Are there any “Pringles” campgrounds left?

If you are looking for a campground chain that is like “Pringles” potato chips, you might be disappointed.

I’ll use KOA as an example, and BTW I do have a KOA card, so please don’t think I hate KOAs. I do not! In fact, I think they play a necessary role in moving across the country on the way to your destination. There some wonderful KOA’s out there. What comes to mind right off the top of my head are the following:

In my opinion, some KOA’s are fantastic, some are good, and some are terrible. However, once upon a time the KOA’s were like Pringles.  Every KOA was basically the same. You knew what you were going to get when you pulled into one of their campgrounds.  It seemed like most were just carbon copies.  I liked that! In addition, back in the dark ages, the pricing was very similar and for the most part reasonable for families that wanted to camp.

Now, of course the world has changed, and there are three different types of KOAs offered.  The Journey is the lowest level of camping that KOA offers.

The Journeys are supposedly the least expensive and are viewed as a campground you would use enroute to your destination. Ordinarily the amenities will be basic, and most are an Easy on/Easy off making them a desirable stop over.

The Holiday is viewed as a campground that offers more amenities for a family wishing to enjoy camping. They are typically located near large cities. Each KOA Holiday features full-service RV sites and KOA Deluxe Cabins with bathrooms.

The Resort is the top of the line for KOA. These resorts also have activities led by KOA recreation staff. they also have on-site food, group meeting space, and more. KOA Resorts are considered a vacation destination campground.

BUT does the pricing make sense?  Not really. Let’s take a quick look at nightly rates based on pull-through site pricing.

Memphis TN, Journey = $64.00 to $76.00/night

Rapid City, SD Holiday = $45.00 to $67.50/night

Badlands/White River Holiday= $64.00 to $104.00/night

Okeechobee KOA Resort = $88.00 to $114.00

Obviously these KOAs are not governed by any corporate set pricing, they are independently operated.  KOA plainly states “They are managed locally, and their prices are set by the owner/manager of the property”.

So much for pringles. Not only are the campgrounds different but the pricing doesn’t really make sense.

My opinion while looking at the pricing is that you may be better off perhaps staying in a Holiday vs a Journey, because the price is sometimes cheaper, and it may be nicer. So, when you are mapping out your travel plans and you’re planning on staying at a KOA, checkout all the KOAs in that area. An upgrade at a lower price is a real possibility.

Of course, NICER is a very subjective term…compared to what?  What is nice to one person, could be horrible to someone else. I can tell you that I think that every Texas state park I have camped at is nicer than any KOA I have ever camped at.  Of course, the kids won’t have mini golf, a store, cook shack, or a pool.  However, you won’t be paying for nay of that either – and the rates are much lower.

If you have kids, you are probably thinking that a State, County, or COE campground just won’t be right for keeping the kids entertained – and you might be right. In those cases, a chain campground will probably be a perfect fit.

Now, what KOA has going for it, at least most of the time, is that they are easy on/easy off locations. That is why I said earlier that they absolutely provide a necessary role in traveling across the country on the way to your destination.   If you’ve been driving all day, and you just want a one-night stay in route to your destination, they are perfect. Now sometimes you might need to pay more if you need to stop enroute at a Holiday or Resort. If this is the case, sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and pay for that.

Also, just like any other campground, don’t be surprised if the campground doesn’t meet your expectations of what it should be.  “In our book I go where I’m towed” we talk about a couple KOA’s that were absolute nightmares. In fact, a few really nice KOAs that we liked rapidly declined over just a few years. This isn’t something exclusive to KOA, there are plenty of horrible campgrounds out there.

If you’re trying to camp cheaply on your way to your destination, be careful. I am not a big fan of staying in a Walmart lot, or some other chain restaurant parking area.  A campground always provides more safety than that.  However, I am not paying upwards of 100.00 for a one-night layover at any KOA or private campground.

So, if KOA is your thing, and obviously it is for many, do some research on the different KOAs in the area you are going to, and you might be able to upgrade to a Holiday from a Journey for less cost.

So, what’s the point of all of this?  The long and short of it is that there are no Pringles Potato Chip campgrounds anymore.  You are going to find variability in campground chains, no matter who they are.  That is why it is so important to research the campgrounds you want to reserve before you pull the trigger.  There are some great Apps that you can load onto your phone like Campendium, RV Parky, or The Dyrt – all allow you to search campgrounds and reviews without a subscription.

You can also just use a web browser and look for reviews related to a specific campground.  Tammy always seems to find the best or worst information about a campground doing that – and it has paid off.

Lastly, please don’t be chain campground campers, you will miss out on so much.  Whether it’s County, state, or Army Core of engineer campgrounds, they have a lot to offer.  I would challenge anyone to go to Chatfield State Park in Colorado, and not want to live there.

Get out there and see the country – there’s no better way than in your travel trailer.