Posts Tagged ‘campers’

BILLINGS, Mont. — Kampgrounds of America is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with 23 new campground locations added to the 2012 KOA Directory, the company announced today.

The 23 new locations throughout North America bring the total of KOA campgrounds to 485.

“We do our best to find campgrounds that are just the right fit for our campers and the KOA system,” said Chris Fairlee, KOA assistant vice president for system development. “There are more than 8,000 private campgrounds in North America, but we are pretty selective. Not just anyone can fly the KOA flag.”

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the famous KOA Directory again provides campers with not only complete descriptions and “last mile” locator maps to all KOA locations, but also a complete set of state and provincial atlas maps, making the KOA Directory the only planning tool campers need to plot their travels.

“Once again, we’ve done a great job of adding beautiful campgrounds right where our campers want to go,” said KOA President Pat Hittmeier. “For instance, we added two more locations in the Orlando area to allow our campers to be right in the middle of the Orlando attractions, or a little farther out – KOA camping any way they like it.”

Flying the yellow KOA flag has already been a boon for the new Kampgrounds of America parks, said Hittmeier.

“Being a KOA has already brought out campground a lot more business,” said Robyn Chilson, owner of the Meadville, Pennsylvania KOA. “We have more visibility and the phones are ringing off the hook. We have new campers in the park. We are very happy. KOA is a class act all of the way around.”

New KOA campgrounds listed in the 2012 KOA Directory include:

• Oxford/Talladega/Dandy RV, Alabama KOA
• Picacho/Tucson NW, Arizona KOA
• Heber Springs, Arkansas KOA
• Montrose/Black Canyon National Park, Colorado KOA
• Orlando NE/Wekiva Falls, Florida KOA
• Orlando NW/Orange Blossom, Florida KOA
• East Ellijay/Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia KOA
• Waterloo/Lost Island Waterpark, Iowa KOA
• Perry Lake/Topeka NE, Kansas KOA
• Houghton/Letchworth, New York KOA
• Springwater/Dansville, New York KOA
• 1000 Islands/Association Island, New York KOA
• Homerville, Ohio KOA
• Salem/Lisbon, Ohio KOA
• Meadville, Pennsylvania KOA
• Hohenwald/Natchez Trace, Tennessee KOA
• Bastrop/SE Austin/Colorado River, Texas KOA
• Onalaska/Lake Livingston, Texas KOA
• Weatherford, Texas KOA
• Luray, Virginia KOA
• Longview North/Mount St. Helens, Washington KOA
• Sturgeon Falls, Ontario KOA
• Bas St. Laurent, Quebec KOA

SOURCE: Kampgrounds of America press release

With the addition of thousands of Woodall’s reviewed campgrounds and amenities, the TripMaker® RVND™ devices now feature more than 250,000 RV-focused locations, such as campgrounds and RV service centers, as well as millions of additional general points of interest.

“A year ago, Rand McNally introduced the first GPS device developed specifically for RVers and campers, and the response has been exceptionally strong,” said Dave Muscatel, CEO of Rand McNally. “The addition of the Woodall’s information provides RVers with a leading source of vetted campground data that no one else provides in a GPS device.”

the TripMaker® RVND™ devices now feature more than 250,000 RV-focused locations, such as campgrounds and RV service centers, as well as millions of additional general points of interest.

Two weeks ago at The Rally in Phoenix, Rand McNally employees demonstrated the Woodall’s information integrated in the TripMaker® RVND™ device. Those RVers who saw the demo gave it high marks. In particular, they raved about the depth of information, the ability to filter by campground amenities, and the option to review Woodall’s ratings and campground costs.

With the addition of the Woodall’s campground data, TripMaker® RVND™’s RV campground feature now includes:

• RV parks and campgrounds with amenities such as dump stations, electric hook up
• Contact information and seasonality for each campground
• Private and public campgrounds including Corps of Engineers, National and State Parks
• Woodall’s campground data for thousands of commercial RV parks and campground locations, with amenities including:
  • Family-friendly campgrounds and pets-allowed locations
  • “Big Rig” parks
  • “Green parks”
  • Site information such as extended stay sites available, typical site width and pull thru information
  • Services such as fees, escort to site, dumping
  • Essential information about seasonality and rates
  • Proprietary “5-W” ratings, which reflect the views of unbiased inspectors who visit and rate every possible private campground each year.

RVers can find campgrounds and route to them by address, or by latitude/longitude. The Trails feature allows a trail to be recorded and played back, enabling a return to a campsite when traveling on unmarked roads.

Not only is the Woodall’s information being loaded into new devices, but existing TripMaker® RVND™ device owners can download the data for free via the Rand McNally Dock. The Rand McNally Dock is a software interface (via a computer with an open internet connection) that enables Rand McNally device owners to update, back up, and download content to their GPS units. For more information about how to download the Woodall’s content, TripMaker® RVND™ owners should go to randmcnally.com/campgrounds.

Rand McNally’s TripMaker® RVND™ GPS units are available at Camping World SuperCenters nationwide, at CampingWorld.com, at RV dealers and at select retailers and online sites.

Campers interested in reserving a provincial park campsite can start making bookings at 7:30 a.m., Monday, April 2, as Manitoba’s Parks Reservation Service opens for the season, Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.

“Whether it’s yurts, cabins or just a campsite, we have some of the lowest rates in Canada and that, along with the beauty of Manitoba’s provincial parks and campgrounds, is a great combination,” said Mackintosh.  “As well we are offering liquor-free camping this season in select camping bays at Grand Beach and Birds Hill provincial parks to create more opportunities for a quieter camping experience.”

New and recent capital improvements to Manitoba parks include:

• the recently opened new campground at Winnipeg Beach,
• a lake improvement project at Birds Hill and a boardwalk expansion at Grand Beach,
• design of a campground expansion for Paint Lake,
• construction of new yurts at Childs Lake,
• construction set to begin on a new park centre building with an observation tower at Duff Roblin,
• improved water and waste-water facilities in several parks,
• new washroom and shower facilities in a number of parks, and
• improvements to trails in several parks.

A number of provincial parks, including Spruce Woods Provincial Park, were affected by flooding last year.  Complete damage assessments of the parks are expected in coming months.

“We are working to make sure the restoration of these parks will make them better than ever,” said Mackintosh.  “Campsites will be available this season in Spruce Woods’ upper campground.  We have also opened trail access to the Spirit Sands and Epinette Creek areas.  Access to the campground off of PTH 5 will be restored.  And the pedestrian bridge, beach area, Pine Fort and interpretive centre will all be available there later this summer.  When we are done, it will be a premier camping destination.”

The Parks Reservation Service is the most popular way to book campsites in Manitoba’s provincial parks, said Mackintosh.  In 2011, a record 64,268 reservations were booked and over 70 per cent of total reservations were made online.

During the first two weeks of the booking period, a number of campgrounds offer select sites that require a seven-night minimum reservation including a Sunday to Sunday stay. The campgrounds that offer these sites are Birds Hill, Camp Morton, Grand Beach, Stephenfield, Big Whiteshell, Brereton, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore, Hecla/Gull Harbour, Nutimik, Otter Falls, Opapiskaw, St. Malo, West Hawk, Bakers Narrows, Campers Cove, Paint Lake Asessippi and Childs Lake.

Campsite reservations can be made at www.manitobaparks.com or by calling 1-888-482-2267 (toll‑free) or 204‑948-3333.  Customers are encouraged to confirm online user names and passwords a few days prior to making reservations.  For customers who require in-person reservation assistance, the call centre is located on the third floor, 421 Mulvey Ave., just off Osborne Street in Winnipeg.

General information or assistance with forgotten passwords is also available through the call centre at 1-888-482-2267.