KOA : Two-For-One Weekend Camping

If you saw the movie "RV" with Robin Williams or "About Schmidt" with Jack Nicholsen, then you might think traveling in a recreation vehicle is the worst experience ever. For many the call of the great outdoors is just too alluring. The smell of a campfire, the up-close mingling with wild critters and swimming under the stars makes camping especially by recreation vehicle the ultimate outdoor adventure. Whether you have your own RV, rent one, or prefer roughing it, the best bargain for campers of any kind is the nationwide organization known as Kampgrounds of America or KOA because they offer you all the amenities of civilization while allowing you to commune with nature. Whether you have a recreation vehicle, love the ruggedness of tent camping or prefer the luxury that a camping cabin or cottage offers, KOAs can accommodate your lifestyle. Now is a good time to get acquainted with KOA because they are offering a two-for-the-price-of-one weekend on May 11 and 12, 2007 to benefit children with cancer.

After visiting over a dozen different KOAs stretching from the Westcoast to the Eastcoast, I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience with any of these privately owned and well maintained facilities. Each campsite offers private picnic tables, campfire pits and nearby playgrounds for the kids. There are immaculately clean bathrooms with showers and large covered picnic areas for parties. The tent sites have nearby water taps and a private gravel driveway where you can pull your car up close to your site. Most KOAs also offer public laundry rooms, outdoor swimming pools, wireless internet access, pay phones and a well stocked general store carrying ice, toys, beach gear, postcards and foods appropriate to outdoor eating.

The RV pull-throughs have plenty of elbow room leaving you with the ability to backup and pull forward easily. There are electric hookups, TV cable and propane available. The garbage and waste disposal areas are most often located away from the campground areas near the exits. Each site is clearly marked and resides near the scenically best, private spots. If you arrive after hours there are alcoves on the wall near the offices which allow you to self-register your RV or tent. The KOA pine log cabins come in one or two-room sizes with covered front porches most with a delightful porch swing. You get a key to lock the front door for added security, window screens with curtains, and they also offer you the option of renting space heaters during the colder off-seasons. The larger camping cottages come complete with beds, full kitchen with utensils and indoor toilet and shower. Some cottages even have their own private outdoor hot tubs. Both cabins and cottages have electrical outlets, lighting both inside and on the porch, and a few have ceiling fans, garbage cans and a broom with dustpan as well.

Some of the finer KOAs such as the Astoria/Warrenton/Seaside, Oregon site have a large indoor pool and game room for the kids. On weekends during the summer local charity groups come in to cook up a "pancake feed" in the community building complete with meats, juices and eggs on the side. They sometimes offer theme weekends when the Classic Car Show is in town or for holidays like Halloween (Warrenton is open all year round). The Bay Center/Willapa Bay KOA on the coast in Washington State is one of my personal favorites because it is intimately smaller than other campgrounds. There is a cozy wooded walkway to the private rocky bay beach, plus nearby oyster beds and seafood restaurants. The owners are wonderfully kind, even offering me a television for my cabin on a very rainy day.

Many KOAs are within 10 miles of town, but set in remote and quiet locations where you can still observe the stars and mingle with wildlife. I have spotted deer in Idaho and tortoises in Ohio. Some KOAs have duck ponds or reside alongside a river or lake. In those instances the office will rent out paddle boats and fishing poles plus little bags of feed for the birds. Well behaved dogs are always welcome and most campgrounds provide special pet walking areas around the perimeter of the park.

The cost is the best part of the experience. The price of a one-year Value Kard is $16. Your basic membership card gives you 1) 10 percent savings on daily registration; 2) free KOA directory mailed to your home; 3) discounts on RV rentals through Cruise America; and 4) best site guarantee at the time you register. No matter which campground I stayed at the owners always accommodated my personal needs as a disabled person. They accept major credit cards (first night deposit) and are extremely patient over holiday weekends and special events when dealing with large crowds of rambunctious and happy camping people. A few campgrounds also offer gated security, but not all.

KOA has a free camping night once a year, usually in May, two nights for the price of one. At other times throughout the year, some may give you a free night's stay if you are staying a least six days or more if you ask about this. To give you an idea of the overall cost, the Boston/Cape Cod KOA in Middleboro, MA is asking $37-$64 for a RV site per night; $29-$44 for a tent site; and $49-$92 for a Kabin. Not all sites have cottages and camping cabins so check in advance. The opening and closing dates of the campgrounds and pools varies also. Those campgrounds located near the beaches or mountain ski resorts are usually open all year long.

The KOA directory is an easy to read reference magazine of colorful pictures, maps and site information divided by state including Canada. The advertisements cover such things as RV insurance, "Camping World" supplies, US Border tips and KOA camping policies. To order a free catalog go to www.koa.com.