Free Camping at KOA Friday, May 14!

[rebelsbeach]

Anyone else find it hilarious that KOA's offices are in Billings?

That's the "scene of the crime" isn't it?



While I've never stayed in a Walmart lot,my brother is one of those "drive all nighters to get there" folks and he stays in them all the time...

[Zimectrin]

98% of the time I'll take a free night in a KOA over a 'wallydoc.'

Thanks for the heads up!!!

(the other 2% I reserved for those KOA's, and they are there, that make a wallydoc look better.)

[bdpreece]

So!! Is this a buy one get one free type thing or can I just stay Friday; dump my tanks, fill up with water, and move over to Wal Mart?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Boy! you guys can sure be bought cheap! So much for boycotting the ARVC member campgrounds (re: ARVC pushing the pavement parking bans). And KOA is definately a big part of ARVC. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Hitchhiker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bdpreece:
So!! Is this a buy one get one free type thing or can I just stay Friday; dump my tanks, fill up with water, and move over to Wal Mart?

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The KOA Website says "no strings attached".

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">KOA began accepting reservations Monday, March 1, for its first ever "Come Camp With Us"� day on Friday, May 14th. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Many of us have had very poor experiences at KOA campgrounds. Personally, I could care less what they are offering because we never use them any more. They are usually more expensive, more restrictive and less service oriented than others in their neighborhood. If KOA is the only campground available in an area we are considering, we continue to the next campground!

[chasfm11]

Before we knew better, we joined KOA in 2004. We had some poor experiences with KOAs during our rentals but thought that they might be just isolated problems. Because of our travels since, we no longer believe those problems are isolated.

While there are some fine, well managed KOAs like the one in Holbrook, AZ, we now definitely will lean towards any other option and would consider any KOA only as an absolute last resort.

Having personally read what I consider to be the offensive remarks of the Billings KOA owner who didn't even have the the honesty to identify herself as such, I wrote a letter to KOA headquarters. I received the standard form letter reply from them. I quickly cancelled our membership. I want no part of an organization that wants to allow its owners to call RVers names for wanting to stop in Wal-Mart to get a few hours sleep. In fact, we've never stayed overnight at a Wal-Mart but I don't need anyone publically deriding me because I would consider doing that.

There will be no free camping by us a KOA.

[Just Me]

This will be my third year for the KOA free camp night. We attend the Verona Koa.
This weekend at all KOA's is to raise money for CARE CAMPS.

[mick]

"Raise money for care camps" .

Do they donate ALL the money they get for sites ?

[Lorna]

The least amount that could be used for charity is 10%. It can still be called a "Charity" and the folks doing will be able to keep 90%. Before you buy something or give money to an organization for "charity". You had best ask (and get it in writing).

I had a person calling to "Help the families of TN Police Officers injured on the job". When I called my local Police, he laughed and said the guy could legally do that (he knew about them) and that organization gave the cops 10% of their profits (not total intake) that went into the already established fund that the cops raised money for that was for the same thing. Except 100% of the money the cops raised went into the fund. The guy I talked to said he got lots of calls on this. Told me I could register as a "non-profit organization" and start raising money for whatever and keep 90% and donate the 10% to Save the Elusive Snot-nosed Pink-tufted Lemming Organization. I'm sure they must be endangered because I've never seen one!

[KOA Owner]

Just to clarify: Come Camp With Us Day is completely free for the Friday night for whatever site you reserve for however many people you bring. If you stay an additional night you will be charged the normal price for that site. However, if you want to just stay the Friday night it is your option. This is the third year for this promotion, don't know if KOA will offer again next year or do something else. Also note: not all KOA's are involved in the promotion. For whatever reason some KOA's are not participating so make sure you ask before you make the reservation.

As for the KOA Care Camps - most KOA's do something during the year to raise money for children with cancer. The money is sent to the KOA Owners Association and the money is then sent on to the various camps operated throughout Canada and the U&gt;S&gt; Some KOA's have pancake breakfast (we do this each morning during the summer) and an ice cream social at night (again each night). We donate all of our ice cream money to KOA Care Camps (we use the profit from our pancake breakfast to purchase the ice cream and toppings and to pay the labor for the three people it takes to operate the ice cream social). The breakfast and ice cream end up a wash for us (we make nothing out of it)but the children with cancer win and our campers get to have a great breakfast and some really yummy ice cream.

As for the Come Camp with Us Day - the night registration is completely free. However, most KOA's have something going on during the weekend as a fund raiser for the KOA Care Camps (like ice cream socials, hay rides, bingo, etc.) Again, the camping is free but if you want to participate in the fund raiser you can. Not required, just additional fun and the money goes to a great charity.

[Hitchhiker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by KOA Owner:
This is the third year for this promotion, don't know if KOA will offer again next year or do something else. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fourth Year!

KOA is running this again for 2007 on May 11-12, click here for additional information.

[mamaloya]

Note that this year it has a string attached. Quoting their website.

"Remember, stay as a paying guest at a participating KOA on Friday, May 11 and your stay on Saturday, May 12 is absolutely free!"

[Frankie]

We have a few favorite koa's that we take them up on there 2 for 1 spring special.Some last for a few months.

[Barbara S.]

One of my favorite campgrounds close to Houston is Haven's Landing and they have just gone with KOA. They are offering the special there that weekend and I have a group of people signed up to go with me.

The free camping special is camp on Friday, May 11 and get Saturday, May 12th free.