Meyer Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Being new to this great sport can someone give me an answer on which park is the best. A good Sam Park or a KOA park. Thanks Ed Meyer edmeyer@north-pt.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RVerOnTheMove Report post Posted June 25, 2012 No, no one can give you that answer. There's not even a similar question you could ask which anyone could answer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
desertdeals69 Report post Posted June 25, 2012 The best park is the one you think is best. Just try them out and decide for yourself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbutler Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Try both and see what you like. Be aware that a KOA park in one city is not necessarily like a KOA in another. The same is true of Good Sam Parks. So you can't try just one and draw any kind of conclusion. These parks aren't like McDonalds or Wal-Mart. Each is different. Some are near railroad tracks, others are in remote quiet areas. One might be better in a given location while the other might be better in other areas. We avoid one, personal preference, we stay most often at neither. There are lots of nice parks out there that are not part of either franchise. Everyone has their own personal ideas of what they like and don't like in an RV park. There are two phone book size directories which have basic information about all parks. We use both directories extensively. There is also a web site that might help you decide which parks to patronize. RV Park Reviews has over 150,000 reviews from people who have visited most parks in the US and have sent in an evaluation. Reading reviews you will realize that individuals have different preferences. The same park will get a 10 (highest rating) from one or two people and a 2 from someone else. The written comments are most enlightening. For ourselves, we are happy with a park if we can get the rig level, have full hookups with good electric and are able to get in and out easily. We spend most of our time out and about the community rather than in the park. Enjoy the search. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RVerOnTheMove Report post Posted June 26, 2012 The KOA campgrounds (while all are very, very different) have many similar amenities. They have many activities for younger families with children which other non-franchise campgrounds may have a focus more toward the local clientele or may setup their campground to attract a specific type of RVer. Examples of this would be a campground that only allows 55 and over, Class A only campgrounds or "true" RV Resorts where you can expect to pay $50+/night (usually on the + side). Even with all the books and all the on-line reviews, you are just going to have to go and find out for yourself. Sometimes we get it wrong and sometime we are forced to stay where we would prefer not too (we also have a campground chain we prefer to avoid) but in the overall scheme of things you are going to have a great time and if you don't like where you are staying I encourage you to move on. There's another campground with a different setup and a different attitude that will make you quite comfortable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bizsmith@yahoo.com Report post Posted June 26, 2012 In my opinion, it would be a mistake to limit your choice to either. There are so many parks that are equal or better. Our preference is to stay in state parks. We only use a park like a KOA or Good Sam for one night stays. While there are not the amenities offered by the commercial parks, neither do the commercial parks offer the chance to access miles and miles of hiking trails or a camp site where your nearest neighbor may be hundreds of feet away. It all comes down to trying many different parks and decide for yourself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lmsooter Report post Posted June 26, 2012 Welcome to the FMCA Forums. We do not limit ourselves to any one "flavor" when choosing an RV park. The KOA parks tend to have more amenities (miniature golf, playgrounds, swimming pools, etc.) than a standard RV park but that would be great if you have children traveling with you. We tend to choose state and national parks because we prefer to get out and enjoy the scenery instead of the amenities. Just choose a park that fits your lifestyle and try it but don't limit your choices. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peter1brown Report post Posted July 17, 2012 There are numerous benefits of RV camping. Prices of campgrounds are far less than that of most hotels. You can stay a month at a campground for what you would pay for a weekend at some hotels. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GailyFwd Report post Posted August 12, 2012 I would have to agree with the other posts. Campgrounds vary from place to place, but that's the great thing about traveling in an RV. You determine where you want to be. My suggestion would be to check out the reviews on the park of interest and use your best judgment. Keep in mind, opinions may vary as much as campgrounds, so take from them what you must. Also check the FMCA forums, somebody somewhere has stayed at the park you are considering!! Happy traveling, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bizsmith@yahoo.com Report post Posted August 13, 2012 Posts in italics are very difficult to read especially on a small screen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitehawk Report post Posted August 13, 2012 The old saying that you get what you pay for holds true here. The more amenities the more you pay. The nicer the RV park the more you pay. The closer to popular sites the more you pay. The more popular the RV park the more you pay. So, decide what you want to do, or see, or pay, then go for it! Everyone is different, has different needs or interests. That is why there is such a variety of RV parks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miller112 Report post Posted August 21, 2012 Its depends on person to person. In my opinion both are good at their own ground. Try both of them and then decide which one is better and please also share it on the same thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StellersJay Report post Posted August 21, 2012 I belong to Passport America and use it frequently. Some parks are "first class" others are pretty bare bones, but all have had full hook ups. I suggest reading the description closely and also the directions to the park. I found that the Map ap on my iPad allows me to find the address and then, if the area has been photographed by Google, you can see a photo at or near the park entrance. Sometime it is a clue to the type of park. Also the map ap photos are good to use for the various intersections where you have to make a turn and help identify land marks for the intersection. Sam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyking8 Report post Posted August 21, 2012 There are some good suggestions in this thread, but if I were making a personal choice between the two in the question it would be Good Sam's. KOAs are of the cookie cutter variety. Good Sam is more about the marketing of the campground and pretty much leaves the facility, amenitiy, location, and service details to the owners. i will second TBUTLER's suggestion about the rvparkreview website. There is a Campground Search feature where you can get a list or look for individual parks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
