The first KOA was founded in 1962 by Dave Drum, a Montana businessman who owned land along the Yellowstone River. He was inspired to build a campground after watching travelers in cars and RVs make their way down the nearby U.S. 10 on their way to the Seattle World's Fair. The campground was so successful that by 1963, Drum already had plans to turn KOA into a nationwide franchise. KOA reached its peak in 1982 with 900 campgrounds in North America. Although that number dropped significantly to 475 locations by 2010, KOA is still popular with travelers who want fun and inexpensive lodging.
KOA has nine locations in Arizona: Benson, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon/Williams, Seligman/Route 66, Williams/Exit 167/Circle Pines, Holbrook/Petrified Forest, Kingman, Black Canyon City and Mesa/Apache Junction. Many of these locations are near state or national parks and other popular tourist attractions. Most are located near northern cities, such as Flagstaff, although there are two located in the middle of the state outside Phoenix and one in the south near Tucson.
Arizona is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its fantastic desert and mountain landscapes. The state is home to many beautiful parks and monuments, such as The Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest National Park, The Painted Desert and Saguaro National Park. You'll find numerous opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, boating, horseback riding and cave exploration. Arizona is rich in Native American and Latin American cultural heritage, and has many attractions celebrating the "cowboy culture" of the Old West. Many people also appreciate the numerous shopping, dining, arts and entertainment opportunities Arizona offers.
If you're visiting the Grand Canyon or historic Route 66, Flagstaff KOA and Grand Canyon KOA are both excellent, nearby places to stay. Flagstaff KOA offers their own concierge service and Grand Canyon KOA offers personalized van tours. If you're visiting nearby Nevada, the Kingman KOA is only 90 minutes away from Las Vegas, The Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. If you're looking for a Native American cultural experience, consider Petrified Forest KOA, which is near a Navajo reservation. The Petrified Forest KOA sells Native American crafts and host Hopi and Navajo ceremonial dances on site.
Black Canyon City KOA and Mesa/Apache Junction KOA are good choices if you're planning an urban vacation. Both are a reasonable driving distance (30 miles or less) from Phoenix, outlet malls, casinos and restaurants. Black Canyon City KOA offers comforts such as cable TV, 24-hour on-site laundry and movie nights.
Mesa/Apache Junction has a large offering of fun outdoor activities like off-road jeep tours, golfing and boat rentals. If you want to explore the Old West or Southern Arizona, consider Benson KOA . Nearby tourist destinations include a copper mine in Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns and the city of Tombstone, which stages re-creations of the well-known O.K. Corral shoot-out.
