What are the Three Levels of KOA?

Have you ever wondered What is the difference between a KOA Journey and a KOA Holiday? We did, too. So, we did research and talked with some KOA Franchise owners and look forward to sharing what we discovered. Let’s Get Started! To watch this post and see more of these KOAs click on the YouTube video here. Stay until the end to learn what are the three levels of KOA!

What is the Difference Between KOA Journey and KOA Holiday?

The first difference between a KOA Journey and a KOA holiday is the location. KOA Journey’s like this one in El Reno Oklahoma are typically located en route at the exits of major interstates. These campgrounds are an oasis for many travelers as they make their way across the country. We’ll come back to El Reno at the end of the video and show you one thing you’ll never find at any other campground. Guaranteed! You don’t want to miss it!

KOA Holiday’s are typically located at a destination like the Streetsboro/Cleveland KOA near Cuyahoga National Park. Here travelers are expected to stay a few days or over the weekend to enjoy the campground and the nearby attractions like Cleveland and Cuyahoga. But what else is different about the two types of KOAs?

To learn more we need to know a little about KOAs. But first every campground post needs a dad joke!

What do you get when an argument breaks out on a camping trip? A tents atmosphere.

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Dad jokes are great for vacations but

Here are some views of Ogallala Tri Trails KOA while we answer the question:

What is the History of KOA?

In the early 1960s Dave Drum built the first KOA in Billings Montana. A short 2 years later the first franchised KOA was built in Cody Wyoming. Knowing the proximity of Cody Wyoming to Yellowstone national park and Billings being in between Yellowstone and Theodore Roosevelt National Park the locations are a fitting origination. Surviving the oil embargo of the 70s, KOAs peaked in the 80s with over 900 campgrounds. They made it through the .com bust in the late 90s and the great recession and today have around 500 campgrounds with the KOA name in the United States and Canada. But why is it called KOA? KOA stands for Kampgrounds of America. The K is used because Campground with a C could not be copyrighted. The logo hasn’t changed. It represents a teepee with an open door and warm fire inside represented by the black dot which is rising smoke.

Now that we know a little history including the welcoming logo you might be asking

Why are KOA Campgrounds so Special?

All KOAs regardless of whether it is a Holiday or Journey have the same foundational amenities as we look at Albuquerque KOA Journey. They are all required to have laundry, bathhouses, be dog friendly, use the KOA reservation website, escort you to your campsite, be branded with staff wearing logoed clothing, have campsites with full hookup, have pull thru sites, activities for kids like playgrounds, and a campground store with supplies, snacks, and gifts. Many KOAs also have cabin options. The goal of KOAs are to provide a more enjoyable camping experience for travelers than non KOA campgrounds.

What is your Brood’s favorite KOA? We’d love to hear from you in the comments! If you like this post and are a fan of Pinterest use the photos below to pin to your favorite board.

Location is one but

What are Other Differences Between the KOA Journey and KOA Holiday?

The holiday generally has more to offer. More of the holiday campgrounds will have on-site arcades and swimming pools3. You will also notice additional features like fishing and kayaking lakes or ponds like the Scottsburg Raintree Lake KOA. The Detroit/Ann Arbor KOA has a huge water slide. Streetsboro/Cleveland KOA has multiple playgrounds, big chess, a pool, fishing ponds, and pavilions for events and activities. Holiday campgrounds have more to offer on-site and with area attractions to provide travelers with multiple days of activities, relaxation, and vacation. But you’ll also notice they are generally larger with more campsites and more cottages for rent. But have you found another campground that has Bison on site! What is the craziest thing you’ve seen while camping? Really, we’d love to hear your comments!

So What are the Three Levels Of KOA?

KOA Journey are KOAs that are generally on the way to a destination. You will find them on the highways. KOA Holidays are more for weekend or destination camping for 2-3 nights. These are like Streetsboro KOA near Cuyahoga National Park. KOA Resorts are the destination. The resorts will have many activities, restaurants, and many amenities so that you will want to spend your whole week at the campground.

To learn more about KOAs read this post next!