When it comes to camping, we are usually state park fans. Most Pennsylvania state parks come with playgrounds, small camp shops, good hiking and fishing, and somewhere to swim – either a man-made beach or pool. Also, you can stay at a state park for less than $30 a night. The downsides are that there are rarely full hook-ups (or even water) and that liquor is prohibited (although if you don’t get rowdy and use unmarked cups you’re usually fine). Also, the bathrooms tend to be dirty because they only get cleaned once each day.

In the past, we’ve stayed at a few private campgrounds, but we’ve never tried a KOA (Kampgrounds of America). We have friends who are kind of new to camping, so we wanted to give them the full hook-up experience. Upon recommendation for some regulars, we booked two sites at Nittany Mountain KOA in New Columbia, PA over Labor Day weekend.

Even though the weather was quite rainy, the kids had an absolute blast all weekend. The grown-ups were relieved there was so much for the kids to do. The highlights for us were all the activities: petting zoo, dance party, bounce pad, mini golf, etc. The kids’ favorite part was the free zip-line. I was most impressed with how quiet it was.

The only drawbacks were the price and the lack of security. We paid $200 for three nights. That is pretty standard for KOAs and it is how they can provide all those amenities and services, so I understand the cost. What I don’t understand is why that cost doesn’t include decent security. At both the private and public campgrounds we’ve visited, there is almost always visible security patrolling the campground. Not once did I see anyone driving around to make sure all was well.  As a result, we encountered large cliques of teenagers, most of whom were from seasonal sites. Some of the cliques were fine, but there was a lot of foul language around little ones and some bullying going on around the playground. At one point, the adults in our party had to stand in the playground like we were on playground duty until they stopped blocking the younger ones from using the playground equipment. Once, a group of teenage boys dismantled some of the toddler equipment and our girls had to report it to management. A more-present security staff would go a long way toward discouraging this kind of behavior.

Overall, we had a very nice weekend, but I don’t see us becoming KOA regulars. Particularly if we are camping at a distant location where sight-seeing is our main goal, I can’t see paying that amount when we wouldn’t be around to use all the amenities. That being said, I can definitely see us staying at another KOA in the future.

I’ve written them all: campground reviews, product reviews, restaurant reviews, book reviews, and amusement park reviews. Some have been paragraphs long with accompanying pictures. Some have been only a sentence.

Years ago, when I was attending a book club meeting, one of the members commented, “Oh, I never read the online reviews on books. I can just imagine what kind of person actually writes them. I mean, have you ever written one? No, because you’re normal.” At the time, I simply smiled and nodded, not having actually written any reviews. If I heard that comment today, my reaction would be much different.

Now, whether I’m shopping for a new bra or looking for a nearby restaurant, I rarely make a decision that will cost me money without first checking online reviews. Yelp, Trip Advisor, and the comments sections of my favorite online stores play a huge part in whether or not I purchase an item or make a reservation. Often, if no reviews are available, I won’t consider purchasing a product at all. I so heavily rely on the recommendations of others, that it feels only right to return the favor by describing my own experiences.

On one of our camping journeys, we travelled to Little Pine State Park near Waterville, PA. It was a beautiful, clean, quiet park and we loved camping there. We had gone on the recommendation of a friend, but I had been unable to find any online reviews. Because I loved the park so much, I made a point to take lots of pictures of the facilities and surroundings. I believed this little park deserved a voice online apart from the cursory information available on the State Parks website. Others should know that this is a wonderful place to visit. As soon as I got home, I wrote the first Trip Advisor review for Little Pine.  It even took them a few days to post my review because they first had to determine it was indeed a real place. Since then, several others have added their comments. Together, reviewers have been able to share a small gem of PA with others who may not have even known it existed.

Certainly some reviewers can’t be taken seriously and one must be discriminating when reading comments, but if there are enough reviews for a product or business the true value will be clear. I write reviews because I want to help good businesses find patrons and protect patrons from bad businesses. I want to help people know what they’re getting for their money because that is what other reviewers have done for me.

Reviews don’t have to be long essays. The next time you get an email that asks you to write a review of a recent purchase, please consider typing at least few helpful sentences. We’ll all be better off in the long run.