Okeechobee KOA Resort

We paid over $1,600 for one month at a full hookup site, and they got our money once. We won’t be back. The sites are small and overcrowded, and the rules don’t get enforced, so people do whatever they want. Cars and golf carts speed around, with very loose policies about drinking and driving. The dumpsters overflow, and dogs leave piles of waste everywhere. The gym is outdated and very dirty, and the bathhouse is moldy. The landscape company that doesn’t speak English, Nunez, will damage water and sewer hoses, with no regard for personal belongings. Management and staff give lip service to complaints, but nothing ever gets fixed. The socioeconomic situation in Okeechobee itself also made us question our safety on multiple occasions. Canadians seem to love this place, but we don’t recommend it to anyone with self-respect. It’s a sad reflection on the KOA name. Vacation elsewhere.

The staff were friendly, the facilities were clean, and Swampy's was good. But the site was very narrow, and the fire pit sat so close to our RV that we couldn’t use it. See the photo I posted. It was about # feet from the RV and under the canopy. Who thought that was a good design? Even with the neighboring site vacant, cars, motorcycles, golf carts, and people used the space beside us as a shortcut instead of taking the street. WiFi required a paid upgrade, which should be included for the price. Cable TV was poor too, with only half the listed channels coming through, and those kept fading in and out.

Lake Okeechobee is very close, with a great bike ride along the birm of Okeechobee and fishing nearby. There’s plenty of shopping and restaurants, a casino about 30 minutes away, and a beach roughly 40-45 minutes away. Back at the campground, there’s a lot for different ages and interests: two beautiful pools, a golf course, a gym, a Shanty/Bar that’s great fun, weekend live music, and special concerts. The convention center hosts many activities and events. It’s clean and well kept, and the staff around the campground are friendly and work hard to accommodate guests. The sites are maintained too, though some pads are cracking; they’re fixing them a few at a time.

After checkout, they told me my card would be charged for the TV on the wall, saying it was broken when the next guest arrived. When we checked in, the cabin smelled like cigarette smoke, and there were cigarette butts and trash all over. I called the front desk about it, but they never offered to clean the place.