What’s Under Your Christmas Tree?

What’s under the tree is much less important than who is around the Christmas tree with you. The holidays are a great time to be together with family members and reminisce about fun times, and family outings. It’s also a great time to begin planning your summer camping vacations with your family! 

Here are some tips that might help make your travel plans or summer camping vacation better!   

If you’re putting a new smart phone under the tree, don’t forget to download The KOA Camping App!  It is available for download at the Apple App Store and Google Play sites. It’s a great way to have 485 of the best campgrounds in the USA and Canada at your fingertips. For more information or to view a special video on the KOA Camping App, go to http://koa.com/get-the-koa-app/.

If the kids never know what to get you, or you never know what to give them, why not ask for or give the gift that keeps on giving? Ask for or get them a KOA Gift Card! You can buy them in any amount over $20.00! You can give them to the grandkids as spending money when they go camping, or to their parents to pay for the whole campout!  You can purchase those at https://koagiftcards.com/.

We have put together another schedule full of fun, family friendly themed event weekends with planned activities for the 2015 camping season! We hope you’ll check them out, and join the fun! You can see our themed weekends schedule on our website at: http://www.meadvillekoa.com/themed-weekend-events/.

Don’t forget that we offer special discounts and offers on our website all summer long!  You can book your campouts on any of our BOGO (buy one night, get one night free) or other special KOA offers for even more big savings! Check out all of our discounts at: http://www.meadvillekoa.com/discounts/.

Don’t forget to provide us your email address when you camp with us, so we can email you our monthly email blasts with upcoming events and special offers and hot deals!  If you camp with us often and provide us camping reviews when you camp, you can become a VIP and receive even more special offers and discounts to visit us even more often!   

Seasonal camping is a great value! If you haven’t considered seasonal camping, maybe it’s time that you did! Wouldn't it be a great present to put under your tree this holiday season?  What better gift to give your family than family time to do what they love - camp! Seasonal camping reduces your gasoline costs, wear and tear on your tow vehicle and RV, time, and work. It maximizes the use of your RV and time with your family, and minimizes your work. Why vacation just once a summer, when you could vacation on any days off, all summer long?  It’s fun and affordable!  It makes a lot of sense, and provides your family that time to get away together that we all need!  Call us today and get started in a very special Christmas gift for your family - a whole summer of camping fun! You can check out more info at http://www.meadvillekoa.com/seasonal-camping/.

So, don’t forget to make those camping vacation plans this holiday season, and as always, we hope your plans include Meadville KOA Campground!  Don’t forget to book early so you get your desired campsite on the dates you want to camp! We start accepting reservations for next season on January 8^th, 2015!

And, until we see you next spring, or this winter at the RV Shows, we want to wish you and your family from us and our family, the very happiest of holidays and a Very, Merry Christmas!

By Robyn Chilson                                                                                                                  

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.     

KOA Awards & Planning Your 2015 Camping Summer

You may have already heard the news that Meadville KOA Campground has been awarded the 2015 KOA Founder's & President’s Awards by Kampgrounds of America Inc., which is given only to those KOA Campgrounds that attained the very top scores in both customer service and the quality review.

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage and continued top ratings for our staff and camping facilities.  We were very blessed to have such an excellent staff this summer and to serve so many wonderful camping families.  We sincerely thank you.

We’d also like to remind our campers that while you’re with your families this holiday season, that it’s a great time to not only share memories of camp outs from the past but to also begin planning your summer camping adventures for the 2015 summer!

You can see our all new 2015 themed event weekend schedule at http://www.meadvillekoa.com/themed-weekend-events/!  We sincerely hope that your camping plans will include Meadville KOA and one of these fun-filled family event weekends!  We will begin accepting reservations for the 2015 camping season January 8, 2015. 

Until we see you at the RV Shows in January and February, we wish you and your families a very happy and healthy holiday season!   

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.  

What's Behind the Yellow Sign at Meadville KOA?

We love it when our campers come to us and tell us what a nice campground we have.  We read our NPS scores and customer comments, and work hard to keep making positive impacts on our campers camping experiences.  To us, that is the bottom line.  Our very favorite awards, are those that we receive from our camping customers.  So we decided that we should share with our readers, what our campers say makes Meadville KOA Campground one of their favorite places to camp!  

Cleanliness:  We love to hear it, and it is okay with us if our campers tell us that in every guest review.  We never get tired of hearing it!  It means our staff is doing it the right way!  We hear that our campfire rings are clean, that the restrooms and cabins are clean, that our campsites are clean and litter free.  That is what we strive for and we thank you for noticing!

Family Environment: We’re a family campground.  So we enforce a family atmosphere.  We enforce quiet hours (11pm-8am), etc.  So if you’re looking for a quiet, family campground to bring your family to, then our campground is right for you.

Spacious Campsites:  So many times we’ve heard that our campsites are more spacious than most other campgrounds.  It provides families some room to spread out, some privacy, and reduces noise issues with neighboring campsites.    

Themed Weekends with Planned Activities:  Each weekend, we have a weekend theme with planned activities, including free crafts for kids.  If you haven’t experienced fun, family activities, come try us out!  We have one weekend each month themed for entertaining younger children.  It always includes our Kiddie Train Ride!  Make sure if you have young children, that you visit on one of those weekends!  But that’s not all, we have special events for teens, and of course adults too.  We’re all kids at heart, right?  And if it’s rainy, we have moves in the Rec. Hall and provide free popcorn. 

Our Fun Family Wrist Band Program: Our Rental Wrist Band Program will keep the tweens and teens busy for the whole weekend!  We do a one low price provides unlimited rides on the paddle boats, pedal karts, mini golf games, and they can jump on the jumping pillow the whole hour it’s open twice on Saturday & on Sunday morning!  Our campers love that plan, because the teens and tweens aren’t constantly asking for money, and they are off having lots of fun! 

Free Wi-Fi:  Many campgrounds charge a fee for their Wi-Fi, or restrict how long you can be on it before paying for it.  We don’t do that.  We include it in our camping rates.  Because we feel that it should be available to everyone.  We do however, restrict band width so that everyone can use it to check Facebook, tweet, or email.  That means that it won’t allow you to stream movies, and it isn’t compatible with Netflix or HBO On the Go.

Free Recreation!  Our campers love our catch and release fishing.  We post your biggest fish, or your first fish you ever caught at Meadville KOA on our website if you send us your photo!  But that’s not all…  you can relax by the pool, wade in the creek, explore our hiking trail, catch some butterflies or fireflies, enjoy our playgrounds, sand box diggers, baby swings, throw a game of horseshoes, shoot some hoops, play a game of volleyball, kick the soccer ball around, or get a pickup game of whiffleball started!  We have all the equipment you need!  You just sign it out and back in at the office when you’re done playing.  Oh, and if it’s rainy, we have free DVDs you can borrow to watch!        

Campfires:  Campers love their campfires!  And of course, we sell firewood.  But that’s not all!  We have campfire cooking supplies from cast iron fry pans and Dutch Ovens to pie irons!  We have color crystals to add to your campfire to wow the kids with all the colors of the rainbow.  And of course, nothing beats enjoying a campfire with good friends, good food, and star gazing…

We were among 156 of the 485 KOA Campgrounds who achieved the President’s Award at the end of 2013.  We thank you again for your great reviews and for helping us to reach that goal again for our 3^rd year in a row!   

In 2014, we’re hoping to reach even higher heights.  We continue to try to make improvements to our park to provide you the very best camping experience we can.  We thank you for sharing your comments and reviews with KOA, and hope you will continue to do so, as we continue to strive to make that experience better with each visit.

Please feel welcome to comment on this blog and tell us your favorite things about camping with us at Meadville KOA.  We love to hear from you.

We hope to see you again soon, and hope that you will continue to tell your friends about us at Meadville KOA Campground!  If you love to camp with us, please follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter where you’ll receive special offers, discounts, contests, info on RVing, and much more!     

Until we see you again, we hope you know that it always our pleasure to be able to serve your family, and we enjoy you sharing your camping experiences with us at Meadville KOA.  It is always our hope that Meadville KOA Campground is where your camping adventures start, and that you leave with memories that will last a lifetime.   

By Robyn Chilson

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

Affordable Vacations Despite High Gas Prices!

In May 2007, the gas prices were at about $3.23 per gallon.  This year, prices are at almost $1.00 more per gallon.  But even at a $1.00 more per gallon, what does that mean to your travel budget for camping?  If your tow vehicle or motor home gets 10 miles to a gallon of gas or diesel, and you take a 50 mile trip, your total trip cost increase will be only $10.00 more!  If your tow vehicle gets better mileage, your cost increases will be even less!  

High gasoline prices historically cause Americans to make modifications to their travel plans but generally won’t cause them to cancel. So, here are some tips on how to still have a great summer and not let the price of gas ruin your vacation. 

Cook & eat at the campsite or RV!  Cooking over the fire is a favorite of campers and RV’ers, but even if cooking on the fire isn’t your thing, cooking and eating at your RV will help you save enough money on your vacation to pay for the gas price increase and allow you to afford the same vacation you took last year. 

Stay in a Cabin!  Not owning an RV isn’t the end of your camping experiences especially if tent camping is out of the question for you.  Most campgrounds have cabins that provide non-RV owners a fun camping experience at a very affordable rate.  The cabins are about the price of a hotel stay, but they have a wide range of amenities.  Camping cabins can be very basic (just beds and a table); kitchenette cabins provide the ability to cook indoors; and deluxe full service cabins have multiple rooms, kitchens, and bathroom facilities.  You can drive the vehicle that gets the best mileage, cook at the campground over the campfire to save money on meals, and enjoy a fun and affordable vacation with your family.    

Take only one vehicle to the campground or on vacation!  Coordinate schedules and carpool!  It saves you gas and reduces consumption!  Reducing consumption makes the price go down.  If everyone would lower consumption, our high fuel prices would come down.

Stay Closer to Home.  Rethinking your vacation location may pay back big dividends!  Save the cost of travel fuel by RVing and camping closer to home.  Not only do you save money on gas and wear and tear on your RV but you also spend less time traveling and more time having fun with your family!

Stay Longer once you get there.  Instead of making four, 2-day camping trips with the RV this summer, make three (3), 3-day stays.  You get an extra day of camping in, and the travel expense for only 3 trips!  It saves you money on the gas and again uses less gas, but that’s not all many campgrounds offer lower prices during the week.  So not only do you save with less travel but you also save on the stay costs too!

Become a Seasonal for the summer at your favorite campground!  To really save money on fuel and get the maximum use of your RV this summer, why not park the RV for the whole summer?  It’s a great way to think locally and act globally, and it’s a great way for your family to enjoy camping every weekend at the most affordable rate.  It maximizes your family’s enjoyment and minimizes the cost.  Most families can camp for the whole summer for less then a one-week vacation at Disney or at the seashore!

You don’t have to spend all that money on fuel to still enjoy a great vacation!  You can plan a great vacation by utilizing any one or more of these tips!  And, there are so many fun things to do and see right here in NW PA, you don’t have to go a long way to get away!

By Robyn S. Chilson

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

Comparing Seasonal Camping!

  To decide where you want to camp Seasonally, you’ll want to compare the type of campground, location, camping rates, ratings, things to do in the surrounding area, events, activities, and amenities the campground provides, and more.  We’ll look at each of these items individually, highlight the differences, and look at why they’re important to consider when choosing the right campground for your family.
There is more to comparing Seasonal Camping at campgrounds than just rates.

What is Seasonal Camping?  Seasonal camping is best described as parking your RV at one campground for the entire summer (or year), versus traveling.  Why would people want to do that? Travelling, while fun, is a lot of work.  You have to pack and unpack, set-up, tear down, etc.  Parking your RV for the summer provides you almost a vacation home-like get away!  You set it up in a park, and then go to camp when your schedules permit.  It saves a lot of time, work, and wear and tear on you the camper, and on your tow vehicle.  You can also drive a more economical fuel vehicle back and forth to camp, thus saving money on fuel.  And of course, Seasonal Campers pay a flat fee for the whole summer.  They get a greatly discounted rate over the weekend rate.  In other words, it allows you to maximize the use of your RV, while minimizing the costs.  Basically, it provides you the equivalent of a summer vacation home.   

Campgrounds differ greatly in the kinds of campers they serve.  Campgrounds can be primarily travel parks where travelers stop in, stay a day or two, and then continue their travels towards their destination.  They are usually located near a major highway (or intersecting highways).  There are also tourism/recreation destination parks that cater to people in the area for another reason, usually for a large amusement park, or a high tourism or recreation area (near a beach, lake, state or national park, etc.).  And then there are destination campgrounds, where people camp to attend the events, activities, and utilize the amenities that are specific to that particular campground.  Because campgrounds serve different types of campers, as you might expect, they also vary in what they have to offer in the areas of facilities, activities, events, and amenities.  Some are family campgrounds, some cater more to partying, and some are adult only parks.  These are not hard and fast rules, either, of course.  Our KOA is primarily a destination family campground, but we receive travelers too, and we have lots of couples without children who camp with us.  And many times, our campers attend local fairs, concerts, amusement parks, and more.  So while a campground may consider themselves primarily in one of these categories, they certainly can fall into all of these categories.

Seasonal Camping Programs Vary.  Some campgrounds sell the site, and campers become part owners in the park and then they pay a maintenance fee (much like a HOV fee), for their seasonal services.  There are good points and bad points to owning a campsite.  Many times, it is very involved, and when you are ready to leave, you then have to sell your lot and RV which can take a lot of time.  Often they are run by an owners association, which may or may not have people on the board who know anything about running a campground.  And, by the time you purchase, pay for insurances and yearly fees, you could have camped seasonally for many years without all the additional liability, costs, and other issues.   

Location, Location, Location!  When choosing a campground for Seasonal Camping, you want one with a close enough commute that you can maximize the use of your RV, but minimize your travel and time commitment.  That said, it is well worth your money and time to travel a little further to get you to that higher rated campground, that serves your camping needs better than to camp at a not as nice park, that your kids are bored at.  The difference between those two are as different as day and night, and may make all the difference between a happy family and a very unhappy family. 

Are There Additional Charges for Facilities, Amenities, Activities, and Events.  Many campgrounds offer children’s crafts, events, activities, or rental amenities.  These items often have additional costs associated with them.  So the campground that charges less per season for the campsite, may sound more economical than a campground charging more for the campsite, until you look at all of the ancillary charges.  Some campgrounds charge for 2 adults and extra for each child, some (like us) it’s a family of 4, some limit your camping to just weekends, and some (like us) have unlimited camping.  You have to ask a lot of questions when pricing for a Seasonal Campsite, and not just how much the site is. 

Questions You May Want To Ask:  Who does the mowing?  What does it cost to have the campground mow it?  If they don’t, when can you mow?  Do you need a shed to store the mower in or are you going to haul your mower back and forth?  What are their visitor’s fees?  Do they allow other people on your camping agreement?  What are the charges for those?  Do they offer 50 amp electrical service?  Are their sites spacious?  What recreation do they offer?  Is there a charge for the recreation?  What rental amenities do they have to keep the kids busy?  Is there a charge for those?  Do they offer Wi-Fi?  Is there a fee for it?  Do they offer cable TV?  Is there a fee for it?  Do they offer meals?  What do they cost?  Do they allow golf carts?  What are the rules?  When is quiet hours?  Are they enforced?  Do they offer onsite winter storage?  What’s the charge for that?  How does their payment plan work?  Do they charge interest? 

So make sure you add all of those individual charges that aren’t included, to look at them versus a campground where they are included, to see which one is really the most affordable.  You need to know the real bottom line total before signing on the dotted line!          

Check campground ratings before you become a Seasonal Camper.  If they aren’t rated well by their overnight guests and campground directories, chances are, you aren’t going to have the family experience you seek.  Make sure that the place you choose to spend your summer serves their campers well.  When you look at campground ratings, you’ll know where you’ll want to be, and where you won’t want to be.  Just don’t underestimate their importance!    

As you can see, there are probably more variables involved than you originally thought.  Choosing the right campground to camp for the season is important.  Don’t short change your seasonal camping experience by picking a campground without fully investigating what it has to offer and what it’s really going to cost you to camp there.  The old saying of “the devil is in the details,” says it all.  So make sure you ask the right questions and know exactly what your camping will really cost you, before you sign a seasonal camping agreement! 

You can check out our Seasonal Camping Sites that are available for 2014 at http://www.meadvillekoa.com/seasonal-camping/.  As always, we hope that you come see us at Meadville KOA Campground and allow us to show you what we can provide your family!    

By Robyn Chilson
Tim & Robyn Chilson are Certified Park Operators who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251. 

 

What’s New for Campers in Western PA at Meadville KOA for 2014!

We finished 2013 on a high note, thanks to you, our wonderful campers!  We were again awarded the KOA President’s Award, based on your guest ratings.  While we were just a couple of points shy of receiving our Founder’s Award, we saw clearly that Meadville KOA is headed in the right direction, and that our campers acknowledged that.  So we thank you for your continued patronage, patience, and outstanding Guest Reviews!  As always, the awards we receive from you, our camping families, are the ones that mean the most to us!  We’ll continue to strive to meet and exceed your expectations!

We have some great new events and returning favorites in our themed weekend lineup.  This summer, we’ll have a Cinco De Mayo Weekend in May, Civil War Living History Weekend in June, a new Knights and Princess Weekend in July, Jungle Terry is back in August, and a tailgater Weekend in September!  But that’s not all, we’re featuring a kiddies weekend for children under 12 one weekend each month, just like we have the last two years, which will feature our free kiddie train ride.  And because you requested it, we’re playing BINGO on Care Camps Weekend, Holiday weekends, and on BINGO, BINGO, BINGO Weekend September 13, and of course, we use BINGO as a backup on rainy weekends too!  And of course, we have our Pumpkinfest and Halloween Weekends returning in late September!  We hope you’re checking our themed weekends (http://meadvillekoa.com/themed-weekend-events/) and make our events calendar part of your calendar so you don’t miss any of the fun!

We’ve redesigned our website for the 2014 season!  So if you haven’t been on our website in a while, please check out our new look at http://www.meadvillekoa.com/!  We hope you’ll comment and let us know how we did!  We love to hear from you!

We’ve upgraded our Wi-Fi for 2014, by adding all new equipment for improved service and new antennas for better distribution.  It should met all your needs for light surfing, Facebook or other social media, and emailing.  We’ve tried to improve our Wi-Fi, because in our 2013 survey, you told us that service was important to you.  In fact, it was number two in our survey!  We hope you’ll find better service on your next visit.  If you ever have a service issue, please come see us at the office and report it, so we can help you.  As Always, our Wi-Fi is a complimentary service, so you don’t have to pay extra for that.        

Verizon is working on improving their Cell Phone Services in our area!  Verizon has added new towers between Meadville and Titusville.  We also know from our 2013 survey, that this was the #1 item you listed as an utility that you couldn’t be without.  We’re delighted, that Verizon is working on their service here.  We thank you again for your patience!  We will continue to push Verizon for improved services for you here, at Meadville KOA.

Also coming in 2014 – cable TV!  That’s right, we’re cabling the park!  Now you can camp and watch your favorite shows, won’t miss any of the games, and can keep the kids entertained if the weather is less than outdoors compatible!  And yes, this was #3 on your list in our survey last year!

Last, but certainly not least, we’ve come up with some great discounts for you!  We have a created a frequent camper program that is new for 2014!  You get 15% off your second visit, and 20% off your third visit and additional visits!  These discounts are good on any non-holiday and non-special event weekends, and on campsites only.  (We’re sorry, but we could not include cabins in this discount program at this time.)  We hope this will give a reason to visit us more often in 2014! 

So, we’re hoping that with great new activities and our annual favorites, a new website, Verizon installing more towers, improved Wi-Fi services, cable TV, and great discounts, that those are all great reasons to spend a lot of your summer at Meadville KOA Campground! 

We hope to see you soon!  Until then, hang in there, camping season is almost here!            

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  Kampgrounds of America, is now the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds.
  

It’s a great Time to Plan Your Summer Camping Trips!

It may seem like summer is forever away, but it’s not!  It’s really just around the corner!  Which brings us to a very important question: Have you made your summer camping plans? 

This is the perfect time of year to make your Memorial Day weekend reservations, summer reservations for that week of fun with your family, or multiple three day trips, if you have not already done so. 

Why?  Because booking early helps you to get your favorite campsite, at your favorite campground and gets your vacation started off on the right foot!  There is nothing worse than planning your favorite camping outing with your family only to find out that your favorite site has already been reserved by someone else, and you are camping somewhere other than your favorite spot.

Looking forward to summer and making plans will help brighten your winter days!  Planning fun evenings around the campfire, a snipe hunt with the kids, or the kids swimming or wading in the creek will help you look forward to those fun summer days you enjoyed as a child, and now share with your children or grandchildren.  

Like most campgrounds, many of our campers book their favorite sites for the next summer, when there are here for their favorite weekends this summer.  So that is something else to consider.  We put your name on a site for next year at no charge, and then call you for your deposit in the new year.  You can always cancel, but you can’t always get a site if they are already booked up!  So, give that some thought, and don’t be afraid to book ahead.

We have some great new events and returning favorites to give you some fun events and activities to look forward to!  This summer, we’ll have our annual Care Camps BIG Weekend – to raise money for Children’s Care Camps for critically ill children to enjoy the healing nature of camp.  We provide a buy one night, get one night free discount, and ask you to donate all or part of that savings to the Care Camps! 

Our 2014 themed weekends feature a Cinco De Mayo Weekend in May, Civil War Living History Weekend in June, a new Knights and Princess Weekend in July, Jungle Terry is back in August, and a tailgater Weekend in September!  But that’s not all, we’re featuring a kiddies weekend for children under 12 one weekend each month, just like we have the last two years, which will feature the kiddie train ride.  And because you requested it, we’re playing BINGO on care Camps Weekend, Holiday weekends, and on BINGO, BINGO, BINGO Weekend on September 13.  And of course, we have our Pumpkinfest and Halloween Weekends returning in late September!  We hope you’re checking our themed weekends (http://meadvillekoa.com/themed-weekend-events/) and make our new events calendar (http://meadvillekoa.com/events-calendar/) part of your calendar so you don’t miss any of the fun!

We have some great discounts offers for you!  We have a created a frequent camper program that is new for 2014 on all tenting and RV campsites!  You get 15% off your second visit, and 20% off your third visit or more!  Now there’s some savings that will help defray the higher fuel costs.

Do you know about our fuel saver program and camper storage plan?  If not, call us and we’ll tell you all about it.  You can store your RV here, and we’ll spot your RV on your campsite for you for a small fee.  When you’re done camping, we return it to storage for you for a small fee, and you save the money, work, and wear and tear of towing.    

If you find that Meadville KOA campground is your favorite place to be, and you want to be here every weekend all summer long, or if you’re tired of the work and expense of towing, we invite you to join our Seasonal Camping family (http://meadvillekoa.com/seasonal-camping/)!  Our rates provide your family turn-key camping all summer long for about the price of one vacation.  We are the only campground in Western PA that mows and trims your site at no additional cost, and we have 50 amp sites, free Wi-Fi, and much more!       

We’re hoping that with new activities and our annual favorites, great discounts, gas saver program, and seasonal camping availability, that we’ve created some great reasons to spend some of your summer with us at Meadville KOA Campground!  We hope you’ll come see why Meadville KOA Campground is NW PA’s Fun Family Camping and Cabins Zone!    

We hope to see you soon!  Until then, hang in there, winter will soon give way to spring and camping season!            

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, own and operate Meadville KOA Campground.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  Kampgrounds of America, is now the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds.

  

Erie Couple Wins $500 of Camping in Western PA Camping Very Special Camper Contest!

(Shown in photo above from front left are: Kathy & Denny Quigley from Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest, Winners Ron & Betty Ulrich of Erie, Scott Boyer from Boyer RV Center, Tim Chilson from Meadville KOA Campground, Mark Wineman from Kalyumet Camping and Cabins, Jeff & Debbie Cepris from Rocky Springs Campground, Elizabeth & Matt May from Presque Isle Passage RV Park & Cabins, Jeff Carmosino from Sparrow Pond, Rick & Debbie Yeager from Rose Point Park, Jake Timmerman from Bear Run Campground, Dennis Shadron from Goddards Park Vacationland Campground, Ed Tanski and Jacob Hagofsky from Buttercup Campground, and Tracy Czambel & Boo-Boo from Yogi Bear Mill Run).

ERIE, PA (February 7, 2014) – Ron & Betty Ulrich of Erie, Pennsylvania already had plans to camp more this year with the RV they purchased in 2013 at Boyer RV Center.  They just never dreamed that after receiving $800 of free camping in 2013 with the purchase of that RV that they’d wind up winning another $500 of free camping for 2014 too!  In addition, Boyer RV Center presented them with a gift certificate worth $200.00 of RV supplies from their store and B & R Camper Sales gave them a $100 gift certificate from their store, bringing their total winnings to $800.00!

    

The Ulrich family was recently named the winners of the fourth annual Very Special Camper Contest (VSC), sponsored by participating campgrounds and RV Dealers in Western Pennsylvania.

“This program gave us the opportunity to visit campgrounds we’d never been to before,” said Betty Ulrich. “I’m planning to retire in March, and we plan to visit even more of them in 2014.”

Like the Ulrich family, any camper purchasing a new RV from any of the participating RV dealers receives one night of free camping for a family of four from each of the 24 participating Western Pennsylvania campgrounds.  This program is valued at over $800 of free camping.

In addition, any camper who stays at eight or more of the 24 participating campgrounds and RV parks and then submits their completed contest entry form within a year of their RV Purchase, is then entered into a special drawing to receive an additional $500 in gift certificates, which can then be used at any campground in the PACamping.com organization.

Denny Quigley, owner of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest Kampground, said the successful contest will be available again in 2014.  Quigley added that, “Anyone planning to purchase an RV in 2014 can get more information from any participating RV dealer displaying the Very Special Camper 2014 information, or at any of the participating Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association campgrounds which can be which can be found at www.PACamping.com.

Participating Western Pennsylvania RV dealers for 2014 program include Hufnagel & Majors in Harmony; Fame RV Center in Saegertown; Clem’s Trailer Sales in Ellwood City; Starr’s Trailer Sales Brockway; Boyer RV Center in Erie; Brooks Camper Sales Connellsville; and B & R Campers Sales in Butler. 

The participating Western Pennsylvania campgrounds include Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest in Harrisville; Kalyumet Camping & Cabins in Cook Forest; Rose Point Park Cabins & Camping in New Castle; Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville; Goddard Park Vacationland Campground in Sandy Lake; Farma Family Campground in Greenville; Shenango Valley RV Park in Transfer; Pineview Campground in Linesville; Nautical Mile Campground & Marina in Templeton; Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Mill Run; Buttercup Woodlands Campground in Renfrew; Campers Paradise Campground and Cabins in Sigel; Sparrow Pond Family Campground in Waterford; Bear Run Campground in Portersville; Butler North KOA Campground at Peaceful Valley in West Sunbury; Uniontown KOA at River’s Edge; Harts Content Campground in Beaver Falls; Harecreek Campground in Corry; Friendship Village Campground in Bedford; Oil Creek Campground in Titusville; Camp Wilhelm Campground in Clarks Mills; Rocky Springs Campground in Mercer; Presque Isle Passage RV Park & Cabins in Fairview; and Benner’s Meadow Run Camping and Cabins in Farmington.

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground.  Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  You can lean more about us at http://meadvillekoa.com

    

 

 

 

 
 
  

Febuary RV Shows, A Great Valentines Day Surprise, and More!

RV show season isn’t over just yet.  We still have a couple to go!  So, make sure that if you haven’t visited one of the local RV Shows, that you get out to visit one!

Erie RV Show Feb 6-9 At the Bayfront Convention Center, Erie, PA!  Show Hours: Thursday 2 pm to 8 pm, Friday Noon to 8 pm, Saturday 10 am to 7pm, and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.  General Admission: Adults $5.00, Children 10 & Under Free, and FREE PARKING!  More info online at: http://www.sportandtravelexpo.com/rv/homepage.aspx

Bulter RV Mall RV Show at the Clearview Mall, in Butler PA! February 15 - 17, 2013 Time: During mall hours!

We invite you to attend any and all of these RV Shows!  Stop by the Meadville KOA Campground booth and tell us hello, and that you received your invitation from our blog! Stop by the KOA booth for your free KOA Directory and those great KOA tote bags! We have fun online in the winter with our campers too! Follow Meadville KOA & PA Camping on Facebook for your chances to win FREE tickets! We hope to see you there!

Valentines Day Specials and Discounts!  NEW FOR 2014!  Sweetheart of a Cabin Deal!  Book your Cabin between now and Feb 16 for 5 nights for the price of 3 the whole month of May, 2014!  Book our Lake-Front Deluxe Cabins, Kitchenette Cottage Cabin, Or Camping Cabin between now and February 16th, and get 5 nights for the price of 3!  It’s a great gift for your special someone just in time for Valentines Day, or a great early vacation deal for the whole family!  Anyway you look at it, it’s a sweetheart of a deal!  (This offer is only good on cabin rentals in May 2014 reserved with a deposit for one night between now and Feb 16, 2014.)  Ask for Discount Code CV!  Book early!  At this price, they won’t last long!

RV Show Special!  Seasonal Camping Discount!  Become a Seasonal Camper for the 2014 season by the end of February!  When you pay for seasonal campsite in full by May 1, 2014, you receive a $75.00 rebate!  See our Seasonal Camping page for campsite availability, prices, and more details!  Check out these and other great discounts at http://meadvillekoa.com/discounts/

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson own and operate Meadville KOA Campground. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.Kampgrounds of America, is now the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds.