Best Cabin Camping near Catalina, AZ

General: Large KOA campground laid out in typical RV style with no privacy/separation between sites. There is every imaginable kind of site here from tent sites (with water and electric) to back-in sites with water and electric to FHU sites, some with covered sites to sites with private pet areas or play structures. There are also cabins sprinkled throughout. 

Site Quality: Most sites are gravel; some have grass. All are level. Amenities vary per site. Ours had a round table with four chairs (in lieu of a picnic table) 

Bath/Shower: In okay condition but then I saw a sign that they were scheduled to be remodeled a few months after our stay. 

Activities: There are so many offerings including two pools, a hot tub, a fitness center, corn hole, putting green, basketball, and bike/surrey rentals. Also a daily “schedule of fun” with daily classes including Zumba and yoga, arts and crafts, bingo, etc. 

Other amenities: On-site restaurant (delivery to your camper available), laundry, little lending library, pet wash.

This campground is located in a less desirable part of Tucson with very few (if any) grocery stores, restaurants, etc. nearby. There is nothing scenic about the area and the campground is located on a busy street so you will hear road noise (and an occasional train). While we appreciated all the amenities, we prefer campgrounds with more privacy and scenery. This was a last-minute reservation when our plans changed and worked for an overnight stay.

We just went camping here our first time last weekend and we had a great time! A very kid friendly campground, they had lots of things to keep you busy! 2 pools, a playground, game room, pickle ball courts, mini golf, RC car track, go-cart rentals, golf cart rentals, dog parks, activity’s for kids, you won’t be bored! Bathrooms/ showers were pretty clean and had a nice little store if you forgot stuff. 3 nice big propane fire pits by the entrance were perfect for roasting marshmallows. The BBQ Rush had great food if you don’t feel like cooking one night. Only $36 a night for a back in site with full hookups is a great deal! We had a blast and will definitely be back!

The Picacho/Tucson NW KOA was the first place we camped at when we purchased our Bunkhouse motorcycle tent trailer.  We wanted to stay close to home in case something didn't work on our camper.

The KOA is clean and the hosts were great.  The sites are well spaced but could be a little bigger for more privacy.  The sites are made of small gravel and very level.  No roots, rocks, stumps, etc.  There is a picnic table, water spigot, electrical hookup and BBQ grill at each site, in addition to a fire ring.  Bathrooms are clean and there is a small camp store.  There is a doggie run in the park as well as a pool and playground for the kids.

When we stayed, the new hosts had just purchased the KOA a few months earlier and they were working on improving it.  We stayed there in late 2019 (before COVID).

The only reason I gave this KOA 3 stars instead of 5 is because of the loud traffic noise from the freeway.  There is literally no peace or ability to sleep during the night (in a tent camper).  Perhaps in a solid sided RV, it would be great, but we didn't get a wink.  I even slept with earplugs in and I could still hear the noise.

I will not be returning to this KOA, but sure wish I could because it was really nice and clean.

This place is incredible. Huge gated property with many different site options. Each site offers a metal table with 4 chairs. Some have playgrounds, private doggy runs, a fireplace, a sky deck, a covered patio, and many other awesome options. There are 2 main community areas. The larger one by the front check in offers a BBQ restaurant, a pool with spa, gym, laundry, putt putt, pickleball court, basketball court, corn hole, playground, indoor rec room with games and pool and other outdoor games. There is also multiple events throughout each day, some for kids, some for family, and some for adults. The second area has a playground, 24 hour laundry, clean bathrooms, a dog wash, and a pool with a spa that is still a very decent size. There are also multiple dog parks and bathrooms throughout the park. Phone service for Verizon and ATT are not good, but they do offer wifi. Very quick check in and quiet neighborhood. Huge property so not all of the spots were filled during our time in May, so we had empty spaces surrounding us. The spaces are not tight at all and very easy to park in. They have curbside trash pickup 24/7, so all you have to do is leave your trash on the curb and you’re good to go! Overall wonderful stay and highly recommend!

We love El Pais! So glad we found this hidden gem in Tucson. It’s a beautifully renovated Rv campground owned by a mother and daughter. Great communications, clear directions, easy arrival. Favorite parts:

• full hookups
• free chicken eggs from onsite chickens
• communal fire pit every night
• coffee every morning
• free laundry & showers
• pool and movies in the summer

Only cons are some road noise and close parking quarters, but the communal space makes up for it. We loved having a space to meet other travelers & share stories. We’ll be back!

When spending time on the road many times you will find campsite after campsite that is welcoming but not quite like home away from home. But when you drive through Tucson, there is a mecca filled with winter bird campers and long term campers which create a home away from home.

With only tent sites available on the facility, we were fortunate to find a site, however when we arrived we were so excited by the facilities we extended our stay by a day.

Office staff immediately greeted us and let us know about the facilities, which happened to feature a mini golf course, an indoor events facility, 2 swimming pools and hot tubs, an indoor recreation area and multiple on camp fire chinineas. In addition there was a fishing pond and dog park area.

Each of the 4 campsites were considered to be regular campsites instead of upgrade sites but when we arrived it was the most delux sites we had encountered along the way.

Pad sites were large and the first to actually accommodate our large tent and the ground was u like any we had seen before at a site. The soft mulch was similar to that of a modern day playground and made for a much more comfortable sleep over the two days we were there.

In addition to the standard picnic table of most facilities, this campground offered a kitchen facility at each campsite including a large copper sink and food storage as well as electricity and overhead lighting in the pergola designed to allow shade from the harsh Arizona sun.

It was the closest thing to glamping we had encountered by far!

Then as an added bonus, fresh fruit trees abounded ready for the picking. The front desk informed us of the allowance to pick what you want as everything was in season! An amazing treat on the road!

We spent many hours at the pool facility, enjoyed amazing neighbors, used the wifi and even did a load of laundry while in Tucson. The facility really was like a home away from home on the road.

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If the scale went higher we would rank it more Bunnies. There were no real areas we could see for improvement. Staff was very accommodating, long term and short term residents of the facility were amazing and this was a desert oasis like no other!