Best Glamping near Council Bluffs, IA

We stayed here overnight on our way out west, so we didn't have big expectations. We are fairly new to pulling a 5th wheel, so we wanted an easy pull-through site plus we wanted it to be paved. Well there are 2 premium sites - we stayed in site# 89. It was HEAVEN! Not only was it paved, but also had a huge patio with a table and Adirondack chairs, and a fire pit with additional seating. The site was situated such that our "good side" was facing the trees, away from the rest of the campground. We have a 43' 5th Wheel plus our truck, and there was plenty of space. That is the best setup we've had so far. We didn't have time to use any of the amenities, and are not traveling with kids, so I can't speak for how good it was in that regard.

If you are in the Omaha metro you should head across the river and checkout Hitchcock Nature Center just North of Council Bluffs. This is one of my favorite places to camp. All of the campsites are considered "back country" but don't worry, I think the furthest campsite is about three miles.

My preference is getting one of the campsites on the western edge of the park on top of the ridge. At night you can see the Omaha skyline lit up and the breeze running through there is wonderful.

Hitchcock is smack dab in the loess hills which is one of only two places in the world with the hill formations. The other place is in China.

The trail system isn't huge because of the size of the park, but it has a lot of up and down and is a great place to practice backpacking or test new gear before you leave the plains and head to the rocky mountains for a new adventure.

When your done with your hiking, climb up to the top of the towering platform and bring your binoculars to checkout the visiting hawks and occasional eagle. Don't pass up Hitchcock Nature Center.

We stayed in the recently renovated Owen #4. The renovations really updated it and they need to update the pictures they have on the web, with what it looks like now. New appliances, new furniture, fixtures, new bunk beds, etc. The cabin was very clean and organized upon arrival. They supply most everything thing you need i.e. dishes, cookware, etc. The one thing it does need is a corkscrew! We forgot ours and went without the wine we brought for dinner. With that bombshell though, it was beyond worth the getaway. The winter hiking was fantastic and it was quiet except for the wildlife, but that is why we went out there!

We needed an overnight stop on our way to Kansas and this KOA was perfect. We pulled in just after dark and there was a note on the door stating staff was limited due to Covid. We pulled into a very large pull through on the west side of the campground (site 16). The KOA was pretty full but everyone was respectful and we didn’t hear much noise. We had full hookups & the site we were in was spacious with a picnic table and fire ring with grate. It had rained quite a bit before we arrived so we didn’t sit outside, due to mud close by our site, but we had a nice view. The next morning, we paid at the office before we left & the Manager only charged us half price (we intended to pay the full price) because he felt bad for not being able to be on site when we arrived (the schedule on the KOA app said staffed until 7pm & we were there just after 6pm).

We selected this campground as a base for a family get-together near Omaha, for 4 days/3 nights (Fri-Mon). For that mission, it worked well, but overall we were not super impressed for the price. This was our first KOA experience so maybe the thing we noticed were "normal" but there were some definite cons when compared to other campgrounds we've stayed at this year.

1. Very busy & packed... we noticed a lot of traffic seemed to be just a quick stop over for the night, so lots of rigs coming in the afternoon/evening and leaving the next morning. There is just enough room to park our average-sized trailer and truck, and have a picnic table next to it, but neighbors are very close. This is not what I would consider a campground for settling in and relaxing as a destination unto itself.

2. Some "deferred maintenance" was noticeable. The mini-golf course was in terrible shape. The playground equipment (swings, slides etc.) could use an update for sure. The road getting into the grounds has terrible potholes.

3. They seem to be very particular about some odd things, like not allowing rugs on the grass (which is definitely not premium grass!). Have to pay extra for a site with a fire ring, or even enough space for one, and the base price is already on the high side.

...BUT... it's not all bad!

1. Lots of good amenities, including picnic shelter(s?); community room with tables & games for larger gatherings; the pool seemed in good shape (though on the small side), big jumping pillow was a hit with the kids.

2. On-site shop with a good selection of basic items for you and your rig. Free coffee in the morning, pizza available for delivery (we didn't try it but heard it was good). Friendly and helpful staff overall.

3. The Kabins are really nice! A part of our group had rented one and it was a great base for gathering for meals, and had a decent firepit area. If we didn't own a camper, we'd consider this KOA just for the Kabins.

4. Close to Omaha - great as a jump-off point for family activities, shopping, etc.

In Summary: If you don't mind paying more for a campground which has plenty of amenities and is best suited for a quick stop, or, if you are looking to rent a cabin and would like to be located conveniently in the Omaha area, this is a good option, but is a bit overpriced when considering other campgrounds which have more generous spacing and a more laid-back and relaxing environment.