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KOA Campground Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay
Rating Details »
7 reviews for KOA Campground Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay
This is what camping should be! This campground is very expensive when compared to camping at Manresa Beach which is down the street. But, for the amenities available at the KOA, it is totally worth it! This campground is great for children, dogs, and adults. It has great sites for tents, RV's, campers, and you can even rent a log cabin or lodge. Also, if you are lazy and don't want to cook, they do sell hotdogs, cheeseburgers, nachos, chili, etc. All of it is very nicely priced. Hotdogs are only a $1. And, on Sundays they have pancake breakfasts for about $4 dollars. You can also get a lot more items at the general store that you might have forgot to bring.
From the minute you arrive, there are so many activities you'll never be bored. They have mechanical bulls, a climbing wall, a jump zone, game room, mini golf, banana bikes, ping pong table and a train. I am pretty sure I am missing a few things since there were so many activities. While I was here, they also had tie-dye shirts you could make for $7 dollars. This brought me so much joy since I was deprived as a child and never got to make one. Also, on certain nights they have movies playing or bingo going on. The location is also perfect for a nice morning walk to the beach. It is roughly a 20-30 minute walk down to Manresa Beach.
Overall, I will definitely be coming back here. This has been the best camp site that I have ever been to and had the greatest weekend here. If you are not into the "real" wilderness, this is the spot for you!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
--- BEDBUG ALERT --- BEDBUG ALERT --- BEDBUG ALERT ---
I went camping with a group of girlfriends this past weekend and we stayed in 2 small log cabins from Friday - Sunday. The cabin I was in was #138 and I think my friends were in #137.
At first I was impressed. The staff seemed friendly, the amenities were great, the bathrooms were clean, had private stalls, etc. It was also .9 miles from Manresa Beach and the staff did not complain about us sitting around a campfire until midnight.
Friday night around 7 PM, I was surprised that the pool was UNATTENDED by staff. Children ran and did front flips into 5' of water and I was just waiting for an accident to happen. There were about 20 kids in the pool and maybe 2 adults aside from my group of friends. The hot tub was murky and gross and although there were signs up for no unattended children in the hot tub, staff was not on-site to enforce it so kids were jumping in and out of the hot tub.
Friday night I slept on the top bunk in cabin #138 and was fine. My friend on the bottom bunk complained that she was up all night and could not sleep because she said it felt like there were spiders on her. Friday night she slept in my SUV outside and I took the bottom bunk thinking she was just being paranoid.
Sunday morning I woke up at 2 AM to something crawling around on my neck. Immediately I assumed it was a spider and I smacked my neck to try to kill it. I felt liquid, smelled blood, jumped out of bed, and threw on the light to discover...
It was an adult BEDBUG!!!
I had blood on my fingers and my shoulder and found 8 bites around my neck. I woke up our friends in the cabin next door and they said they did not think their cabin was infested so they stayed. Everyone in my cabin was so disgusted that we packed up and left at 3 AM. One of my friends took a few photos of the bedbug and my bites. I left my brand new sleeping bag there because I know about bedbugs and how they hide in the creases of pillows, luggage, and bedding and I did not want to transport them into my home.
When I got home at 4 AM, I left my luggage outside, stripped down, and took a hot shower. I had to wash all of my luggage and clothes in our washing machine with hot water TWICE to make I killed any of them that might have been inside.
Our friends in the cabin next to us that had stayed, complained in the morning about what happened in my cabin, and the staff came in with big spot light and could not find anything. Staff even had the nerve to tell my friends that "it was not bedbug season"! What a joke!?!?
I work in the apartment industry and I know that apartment complexes all over California are having outbreaks and infestations right now. I even had to write an article about bedbugs so I know exactly what bedbugs and their bites look like.
This was defiantly a bedbug and I think it's ridiculous that the staff did not believe my friends.
If you camp at this KOA, bring an RV or tent and you will be fine. Until Sunday morning we were having a great time and my only advice would be, do NOT stay in the wood cabins!!!
--- BEDBUG ALERT --- BEDBUG ALERT --- BEDBUG ALERT ---
Linda, the General Manager, refunded our stay for the 1 cabin for 2 days and said "We did check the cabin immediately and found no signs of bed bugs. We have called today to have an exterminator come out and check/spray. I will tell you that we have never had a reported case of bed bugs here in Santa Cruz , but you just never know when it can happen. They are transported through luggage, bedding, clothing etc.and can hide for some time before coming out. It is a big problem in the hotel and camping industry as you know."
I thanked her for refunding my stay and she then sent a follow up email and said "The exterminator (Hydrex Pest Control) just left the park. They were not bedbugs...he couldn't ID exactly but thought they might be ticks. He sprayed the Kabin and inspected Kabins around 138."
I emailed the photos (same ones attached in this review but in high resolution) of the bedbug I found on me and the bite marks. Both the KOA General Manager and the Exterminator think it was ticks. I followed up with the Exterminator and he said he was not given a photo of the bug but a Xerox copy of it and it "looked" like a tick. I am assuming the copy was not clear enough.
The bug that was on me was a BEDBUG and I hope the spray that was used to treat ticks, will kill bedbugs as well.
$70 for a tent site. Uh, nah. There are average hotels around the area for less than that.
The Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA is what I envisioned a great KOA being...lots of wonderful campsites, lots of activities, and generally a relaxing place to camp. Please note that this is not a state, county, etc. park with camping but that it is not its purpose. The KOA provides a great place for families to enjoy camping but with extra perks...pool, jacuzzi, general store, banana bikes, climbing wall, game room, mini-gulf, pizza delivery, wi-fi, cabins, etc. The full feature campground does come with a higher price but that is to be expected. My wife and I especially love the premium pull through sites and KOA's central location between Monterey and Santa Cruz. It is simple a wonderful place to relax or use as a springboard to go to Santa Cruz, Monterey or many points in between. We are are already planning our next visit here.
Nice place that is great for the kids. I like how the deliver firewood to your campsite, I made a phone call an had firewood 5 minutes later.
We went for their annual Halloween Weekend, which sells out one year in advance, every year. People go all out with Haunted Houses, Tiki Bars, Jello Shots....Wow! The kids trick or treat around the campground along with the parents handing out mixed drinks to shots. Really cool event, that we plan on going to every year.
Old farts won't enjoy this campground very much. Too many kids and lots of activities.
Our favorite, close to home, overpriced KOA Kampground.
Minus one star for no cable hook ups and gravel driveways.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I'm not a camper. Prior to this trip the most camping I did was a week at Girl Scout camp back when I was in the single digits and I certainly wasn't roughing it.
KOA, at least this one, is like the Rolls Royce of camping - they have everything: general store, wi-fi, lodges, pool, hot tub, laundry, mini golf and a mechanical bull to boot. Also, the bathrooms were always stocked and well maintained. The showers were also very nice too, private stalls, not community showers.
The general store came in real handy. I hadn't expected such cold weather so I was a bit unprepared. After a visit to the general store I was sporting a fresh pair of flannel pants and a hoodie. What's more they have a nice selection of alcohol and candy too along with the goods to make smores. The laundry facilities also came in handy too since we were at the beach all day, the machines seemed brand new.
The only complaint I have is minor, I wish the KOA had a computer room/terminals. Unless you visit the KOA in a camper (which they do have for rent) I doubt most campers travel with computers.
TIP: if you camp in a tent bring a pad to sleep on, the site seems to have a bit of a gopher problem. A fellow camper had a thin pad and said she felt like she was playing Whack-A-Mole all night.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
We have been coming here for over three years. We have a 25" trailers and have tried a few different spots within the campground. Out favorite are the premium pull through sites that have chimneys and Adirondack chairs. We don't have kids, but if you do this is the prefect place to let the kids go and run around with so many activities for them to keep themselves busy. I heard a little girl tell her mother "Mommy, I am having so much fun." The improvements I would suggest is that there be activities for adults as well-- billiards, beach tours, etc. I really like that they are animal friendly and the staff is super nice. We have had better service here than in most 5 star hotels. Its centrally located between Monterey Bay/Carmel and Santa Cruz, so you have so many choices for activities beyond the park like Monterey Bay Aquarium, Roaring Camp Railroad, and Santa Cruz Beach Board Walk.
