Day Off at KOA in New Hampshire
I decided to take today off to do some things online and hangout at my river site. They tell me the stream is filled with trout, but thus far I haven’t seen any fish going after bugs. I have seen gray heron, various families of ducks, and the crazy blue jays scolding everyone for being here. I’ve seen a lot of different butterflies along the river as well.
Last week, I stayed at a Kampground Of America (KOA) site near Lake Placid, NY. It was a stark contrast to the other sites I had camped at. I noticed how clean they kept everything. At the main office, I noticed they had a directory of all the KOA campsites. There are a lot of KOA sites across Canada and the USA. Before leaving Lake Placid, I booked a KOA in NH.
I’ve stayed at two KOA campgrounds now and have been impressed with how clean they keep the campgrounds. I just read that this campground in Littleton Franconia Notch, NH is on the KOA Presidential’s list. So, with a sample set of two I decided that I would try to find KOAs as I go in the future. I’ll update this if my experience greatly changes. From conversations with people, I don’t think it will.
Savings: For 30 USD, you get a 10% discount on the campsite charge. For me, this was a no brainer given that I’ll be doing this for a year or so. My ROI for the 30 USD investment is 5 nights.
Essentials: For anyone doing this type of trip, you begin to look for a few basics in a campsite:
Internet, WiFi and Power Charging Station (Inside and Outside)
Flush Toilets: I’ve seen some pretty disgusting toilet setups. I won’t go into the details, but suffice it to say that I now look for flushed toilets, regularly cleaned toilets and low spider and bug populations.
Clean Drinking Water: There must be clean water available at the campsite. I haven’t been to a site where there wasn’t clean water but I’ve read of situations where filters are required.
Clean Showers: This isn’t a must but certainly a bonus. with an emphasis on clean. I have my Black Planet Fitness membership that will get me into 2,200 PF locations. I do prioritize sites with clean showers over others. I hate popping 6 quarters into a device that is rusted, jams and only gives me two minutes to shower when the water isn’t even warm yet. I’m interested in Wim Hof but probably like warm showers too much. I understand I’m don’t think many campers want to stand in the shower for long periods of time.
Level sites: I’ve had campsites, that were greatly pitched. One was on top of uneven shale. These were designated tent sites that basically made sleeping difficult.
WiFi: This isn’t 1965 anymore. People want to reach-out to each other and communicate. Not all campsites have WiFi. There are locations were GPS and Cell service do not work. For me, trying to blog periodically this has become a must.
A Dishwashing Area: I have two collapsible silicon wash bins for doing dishes. I try to reduce the gray water at a site for all the obvious reasons. Wiping any food off with a paper towel makes cleanup that much easier. My setup works but having clean stainless steel washbasins at the site with running hot and cold water for washing dishes saves a lot of time and keeps the general environment cleaner.
Additional Amenities
Other Amenities: I’m not yet a “glamper”, maybe someday i’ll convert, but until then there are many amenities that make camping just a little easier and more enjoyable for car / tent campers. Here are a few that I’m finding helpful:
Ice: I have a 45 qt cooler and every other day I need a small bag of ice. Instead of searching for a gas station, it’s nice to have the ice on site.
Propane: I decided against using the small green propane bottles for my Camp Chef stove and went with the 8.8 lbs propane tank from Ignik. Again, being able to refill the tank on site is convenient instead of finding a hardware store.
Electrical Hookups: I need to charge all my electronic equipment (computer, GPS, camera, batteries and lights). I do have a solar panel to charge my 200w lithium battery, but the sun doesn’t always shine.
Firewood: I don’t build, or can’t build a fire every night, but sometimes it’s nice to relax around a campfire with a beer or caffeine free tea before sliding into the sleeping bag.
Basic Groceries: Having some basics close by is nice. Yes, most campsites are within a few miles of a grocery store, but when I realize I didn’t stock-up on spaghetti and the waters boiling, I don’t want to drive 10 miles to a grocery store.
Rain Coverage: When it rains, sometimes it pours. I’m learning that I need more rain protection, but it’s nice to have a pavilion to go stretch out under.
Work Area: I’m realizing there are other people on the move. Maybe they’re not doing exactly what I’m doing and they may have bigger setups, but having a work area, with WiFi, power and a desk to sit down at make working much more enjoyable.
KOA: Littleton Franconia Notch NH
First a special shoutout to the extremely friendly, supportive and dedicated staff at this location. They bend over backwards to help make your stay comfortable.
I’ve noticed the KOA campsites are often not far from an Interstate and are situated closer to areas of interest for travels (sightseers). This KOA in Littleton Franconia Notch, NH is a little gem for those that just want to get away and enjoy a beautiful location.
The downside of this location is that it is located less than 100 yards from US 302. The highway is the main thoroughfare for this small town.
Having said that, the staff do everything they can to makeup for any inconvenience created by the highway.
This location is charming and relaxing (as I write four butterflies float by). They also have all the amenities on my wish list above. All of this together, greatly makes up for the traffic behind you.
In addition to my list above, KOA is kid and dog friendly. There are activities for kids and a nice playground at least at this site there is a dog park with various obstacles for training. There’s also a list of other things to do on their web site.
I would certainly comeback here for a relaxing stay.