The Wildly Popular National Campground Franchise With Family-Friendly Amenities And Hundreds Of Locations

For lovers of the great outdoors, camping is a way to experience nature up close. However, it also lets vacationers relax, reboot, spend quality family time without the price tag associated with hotels, or get a good night's sleep during a road trip. Featuring over 500 locations in the U.S. and Canada, Kampgrounds of America (KOA) is a private campground franchise that boasts over 2 million reservations every year thanks to its family-centric amenities and strategic locations near major cities or travel routes, among other factors. 

These campgrounds allow first-time campers or vacationers who aren't ready for primitive sites in state parks to experience camping without worrying about doing everything by themselves. Think toasting marshmallows in front of a huge bonfire that you don't have to build, pitching a tent steps from real bathrooms, or snuggling beneath a sleeping bag in an A-frame cabin straight from the 1970s.  

KOA dates back to the 1960s, when founder Dave Drum realized that car and RV vacationers had nowhere to sleep except the side of the road. He built the first KOA in Billings, Montana, to give travelers a safe place to stay during road trips. Since then, the network has expanded significantly, evolving to include tent sites, kitted-out cabins with kitchens, and even glamping yurts, treehouses, and teepees in some destinations. Today, you'll find campgrounds in nearly every state, and an online directory that campers find easy to use.

All KOAs have a pet relief zone, a general store, a playground, and laundry facilities, but beyond these essentials, the campgrounds vary in terms of amenities and overall design. This is because KOA employs a franchise system where individual owners craft campgrounds according to their visions, all while maintaining KOA standards. 

KOA offers three different campground types: KOA Journey, KOA Holiday, and KOA Resort. Featuring pull-through sites and electricity hookups, KOA Journey caters to RVers on road trips and generally fits the bill of an RV park. You won't find tons of amenities, but they're located just off major highways and offer after-hours check-in that doesn't require you to roust the host from a dark corner of camp.

KOA Resort turns camping into a vacation with all the bells and whistles of a kid-friendly resort—more amenities than are available at a regular campground. You'll always find a large pool and camp-led activities like the on-site rodeo at Mount Rushmore KOA Resort at Palmer Gulch, or more traditional s'mores nights. In addition, many locations offer mini-golf and ziplines, as well as unique activities like the petting zoo and giant jump pillow at San Francisco North-Petaluma KOA Resort. Falling somewhere between Journey and Resort, KOA Holiday serves as a comfortable base for exploring nearby cities or some of the top destinations in the U.S. Guests can stay in cabins with private bathrooms or premium RV sites, while venturing out during the day to visit local attractions.

KOAs aren't like state or national park campgrounds. Most KOAs don't have extensive hiking trails, and you're more likely to see manicured lawns and shade trees than native plants growing in abandon. The focus on the campgrounds themselves means you're guaranteed a certain standard of comfort. However, don't expect an untouched wilderness, and be ready for generator noise.

If you're a first-time RVer or tent camper, KOAs are like campgrounds with training wheels. "You could show up to a KOA with nothing but the clothes on your back and you would feel like a professional camper by the end of the trip," shared a camper with 97.5 WOKQ. These items will make your camping trip quick and easy, but you can also stop by the KOA camp store if need be. Guests often report that the staff go out of their way to help, especially if it's your first time pulling in with a big rig. 

While each campground is slightly different, KOA keeps its branding consistent, and some campers on Reddit find the experience too standard in a "cookie-cutter" way. From the KOA sign displayed loud and proud to the school bus-yellow KOA "camp counselor" staff shirt, you won't forget where you are for a moment. All in all, consistency is one of KOA's greatest appeals. And before you head out to sleep under the stars, read up on the internet's best secret camping tips.