Frisco Woods – Frisco, NC

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June 6, 2006

Campground and RV Park Reviews | RVBuddy.com

When traveling the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this private Campground is complete paradise. All sites have a view of the Sound, are very level, and many have shade trees. Tents and Pop-ups have a separate area from the RV sites. Kayaks and Windsurfers are available for rent and lessons for windsurfing are also available.

The store is impressive with a good selection of supplies, groceries, and souvenirs. The pool is nothing short of perfect, all of the grounds are maintained with precision. Laundry facilities are clean with new machines.

Nearby attractions include the Wright Brothers Memorial. Cape Hatteras Light, and of course the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. There are too many restaurants within minutes from the park, even a BBQ House within a short walking distance.

Leave your firewood home, ground fires are not allowed anywhere on the Outer Banks, but the spectacular sunsets make it easy to forget about traditional camping. We wished we had thought more about sun screen, but hindsight is just an education with a little pain.

There are also cabins on the property when you want to take a break from tenting. They are simple, but clean structures with air conditioning. If you love seafood, try your hand at Crabbing in the shallow, warm water of the Sound…and don’t forget your Jimmy Buffet CD!

Killens Pond State Park – Felton, DE

By

Thistle Dew

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June 6, 2006

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Campground and RV Park Reviews | RVBuddy

We were heading south from Upstate New York, and didn’t want to deal with the traffic of I-95. We chose a route through Delaware and Maryland to Norfolk, VA and on to points south. There is no express highway, but Delaware and Maryland offer many nice places to stop for a night or two. Killens Pond State Park is one of them. The campground area is clean and well maintained with campsites that aren’t on top of each other. The picnic and day use areas are sunny and spacious. For the young folks, there is a nice water park and plenty of playground stuff. Bring your fishing gear and enjoy a quiet afternoon at the pond.

The camp store is modest, but the firewood is generously portioned for the price and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Dover AFB, Chesapeake Bay, and the Ocean Beaches are all accessible from this inland campground. It’s a nice rest stop, or a great destination.

Searsport Shores Ocean Campground – Searsport, ME

By

sparklers2go

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June 3, 2006

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After searching for a campground on the water, on the coast of Maine, we found “Searsport Shores Ocean Campground”. Their web page is both user friendly and well organized.

We found the staff very friendly and accommodating. The facilities are well maintained and always clean. The variety of campsites, for RV’s or tents or the rental cabin and model trailer allows even non campers the ability to camp and take in the beauty of the region.

The campground has activities for all ages, from jungle gym to the swings to a sandbox and basketball court and arcade games… all of which keep the children playing for hours. You can even relax in their lawn furniture on the beach and take in all the beauty at any time day or night. Indoors they have a billiard table, ping pong table and even a book and movie library. They even have a sitting room with a “homey” feeling with a fireplace and comfortable furniture where you can read or talk with new or old friends.

The organized lobster bakes are scrumptious. The bonfires on the beach at night with toasted marshmallow and “smores” are truly a lot of fun. They also have an ice cream smorgasboard, arts and craft making, entertainment, and even campers stepping up to show their talents. On the 4th of July several neighboring towns set off their fireworks displays, all visible from the beach and relecting on the water is truly beautiful.

The campground store is well stocked with snacks, camping accessories and souveniers. They also have fresh doughnuts and fresh brewed coffee either for a quick breakfast on the way out to the sights and attractions or even to sit back and relax at the campground. But one thing is for sure, you will always see a smiling face behind the counter.

The surrounding area besides it scenic view is rich with shops, where you may find something unique, the museums and the restaurants with offerings for everyones taste.

To start off your day with a fresh cup of coffee, a daily newspaper, camera and binoculars (a must), you can watch the sunrise come up, a untouched mirrored water, a family of ducks swim by or even an otter poke its head up from fishing. What a beautiful way to start the day. At the end of the day as the sun goes down, the smell of campfires and the laughter from around the campfires as adults an children alike sit and tell jokes and stories. With the waves crashing on the shore, it is never a problem to fall asleep. What a great way to end the day.

In this hectic paced world we all need a place to get away and relax and we have found no better place than at “Searsport Shores Ocean Campground”. We have told everyone we know and will have some of them joining us on our next visit. We have yet to see all there is to see in the Searsport area and look forward to our next trip.

Staunton Verona KOA – Verona, VA

By

vancouple

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May 23, 2006

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OK, while walking around with the dogs, a guy from Texas, in a nice Class A (maybe a Monaco) with a reasonably sized tow vehicle gave me a couple of complaints about this KOA campground: The road in (off 11) is a little winding and tight for big rigs (there was little to no traffic when we came in and we think Class As can get in pretty easily, but watch your speed and corners), the sites are not level (he was pretty high in the rear and low in the front to get level), and the place charges a premium for big rigs yet does not provide big rig needs (level and road in, he meant).

OK, so those are the problems. It is a LONG 3 miles in; it’s more like 4 to the A-frame/main office, but it’s a huge campground and that counts for something, and some of the back-ins (which we were offered first but declined) are definitely not contractor-level. (Since the plastic levelors are way in the back of our spare-tire trunk and are a pain to get out, we avoid sites that require them, and look for pull-throughs all the time). That’s it for “issues”:

THIS IS A GREAT CAMPGROUND! There’s a solid mile (there’s another half-mile in trails) of wide open riverfront/water-accessible (for rafting and fishing) river here. The sites are wide, the cable is good, plus the WiFi is normally strong. There’s a really nice pool, with separate wading pool, plus very clean bathhouses and banks of empty trashcans throughout.

They have food and the regular stuff in the store, plus a little cafe. There’s a three-tiered waterfall at the end of the campground riverfront, and there was a copperhead there by the water when we went walking. If your dogs are crazy like ours are, they will get all uncontrollable when they see all the fat, semi-wild “escapee,” (i.e., formerly domesticated) rabbits running around. 40 bucks gets you a good pull-through with 30 amp. It’s a nice place to stay for a night or a week or more.

While we were here, a roofer (his signage on his business deduction pick-up told us this) with a basic-housing-siding-clad trailer was using a LOUD remote-controlled four-wheel drive (who would have guessed) Remote-controlled toy vehicle for his and his son’s pleasure, and, thankfully, management came right over and got him to act like a camper again in no time. Nice touch.

Knoxville East KOA – Kodak, TN

By

vancouple

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May 22, 2006

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When you approach Knoxville East KOA campground, engage your four-wheel drive. Just kidding, but the truth is the gravel driveway is loose, the hill is a bit steep, and there are numerous washouts. I wouldn’t bring my hundred grand-plus land yacht up here until they get some pavement in. This is the main weakness here. There are deluxe sites, but for some reason the team chose to get a basic one tonight. The regular sites are mostly level and all shaded with mature trees. Nice, dependable KOA clientele. The cable is wonderful if you like Fox News and evangelical broadcasts, and only want about eight more channels. There’s no other news here, and the entertainment channels are exceedingly limited; we would call this BASIC cable for the KoolAid drinkers. The Wifi is a little weak, too.

The grounds are clean and the pool is nice. The staff is pleasant. It was $32 and change with a KOA card. Our review: Do an overnight in a short rig that has a solid suspension; avoid this place with anything longer than 36 feet.

Wytheville KOA – Wytheville, VA

By

vancouple

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May 21, 2006

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Wytheville KOA is your regular old KOA… clean, predictable clientele, and a friendly staff. Some poison ivy, so watch when you’re walking dogs or if the kids get into the underbrush.

The pull-throughs are a bit short (and not exactly contractor-level) but can easily accomodate 30 and above feet. Also, there are two clean, fenced-in pens: a small dog one and a large dog one, both of which are extremely large and make a nice touch for a couple of “no kids yuppies” like us. (Parents, these might be of some use for kids with attitudes after long drives.) For a workout, follow the marked hiking trail, which is wide, lengthy, well-marked, full of fauna, and hilly.

There’s a couple of gas stations at the exit, but they can be tricky for big rigs. Gas up before or after at another exit.

Little Rock North KOA – Little Rock North, AR

By

vancouple

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May 21, 2006

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This is a really nice KOA campground that people could stay at for awhile. It’s convenient to I-40 (Exit 148), and about ten miles from Little Rock. They have a pool, hot tub and sauna (both inside a clean little house adjacent to the pool), good cable and wifi (2 bucks extra). We got here at noon and most of the sites were already taken. This campground is advertised as being a quarter of a mile from a water park, it’s really more like a three quarter mile. Too far and the street is a bit busy to let young kids walk there. Lots of nice Class A’s and fifth wheels, plus a few Class C’s and one little 20 MPG van (ours).

There are a half-dozen sites right off the pool, which cost about five bucks extra, but have gas grills, wide concrete pads, and nice porch furniture. The rest of the sites are all shaded, too, but these ones are definitely worth the extra money. Great little gift shop inside with a counter of Clinton (library and Presidential years) memorabilia; a nice touch! It’s over 90 degrees as I sit here writing this review outside on the concrete pad, but a breeze and the shade make it a wonderful, and comfortably cool, experience. The owner is a friendly, gregarious, and joking dude. This place is worth visiting, at least overnight. Reserve the good sites, if you call, because they go fast. (People came in after us asking for the last site, which we just took.)

Circus Circus KOA – Las Vegas, NV

By

vancouple

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May 18, 2006

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The KOA is a big parking lot right behind Circus Circus, which is at the top of the Strip. A bit pricey: $40 for a regular site. The expensive sites are justified as having Walmart outdoor table/chair sets on end sites with a little grass. Neither of us thought they were worth the extra money. The heat is so intense in mid-May that we rarely saw anyone sit outside during sunshine hours. The pool is great; hot tub is good, too. An excellent Camp store… the best KOA camp store either one of us has ever seen. Helpful and friendly staff. Safe and secure, too. The casino is one of the oldest, at this point, and the buffet is like school cafeteria food. Another problem: sales people (timeshares, shows, etc…) literally badger you rudely in the casino halls–something that never happens at the Luxor, which is a LONG bus ride (b/c of the traffic, but unwalkable b/c of the heat), and which has a buffet that costs three dollars more but is exquisitely good. Also try NY NY, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, or Paris. Avoid The Sands and Sahara–same problems with Circus Circus. The wife thought that Circus Circus was “seedy”. I disagree with the term. Old, tattered ar substandard would be my terms.

The campground is fine, though. It’s literally almost a mile walk from the campsites to the Strip, via the casino, but there’s no other way to get there, short of hopping a cement block perimeter fence that secures that campground. You can workout by running the campground early in the morning–it’s almost a mile each circuit. Your dogs will need exercise there because the heat will keep them cooped up in the AC all day. Driving your tow vehicle is insane! (i.e., no parking and traffic!). There’s a couple of good restaurants in the casino–try those instead of the cafeteria food buffet.

Kingman KOA – Kingman, AZ

By

vancouple

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May 15, 2006

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We’re hooked up here at Kingman KOA right now as this is written. This campground has good cell phone service, great cable line-up, and beautiful flowering oleander beside our site (and between all the other sites).

Met some nice regulars. There are several trailers here, maybe from a decade or so ago when Kingman was on the skids and the campground was looking for long-term renters. They seem to be here just for a few older people and the employees now.

It’s a little out of the way, so follow the signs closely. Friendly staff, nice pool and clean laundry room. Some international campers… from Europe, add a little spice to the stay.

The downside… a guy, who’s wife must have told him to get out for awhile, at the pool provided me with every single detail about his itinerary and the prices he’s been paying for gas. PAINFUL–the guy kept talking when I went underwater. Ah, the people you meet on the road. It’s an hour and a half to Vegas and about two hours out of the east entrance to the Grand Canyon.

Tucumcari KOA – Tucumcari, NM

By

vancouple

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May 15, 2006

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What a view of a nearby mountain! Tucumcari KOA is right off of I-40, and a very convenient place with nice amenities at a good price. Small rabbits are everywhere in the campground, making our dogs antsy and excited. Two criticisms… the bathroom was steamy and hot in the morning. No air conditioning makes this so uncomfortable that I needed a shower after washing my hands, which brings me to number two. The black water dump connection at our site (9 or 10) was filled to about eight inches below the rim when we got there so we said something about it. The next morning… nothing had been done (and I had done a little perk test and watched as the water level receded but slowly…). When I dumped, what happened was somewhat expected (and that was why I did it slowly so as not to make a disgusting mess). The wife (who is loathe to complain) mentioned it again after we went to the dump station, and was told that customers “flushed all kinds of things,” meaning the problem was on account of people like us, I guess. A small thing, but it added a little retch or two to my morning, and was not needed.

A good run can be had by heading out, taking a right, and running to the next exit or so. Very flat terrain there and isolated, except for the traffic (which cannot be heard from the campground). We’ll visit here again, but get another site.