Yurts: The Best of Both Worlds

If you can't decide whether to stay in a tent or a cabin for vacation, why not try a new option that combines the benefits of both? Yurts, a new form of camping that started on the West Coast, combine the traditional camping feel of a tent with the convenience and comfort of a cabin. This combo makes yurts great for "glamping", or glamorous camping, that gives you the comforts of home in the middle of the great outdoors.


While yurts may have gained popularity on the West Coast, they didn't start there. The original yurts were basic huts that were used by nomads in Central Asia. They were popular for their strength and mobility and were a main form of housing for centuries. Their transition to the American West Coast added comforts and amenities like A/C and appliances over the years, which makes a camping trip even easier.

Yurts are spacious and can be customized to include all the needs of home. They can have windows, a deck, air conditioning, electricity, and even carpets. They can even include basic appliances, like refrigerators and microwaves.

The extra appliances and furniture, however, are not a yurt's main draw. The best part of a yurt is simply the experience. In a yurt, you can be lying on a comfortable queen size bed while listening to the raindrops hit the canvas all around you. In the mornings, you can be standing on the carpeted floor listening to the birds chirping their morning greetings as the sun streams in through the skylight. Nothing compares to the experience of comfortably being one with nature.

If you want to combine the comforts of home with the tradition of camping, there is no better place to be than in a yurt at the Williamsburg KOA.

Merry Christmas From KOA!

Merry Christmas from the Williamsburg KOA! We hope you are having fun this holiday season with friends and family. Our campground will be open until January 31st for everyone looking for a great winter camping trip. There are many events and activities in Williamsburg and the surrounding areas for you to enjoy!

From now until January 2nd, excluding Christmas Day, Busch Gardens is open for its annual Christmas Town spectacular. The World Most Beautiful Amusement Park shines bright with 8 million twinkling Christmas lights and 1 shining red nose from everyone's favorite reindeer! Verbolten and Tempesto will be open for thrilling roller coaster fun along with other rides and don't miss the great Christmas shows and delicious food. Santa will be there with many of his elf helpers to make your visit magical.

Colonial Williamsburg is putting on many Christmas themed events as well, such as guided tours, historical performances, and displays at the art museums. Make it a tradition to spend Christmas Eve at the community Christmas tree lighting. Stop by and eat at one of their famous taverns or see how people celebrated Christmas in the 18th Century. Try a carriage ride through the town for a unique view of the Revolutionary City. Enjoy ice-skating with the family at Liberty's Ice Pavilion. You can skate into the New Year with a special closing time of 1am on December 31st!

The American Revolution Museum and the Jamestown Settlement are providing a glimpse of a Colonial Christmas through performances and presentations. Listen to stories from the 17th century about Christmas traditions and the challenging times the settlers had to endure. Don't miss out on a visit from the Lord of Misrule "the grand captain of mischief" and his retinue.

At the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, get ready for the New Year with Noon Year's Eve December 31st. They'll be celebrating the Space Race with a year long program of events that start on New Years Eve. You'll be bale to explore NASA exhibits and talk a walk on the Dark Side with the Star Wars 501st Storm Trooper Legion, Mandalorian Mercs, and Rebel Legions. There will also be a special visit from Bubbles the Clown and the Teeny Tiny Farm traveling petting zoo. The museum is open 9am to 5pm each day and Noon Years Eve special activities run from 11am to 1pm on Decemeber 31st.

As you can see, there is a lot going on for Christmas and New Years around here. So, stop on by, stay a while, and enjoy the Holidays with us!
 

Get Your Spooky On With Colonial Ghost Tours!

Ranked as one of the Top 10 Ghost Tours in America by US City Traveler and the Best Tour Operator Award in Williamsburg, the Colonial Ghost Tours of America are one the best ways to get in touch with the other side. Follow the licensed tour guides around one of America's most haunted towns, and discover places you won't find on another tour, including Indian burial grounds and haunted tunnels underneath the College of William & Mary campus.

Your journey will include witches, stories of murder, tragedies of war, and bitter betrayal across hundreds of years. The Colonial Ghost Tour stories are based on research, eye-witness interviews, and a ghost storybook connected to factual and historic events.

There are three tours for ghost-hunters. The first hits 10 spooky locations and is child-friendly and 60 minutes long. The second takes you around to 16 locations, including the exclusive tour around William & Mary. Also kid friendly, this Extended Tour is 90 minutes long and covers 1.5 miles. The Ultimate Williamsburg Ghost Tour is for adults only, with regular-length and extended options. Learn more at the Colonial Ghosts of Williamsburg website, here!

Pokemon GO Meets Camping at KOA

Chances are you've heard about the influx of Pokemon creatures that have populated the planet- or at least most people's cell phones. Pokemon GO is a free-to-play augmented reality game that has captured the attention of over 21 million people. The game combines technology with nature as people explore the outdoors to search wild Pokemon. And there's no better place to explore than while camping here at Williamsburg KOA!

We have over 180 acres for you and Pokemon to roam. You can even stock up on pokeballs and potions at our very own PokeStop. Our beautiful campground has various terrains which will help you find different types of Pokemon. Water type Pokemon hang out near bodies of water, grass types are in fields, and some even come out only at night! Check out some we've run into so far:

Fearow by a cabin 

Nidoran on a trail 

Spearow Spider Climbing 

Venonat at Splash Pad

And there are several ways to play here while camping. Scan your surroundings for a Pikachu on your way to an outdoor movie screening. Catch Pokemon after taking a break on our Jumping Pillow. Restock at our PokeStop in between ice cream at Ted's and s'mores around the campfire.

We welcome our campers to walk about the grounds and catch all the new and exciting Pokemon that call KOA their home. Go ahead and bring the whole family - there's sure to be something for everyone here at Williamsburg KOA.

Hidden Treasures: The Joys of Geocaching

If you've been looking for a new outdoor activity to share with your family, look no further. Within patches of forest and national parks, there are hidden secrets just waiting for you to find them. Thanks to the invention of 21st century GPS technology, geocaching has become the next hottest craze as a modern treasure hunt for all ages.

Geocaching is a fun, free activity that has gained massive popularity across the United States. All you need to start is a smartphone with a GPS. With a simple download of the free official Geocaching app (on Google Play and the App Store), you just have to register with no cost through the app or on the Geocaching website. Then you can seek out one of the nearly 100 geocaches we have in the Williamsburg area and we even have a few near our campground that you can find on foot!

Once you get the GPS coordinates for each geocache (the ones on our campground can be found at the front desk), your group can start your searching adventure. First, use your phone or GPS to find the general location of the cache and follow the trail to its hiding spot. They can be hidden in anything from stumps to bushes to tree branches, so search carefully. After you find it, open the case up and write your name in the log to let everyone know that you have been there. Some geocaches even have little trinkets and treasures inside them, but if you take something, make sure to replace it with something of your own so that people after you can find something special too. This activity is perfect to keep kids engaged and parents entertained! Hunt for geocaches together and share that satisfying feeling when you see a hidden geocache for the first time.

Let your next stay at the Williamsburg KOA introduce you to a new hobby that is sure to become a family favorite, no matter where you are in the US. Get outside and let the treasure hunt begin!

Join the Summer Fun at Williamsburg KOA!

We like to stay busy here at our KOA! With so many events coming up every weekend this June, and leading into July, our staff is preparing exciting events for all of our guests. Check out all the things we're planning at our campgrounds for this summer!


1. Frozen Weekend

On the weekend of June 24th-26th, we'll be holding our first ever Frozen event! We're excited to host Elsa and Anna from Arendelle so they can take pictures, host sing-alongs, and read stories with the kids. For this special event, Teeny Tiny Farm is even bringing out our favorite pony for everyone to meet. And of course, we'll be holding a screening of Frozen on our Outdoor Big Screen to relive the magic!


2. Fourth of July

For the 4th of July weekend, we have a lot of great activities planned out to make this Independence Day a blast. A favorite of ours is our Independence Day Bike Parade. We'll also be receiving a visit from Bubbles the Clown during this weekend, and hosting a movie night on our Outdoor Big Screen. We can't wait to share the great American tradition of camping with our guests during this historic holiday!


3. Power Rangers Meet-and-Greet

Power Rangers are back in style. The Pink and Blue Rangers are going to be visiting our campgrounds on Friday, July 22nd for all of our guests to meet. They'll chat with the kids, take pictures, and even play tug-of-war! We're so excited for these special guests to come by!

4. Teeny Tiny Farm Saturdays

Of course, we can't forget to mention a guest favorite. Every time the Teeny Tiny Farm visited our campgrounds, our guests loved it so much that we decided to make it a weekly event. Now every Saturday evening, up until September 3rd, our guests can meet the new and exciting animals the farm brings out every week!


We loved filling you in on everything going on here at our campgrounds. We'd love even more to see you in person at any of our events to have a fantastic camping getaway. Let us know below how your schedule looks for this summer!

Five Simple Summer Recipes for a Full Day of Camping

When we're busy traveling on the road, we look for recipes that are fun, easy to make, and delicious! We've put together a full day of meals to try that are simple and guaranteed to please the whole family.

1) Breakfast: Omelettes in a Bag

Make as many personalized omelettes you want - one for each family member! All you need is boiling water and freezer bags to cook your omelette creations. Put your beaten eggs with any desired ingredients in the bag, and drop them in the water for 5-10 minutes. A pro-tip: halfway through cooking, remove your baggies and break up the mixture inside, to make sure they get fully cooked. Breakfast in a breeze!

2) Lunch: Sausage & Pepper Sandwiches

All you need is 4 ingredients and some skewers! Thread some sausages and red peppers on a skewer and grill until cooked through. Grill some garlic bread for a few minutes until lightly browned, then assemble your sandwiches with mozzarella cheese in the middle. Juicy and hearty!

3) Snack/Appetizer: Grilled Corn on the Cob 

This outdoor classic never fails to please. Soak in some sugar water with the husk on before cooking for a sweet touch. Or put a spin on the classic by grilling each side with the husk off until slightly charred, and rubbing lime and salt on after it's cooked for a savory delight!

4) Dinner: Grilled Pizza

This is another easy to customize meal, so everyone gets exactly what they like! And all you need for the pizza core are your three classic ingredients: shredded cheese, pizza sauce, and English muffins as the bread base. Sprinkle any desired toppings on and grill over foil until your cheese is bubbling and browned. Healthy tip: instead of English muffins, try Portabello mushrooms with a little oil (and bake, not grill) for a creative new taste!

5) Dessert: Pineapple Inside Out Donuts

Finish up your cooking on the grill with these sweet and caramelized donuts, with just 3 ingredients! Cut some plain cake donuts in half and place pineapple slices inside the halves with a few tablespoons of brown sugar pressed on. Wrap in foil and cook over hot coals or the grill for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway. Once the brown sugar is melted, they're ready to be eaten up. Pro-tip: you can use any flavor of donut you'd like!


And there are our five recipes for a complete day of delicious food. Which recipe would you want to try first? Let us know in the comments, we can't wait to hear!

Happy camping!