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When you think of central Ohio, you probably don’t think of camping, but this KOA gem is located close to all the action. This well-maintained Kampground of America is located a few short miles off 71 and near the Tanger Outlet Mall. It honestly is one of my favorite campgrounds in the state of Ohio and we enjoy staying there at least once a year! You are going to want to check out Sunbury Columbus KOA!
Read on to see why we love it so much.
KOA rewards card: what is it? Is it worth it? Read our thoughts: Click Here: Is the KOA Reward Card Worth It?
Check-in and Set-Up at Sunbury KOA
While this KOA is easy to find, there are a few things to note on your way here. The exit at 71 can be very busy with lots of traffic and trucks. Don’t listen to Siri or trust your map on this one. Go to the Sunbury KOA website to confirm your route and check for construction updates. There is a road that your GPS and Siri will try to take you down called Chambers Rd; there is a covered bridge on it. All of you who pull a Travel Trailer or drive a rig know what that means…and it isn’t good.
Once you arrive at the Sunbury KOA, you are met with a wide entrance to accommodate your rig as you go in. As you pull in, you are met with an accommodating three-lane check-in. It is one of the most welcoming entrances to a KOA.
The KOA general store is well stocked should find you need something while you are camping there. They have coffee, ice cream, and all the basics! The decor is western and absolutely charming. You might want to hang out in there just for the welcoming vibe.
Sunbury KOA is broken up into sections: Town and Boondocks. When you book your stay, you choose a section. Town is up by all the fun, a little busier with people, but close to the action. Boondocks has a more relaxed vibe and is perfect for quieter evenings with less traffic.
Set up:
We used this KOA recently when we took our 2021 Heartland Sundance 289QB on her maiden voyage. We were excited even to be going camping with our new travel trailer, BUT the enjoyment went up a notch because of the Sunbury KOA. The site we were given was 120; it was level, had a concrete pad, picnic table, and fire ring. This site was right on Autumn Lake and had a great view of the KOA.
This was a back-in site with full hook-up. We chose the back in over a pull through because there was a $7.00 savings. This site is tight, and when it is busy, I am sure it would be noticeable; however, when you have neighbors while camping, take time to introduce yourself and make new friends.
Sites we have stayed at are:
Site 120 Good site, a little tight, but right by the water.
Site 134 I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!! The site has chairs and a firepit with great views of the campground.
Site 144 This one is a great location by all the town fun, but when it rains, it kind of floods by your connections.
Sunbury KOA Amenities
Pool Area
Sunbury Columbus North KOA offers many amenities for your family. The pool area is extremely nice and has a play area for littles there. The pool deck has plenty of seating for you and your family to enjoy. It is clean and well maintained, we had a great time playing and enjoying an afternoon swim. Our granddaughter Juliet loved the splash pad area for littles.
Fishing and Paddle Boats:
The lake offers catch and release fishing. The general store has bait and poles you can buy should you choose to imbibe in this activity. There are also paddle boats that rent for $5.00 per half hour. The kayaks and canoes are free for your use during your whole stay! BONUS! We really enjoyed being able to do that and spent an hour paddling the lake.
On-site hiking trails and frisbee golf
Our family enjoys the outdoors and Sunbury KOA has some really sweet hiking trails. There are 40 acres of wooded land where you can see local wildlife and enjoy nature. They boast of a 300-year-old oak tree that you should check out while you are there! In the hiking area, there is a 9 hole Frisbee golf area where you can play, unfortunately for us, we did not have time on this trip but we look forward to trying it the next time we go!
Jumping PIllows:
They have pillows for every size! Since little and big kids love to jump they have invested in two jumping pillows. One for the little people and one for the bigger people, even accommodating moms and dads.
Wi-Bits and Lake area
Kids love wi-bits and the play area on the lake gives families hours of fun. You don a lifevest and off you go for jumping, sliding, and acrobatics on the blow-up playground. The coarse sand beach is the perfect place to build a sandcastle or catch some rays.
Playgrounds
Seriously, my kids loved the playground. They enjoyed something called the Gravity Rail Ride. They spent hours up there riding it over and over. I was conned into doing it one time. If you can keep a secret and not tell the family, I loved it! Up by the playground is a bounce pad, basketball court, corn hole, giant fun games, and petting zoo, there are hours of fun to keep the kids and grandkids busy at this KOA.
On-site Cafe
Have a meal delivered right to your camper from the Road Kill Cafe. It was so nice to be able to play all day and then just text my order to the cafe and 20 minutes later, dinner was brought right to my camper door. Glamping at its finest!
Gem Mining
Everyone loves to gem mine, even I find satisfaction filling the sluice up to shake out the sand to find the hidden treasure. Juliet had a blast figuring it out on our last visit to Sunbury KOA.
Golf Cart Rentals:
We have not rented golf carts because I always try to book sites in the town area. However, if I ever rent in the Boondocks I will definitely rent one.
Sunbury KOA Website
Cabins and Rustic Shelters
This KOA has some AMAZING cabins and rustic tent shelters. We have stayed in Farm House Cabin by the petting zoo and were really refreshed after our stay. It was clean and really comfortable for our family. I would stay in it again if we had not purchased a camper.
Rustic shelters on the lake offer a place to tuck into during some rain but still give you the true camping feeling.
Treehouses: Recently, they added some treehouse options for campers, and these come fully equipped with everything you need for your stay. I think I want to come to try these out!
Stay in Tyson’s truck! sleeps 4 comfortably and has room for a tent outside. You will have everything you need for a comfortable and unique stay! Bathrooms are located just around the corner and are easily accessible.
Check out all the unique lodging styles they have: click here Sunbury Lodging styles.
Bathrooms:
The bathrooms are well kept, there are plenty of stalls, and I had enough hot water for my whole shower!! AWESOME! There are two facilities on the property, and so you will have no issue getting to the potty 🙂
We have never been to this campground on the weekend, but Id read that they have many planned activities. The Road Kill Cafe is open, movies and pizza are just of the few things that they offer. Perhaps we will try to make it there and update the blog sometime in October.
Camping Tips from the KOA
1 vehicle per sit,
Free WiFi
No tents in addition to your RV,
Trash pick up at your site
I would recommend the Sunbury Columbus KOA campground to you! This KOA takes fun up a notch in central Ohio and it is a perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy your camping trip.
Pro-Site Tip: If you want some site advice, I would choose 128-132 across from the lake or 119-122 on the lake.
Happy Adventuring,
Brandy
