Kampgrounds Of America [KOA]
Reviews and Complaints

I have never been treated so rudely in all of my life. Each and every employee at the Port Huron, MI KOA is rude, mean, and disrespectful. Even simple questions are answered with a scowl and judgment. Management and owner are violent bullies who seek out altercations with their patrons. The owner, Howard Stein, actually started a physical altercation with our group during our most recent stay when I questioned his character and customer service relations. To make a long story short, our rented golf cart was confiscated by management because my father-in-law, who rented the golf cart, took his wrist band off because it had become bothersome after being wet at the pool. He kept the wrist band on him to prove he was "of age" to drive but management requested he get a new bracelet. We had no problem complying with the request but we were encountered by management as we were literally about to board the bumper boats with our young children. We promised we would go as soon as we were finished since the golf cart office was on the opposite end of the park and leaving the bumper boats would have caused a melt down by my 5 year old who had been waiting all day to ride. When we left the ride we found the golf cart gone, with my sons shoes and other belongings gone with it. The owner, Howard was sitting in his cart near where we parked waiting for us instead. When we asked him what happened to the cart he mumbled under his breath and could not be understood. He then told us we needed to go to the golf cart rental location. I asked him for a ride since my children had no shoes (since they were in the cart that was taken) and he looked me straight in the eye, pointed at my young child, and said in a very forceful tone, "they can walk". My husband and I both said, "excuse me?" He repeated and insisted that they were perfectly able to make the half mile walk across this massive park barefoot on the hot cement. Never mind the possibility of stepping on glass or other garbage that could have injured him. When we finally arrived at the office, I filed a complaint with the manager, telling him that I did not think it was necessary to be spoken to that way and I did not appreciate his unconcerned attitude toward my children. Howard then walked into the office behind me (he could not drive us to the office, yet he followed us all the way there instead.) He began to argue with me and become nasty in front of my children. Admittedly my husband and father became angry with the way he was speaking to me and voices started to raise. Howard then tried to get into a physics altercation with my father. He pushed past me, placing his hands on me and actually shoving me out of the way. This enraged my father even more. I did not want to see a fight break out, so I stepped in between them. Howard then pushed me into the door jam and stepped on my foot, (which is now severely bruised) as he was trying to force us out of the building. He threatened to kick us out until a group of people standing outside witnesses him place his hands on me. He changed his tune real fast and canceled the sheriff once he was caught being abusive. All this happened in front of my children who were crying and yelling for me the whole time as they were scared. We put it all past us and went about making dinner and trying to enjoy the rest of our evening for the kids. Nothing else occurred, we were quiet, and went to bed. Then, this morning, as I was packing up my camper, Howard decided to come over to our campsite. The day before, I had mentioned to Howard that I was going to make sure I left a lengthy and detailed review on social media about my experience at their park. He did not see me standing there as he asked my dad if I was his daughter who threatened to take our experience to social media. I poked my head up from my chores and said, "yup, that's me." He then proceeded to tell me, "see, I'm like Donal Trump, youcome at me and I'm going to strike back." I swear to god these were his exact words. I looked over his shoulder and realized he had brought three golf carts of management and other workers with him. I realized that Howard was inciting another altercation with us. I asked him what his purpose for coming over to our campground this morning was for. We were packing up to leave, he could have just let us go, but he made a point to come back and resurface the entire situation from yesterday. He was threatening me. That is what he was doing. And he was expecting retaliation so he brought reinforcements. Mind you, my children were sitting there with me again! He told me if I say anything he would sue me for slander. I told him slander is telling untruths about someone for the purpose of defamation one's character. I was not slandering him since I was speaking truth and telling my experiences at his facility. Then, I asked him to leave me and my family alone. He invited us to never come back, but that is not a problem because I will never go back there ever again. Howard and the rest of the staff and management at the Port Huron/Kimball KOA obviously have zero concern for your children or family. They are bullies who are looking for a fight. They were so worried about our golf cart wrist band that they didn't notice the gang of teenagers who hopped the fence into their park illegally or the number of people at the pool with open intoxicates. I feel threatened and abused both verbally and physically. I am also now scared that my children were subject to that type of behavior by a large man toward a young woman. In addition, I am nervous that he going to try and accuse us of leaving our campsite a mess or destroyed. So much so, that I actually took pictures of it before we left to show how neat and tidy we left it. Nobody should have to feel this way, especially while trying to enjoy themselves on a family vacation. All because we were not wearing a paper band. I implore you, if you are considering a stay at this resort, to reconsider. There are plenty of other beautiful places around.

I am staying at the space coast KOA in Mims Florida. I call this place section 8 camping. There are vehicles driving in and out all times of the day and night doing drug sales. The other night the police were called for gun shots. Tonight the police were called for someone pulling a gun on someone else. This is the worst campground i have ever stayed at. And I've stayed at a lot of them. This place really makes KOA look bad.

At 8:45 PM our family was evicted by an irrational and unreasonable maintenance man and his local policeman "friend" because our 8 lb Yorkie was barking! Endangering our lives by forcing us out to travel on dark, unfamiliar mountain roads pulling a 36 ft travel trailer with our 2 small children after evacuating FL from Hurricane Irma. For the sake of our children, my husband tried to reassure the hostile man that he was tending to our dog and asked for us to be able to remain until daylight. My traumatized children witnessed the bullying and aggressive worker threaten to have his police friend take their dad to jail if we didn't leave within one hour.

I had a 2 night reservation in my class B van. They put me in spot 16 beside the campground electrical panel and a streetlight. The first night I could not open my windows or vent due to the loud buzz from the panel and /or the light. I went in the office first thing in the morning and asked to be moved. That lady said she had two spots but stop in when I came back from my days outing. When I came back a hateful desk agent told me I could not move and she did not care that was my spot. Even though there are empty spots in this campground, that is simply rude and not attentive to a customer complaint. I will not stay here ever again. Hateful agent does not belong in this line of work. I pay more and expect a good night sleep which I could not get here.

July 15, 2016
To KOA Customer Services;
We have stayed at many KOA's around the USA with overall good results. [protected] we stayed at the Amarillo, TX KOA. When pulling into the parking area to register for the night the KOA person had me park close to office and pulled me all the way up to the front of the area. I was actually going to park over behind the trailer in the middle spot, but the KOA person had me park in area next to the office. As you can see in the photos, there are three holding spaces in front of the registration office.
After registration, the KOA person guided me to the site (as usual). In this case, there was little room to swing our 43' motor home around the turn without hitting a post in front of me so I swung as far as possible while watching the post in front, I had to cut sharply at that point to make the turn. There was a post at my right rear that hit our motor home. The person directing me heard it also and looked around but did not stop. At this point I did not stop, but when I got to the assigned site the guide person and I saw where the post had made contact with the motor home. He admitted that others had hit the post and that was a tight turn for big rigs. When I approached the office to discuss the problem and damage to the motor home, I was told the owner would be there in the morning and I needed to talk with him about getting any repairs, etc.
The morning of [protected] at about 9:30 am I met with the owner, Mr. Tim Hulen. He was not very friendly about the situation and basically told me it was my fault. He said that many others had hit the same post, but he would not move it over which would have solved the problem. The problem was not the post it was me since I was the driver.
Here is my problem with all of this;
The post has been hit many times as you can see from the photos. The KOA folks told me to park there, but did not warn me of the potential issue with this post. The KOA folks guided me to the site without warning of the problem with the post. The Owner has no regard for the fact that this has happened many times in the past and says he will not move the post. He told me my insurance will cover the damage not his. When I went back to take photos of the post, a woman came out and basically threatened me and told me to get off their property, even though I had more time to stay if I had wished.
Mr. Hulen and staff had no sympathy or compassion for our problem and offered no help to us to solve the problem. Instead they just wanted us to leave. I did not lose my temper or say anything that should have prompted such treatment. My simple suggestion to either move one or both posts was abruptly rejected. My suggestion to at least warn folks about this problem and make sure big rigs did not park there was also rejected. Mainly, I did not want someone else to have the same problem when it is so simply resolved.
Hopefully, KOA does not support such actions and treatment of their customers. We were hoping this would be a place we could stay when travelling through the area. We had been staying at another RV park just down the road, but thought we would try the KOA this time.
Please advise us as to what actions we have to get our motor home repaired since this was the fault of the KOA personnel at this site.
We look forward to hearing from you soon about this problem. Please see the below photos of the damage caused to the motor home. We hope that the rest of our stays at future KOA’s will be much more friendly without such problems or owners who do not appreciate their customers.
Thank you for your time,
Richard and Beverly Norsworthy
[protected]
KOA #1V8F5H

Tried to add photos, but could not get them to upload.

I am in the campground since Dec 30th 2015 and we had a major rainfall which my patio area became flooded as my site is at the bottom of the hill. I ask management to move me as I am here for 3 months and they refused. It happened again and I requested again and I was refused again. Then Iask my neighbour to move their car as I was parking beside my trailer and then they wanted to move me to the overflow site. I pay 1300$ per month + electricity. Other people pay 800, some 1200. Not one site as the same price... No pool, No clubhouse, no trees, gravel, no grass...What was I thinking?

I expected more from a KOA: go to https://realtimes.real.com/s/ar1BaY for a slideshow of proof. No activities (we have a child), extremely rude management, distressed (moldy and in need of paint) facilities, uneven and short sites, over abundance of full time residents with old, unsightly rigs, and built near a landfill with garbage ringing the campground. The bathrooms were spotless, but the advertised exercise room is a lie ... it is inaccessible behind a door marked "private" and we were not able to go in the room even after asking.

This place is horrible! Packed like sardines, hookups are sketchy, pool is green and disgusting, staff not allowing us to stay one hour past checkout so we can visit the train museum which is the reason we booked at this crap hole, staff laughing at us as we asked again why we couldn't stay an hour longer when checkout is at noon and check in was at 3pm on a Sunday after 4th of July weekend! This is rediculous! The flyer we were given at check in stated that if we need to stay longer we just need to ask and that bribes are excepted...WHAT?! Because we didn't bribe you we can't stay an hour? This place is a JOKE! Will never stay here again and will make sure it's all over the internet how bad it is here! It's sad that this place is under the KOA name! Definitely not up to KOA standards!

Stopped at this KOA after a week on the road to take the kids to the Train Museum. We arrived at 6pm and could barely get into our pull- through site because of the number of cars lining the street. The next morning we went to the check out desk and asked if we could check out 1 hour later so that we could make the museum without being rushed (didn't open until 10:00). The manager didn't even bother to check to see if anyone was coming into our sites to see if they could accommodate us. Instead, when we expressed our frustration, she simply laughed in our faces. She was rude, unprofessional, and seemed to find out frustration humorous. Just kept laughing. After looking at reviews, I believe she might have been "high". The flier they provided us at check in stares: "if you need to stay later or arrive earlier, please check with office. BRIBES accepted." I guess we didn't offer them a good enough bribe (money, alcohol, pot...?). She said they needed time to clean the site of trash- yet when we arrived, there was a trash bag in our site that we had to move (and we arrived late!) this place is a dump- pool was green and disgusting, the others guests were walking around dropping F Bombs and overall, the trashiest park I've ever stayed at (rv'ers for 13 years) and the management the poorest.

Drove into this KOA last night. Claims to be able to accommodate 'rigs of all sizes.' What a joke. When we first arrived, the staff was very nice and gave us a campsite straight across from the main office, where, they said, we could back the truck up to unload and then park along the edge of the drive. The staff was very nice throughout this awful experience. The owner (an extremely rude, arrogant man) and his equally ignorant punk of a son, were not helpful or nice. As my husband and dad were turning the truck around, the boy very rudely told them they could not park there and ran to get daddy, who stormed in rudely barking at the staff and then us to move it elsewhere. We are military PCSing from CA to PA, and were very tired after driving since 6 am that morning and not arriving at the KOA until almost 7:30 pm. The last thing we needed was such rude treatment. There was no attempt from the mean and arrogant owner or his son to apologize or resolve the issue in a friendly way. The page that says this site is big rig friendly is a joke, the owners are mean and rude; however, the staff is lovely, and the lady even mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' as the ignorant owner refunded our money. At least we got our money back I guess! I will never use this KOA again after such treatment. We did get a refund without an issue, and drove up the road until we could find a Motel 6 to crash at for a few hours. Don't give these people your business...the Motel 6 had much better customer service, and it was well worth the extra few bucks.

Upside: Facilities seem to be clean & well maintained, pool & miniature golf on premises.
Downside:
1.Paid for water & electricity. Got only power.
2. NO night security on duty. I had to ask the noisy, overcrowded for the camp site mob next to us to hold it down 1-1/2 hrs. AFTER quiet hours were to start. I could have played football outside @ 11:30PM due to their halogen lights. Most of them put up their tents then. I suspect that they didn't pay, & came in thru the east gate away from the office. It seems that the inmates are running the asylum. There were a big bunch of other pissed off campers, & in the morning when they were demanding a refund for what we all had to put up with the night before. Management basically told them to pound salt. I could have put up with few trees & no grass, BUT OUR NEIGHBORS RUINED MY FAMILY'S CAMPING EXPERIENCE. MANAGEMENT'S ABDICATION OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES DIDN'T HELP.
3. Go kart track too close to campground.

Will I ever stay there again? Not no, BUT HELL NO!

Infested with bed bugs! Do not stay here. Our group stayed in both cabins. Cabin 1 had them crawling out of the cracks in the wood logs and we ended up being bitten more times than we could count. My brother was so bad he went to the doctor and was given antibiotic, steroid pack, and a body cream scrub to prevent staph infection. Since we were moving from cabin to cabin I would bet cabin 2 has them also.

The scary thing for all you travelers out there is that my cousin was walking to the bathroom and half way there discovered a live bed bug crawling on his leg. No telling where they are infested in the buildings of the camp ground.

The owner Susan would not refund any of our money and said they turned the matter over to their insurance company.

i was using koa campground, my daughter and grand daughter came to visit. the campground charged them eight dollars to get in. this is just an out and out scam. and koa should revoke thier franchise.i am so mad that i cant be bother telling other things they do. is this a normal thing for koa?

We have stayed the last two nights at the Eureka KOA, we are also from Eureka. The first night we registered after hours, the second day, we paid at the counter. Today we decided to stay another night, and this time instead of asking us how many, the first question was "What is your zip code?" This question was never asked before, and if they looked up my name they would see that they entered a local zip code before.

However, when I gave them my zip code, the response was "We don't accept locals", when I explained we had been there the last 2 nights, and why weren't we told that before. The girl responded with if you came in at night we wouldn't be able to stop you. I responded to that with why isn't there anything posted anywhere on your brochure, your web site or your evening reservation booth "that locals are not allowed".

The girl couldn't answer that but told me she would pass the information on to her manager.

We are now without a place to stay for the evening as we had arranged our budget to stay at the KOA.

I believe if we had disturbed any of the other patrons, they would've clearly told us that instead of using the zip code as a reason for refusal. I believe that the Eureka KOA is discriminating against me and my partner and given that I have a high regard for the KOA campground ever since I was a teen ager, I believe Debbie at the Eureka KOA should be informed of the discrimination laws.

In this day and age with racial issues, and everyone being sensitive of what is poliltcally correct, I find this rejection not only offensive, but actually abusive. Yes, it's true any business can reserve the right to refuse service to anyone as long as the reasoning is not discriminatory.

Incidentally, as I drove my Explorer out of the campground, I was as civil and polite as I could be, just because they are completely rude, doesn't mean I will be, I noticed other vehicles parked with the Eureka CA license plates, this clearly confirmed my belief.

Please advise.

[protected] Tamas and Lisa Lawler or [protected]
[protected]@ymail.com

We stayed at this KOA and were treated like we were the homeless! These are the most uncouth, rude, mean spirited people my son and I have witnessed! We got snookered in for a two for one camping sight in May 2011. They put us by a gang banger who had their children yelling to 11:30 at night! Then, the adults took over, with big flames rising up from their campsite, talking all night on cell, with loud music! QUIET TIME IS 10:30 TO 7:00 AM... NO ONE CAME TO THROW THESE PEOPLE OUT!
The guy the next tent over kept yelling "SHUT UP." HE WASN'T HAPPY AND I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE GUNS DRAWN! I work in a prison and I know trouble when I see it! My son and I went into the car to "sleep." We got zero sleep and I felt like a zombie the next day. They put me, "out of being nice", in a cabin the next day. WE WERE SO EXHAUSTED, WE SLEPT THE ENTIRE NEXT DAY." My son wanted to see Flagstaff that week, so we were told we could pay day to day for the cabin. I did not want to risk being in our tent again, as my son was frightened this could happen again! THE OTHER CABINS WERE EMPTY (THEY HAD 3 OTHER CABINS) EXCEPT FOR 2 DAYS. On the 6th day they threw us out by saying "WE HAVE A RESERVATION. YOU NEED TO LEAVE TODAY." I could not believe this! THEN THE MANAGER LET HIS DOG JUMP UP ON ME AND ALMOST PUSHED ME OVER! They lied and said they had told me the cabin was reserved! THEY JUST WANTED MY MONEY AS THE CABIN WAS EMPTY! One said "miscommunication." YEAH, RIGHT. We packed our stuff and the one who pushes her weight around, drives up with an ugly look on her face and says "if you are not out soon, I will charge you for another night. You are 1/2 hour late!" SHE SAID MORE UGLY THINGS WHICH I HAVE ON RECORDER! OBVIOUSLY, THEY FORGOT WHO THE CUSTOMER WAS! WHILE WE WERE GETTING OUT, THEY SENT SOME WOMAN WITH A WEED EATER TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND KICK UP DIRT ALL AROUND THE CABIN! The weeds were there all week, now they do this? THEY CAN GO ABUSE SOMEONE ELSE! WE LEFT AND WENT TO KINGMAN, WHICH WAS VERY NICE, BUT I WILL NEVER GO TO ANOTHER KOA AGAIN AS WHEN I COMPLAINED TO CORPORATE THEY KEPT PUTTING ME OFF AND FINALLY wrote saying "Flagstaff has resolved this. HAPPY CAMPING." CORPORATE CAN SHOVE IT AND CLOSE THEIR DOORS FOR ALL I CARE! HAPPY CAMPING TO HELL... TO FLAGSTAFF KOA AND THEIR DUMBER THEN A BOX OF ROCKS UNCUSTOMER SERVICE AT CORPORATE!

Vacationed here early 2011, were awakened by light being shined around our RV by a police car in the campground. Apparently some theft had occurred. Spoke with other guests, who said this is reoccurring event. Did not feel safe after this, left the next day.

BED BUGS!My husband and I were on a trip and stopped here.HUGE MISTAKE!At about midnight I was waking up itching like crazy.We turned on the light and there was so many bed bugs!Im guessing 20-30.It was ridiculous.We ended up throwing over a hundred dollars worth of stuff away, because we didn't want to drag them with us.They said they would reimburse us for that night, but ended up charging us twice.We had to call them about 10 times to get our money back.And the guy was a jerk!I had sooo many bites it was ridiculous!PLEEEEEASE don't stay here.Bed bugs are a nightmare!