KOA or Good Sams
Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: General Camping
Forum Name: Camp ground review and recommendations
Forum Description: Got a favorite spot to share? Or are you going to an area of the country - ask others for a great place to stay.
URL: http://www.rpodNation.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=232
Printed Date: 19 Apr 2024 at 1:01am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.0 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: KOA or Good Sams
Posted By: Blackdog
Subject: KOA or Good Sams
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 6:14am
 Trying to figure out if its worth joing the good sams or koa or both for hvaing some places to camp at. I noticed that the nice places in California are pricey per nite like $65 per nite for full hook up or $56 for power and water.
I know there are cheaper places than CA but that is where I will be camping the most. Is it worth joining these clubs. They offer 10% off of camp fees.
Have any of you joined these clubs?
Thx.
Rick ------------- Rick The Blackdog 2001 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4 3.4 V6 172 on ORDER (PICK UP JULY 24) Lincoln, CA |
Replies:
Posted By: Tink
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 8:16am
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I am a member of both. I have never been to a Good Sams park because I don't know where any are. Apparently you have to buy a book to tell you where they are and I think that if you have a membership, you shouldn't have to buy something to tell you where they are. I can't figure out their web site either. So i won't be renewing that one. I love KOA parks. I live in East Tennessee and there are some really nice ones in the area. You can always count on them. I met a couple in a campground once that said you have to check out the Good Sam's parks because some them aren't so nice. Hope this helps. ------------- 
Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN, |
Posted By: Butterfly_Lee
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 9:48am
Sorry to here about Good Sam , As a newbie. I welcome your comments. (Still waiting on delivery of my 172, hopefully by the end of the month)------------- Still a work in progress, lots of pictures. http://podterfly.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Blackdog
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 2:44pm
to bad about good sams. I like their sticker don't know about the parks, thats why I asked. I will probably join koa.
thx ------------- Rick The Blackdog 2001 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4 3.4 V6 172 on ORDER (PICK UP JULY 24) Lincoln, CA |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 24 Jun 2009 at 5:06am
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In my 6 years on the road full time I can count the number of times I stayed at a KOA on my fingers. If you don't mind paying for the name then use them. They are just over priced. Take a look at the prices of campgrounds around a KOA and see what I'm talking about. On the plus side you can always count on the condition of their places. Go to Camping World and for $24.95 you get a book with thousands of campgrounds listed in it. The name of the book is Trailer Life Campground Directory. It is also the official directory of Good Sams campgrounds. They are marked with the smiley logo. All campgrounds are rated on many catagories and shows hookups and costs etc. You will need the book if you are a good Sams member or not. Good Sams gives a 10% discount, along with other clubs. That isn't much but better than nothing. Terry |
Posted By: capringl
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2009 at 12:00pm
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I agree with Terry...KOAs are nice but overpriced. My uncle recommended Good Sams to me and I think it's great. The book Terry is talking about is very useful, but if you have access to there website you can look up the same info. Almost every place I stayed on my trip across the US was a Good Sam approved and they were all nice.
------------- Craig R-Pod 172 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 19 Jul 2009 at 12:31pm
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You can travel across the country and back and only pay for a campground when you need to empty tanks and get water. Plus, there are tons of cheap places to stay. Many towns have cheap or free camp sites in their parks. A lot of county fair grounds have camp sites with water and electric with a dump station for little money. These places are out there for us to use. Terry |
Posted By: BIG OLE
Date Posted: 21 Aug 2009 at 4:59pm
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My dealer had a pamphlet included in with all the books for the trailer. It's for Passport America. Web site: PASSPORTAMERICA.COM. 50% savings all over the country. Ckeck it out. Happy Camping! ------------- Ron & Toby my 4 legged Buddy |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2009 at 12:09am
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I used to use Passport America. It's good. Terry PS: The only bad thing about Good Sam's is you will get a lot of junk mail from them. |
Posted By: Outbound
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2009 at 6:24am
You can go to http://trailerlifedirectory.com - http://trailerlifedirectory.com and look up campgrounds for free. It'll also show you if a specific camground is a Good Sams member. ------------- Craig :: 2008 Mazda Tribute :: 2009 r-pod 171, The Johnnie Ray |
Tink wrote:Posted By: Christine
Date Posted: 22 Aug 2009 at 1:18pm
| Another good option is Camp Club USA. Like Passport America you join for a resaonable fee and then get to camp half price. Passport will take any park so some of the park or so-so, but Camp Club parks have to have a good rating in the Woodall Camping directory to be allow on the list of parks. |
Posted By: Butterfly_Lee
Date Posted: 23 Aug 2009 at 2:59pm
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For those who plan on visiting Texas or Live in Texas, the state has a $60.00 year pass to all the state parks. Days fees run 5-12 dollars depending, so less then 10 visits to the various parks will pay for itself. Camping runs 13-20 depending on what get maybe even less. You can order the pass online or get a temp one that will get you through your trip. For those who are in Military Active or Retired can use the various FAMCAMPs. I've stayed at several and they run 13-20 a night again depending what you get. Of course check out the NATIONAL ACCESS Pass's, Depending on your needs they have different Passes. My daughter has a Access Pass because she is has Down's Sydrome. So all Federal Parks access is free, haven't camped yet. Just passing on info. Lee ------------- Still a work in progress, lots of pictures. http://podterfly.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: woodall bob
Date Posted: 28 Sep 2009 at 6:51am
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Try campclubusa kind of like passport america but only excepts campgrounds that are rated a 3W or higher in Woodall's. Passport has some campgrounds that we went into and turned around and left. |
Posted By: dockguy
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2010 at 8:11pm
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I have been looking at joining both the Good Sam's Club and KOA. You can check out campground ratings throughout the U. S. and Canada by going to http://www.woodalls.com - www.woodalls.com . Woodall's rates campsites nationwide which will let you know where campgrounds are in certain states and provinces and how good they are by a 5-W rating system.
Hope that this helps,
dockguy/ 2005 Toyota Tundra w/ R-pod 171 on order ------------- RCP |
Posted By: Kenn
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2010 at 1:44am
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We have Resorts of Distinction - Free to stay at any ROD park and we also have Coast to Coast - $10/night on any of their parks and military bases are less than $20/night. We prefer these places, for I can make a reservation 1-2 days out on a busy weekend and go cross country without planning my trip. I dislike parks that require 6 months to reserve on a busy weekend. ------------- 
2010 RPOD 176 (Silly-POD), 2011 Forest River Stealth 2612, and 2014 Forest River XLR 380AMP |
Posted By: dockguy
Date Posted: 31 Mar 2010 at 5:53pm
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Thanks Kenn,
I will look up the ROD parks. That sounds great !
Dockguy ------------- RCP |
Posted By: okiecamper
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2010 at 10:08am
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well, ive been camping at good sam's for years and i think they are worth the membership. all the places ive parked have bveen very nice,clean,well kept. i get a guide every year for maybe 12$ and its great. I think KOA's are prices even with the discount. but thats just my opinion. Phil ------------- there are storms in life, the secret is to learn how to dance in the rain 2010 172 2006 chevy siverado 1500 |
Posted By: Kenn
Date Posted: 18 Apr 2010 at 12:58pm
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We stayed at Whaler's Inn in South Beach, OR for a week. I paid $12 for cable for the entire stay. There were 4 of us, we had full hook-ups, an indoor heated poool, a hot tub, 2 laundry facilities, a dog run, crab/fish clean stattions, mini-golf, frisbee golf, a path to the ocean, and an awesome super friendly staff. If you're going to camp a bunch, then memberships are awesome! 5 more days in any of the ROD parks before Mar '11 would pay for the dues. And beyond that is just a good thing. -------------
2010 RPOD 176 (Silly-POD), 2011 Forest River Stealth 2612, and 2014 Forest River XLR 380AMP |
Posted By: happyrpod
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2010 at 10:18pm
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Thanks for the tip on the fairgrounds for camping but how would you know who to contact?? ------------- Steve&Kathy 2010 Traverse 174 2009 Sassy too Golden Retriever |
Posted By: happyrpod
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2010 at 10:20pm
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We are passport America members too & always use ours in Pigeon Forge for half the cost of other campsites, like 18.00 full hookup a night. ------------- Steve&Kathy 2010 Traverse 174 2009 Sassy too Golden Retriever |
Posted By: gdfaini
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2010 at 10:38pm
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We love KOA. We joined in April and the membership payed for itself by May. They cost more than other camp grounds, but you know what you are getting and they always have full hookups. The potable water tank is too far forward on the 173 for us to travel with fresh water. The tongue weight would be too high. It's worth the extra $$ to not have to go to a dump station every other day. ------------- Glenn Hyundai Santa Fe <-> RP 173 
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Posted By: Ratdog
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2010 at 8:19am
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KOA is always our first choice. Bathrooms and showers have always been neat and clean, staff is helpful and friendly, online reservations straight-forward and easy. Some KOA's offer pet sitting services, free pancake breakfasts, activities for kids, ice cream parties, etc.
We have reservations for a 3-day trip to a KOA near home in a week and for 2 KOA's in Jackson and West Yellowstone for 2 weeks coming up at the end of August.
-- Steve ------------- Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier 2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD 2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon) |