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Nope. Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

Staff greeted us right when we pulled in, and they were all very nice whenever we saw them. Score: 7

Memorable and unique features

Many of the amenities were unique, as was the view of the distant sand dunes. They also had really nice bathrooms. Score: 7

Lack of noise pollution:

The upside to not being near the interstate is that we only had to contend with moderately-trafficked roads. However, we noticed that the road attracted lots of speeding vehicles with loud engines. Thankfully, we were in the back of the campground, away from the road. Score: 7

Overall vibe:

The vibe was pretty standard for a KOA Journey. Maybe we'd think differently if we went in the summer, but then all the amenities would be open, and it would feel weird because it would be Holiday amenities at a KOA that's structured like a Journey...but that doesn't really serve as a quick, convenient stopover either. What is this place trying to be?! Score: 6

Denver East/Strasburg KOA Holiday

Right at the start of our Blitz East last year, we got some repairs and then immediately jumped on I-70 east in Denver. Our first stop was at the Denver East KOA so we could settle back into our rig before the long journey home.

Convenience of location to our route

Right off of I-70. We couldn't have asked for a more convenient stop. Score: 10

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

There wasn't much by way of civilization in Strasburg, so we did our shopping back in East Denver. The traffic around there was terrible, and it took us 11 minutes just to go a mile up the street. Score: 3

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Not that Strasburg is a place to boast about...at least we don't think. Is there a claim to fame we don't know? Either way, this KOA is indeed is Strasburg, but the East Denver aspect would disappoint a lot of visitors if they wanted to spend time in the city and were staying at this campground. Aurora and East Denver are at least 40 minutes away. Score: 4

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

Our regrouping here was a bit different because we were settling back into our RV after a night displaced. Therefore, we didn't use many of the facilities. As for hookups, we were a bit surprised to see how many of the sites were water and electric only, including ours, which was water and 30amp. It looked like most of the FHU sites were used by long-term campers. Score: 4

Amenities

Our second KOA with a Hunts Pizza on location, but again with it closing before dinner most days, how many people are actually using it? They also had the weekend pancakes, served out of a yellow truck, no less. In season there is a pool, and apparently also bike rentals, but we have to ask, where are people riding?! This place is dangerously close to the interstate. We did enjoy the game room, and this KOA had a nice area outside the office with some paths and benches. Score: 6

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Nope. Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

Adequate. Score: 5

Memorable and unique features

The swing bench out front and the yellow pancake truck don't quite add up to top-score memorable. Score: 3

Lack of noise pollution:

I-70 on one side and train tracks on the other, plus some sort of construction going on at the back of the campground. This might have been our loudest KOA yet. Score: 1

Overall vibe:

Everyone was nice, but the overall vibe was that it was a long-term campground for almost everyone, and a KOA Journey for everyone else. Minus that little seat area out front, there was nothing aesthetically welcoming. We used this KOA for exactly what we should have: A couple of nights to get our stuff in order before a series of long drive days ahead. Score: 4

Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA Holiday

We splurged on a deluxe patio site at this KOA because, well, it was the only site type they had available on the days we wanted to stay. We also booked a cabin for our friends who came down to visit. Was the splurge worth it? (We won't be talking about the cabins much here, but we will say that they were beautiful and well-kept).

Convenience of location to our route

This KOA is not too far from I-75 via I-275 and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, but it's also over on the Gulf Coast, which is out of the way unless you have a reason to be west of Tampa. We definitely went out of our way to stay here, but it wasn't totally inaccessible. Score: 5

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

Despite not being super close to the interstate, it is along a main road that leads to ample shops, restaurants, and attractions. We were only about 10 minutes away from Tarpon Springs and 15 from Lake Tarpon. Downtown Tampa was about 45 minutes away without traffic. Score: 10

Proximity to the place it says in its name

This KOA is located in Palm Harbor. 15ish minutes to Lake Tarpon, and about 20-25 minutes away from the town of Clearwater, which is a standard distance for a KOA to its namesake. Score: 4

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

We initially booked this campground because we thought Anthony would be going to his annual conference out in Southern CA, and we needed to be near an international airport, so we chose Tampa. Turns out he ended up not needing to go, so instead we focused on the amenities and facilities at and near the campground, as well as as how convenient it was for us to host our friends. All was very convenient, except the laundry machines gave us some trouble. We also had very soft gravel on the side of our campsite, which forced us to hitch back up and relevel because we had settled too much. That's never fun when we're trying to regroup. But, those downsides are small compared to all the wonderful facilities that made us feel right at home here. Score: 7

Amenities

Breakfast every day, tons of events, a gorgeous community lawn/playground, an even more gorgeous pool/cabana area, and even a secret garden! The list goes on, but this Holiday gave us some serious resort feels. Score: 10

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

The amenities were a 10, but if they added a nature trail we'd give it an 11/10! The path to the secret garden was cute, but too small to call it a nature trail. Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

The staff were extremely nice, and we also got a private plant tour by the owner, Christopher. Only because no one else showed up for the tour, but we'll take it! Score: 9

Memorable and unique features

The most unique feature was the landscaping. This KOA is known as a "green park," meaning they prioritize the environment or efficiency. This is why they offer educational tours on the landscaping (which is maintained by two ladies with amazingly green thumbs). While the other amenities were not super unique, the cabana area definitely was unlike any we've seen at another KOA. Score: 6

Lack of noise pollution:

US 19 is not a quiet road, with its 55mph speed limit and multiple lanes. Thankfully, we were set back enough that the noise wasn't too bad, but we could definitely hear the cars. We also visited this KOA during peak season when the campground was full, so we definitely had some festive neighbor noise and some less festive air conditioning and motor noise, but some nights were also eerily quiet for how crowded it was. Score: 4

Overall vibe:

We really liked the vibe of this campground. It definitely gave a Florida resort vibe which we typically could take or leave, but it was also a smaller campground and had a great community vibe. We absolutely loved the daily breakfasts and events because they really brought us all together in a shared experience. Score: 10

Nashville KOA Resort

Our most recent KOA stay was in Nashville, TN, at our first KOA that's designated as a "resort." Would it boast any elite differences from the Journeys and Holidays? We couldn't wait to find out!

Convenience of location to our route

Considering we went out of our way to visit this resort, convenience to our route doesn't really apply. However, if we were passing through the area, the resort is near many major highways, including I-40, I-24, and I-65. One annoyance, however, is that the KOA itself is on Music Valley Drive, which runs parallel to Briley Parkway, the road that connects you to the interstates. If you're heading south, you need to go past the KOA, take an exit, and double back 2 miles, because you can't reach it from Briley Parkway itself. It's a downside of being so close to the city, but at least the metropolitan location meant we were near civilization! Score: 9

Convenience of location to civilization or attractions

There is a restaurant within walking distance and even more just a short drive away. The Gaylord Opreyland Resort is a 5-minute drive and is a mecca for shops, restaurants, and various attractions, and you could easily spend an entire day there. If you want to head into downtown, it's about a 15-minute drive. If you're looking for more "errand worthy" stores, like supermarkets, there are several within a 10-minute drive. Score: 10

Proximity to the place it says in its name

Though not downtown (and thank God for that!), this KOA's address is in Nashville. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised at how close it was to major attractions such as the Grand Ole Oprey. It's also along the same stretch as many other campgrounds and hotels, so it was clearly a safe and convenient place for visitors. Even though downtown was 15 minutes away via highway, a downtown shuttle was available, with pickups at every hotel and campground along Music Valley Drive. Score: 10

"Regroup" facilities (aka hookups, laundry)

Every RV site has full hookups, and tent sites even have water and electric, which we think is quite generous! We were surprised to discover that laundry was only $2 for wash and $2 for dry. Given that the resort is expensive, we expected laundry prices to be higher. There were some other regroup facilities right on the property, like a cafe, but it was only open for breakfast and lunch. Even a couple of hours for dinner would be welcome. Our biggest gripe was that the resort did trash pickup, saying that we could leave our bags at the end of our site by 1PM and they'd get picked up. Some days they did, others they did not. There was no dumpster for us to bring trash ourselves, which meant that we were left with extra garbage when they didn't come by to get it. That's really our only major complaint regarding facilities. Of course, being in a very touristy location, we departed from our typical "regroup" stop to actually visit a destination while staying at this KOA. This made our usual regrouping facilities less important overall. Score: 8

Amenities

The list of amenities is extensive. Pool with hot tub, gym, basketball, pickleball, lawn bowling, outdoor ping pong, life-size chess and checkers, a hammock hangout, the downtown shuttle, the cafe, a rec room with board games, live music every night, a "natural playground" for the kiddos. Sounds incredible, but like so many RV parks we've visited that boast tons of amenities, this park seems to go for quantity over quality. The pool area was nice, but both pool and hot tub were quite small given the hundreds of RV sites and cabins at the resort. The basketball court was very small, as was the gym. The outdoor games seemed to be in decent shape, but no one was maintaining them, so chess and checker pieces were sprawled all over the lawn, and the ping pong paddles were out, but no ball. The hammocks had holes in them and looked in no way capable of holding anyone over 150lb. Everything seemed in disarray, which is partially the campers' faults for not cleaning up after themselves, but it would be nice if staff was on top of things too. The downtown shuttle was convenient and only cost $10/person roundtrip, but we noticed a few SNAFUs with their reservation system, where some people who reserved weren't counted toward the bus seats. The live music was awkward. On our first night, the poor dude got stuck in the rec room, playing for an audience of 2, while everyone else, us included, zipped in and out. Oh gee, if only the cafe was open later so people could grab food and listen to the music! On our second night, a duo performed in the pool area, which was a little better, but we still couldn't help but realize what a thankless gig it was, especially for Music City. And lastly, the natural playground, aka playground equipment nestled into the landscape, was really just a slide and a tunnel. Personally, we would prefer a few really spectacular amenities instead of this hodgepodge. We have been to other KOAs that have done amenities right. Also, as far as events go, we didn't even get a calendar, but one hanging in the office mentioned a couple crafty things. For a resort, this ante could have been upped a lot more, too. Perhaps they don't feel events necessary when Nashville is at our doorstep, but a "resort" should be a place where people feel like they never have to leave...like Opreyland! Score: 6

Convenience to hiking or nature trails

Nope. Score: 0

Friendliness of staff

One thing we can say is, this KOA had tons of staff. They were all average or above average friendliness. Are we going to nitpick and say that some of them seemed to drive by on their golf carts with sourpuss faces and didn't wave hello? Perhaps. But maybe we're just searching too hard for southern hospitality. Score: 5

Memorable and unique features

Honestly, even with all the amenities, this KOA will not stand out in our memories. The sites were normal, with even the deluxe sites being no more special except that they had their patios or dog pens. Actually, the cabins seemed to be the coveted accommodations here, with beautiful yards, bench swings, and grills. But we weren't there for the cabins. Score: 6

Lack of noise pollution:

Oh boy. Living next to a Parkway with concrete walls on both sides meant we were in a traffic echo chamber. Couple that with the fact that Camping World is right next door, and those repair dudes get started early. Surprisingly, the neighbors were not as loud as we expected, given that we were all in such close proximity, but we did still have some children squealing at 11PM. This is not a KOA where one goes for peace and quiet, and that's totally expected, but we still need to score the category accordingly. Score: 1

Overall vibe:

We don't want to factor in the "resort" designation too much, but it's hard to not be disappointed when showing up to a "resort" and finding a KOA that's no better than several of the Journeys and Holidays we've stayed at. We thought the campground was perfectly fine for a trip to Nashville, and definitely looked like the best choice of the three campgrounds on Music Valley Drive, but we did not vibe with the vibe. Everything seemed to function adequately, but still felt hectic. That's not what we want from a resort. Score: 4

The definitive ranking!

12: Philadelphia/West Chester KOA Holiday (37/100)
11: Denver East/Strasburg KOA Holiday (40/100)
10: Ashland/Huntington KOA Holiday (51/100)
09: Alamosa/Great Sand Dunes KOA Journey (53/100)
08: Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA Holiday (56/100)
07: Nashville KOA Resort (59/100)
06: Clearwater/Lake Tarpon KOA Holiday (65/100)
05: Rapid City/Black Hills KOA Holiday (72/100)
04: Devils Tower/Black Hills KOA Journey (81/100)
03: Asheville East KOA Holiday (82/100)
02: Williams/Exit 167/Circle Pines KOA Holiday (85/100)
01: Las Cruces KOA Journey (87/100)