Madison-Pittsburgh S.E. KOA

It’s been 2018 since our last visit. The place has really gone downhill. We’ve been to the Madison KOA at least 4 times. What they think is clean now a days is laughable.

I will give you some advice if you do HAVE to stay there but PLEASE READ the bottom.

I usually cabin stay when staying at a branded campground, for $10-20 more a night makes it worth it not to lug my tent and usually tent sites are crap at these places and they have a couple just to say they have some (the ones here are grown over they claim to have 2, one is dug up) I camp at all 3 KOA brands, state parks, family campgrounds, and yogi bears etc.

Everything here is dated and it looks like they only have an interest in fixing things when they can’t avoid it anymore. Other places I’ve been have been putting in the upgrades left and right since camping has seen a serge these past couple of years.

Lake-never seen anyone fish at the lake until this past stay and they caught a blue gill. They have a few small non motor boats no peddle boats so don’t let that mislead you with “boat rental”. You do see things jump so I don’t doubt there’s fish and it’s really pretty in the backdrop.

If you HAVE KIDS young enough to have to keep an eye on the kabins and spots facing the pillow ARE PRIME (kids wait for it to blow up every morning), play ground (basic-not toddler friendly, there’s a sand pit that’s not covered up at night where they HAD some toddler play stuff), and pool (clean and small but does the job, they try to open it ASAP every year) all the activities are around there as well. If you DONT have kids or have a napper in the family, expect constant noise until quiet time. Get a white noise app or bring a sound machine, the fuzzy TV you may get isn’t loud enough. Quiet and shade is on the backside of those Kabins in the pet friendly area.

Campstore is sparse, they need to bring it up date and offer more. Make sure you grocery shopping before you pull in. Camp host family was awesome and usually the lower staff all are. They never had a security gate, car hangers, or escorts to sites so don’t expect that. Activities have always been cheap and bare bones. I think they should get more creative. There isn’t an activities director, the camp hosts run them.

Deals: they participate in Kid Care (May) and Camper Appreciation (September) weekend. Some KOAs don’t, claim they do but can’t actually use it when you try or pickings are slim.

Even with the deals I won’t be back. It’s not worth it. There is nothing new or upgraded and I’m not passing through or here for other things like some are. It’s ok for a weekend, don’t spend a week here with kids they’ll get bored. If you want to be within an hour from Pittsburgh there are PLENTY of other options. Uniontown KOA is 15 minutes further out.

What tipped my scales from PROBABLY won’t be back to ABSOLUTELY WONT be back is….when I arrived my cabin was not clean, there was ultra crusty very dried up insect parts (its the woods, but…no one could have wiped that up? It’s obvious it’s been sitting there awhile) all over the top bunk, a flim/dust on the bed mats. I went to set up the beds and found several coins (from peoples pockets I assume) and an ear pod my toddler could have choked on if I hadn’t I lifted the bed pads like a cleaning person should have and looked. A cleaning person should have found that if they truly did clean the kabin. They sent the cleaning lady, she came in with a duster pad and went over our sleeping pads….no cleaners, towels, or shop vac. After she left, I swept the floor and LOTS of dirt came up. I broke out my sani wipes and did everything I could. I didn’t appreciate paying $90 a night for a tiny kabin to have to clean before my kids could settle in.

Also the door didn’t lock, I didn’t find this out until late in the second day when I went for 10 rounds of bingo and wanted to lock it. I was leaving the next day at noon so I figured tell them at check out. She said I should have told them at check in, she knew exactly the problem I was talking about and that maintenance would have come to fix it had I called. Although I’ve always felt safe there…Non locking door, no security gate, electronic valuables, purse, medications and wife there alone with kids not ideal. Explained that to them, made it out to be no big deal.

The upper staff people were indignant and I was the problem for complaining and I was imagining it. I was given a dirty kabin. They kept trying to minimize what I was telling them, tried to pass the buck ( she-referring to the cleaning lady said there was only 1 coin, she didn’t tell me about the air pod), and said measures were taken that were obviously not. There wasn’t an acknowledgement of the problems nor any apologies from anyone.

If you stay in one of the smaller kabins with a shower, just know there will be a flood and you should wet, turn the water off, lather, then rinse. Also don’t think everyone is showering one after the other or you can do dishes and wash hands as much as you want before showering because it’s very small water tank, it goes lukewarm to cold quick.

I’m crossing them off my list of places to camp, they do not live up to KOA brand image and standards even for a KOA Journey brand.