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Branson KOA- Campground Review

four starsOverall Rating: Nearly Perfect

 

We stayed for several days at the Branson, MO, KOA – Mar 2015, while we attended the KOA Boot Camp.  This was the first time we had ever been to Missouri, and were very excited to not only learn more about KOA, but experience the city of Branson.

Branson KOA review

We were welcomed at the front entranceway by a miniature Elvis himself!  Cute!

Branson was going to be lots of fun!

three starsSetting:  I have to say right off that I might have had a different impression at a different time of the year.  We were put in a Premium Full Hook up Site near the campground’s Convention Center.

Branson KOA review

A large part of this particular campground is placed along the side of a steep hill, with each campsite terraced above the one below.  The premium sites were separated by white picket fences and included picnic tables.

Those that do not get around well might have issues exploring this campground due to the terrain.

It worked well for us as we were only there for a few days, and didn’t spend a ton of time outside, however, for those that are there to enjoy the camping experience, the lots were pretty small.


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

I do have to say that there was a large variety of spots, many of which were plenty big enough for larger rigs, and plenty of room for maneuvering.


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

And along with the variety of spots, there were several Deluxe spots that included grills and patios.  These were particularly nice.

Amenities

four starsBathrooms were in great shape and very clean.

five starsWIFI- The park offers it for free and while it might be different during peak times, I never had an issue getting on line.

four starsLaundry- They have a nice laundry room available 24 hours a day.

five starsActivities- this park includes a swimming pool, a huge convention facility, fitness center, golf cart rental, horseshoes, a hot tub, playground and pontoon boat rentals.   Lots to do on site!


This photo of Branson KOA & Convention Center is courtesy of TripAdvisor

In season, they also offer free breakfast, and food service including pizza, hot wings, fudge and ice cream brought to your campsite.

This is one of the fun perks of KOA!

five starsStaff was friendly and available to help out if needed.  They made a great first impression by meeting us at the front gate and directing us inside.  They were quite knowledgable about the area.  The office can even get you discount tickets at some of the shows and attractions in Branson!

Branson KOA review

four starsDog Friendly– This campground had a very nice fenced in area for the dogs.  Walking the dogs was enjoyable and there were plenty of areas in the campground to take them to.

The positives?  Great park!  Very near downtown Branson and all it has to offer.  In my opinion, it is a great place to stay if you are in town to enjoy Branson.  In season, there is plenty to offer in the park to keep the kids entertained.

Any negatives?  Well, I really hesitate to say this because it truly isn’t the fault of the campground, but this area of the country can be quite volatile in the spring and summer.  While we were there, we were holed up in the RV each evening while thunderstorms, hail and potential tornados made their way through.

We ate dinner the first night looking out the window as hail the size of marbles came down on our VW bug and motorhome. (No damage- unless you want to count the indigestion…)

For the record, Branson KOA does not offer a tornado shelter.

branson missouri travel camping

In the area and looking for something to do?  We recommend the fun and campy town of Branson.  Lots to see and do!

For more information on Branson KOA, be sure to check out their website!

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North Little Rock KOA, Arkansas- Campground Review

four starsOverall Rating: Nearly Perfect

 

We stayed for two days at the North Little Rock KOA in Arkansas – Mar 2015, on our way up to Branson for KOA Boot Camp.  Since we are new KOA Work Kampers, we try to hit as many KOA parks as we can.  You never know when might be working at one!

little rock arkansas

We drove up in pouring down rain, but lucked out and got some beautiful spring weather while here!

four starsSetting:  Beautiful wooded setting.  Lots of large hardwoods.  We were parked in a premium site which offered a concrete slab, along with a nice little patio and table and chairs.  It included a gas fire pit on a pedestal.  Nice!

little rock arkansas koa campsite review

Because of the time of year, they were in the process of lots of upgrades.  This is an older campground, but seems in good repair.

little rock arkansas koa campsite review

The pads are very even and spaces seem far enough apart all throughout the park to provide a little elbow room.  It was nice to be in a park that didn’t put folks so close that you could look out your window into someone else’s.

Amenities

four starsBathrooms were in great shape and very clean.

five starsWIFI- The park offers it for free and while it might be different during peak times, I never had an issue getting on line.

four starsLaundry- They have a nice laundry room available 24 hours a day.  The laundry room was just off of a game room that included a pool table and small ice cream parlor.  Plenty to keep you entertained while your clothes are drying!

five starsActivities- this park includes a swimming pool, fitness center (for adults only), and sauna/hot tub. They also offer bike rentals.

little rock arkansas koa campsite review

To the back of the park are some nice rental cabins along with wooded areas to picnic.

five starsStaff was friendly and available to help out if needed.  I went ahead and purchased my KOA Value Kard while I was here which gave me an automatic 10% discount plus 500 points towards discounts on future stays.

four starsDog Friendly– This campground had not one, but two dog parks.  Nice!  One park was meant for the small dogs and the other was a much larger area.  Both fenced in with trash cans and bags offered for doggie deposits.

The positives?  Great park!  We were basically just a two night-stand, but I could see staying here for a longer period of time.  There was plenty to do nearby in downtown Little Rock.

In the area and looking for something to do?  We recommend the Arkansas River Trail.  The trail runs through Little Rock and North Little Rock, connecting 38 parks, six museums and 5,000+ acres of federal, state and local parkland. The loop is an impressive 88 miles, runs largely along both sides of the Arkansas River and is nicely paved.

A great place for hikers, cyclists, skaters, joggers; and beautiful views of the Arkansas River!

For more information on North Little Rock KOA, be sure to check out their website!

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Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, Bremen, GA

three starsOverall Rating: Needs Work

 

Jellystone Park is located just off of I-20, about 45 minutes west of Atlanta in the town of Bremen, GA.  We chose this location because it was the closest campground to our house in Villa Rica.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia

We stayed here for about a week, but were busy dealing with an Estate Sale and a ton of packing at the house.  The majority of our days were spent running around and we didn’t get to enjoy Jellystone as much as we would liked to have.

Fortunately, we had one day of relative leisure to stop and look around.

two starsSetting: We would love to be able to give better scores here, because the staff was wonderful.  However, truth be known, it left much to be desired.  No pretty views, lots of gravel and red mud, uneven lots, and red ant hills.  Many of the folks staying there (about 60%) were living there full time.  Which means many campers in poor repair and lots of clutter.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia

The park consists of a central building which houses a game room, office, laundry room and restrooms.  The camping lots are placed in a large circle around the central building.

Notes:  All pads are gravel. Many are very uneven.  They have chosen to add additional gravel in some areas to try and level the sites, but in some cases it resulted in a pile of gravel on one end of the pad, creating a huge drop when you would want to exit your camper.

Red Ants!  True it is a Georgia problem, but they can be controlled if kept at bay.  We had to constantly be aware so that the dogs wouldn’t get into a hill of ants.  For those that are not familiar, red ants are rather vicious and have a painful bite.

Roads leading to the campsites have many grates and drainage ditches, causing issues while trying to maneuver a large rig with a car in tow.

Trains!  Although it is no fault of the campground, it is important to note that they are near a very active railroad track.  I grew up listening to train whistles and sleep heavy, so it didn’t bother me, but the husband wakes easily.  Trains go through about once an hour all night.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia5

Amenities

four starsBathrooms were clean, but access was limited.  You need a key code to get in.  Apparently they have issues with folks smoking in them as there were warning signs all over.

five starsWIFI- The park offers it for free and while it might be different during peak times, I never had an issue getting on line.

four starsLaundry- They have a nice laundry room available 24 hours a day.  Again, access is only with an individual key code.

five starsActivities- Where this campground may suffer regarding scenery, it definitely has lots of plusses where activities are concerned.  They have a splashpark, large kiddie pool, and huge swimming pool.  They offer a gameroom, gem mining, horseshoes, mini-golf, pedal carts and three playgrounds.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia5

Animals!  Including huge turtles, alligators, chickens, miniature horses, and lizards.  They even offer a reptile show on the weekends to entertain the kids, along with wagon rides and train rides.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia5

Oh, and there are two talking parrots on either side of the entrance to the main building that are happy to greet you.

five starsStaff is very friendly and helpful when needed.  We were delayed twice getting there, and they were very helpful with our reservations.  They seem great with kids. In true Yogi Bear form, every one of them had name badges with “Ranger” in front of their name.  Cute.

one starDog Friendly– I have to say for such a kid friendly and animal oriented park, I was surprised at how little they had for dogs.  No dog park.  No doggie waste cans.  No doggie waste bags available.  Literally very little area to walk your dogs unless you wanted to walk along the road.  Not cool, really.  Especially when I’m having to dodge red ants along the way.

jellystone campground bremen Georgia5

 

The positives?  If you have children, they will love this place!  Lots for them to do!  In fact, I’ve never seen a park with so much to offer for the kids.

However, if you are looking for a view, have dogs and no children ; you may want to look elsewhere.

In the area and don’t feel like cooking?  We recommend The Chat and Chew for a wonderful breakfast, and Evans Barbeque for a fabulous lunch or dinner!  Both restaurants are located in the nearby town of Villa Rica.

For more information on Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Bremen, be sure to check out their website!

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River’s End Campground & RV Park

four starsOverall Rating: Nearly Perfect

 

River’s End Campground & RV Park is located on the Georgia coast near the South Carolina/Georgia border on a little island called Tybee Island.  With the historic town of Savannah within a 15 minute drive, there is lots to do here.

rivers end campground tybee island georgia

Since purchasing our RV in 2013, we have stayed at River’s End Campground about 5 times.  We love the fact that it is so close to the beach, an easy commute to Savannah, and just blocks from the beach!

rivers end campground and rv park tybee island georgia

five starsSetting: Lots of moss covered hardwoods offering shade, picnic tables, fire pits, level gravel lots.  The park offers full hook up and the park in general is big rig friendly. You are only three blocks from the beach, and the Tybee Island light house.

rivers end campground tybee island

This photo was taken during the off season in late fall.  During the busy time of the year, this park is pretty darn slammed.  And we have to tell you that spots are very close.  We very much prefer the spots along the main road.  They are easy to pull in and out of and give a little more space.

Notes: Big rigs need to be particular careful of the hanging branches.  While we cleared nicely, it was still a bit nerve wracking if you happened to be parked underneath one of these huge tree branches.  Also, during peak season, maneuvering through the park in a big rig can be very tight.

While we do prefer the roadside lots, we need to note that traffic on that road is busy at times.  It can get noisy as the police station is right next door to the campground.   Care is needed when using the road for biking to the beach.

Amenities

four starsBathhouses are easy access and during our stays seemed very clean, while rustic.

five starsWIFI- The park offers it for free and while it might be different during peak times, I never had an issue getting on line.

four starsLaundry- They have a nice laundry room available 24 hours a day.  Personally, I do not do laundry in the middle of the night, but if you wanted to, you certainly could.

four starsSwimming Pool- River’s End boasts the largest swimming pool on Tybee Island.  And it is very nice.  It is only open during the peak season from about April to September.  And they do not offer lifeguards, so supervision of children is a must.

five starsStaff is very friendly and helpful when needed.  They even delivered wood to our doorstep on our last stay.    When we were hit by an unusual snow storm in Atlanta last year, we needed to postpone our trip to Tybee.  The staff was very supportive and at our request, held our deposit until we were ready to reschedule a few months later.

three starsDog Friendly– the park itself offers two different dog parks, one for small and one for large dogs.  Folks don’t necessarily pay much attention to the size restrictions as the smaller dog park is much closer than the other.  They do offer bags and trash cans in the dog park to dispose of waste.

On the negative side, they do not offer dog waste cans and bags in the campground itself, which I definitely prefer.  And the main stickler (while it is no fault of the campground) is the fact that dogs are not allowed on any of Tybee Island’s beaches.
rivers end campground and rv park tybee island georgia

The positives?  Well check out the beautiful lighthouse that is only three blocks from the campground!  Further down the beach are a fishing pier, lots of shopping, and some fantastic restaurants.

rivers end campground and rv park tybee island georgia
Don’t feel like cooking?  The North Beach Bar and Grill is located right by the lighthouse, three blocks from the campground.  They serve a fabulous margarita.  Just saying.

For more information on River’s End Campground & RV Park, be sure to check out their website!

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