Rating (1-5) 3.5 (Read below to see my reasoning because I LOVED this KOA).
RV Park: Oscoda / Tawas KOA Location: Oscoda, Michigan Proximity to town: 5 minutes. The KOA is also five minutes from both Lake Huron and the AuSable River. The facility is NOT on the water. Cost: I paid 55 a night. I have the KOA Value Card, so I save $$$ on my stays. If you don’t have one, you need to get one. Free stays and discounts? YES, please! Dates: July 25-31, 2017
Space: I reserved space 102. If you need a GIANT spot for a large camper, you should reserve this space! Even though I pulled my T@B this trip, the 40ft. Toy-Hauler would have fit perfectly with all of the slides and the back patio deployed. Did I feel bad about monopolizing so much space with my little teardrop? Maybe. Was I comfortable? Very much.
Facilities: The Oscoda KOA boasts many facilities that are similar to most KOAs. The office and the laundry room are clean and conveniently located to most of the campsites so campers can shop, wash clothes, and find yummy treats if the late-evening munchies pop up once you are back in your camper for the night. All of the sites are large, tree lined, and the campers aren’t on top of one another.
Amenities: There are so many great activities and amenities for campers of all ages at the Oscoda KOA, I can’t mention each one. I don’t have kids, but I talked to some campers who do have little ones, and they told me that their kids were having so much fun, they had to drag them back to the campsite at the end of the night. There is an arcade room. Campers can rent bikes (even adult-sided Big Wheel bikes), swim, bounce on the giant bubble trampoline, play basketball, dig in the sand, play in the bounce house, and play tether-ball. The KOA also holds candy hunts, vintage fire truck rides, and hay rides every weekend. I loved seeing the kids of all ages in their jammies with their bags ready to go on a candy hunt. I think that families with children could park and play all day, and never leave the KOA.
Practice what you park: The ONE downfall of this KOA is the train that barrels through a few times a day. I’d rate this campground a 4 / 5 if it weren’t for the train rumbling through in the middle of the night. I was the second camper from the train tracks. When the train came through about 10:30-11:00 at night, I could hear it coming. My whole camper shook for thirty seconds, and the whistle reverberated throughout the entire campground. It was scary at first, but honestly, it only happened a few times a day, so I knew I’d have quiet again, soon. I know a train is a deal-breaker for some campers, but I was so pleased with everything else, the train issue isn’t an issue for me.
BONUS: I LOVED the door-to- camper trash service. I’d just leave my trash bag at the end of my campsite, and it was hauled off to the dumpster. I never once had to walk to a dumpster.
All of the facilities are clean. This KOA is a more-rugged-style campground. Campers spend time playing outside swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and tubing. The Lake Huron beach and the AuSable River are both close by for water activities. The bathrooms did have dirt tracked in and out of them, but the staff was always cleaning to help combat the dirt and the water.
The family-style outhouse is fabulous. Two bathroom/showers are available for families. I think moms or dads who have smaller kids love those big family-friendly facilities. One thing I didn’t like about the family restrooms? The frogs. It rained in Oscoda a lot. One day it rained for a good 12 hours. Rain in Oscoda means frogs. I was shampooing my hair in the family restroom, and I opened my eyes, and I was staring at a frog. I am surprised I didn’t freak out, but these tiny baby frogs were kind of cute. I just kept one eye on the frogs (there were about 25 of them in the shower with me) and cleaned myself quickly! After the rain had stopped, the frogs went away!
My experiences: I LOVED this KOA. I stayed here for a week while I was helping my dad prepare for the AuSable Marathon Canoe Race. As a female RVer traveling alone, I felt safe and secure my entire stay. The staff is genuine, caring, and helpful. They check parking passes to make sure that the people who are in the campground are registered campers or guests. The element of security is essential for solo-female travelers. This KOA is one of the few campgrounds that I’ve stayed at for more than a day or two. I worked from my camper and spent hours sitting outside my RV. I loved just enjoying Oscoda, and the KOA was a big part of my stay there. I’d come back and stay again!