Why Seasonal Camping?

Seasonal Camping is called by several names.  Some people call it permanent camping, some people call it extended stays, RV Camping, or Long Term Camping. Basically, they all mean that your RV sits on a campsite and you're not required it until your seasonal camping agreement expires, or is renewed!

If you enjoy camping weekends, but the work involved or work schedules tend to make you not go as often as you’d like to go camping, maybe it's time to think about seasonal camping. Why not make it less work and maximize your family’s use of your RV?

Here are some reasons why we think Seasonal camping at Meadville KOA might be the right choice for your family! 

The Price is right! When you compare our unlimited seasonal camping rates to overnight camping, the discount you get by being a seasonal camper is huge!  Most campgrounds provide similar services and activities, but ask about extras!  Some campgrounds provide all inclusive seasonal rates like we do, and some do not.  Make sure you know exactly what your expenses will be before you sign that Seasonal Camping Agreement!  When you do the math, you’ll find that the price is right!

What’s included in the Seasonal Rate? 

• We do the mowing!  That is a premium service.  Meadville KOA Campground is the only campground in NW PA that offers that at no additional charge.  What that means is no mower to buy, transport or store.  No gas to buy and transport, and no work!  You can spend more time having fun and less time working!  Even more importantly, it makes our park quiet.  There aren’t mowers running on Saturdays when you’re trying to relax and enjoy sleeping in. Oh, and it makes is safer for you, your family, vehicles, and RV.
• Unlimited camping for 2 adults and 2 children, or a 3rd adult.  Most campgrounds charge extra for extra adults.
• Seasonal Campsites have water, sewer, refuse, and the electric is metered.  The water, sewer, and garbage services are included in your seasonal rate.  The electric (and we offer 30 and 50 amp) are metered, which means you only pay for what you use.
• Wi-Fi and cable TV are included!  We provide Wi-Fi to all of our Seasonal campsites, and each campsite has 48 channels of Cable TV.  Channels include Disney, ESPN, Movie Channels, 5 local channels, The Weather Channel, Movie channels, sports channels, and more!  They make camping on rainy weekends easier with, or without the kids or grand kids!
• Themed event weekend’s planned activities are included!  We even include children’s crafts and meals for the people listed on your seasonal camping agreement!  Where else do you get that?
• We have tons of outdoor recreation fun! We have catch and release fishing in well-stocked ponds and lakes! We have a swimming pool, creek for wading and exploring, a hiking trail for exploring, 3 playgrounds, volleyball, basketball, Ga-Ga Ball, and horseshoe pits!
• We have a pre-paid Amenities Fun Band Program for use of the Jumping Pillow, Paddle Boats, Pedal Karts, and Mini Golf all season long! It’s affordable and will keep your tweens and teens busy!  
• We have a reduced, pre-paid visitor’s program, and a reduced pre-paid extra camper program for your extended family members.  It’s affordable and allows your extended family to come enjoy the campground!
• Right now is the perfect time to select a site!  We have a few openings for the season.  So it’s the perfect time to shop for a campsite this spring! And, we’ll prorate the campsite and you pay only for the time you occupy the campsite! 

Your spouse and the kids can enjoy the campsite even when you have to work!  Because everything is all set up and ready to go, your spouse and kids can spend vacation or days off enjoying the pool and amenities at the campground! So, if you have different weekends or days off, you can both utilize the RV without all the work of packing, towing setup, tear down, towing, and unpacking!  

Our sites are spacious!  Our sites are roomy, with full size trees in a pretty rural setting.  So your family has some privacy and space for fun.

Our campground is in a pretty, rural setting!  It isn’t unusual to see birds (king fishers, orioles, turkeys, etc.), deer, and even an occasional bear!

Meet new people!  Seasonal campers are like a small community.  They become friends, hang out, play cards or yard games, have group campfires, their children become friends, play together, and much more!  Many volunteer to help with activities and events and bring lots of fun to their camping environment in a family friendly way!  What a great way to meet new people and make new friends!  We hope you’ll consider joining our KOA family!

We’re a family campground!  We run a family campground that caters to families of all ages.  There aren’t golf carts racing around, there are quiet hours, etc.  We are all about family fun!  We want your family to create a lifetime of memories from camping here!  That is our goal!  And we have 3rd and now 4th generations of campers camping here at Meadville KOA! 

We save you work!  Camping is never work free.  But, you can save all the work of hooking up, unhooking, setting, up, tearing down, and towing expenses by camping seasonally.  You get a vacation home away from home, for about the price of one vacation! Now that’s a savings and it makes vacationing every weekend all season long even easier!  Vacation right into autumn and enjoy the fall foliage and autumn events and activities, and who doesn’t love sitting around a campfire in the spring and autumn?

What if right now isn’t the right time?  It’s okay.  Contact us in the late summer and we can show you sites for next summer.  You can give us a deposit, select the site of your choosing, and then make winter payments to make it affordable for your family budget!  What a great gift for your family!  Did we mention that you can park your RV on your site this autumn and that free, on site winter storage is included with your campsite fee?  Why not save those storage facility costs?

Make the right choice!  Seasonal camping maximizes your summer vacation time and use of your RV while minimizing your expenses!  It can provide your family a summer full of fun, family oriented camping experiences for about the same price as one vacation!  Make sure you take a little time to consider that idea, and how it can help your family get the biggest bang for your buck this summer! 

Learn more about Seasonal camping at https://meadvillekoa.com/seasonal-camping/!

By Robyn Chilson                                            

Tim & Robyn Chilson are both CPO, own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.

Get The Most Out of Your RV

Get The Most Out of Your RV

No matter what RV you own or are thinking of purchasing, you’ll want to get the most out of your RV.  RV’s can be used for tailgating at sporting events, attending seasonal festivals or special events, temporary housing for out of town work, vacations, and a host of other applications as well. 

Most RVer’s know that camping and RVing is still America’s most cost-effective style of vacationing.  What most people spend on one, one week vacation, RVer’s spend on a whole season of camping or RVing fun!  That means that they get a lot more fun and recreation for their money! Seasonal camping will help you get the most out of your RV! 

Camping seasonally usually means that your RV stays on the campsite for the whole season or all year, depending upon the kind of camping agreement you have with the Campground or RV Park. 

Seasonal Campers usually occupy a site for a greatly reduced rate, because they have a long-term camping agreement with the park owner, make their payments during the campground or RV park’s off season, and provide winter income for the campground during low cash flow seasons.

Because of this trade-off, there are huge savings to be found for the Seasonal Camper.  They can participate in all the activities and events at the campground, and get a lot more use out of their RV than the person who travels from campground to campground on a regular basis.  Why?  RVing is a lot of fun, but it still involves a lot of work.  The clothes, food, bedding, towels, and personal toiletries need packed, the trailer needs hooked up, towed, set-up, tore down, towed home and unpacked.  Towing isn’t cheap.  There’s wear and tear on the RV, the tow vehicle, and the driver, not to mention the price of gas. 

The Seasonal Camper, cleans and stocks their RV in the spring, stocks food as needed throughout the camping season, and closes it up in the fall.  Other than washing the RV, or regular maintenance, seasonal camping is much less expense and less work – which makes it easier and more pleasurable, and in turn, more likely to be used more often.  It also allows the seasonal camper to spend the savings on other recreational activities like golf or other hobbies, or on other forms of entertainment rather than on gas and vehicle maintenance. 

Seasonal camping has also changed a whole generation’s way of life.  Instead of owning a home in the North and a Vacation home in the south, many people live in their RV’s full time, or own a home in one place and live in the RV in other.  RV’s are easily winterized and that makes it convenient to go south for the winter and leave the RV in the North, or you can always take it with you if you decide to do so!  The RVing industry has not only changed the way we vacation, it’s changed the way we live!

When we combine the convenience, savings, and the versatility, seasonal camping is the best way to get the most out of your RV and your wallet!

Call us today for a list of our available seasonal campsites!  We’re happy to show them to you!  

By Robyn Chilson  (Robyn & her husband Tim, CPO own & operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA).

Autumn Camping

As summer gives way to autumn, most campers’ thoughts turn to thoughts of school starting, autumn campfires, and Halloween Weekends.  While you're enjoying those camping weekends, maybe it's time to think about next summer, and begin planning your family’s camping vacation time!       

Here are some reasons why we think Meadville KOA might be the right choice for your family! 

The Price is right!  When you compare our unlimited seasonal camping rates to overnight camping, the discount you get by being a seasonal camper is huge!  Most campgrounds provide similar services and activities, but ask about extras!  Some campgrounds provide all inclusive seasonal rates like we do, and some do not.  Make sure you know exactly what your expenses will be before you sign that Seasonal Camping Agreement!   When you do the math, you’ll find that the price is right!  Your RV is all set up and ready to camp, for about the same price as a weekend of camping!  

What’s included in the Seasonal Rate?

• We do the mowing!  That is a premium service.  Meadville KOA Campground is the only campground in NW PA that offers that at no additional charge.  What that means is no mower to buy, transport or store.  No gas to buy and transport, and no work!  You can spend more time having fun and less time working!  Even more importantly, it makes our park quiet.  There aren’t mowers running on Saturdays when you’re trying to relax and enjoy sleeping in. 
• Unlimited camping for 2 adults and 2 children, or a 3^rd adult.  Most campgrounds charge extra for extra adults. 
• Seasonal Campsites have water, sewer, refuse, and the electric is metered.  The water, sewer, and garbage services are included in your seasonal rate.  The electric (and we offer 30 and 50 amp) are metered, which means you only pay for what you use. 
• Wi-Fi and cable TV are included!  We provide Wi-Fi to all of our Seasonal campsites, and each campsite has 48 channels of Cable TV.  Channels include Disney, ESPN, Movie Channels, 5 local channels, The Weather Channel, and more!  They make camping on rainy weekends easier with, or without the kids or grand kids!
• Themed event weekend’s planned activities are included!  We even include children’s crafts and meals for the people listed on your seasonal camping agreement!  Where else do you get that?
• We have a reduced, pre-paid visitor’s program, and a reduced pre-paid extra camper program for your extended family members.  It’s affordable and allows your extended family to come enjoy the campground!
• We have a reduced cost fun band for the rental amenities!  It’s affordable and will keep your tweens and teens busy!
• The rate includes your on site winter storage of your RV!  (With your deposit and signed camping agreement for the following season.)
• We have an interest-free payment plan with a $75 Rebate if you pay in full by January 1!  That helps make it fit your family budget!

Right now is the perfect time to select a site!  Like most campgrounds, we have a few openings for next season this time of year.  So it’s the perfect time to shop for a campsite!  Don’t forget that we have a winter payment plan and we even include on site winter storage in the fees!  If you normally pay for a storage facility, that’ll save you even more money!   

Save more by getting an early bird discount!  You can save even more money by paying for your campsite early.  We provide that $75 rebate off the seasonal fee if you pay in full when you reserve your site this fall.  Or, you can save $50.00 if you pay it off in full by Jan 1!  Now there’s a savings!    

Store Your RV onsite all winter at no additional fee!  With your deposit for 2018, you get free, onsite winter storage.  Get set up on your site for camping next season, and then leave it there all winter!

Meet new people!  Seasonal campers are like a small community.  They become friends, hang out, play cards or yard games, have group campfires, their children become friends, play together, and much more!  Many volunteer to help with activities and events and bring lots of fun to their camping environment in a family-friendly way!  What a great way to meet new people and make new friends!  We hope you’ll consider joining our KOA family!      

We’re a family campground!  We run a campground that caters to families of all ages.  We are all about family fun!  We want your family to create a lifetime of memories from camping here!  That is our goal!  And we have 3^rd and now 4^th generations of campers camping here at Meadville KOA! 

We save you work!  Recreating is never work free.  But, you can save all the work of hooking up, unhooking, setting, up, tearing down, and towing expenses by camping seasonally.  You get a vacation home away from home, for about the price of one vacation! Now that’s a savings and it makes vacationing every weekend all season long even easier!  Vacation right into autumn and enjoy the fall foliage and autumn events and activities, and who doesn’t love sitting around a campfire?

Make the right choice!  Seasonal camping maximizes your summer vacation time and use of your RV while minimizing your expenses!  It can provide your family a summer full of fun, family oriented camping experiences for about the same price as one vacation!  Make sure you take a little time to consider that idea, and how it can help your family get the biggest bang for your buck next summer!  Then, we hope you’ll start looking at local campgrounds and thinking about becoming a seasonal camper!  It’s not too late to move onto a site this fall!  Campground owners are looking forward to talking with you and showing you all the fun events and activities we’re already planning for next summer! 

By Robyn Chilson


Tim & Robyn Chilson are both CPO, own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.

Enjoy Halloween In September!

At Meadville KOA, we do Halloween in September.  Generally, the weather is little better than in October, and we’re not competing with other campgrounds who do their Halloween Events on or near Halloween.

Halloween is a big deal.  Kids love trick or treating, parents love the creativity, and it’s just good, family fun!  If you’re looking for some family fun this fall, then come to Meadville KOA!  We have some great Halloween (and other autumn) event weekends in store for your family!  But you better reserve now, because the weekends are upon us!

The weekend, Sept. 16, we have Pumpkinfest Weekend! – This is a great weekend for tweens & teens!  We’ll have free crafts with the younger kids, and free pumpkin carving for teens, and then enjoy free pumpkin treats like pumpkin cake and ice cream!  Turn your campsite into a Haunted Campsite!  Big prizes (Free Camping) for 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd Scariest with Best Pumpkin Theme!  Tweens & Teens, join us on our pumpkin scavenger hunt!  Find a magic pumpkin and bring it to the store before you leave for your prize!  (* 2 night min. at holiday rate.  Leave your RV for free if you’re coming back next weekend!)

The Next weekend, September 23 is Our Halloween Weekend!  We have costume contest (prizes for all ages), trick or treating, apple cider, donuts, after dark glowing wagon ride, and a Sunday morning free all you can eat pancake breakfast with the purchase of your campsite (for 2 adults and 2 children)! We have a campsite decorating contest!  Prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd Day & Night time!  Breakfast is just $3.00/person for visitor’s & extra camper’s!  (* 2 night min. at holiday rate.  Leave your RV for free if you’re coming back next weekend!)

September 30th is our Applefest Weekend!  (Save $5.00 per night this weekend!  Discount Code CD)  Or, Bring a friend who never camped at Meadville KOA before and you each get a night free, when you each buy one! Ask for Discount Code C1! Come join us and enjoy the flavors of the season!  We’ll have free crafts for kids, an apple dessert dish to pass social, and an afternoon wagon ride to enjoy the foliage!  This is Franklin Applefest(tm) Weekend!  (+ Leave your RV for free if you’re coming back next weekend!)

October 7 is our Customer Appreciation Weekend & Columbus Day Weekend!  (Save $10.00 per night on your campsite if you camped with us earlier this summer!  Discount Code CA)  Or, Bring a friend who never camped at Meadville KOA before and you each get a night free, when you each buy one!  Ask for Discount Code C1.  Adults & Children play Farkle (a dice game!)  Winners go home with a pocket Farkle game as the prize!  Then, we’re having a free pizza party after the Tournament!  The Fall Saegertown Steam and Gas Engine Show is this weekend!  (+ Leave your RV for free if you’re coming back next weekend!

October 14 is our Closing Weekend!  (Save $5.00 per night on your camp-site!)  Or, Bring a friend who never camped at Meadville KOA  before and you each get a night free, when you buy one!  Ask for discount code C1!  This is our last camping weekend for this season!  Please note that all amenities may not be functional this weekend!

If you don’t own an RV, don’t panic!  We have a camping cabin, kitchenette cottage cabin, and deluxe lake-front lodges to rent so your family doesn’t have to miss any of the fun!  And all of our autumn campsites and cabins (unless otherwise noted) are at our lower autumn rates!  Come enjoy some autumn camping with your family!

By Robyn Chilson
Tim & Robyn Chilson CPO, Own and Operate Meadville KOA Campground. You can contact her at 814-789-3251.

Happy New Year! It's 2017 and It's RV Show Season!

RV Shows are a great place to begin your search for local reputable RV dealers.  They are generally scheduled for January and February in the Northeastern US when dealerships are slowest. 

RV Shows provide you the opportunity to see newest models and talk to dealerships that you may not have heard of, and reduce your expenses and time by not having to drive to many different dealerships.  As a customer you can see and compare prices, brands, layouts, and more with one stop shopping.  There is always a huge range of quality & prices.  So when comparing units, make sure you’re comparing the prices of like models of differing brands.  One RV may look like another one, but you need to compare the options, construction, equipment, and features they both have to offer. See who offers the best deal but remember if the dealer isn’t reputable or isn’t equipped to work on the RV, or is located too far away to conveniently return the RV for service, your purchase may not turn out to be the best deal.  Don’t be afraid to talk with other RVers at the show. Many of these people have years of RV experience and knowledge of different products and dealerships.  Most will be honest and tell you when and where they’ve gotten the best deals & service.   

We talk to dozens of RV owners each year.  One of the biggest complaint we hear is that campers bought their RV from one of those big “discount dealers” that is 4-5 hours drive away, have trouble with it, and it’s a pain to take it back to the big discount dealership, and the local dealerships don’t have time to work on it. 

If you think about it, you can kind of understand the local dealer’s position.  After all, you didn’t buy it from them, and them doing the work and getting the refund from the factory is very time consuming to their business.  Time is money.  That time also means time that they are taking away from serving the customers who did buy from them.  Who can blame them?  If you were their buying customer, you wouldn’t want to stand in line behind a repair for a non-customer, would you?  There, you have it.  So, keep that in mind, these small business owners can’t compete with these “Wal-Marts” of the RV industry on price because they can’t buy the volume of RVs those mega discount RV dealerships can.  But, those big discount RV Dealerships can’t and don’t offer you that home town connection, service, and responsiveness that your local RV Dealer can.  And remember, you’re not just purchasing an RV, you’re supporting your neighbor’s and their employees families!    

Buying an RV from a local reputable dealer insures you the best possible service, convenience, and shortest distance to travel for maintenance, repairs, & warranty work.  It is always a good idea to visit the dealership’s physical location before you buy, check out their service department, service hours, etc.  In addition, many RV dealers offer show discounts and sometimes manufacturer rebates are available.  So not only do you save money with the one stop shopping, but there are huge savings in the purchase prices!  RV shows sometimes include educational seminars, entertainment, and raffles for door prizes, free RVs, and more!  So there are a lot of potential gains to attending!  Show specials also sometimes include discounts or coupons from campgrounds.  So, your new RV sometimes comes with savings to use it, too!

For more information about local RV Dealers who have partnered with campgrounds in Western PA who offer $800.00 in free Camping with the purchase of a new RV from those dealerships in a Very Special Camper (VSC) Discount Offer, visit our website at: http://meadvillekoa.com/discounts/

RV shows aren’t just for RV dealers to showcase new and used RVs.  RV shows offer a wealth of information on the whole RVing industry.  Most campgrounds & RV resorts are slow or closed for the winter.  RV shows allow campgrounds to showcase new activities, special events, new amenities & extended stay (aka seasonal camping) availability to potential campers.  Make sure you stop by their booths and find new places to explore and exciting things to do with your family this summer!   

You can also find information for aftermarket RV products, RV accessories, RVing insurance, Camping or RVing Clubs, Discount Clubs, pick up brochures, camping directories for your state and other states, or the free KOA directory for the whole USA and Canada and more! 

You don’t even have to own an RV to enjoy camping or go to the RV Shows!  Even if you don’t intend to buy an RV, you can learn about cabin camping or pick up information about campgrounds for tent camping!  Many people think of camping as ‘roughing it” with a tent, on the ground, in the rain, and a less than pleasurable “vacation”.  This is no longer the case.  For about the price of a hotel room, most campgrounds are now offering cabin rentals.  Prices for the cabin rentals vary by campground and the amenities offered.  “Camping cabins” are generally the least expensive because they offer the fewest amenities.  They are generally one room with beds and a table.  Cottage Cabins sleep 2-4 people may offer kitchenettes, or a few more amenities. Deluxe cabins are lodges with deluxe facilities like multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and bathrooms.  There is no requirement to own an RV to have a family fun camping vacation!  You can enjoy the luxury of RVing with a camping vacation in a cabin and not miss any of the campground recreation programs and planned activities! 

Why not pack up the family for a fun winter-day activity and attend one of the local RV shows in your area.  Invite a friend to come along, and enjoy a day of looking forward to a summer camping season filled with friends & fun at these RV Shows: 

Cleveland, Ohio RV Super Show, January 4 – 8, at the I-X Center, Cleveland, OH.  Info on show hours, admission, and parking fees along with discount coupons for admission available on their website at: http://www.ohiorvshow.com/!

Pittsburgh RV Show January 07 - 15  At David Lawrence Convention Center, Pittsburgh, PA!  See their website for show hours, admission prices, parking, and discounts offered at:  http://www.pittrvshow.com/!  Check them out on Facebook (they raffle off free tickets)!  And follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MeadvilleKOA, for a chance to win free tickets too!   

Erie RV Show Feb 11 - 14 At the Bayfront Convention Center, Erie, PA!  The show entrance is family affordable and the parking is free, but the limited floor space limits the number of dealers and RVs on display! For more info see their website online at:  http://www.eriepromotions.com/RV/eri/default.aspx

Butler RV Show at the Clearview Mall is Feb 17-19 during Mall hours. This show features Penn RV Center in Titusville.  There is no entrance fee and parking is free, making this show very family affordable and fun! See the mall website for mall hours at: http://www.shopclearviewmall.com/events.php. Penn RV Center is online at: https://www.facebook.com/pennrv/?fref=ts

We invite you to attend any and all of these RV Shows!  Stop by the KOA Kampgrounds booth and pick up some brochures, a KOA directory and a KOA bag!  Tell folks in the booth that you received your invitation to the RV Show from Meadville KOA Campground!  We hope to see you there!    

By Robyn Chilson

Robyn and her husband Tim Chilson, are CPO campground owners who own and operate Meadville KOA.  You can reach her at https://meadvillekoa.com. 

The Electric Breaker at Your Campsite Keeps Tripping!

When we hear a camper say, “Your electric breaker is bad, because all I’m running is my water heater and air conditioner and it keeps tripping!” we know we have to share more info with them!

Brace yourselves, because here comes the truth you may not want to hear!  Are you ready?  Just because the RV manufacturer put all of those electric appliances in your RV does not mean you can run it all at the same time!  There, we said it.  Yes, we know, it hurts a little, but it is the truth.  And you need to understand what exactly that means for you, as an RVer.

If your new travel trailer is wired for 30 amps (110 volts), your RV can sit on a 30 amp campsite.  That’s great, you think, because the 50/30 amp sites cost more at the campground!  So, it saves me money!  True story!  It certainly does.  And the RV dealer sales person may have even told you, “This baby has a propane/electric water heater, so you can heat your water on electric and save even more money, by having to purchase less propane.”  However, that is not necessarily true.

   

Here’s why!  A 30 amp campsite only provides 30 amps of electricity or slightly less, depending upon the safety margin and age and condition of the breaker itself, it could provide slightly less – like 26-27 amps.

So, like the case of the camper above says, “I was only running my water heater and air conditioner.”  That is never true.  More experienced RVers know that you are running your air conditioner (15-17 amps), water heater (12.5 amps), refrigerator (5.7 amps), and electric converter (2-3 amps)!  You were trying to pull almost 35.2 amps on a 30 amp breaker.  (Light bulb comes on!)  The new RV thinks, “Oh wow, now I see the issue! So, I guess I can’t do that?”.  Yes, that’s right.  You have to shut something off.  You can shut the refrigerator over to gas, and that might bring you below the threshold for the breaker to not kick, but that is, until you turn on a light, the TV, or the wife tries to make coffee, dry her hair, or attempts to thaw the chicken in the microwave, in which case, you’re outside resetting the breaker again! 

In addition, if your RV comes with an outside kitchen with a refrigerator, it too is running and eating up another 5.7 amps or so of power.  And so on it goes!  That 12.5 amps the water heater is using is the easiest way to drop that amperage draw back down below a safe area that won’t trip your breaker.  It gives you the room and flexibility to dry your hair, run the microwave, or have lights on.

This has been a recurring theme this summer as more people are buying these travel trailers that are wired for 30 amps – and trying to operate a 42-45 amps of electrical appliances draw off a 30 amp breaker because they are running their propane/electric water heaters on electric.  And apparently, some RV dealers are telling people to do that – as a sales pitch that it’ll save them money.

Okay, so how about if I move to a 50/30 amp campsite.  Can I do that?  Yes, you can do that, if one is available, but that won’t help the situation.  Your RV is only wired to use 30 amps!  You cannot plug into a 50 amp hookup with an adaptor and draw more than your 30 amps, anyway!  The only way to prevent breakers from tripping is to manage you amperage usage.

And of course you're welcome to read what others have written on the topic: http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-electrical-101.asp

Below, we’ve attached an info sheet that will show you the approximate use of different appliances.  You are free to go through your RV and calculate your own appliances!  The sheet will show you how!  Hopefully, it’ll be of some use to you in calculating your approximate electrical usage, and save you some time and aggravation!  So if you’d like a hard copy to keep, please email us, and we’ll be glad to email you a copy.  We sincerely hope it helps you! 

Before You Blow Your Breaker!

Take a minute and see how many amps you could be using in your RVs 30 or 50 amp electrical system. It is surprising how fast the amps add up which causes your breaker or the RV park's breaker to "trip". Knowing the amps of all the electrical appliances in your RV can help you manage electrical use and prevent the inconvenience of "My electricity went out!". This list is the typical appliance used and the average amps required to operate them:

Air Conditioner	15-17 amps
Refrigerator	5.7 amps
Electric Water Heater	12.5 amps
Microwave Oven	12.8 amps
Electric Coffee Pot	9 amps
Toaster	10 amps
Hair Dryer	10 amps
TV	2 amps
Dirt Devil Hand Vacuum	2 amps
Electrical Power Converter	2-3 amps
Electric Fry Pan	10 amps
Iron	10 amps
Food Processor	6 amps
Crock Pot	1.5 amps
Heating Pad	0.5 amps
1,100 Watt Heater	10 amps

In the morning - if you start your air conditioner and the hot water heater is on, then you start your coffee pot, make some toast, watch some TV - you are pulling 50 amps when all appliances are operating at maximum. If you also cook something in the microwave at the same time - LOOK OUT! Most RVs have a switch so you can run only the microwave or the water heater at one time - HOWEVER, NOT ALL RVS HAVE THIS FEATURE.

Most electrical products show how many watts or amps it takes to operate the appliance printed on the product itself or on the instructions. If it shows the watts - divide the watts by 120 (volts) and that gives you the amps. To get the watts - multiply the amps by 120 (volts).

It is worth your time to take an inventory on the "amps" each of your electrical appliances uses, then you can manage your total usage at one time and this greatly reduces the "My electricity went out!" anxiety.

Reprinted with Permission from Frank & Willy Surrell of the New Orleans/Hammond KOA.

We wish you safe and happy kamping where ever your travels take you! 

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251 or at www.MeadvilleKOA.com

Meet This Featured Meadville KOA Kamping Family!

We want to introduce you to a camping family that stayed with us back in June of this summer.  They are Al & Janice Geniviva, and their daughter, Juliet!

They are from Gibsonia, PA and camped with us on their “shake-down cruise”.  A shake down cruise is a camping trip taken by purchasers of a new RV to make sure they’ve “worked all the bugs out” before a big trip!  Nothing ruins a vacation any faster than vehicle or RV trouble while traveling.  So most prudent new owners do a trial run to help prevent such catastrophes! 

You see they purchased their new 18’ Bambi Airstream Trailer in Greensburg, PA from Airsteam of Western PA (pictured in photo)!  Known for their quality and value, Airstream trailers generally have few, if any bugs to work out.  But it’s always better to be safe, than sorry.  After all, we all know that “stuff happens”!  And according to these folks they believe in that old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  

They are planning a week-long vacation in late July to Belfast Maine!  They wanted to make sure they were good to go before taking off on a long distance trip like that.  We could tell from our brief conversation that they were very much looking forward to this trip, and wanted everything to go well.

When asked why they purchased an Airstream, they answered that they tow it with a small truck, and wanted something that was light weight, high quality, and would hold its value.  Airstream trailers certainly have a reputation for meeting their criteria.  But moreover, they just love the Airstream and what it had to offer them. 

New, first time campers or campers with new RVs aren’t anything new to Meadville KOA.  We escort every RV camper to their campsite and help get them parked.  It's part of our customer service and hospitality services. It gives us a chance to help teach people some basics about backing an RV up, or positioning their RV on a campsite.  Our staff often shows campers how to hook up utilities, level, dump tanks, etc.  Of course the best time to do a shake down cruise or first time outing is in the spring or early summer when campgrounds are less busy.  But even on busy weekends, our staff tries to take the time to answer questions, and help new RVers learn the ropes.  We’re honored to have so many customers come camp with us to try out their new RV and ask questions.  It’s just another part of paying it forward and helping our campers. 

We hope that you’ll come see what’s behind the yellow sign at Meadville KOA this summer, bring the family and spend your vacation enjoying a campground where modern convenience meets nature! 

Until we see you, we wish you safe and happy kamping, where ever your travels take you!    

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, CPOs, who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  

Go Camping In October!

"The events and activities are winding down at Meadville KOA (Kampgrounds of America) by the time the month of October arrives," according to campground owner, Tim Chilson, “but there is still great camping weekends remaining this camping season and some of them include big savings!"

"We're nearing the end of the season and October 10-12^th is our last event weekend of the camping season," Chilson said, "but we've discounted the camping prices, which makes it even more affordable for people to get out and enjoy the wonderful fall festivals like the Franklin Applefest on Oct. 4 Weekend, and the the Pioneer Steam Show in Saegertown and Conneaut Lake Area Pumpkinfest on Oct. 11.  If you’re into haunted attractions, they run now through the end of October.  Not only can you enjoy those wonderful autumn festivals, haunted attractions, and the fall foliage, but the cool evenings provide wonderful opportunities to enjoy an autumn evening campfire and some warmed apple cider and s'mores!  And, we offer some great savings!  If you invite another family to come with you, we have buy one night get one night free as a thank you for introducing Meadville KOA to a new family.  Or, you can get a great discount just by calling and reserving a site!  Our prices with the discount are below State park’s rates and you get free Wi-Fi, Cable TV, and catch and release fishing, not to mention our events and activities!" Chilson went on to add, “There are also autumn driving tours in the area that maximize your fall foliage viewing as well.  They are provided on the Crawford County Visitor’s Bureau website.”

Many RVers, according to Chilson, use October as a perfect time to travel and enjoy the foliage. "With gas prices lowered, fall festivals, and fall foliage at its’ prime, it's a perfect time to get outside, enjoy the beautiful autumn weather remaining, and do some camping," Chilson added.

“October is also a great month to visit campgrounds if you’re looking for a seasonal camping site,” according to Chilson.  “Campers can look at the availability and pick a site for the following season.  And because our sites include free onsite winter storage, they can leave the RV in onsite storage here for the winter, come open up in the spring, and start camping!  They save money by not having to pay for storage, and the convenience is great, and it allows our seasonal campers to maximize the use of their RV for the whole 2015 summer season!”

Meadville KOA is located on Route 27 and hosts 160 camp sites, 4 camping cabins (which includes two, lake-front deluxe lodges), seven fishing ponds for catch and release fishing (no license required), a swimming pool, a creek for wading, a hiking trail, volleyball, basketball, soccer & ball field, horseshoe pits, themed weekend events with planned activities, and much more!

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson are both CPOs, and they have owned and operated Meadville KOA for 15 years. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  

Autumn Camping is Awesome Camping!

As summer comes to an end, the autumn season begins, and that means it’s time to go autumn camping! Why not enjoy the fall foliage, fun fall festivals, and more? Here are few examples of awesome autumn camping adventures that await you!

Attend Fall Festivals! There are Autumn Leaf Festivals, Applefests, Pumkinfests, and more! So if you haven’t been camping and attended one of these great local autumn events, the only question remaining is, why not? The festivals are fun and it lengthens your camping season!

The Price is Right! Off season camping generally means off season (lower) rates! You save money when you camp in the off season! And because demand for those sites are lower, the campgrounds are less busy (except for special event weekends), which means you get a quiet, more relaxing, camping atmosphere!

The Weather Is Good! Ahhh, the cool evenings make a campfire all that more enjoyable. Enjoy a hotdog or a camper pie over the campfire on a cool autumn evening.  How about a cup of spiced apple cider, and s’mores for desert?  Ahh, there’s nothing like it! And is it just us, or does everything taste better over that autumn campfire?

Attend Special Event Weekends! Many private campgrounds provide special event weekends during the autumn months to draw in more campers and RVers! Why not take the kids to a Halloween Weekend filled with Trick or Treat, costume contests, campsite decorating contests, and a FREE Sunday breakfast? Or, attend a Pumpkinfest Weekend with roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin carving and other pumpkin themed activities? Or go to an Applefest! There's so much to do and see!

The Fall Foliage Peak Is In Early October! The fall foliage is usually at its peak the first and second weeks in October. Why not choose a campground that is centrally located to the area where you’d like to foliage sight-see, and do some foliage gazing in the area around your base camp! Don’t forget your camera!

Autumn Star Gazing Is Awesome! If you’re a star gazer, you already know that late summer and early fall give rise to some awesome planetary and star gazing opportunities. If you aren’t a star gazer, now is as good of time to start as any! So look up and learn! And don’t forget that star gazing at a campout equals a trip to the local planetarium! So the kids can learn about the stars right there at your campsite at no extra charge!

There are lots of fun special event weekends, fall festivals, stars, and fall foliage to see!  If you’d like more information about what’s happening at and around Meadville KOA Campground, you can call us at 814-789-3251 or go to our website at http://www.meadvillekoa.com/!

All of these great camping & RVing adventures await you! Go camping or RVing and explore the world around you this autumn!  It’ll be pretty awesome!

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, CPO who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground. You can contact her at 814-789-3251. 

Meadville KOA Upgrades Campground; Now Offers High-Speed Wi-Fi and Satellite Cable Television

Meadville KOA recently completed a project to ensure their campers’ growing demand for expanded entertainment and electronic device use. 

“Robyn and I surveyed our campers and asked their preferences for utilities,” Tim says. “Cellular service was number one, followed by access to a strong Wi-Fi signal and cable television. These upgrades mean that they can get online when they need it, and can tune in to their favorite shows on rainy days when they can’t take advantage of everything happening on our campground.  We've gotten no help from Verizon to fix the cellular reception here.  That is outside of our control, but at least we've fixed what we could.”

We've added 48 channels of satellite cable TV to 124 full-hookup campsites and two deluxe cabins.  Stations include five local channels as well as ESPN, Disney, Cartoon Network and a host of other options. Wi-Fi has also been upgraded to reflect the fastest speeds available. The improved services are available at no charge.

Meadville KOA Campground is located at 25164 State Route 27, the Meadville KOA is one of 485 open-to-the-public KOA campgrounds in the Kampgrounds of America system in the U. S. and Canada. We also offer extended stay and seasonal camping, themed weekends with planned activities and outdoor recreation opportunities, including a hiking trail and catch-and-release fishing in seven well-stocked ponds. A “fun band” is available for unlimited paddle boat,

pedal cart and miniature golf rentals.

For more information about the Meadville KOA and its recent upgrades, or to make

reservations for an overnight stay or to inquire about seasonal camping, please phone 814-789-3251 or visit www.meadvillekoa.com.

Meadville KOA Campground is All About Family Fun!

Meadville KOA Campground is all about family fun.  So, we thought we should tell you all about what we offer here for families to do, and what makes us Northwestern PA’s Fun Family Camping and Cabin Zone!

First, we are a family campground.  Our camping policies provide a family atmosphere.  We hope that makes our campground the kind of place you’d want to bring your family.  That’s the kind of campground we always sought out to take our family camping, and that’s the kind of place we work hard to provide for your family. 

You can get connected to nature.  Our campground abounds with the beauty and wonder of nature.  It’s a great place to introduce your kids to the wonderful outdoors.  You can just wade our creek or search for minnows or crawfish.  We have butterflies and fireflies to chase.  You can hike the hiking trail, and check out the woods and wildlife, enjoy catch and release fishing in any of our ponds and lakes, or just relax by a campfire and enjoy the stars.  In our weekend agenda, we even provide you star gazing tips, so you can teach your kids about the stars and planets that you can’t even see under those city lights.

We have lots of outdoor recreation!  We have open swim from noon-4 and 5-8 daily.  4-5 is our adults only swim.  We have catch and release fishing in any of our ponds, and we have a one acre and a two acre lake!  We have volleyball, basketball, playgrounds (3), hiking trail, creek, horseshoes, and all the equipment you need to play!  We even have movies you can borrow to watch (at no cost)!  You can sign movies and the equipment out/in at the office.  There is no charge.  

We have minigolf, paddleboats, pedal karts, and a jumping pillow!  We have amenity rentals & a fun band program for the tweens and teens!  You can rent the minigolf, pedal karts, and paddle boats individually for a one time use, or you can purchase a “Fun Band” and keep the tweens and teens busy all weekend long for one low price.  And on weekends, it includes the Jumping Pillow that runs for an hour each time on Sat. morning, Sat. afternoon, and Sun morning, all for the same low price!   

Each weekend, all summer long, we provide a themed weekend.  After choosing a theme, we then create a whole series of activities and events around the theme.  We provide you, each weekend all season long, a written agenda that lets you know where and when each activity is taking place.  In addition, each campsite gets an opportunity to play Camper’s BINGO with the numbers hidden within the agenda, and win 2, free ice cream cones if they get a BINGO.  We give away 4-6 free ice cream cones, per weekend.  One weekend out of each month, we have a weekend designed for younger children which features our Brookdale Express Engine #9 Kiddie Train Ride.  So if you have a young family (children under 48” tall), then these weekends are for you!  We also provide free children’s crafts every weekend all summer long, and we provide a ceramics program.  Prices vary by piece but there are lots of different priced pieces, and there are pieces you can do in one day.  Our weekend agenda features our planned activities, and it always includes at least one wagon ride per weekend. 

If all that isn’t enough to keep your family busy while you vacation, there are tons of other local events and festivals for even more fun!  There are not one but two nearby amusement parks (We have discount combo tickets for Waldameer Amusement Park & Water World), the hot balloon festival held each June on Father’s Day Weekend, The Saegertown Steam Engine Shows, Local Amish School Auction, Roar on the Shore Motorcycle Rally, The Crawford County Fair in August, Thunder in the City, Conneaut Lake, Pymatuning Spillway, The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad, Drake Well and Museum (featured on the History Channel), Presque Isle & Beaches, Presque Ilse Downs and Casino, Grove City Outlets, Tom Ridge Environmental Center, and much, much more all within one hour of our location!

You can come to Meadville KOA with your week planned, and packed with activities, or spend your week lounging by the pool, enjoying nature, a good book, and campfires.  In other words, your vacation can be as intense or relaxed as you choose to make it.  Or, mix it up and do a combo!      

Did we by chance mention that we offer a weekly discount for your vacation?  Camp 7 nights for the price of six, all season long!  And, if you’d rather do more long weekends than one week at a time, we offer returning camper discounts!  You can find them on our website Discounts Page, all summer long. 

Did we mention that we also have free Wi-Fi so you can check your email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.  (Did you know we’re social as MeadvilleKOA?).  We hope you’ll drop by our pages and Follow or Like Us!  We offer specials, special discounts, contests, camping and RVing tips and info, recipes, and much more!  We hope you’ll join the conversation!

We hope that you’ll come see what’s behind the yellow sign at Meadville KOA this summer, bring the family and spend your vacation enjoying a campground where modern convenience meets nature! 

Until we see you, we wish you safe and happy kamping, where ever your travels take you!     

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, CPOs, who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.