Newton / Des Moines East KOA Journey Blog
Only 30 min E of Des Moines, IA, Newton KOA is the perfect overnight stop after a long day's drive
KOA Journey campgrounds are the perfect oases after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
KOA Journey campgrounds are the perfect oases after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
From I-80: Turn north at Exit 168 onto Iowa Speedway Dr. Travel about 3/4 mile and look for the "KOA" sign on left. Take a hard left in front of the lighted Newton KOA sign between Barney's towing and a church. Go 1/4 mile down our lane into our KOA.
Check in at the office and you will be assigned a site.
Relax and enjoy!
Do not rely on GPS. You may be routed needlessly through Newton. GPS: N41.684937, W93.013722
Get Google Directions
Reposted from the KOA blog:
Summer is the high season for camping, and campgrounds fill up fast. Booking campsites early is advised, but if you’re a little late to the game, there are still campsites out there to be had if you’re flexible with timing, location or camping type. Besides, there are advantages to traveling on weekdays, fewer people at the pool!
If you have firm dates for your camping trip, be flexible when choosing campground location and campsite type.
While some weekends might have lots of availability, others might make things a bit trickier. On the KOA homepage, enter the destination you want to camp near in the “Where Do You Want to Go?” search field along with your trip dates. A list of KOAs around your destination with your dates available will populate along with site type. At a glance, you’ll be able to see which campground has RV, lodging and tent sites available on your dates and how close they are to where you want to be.
If you’re set on staying at a certain KOA location, you may need to be flexible with what days you camp. Search for your preferred KOA location and enter the dates you’d like to stay. If the search results show the campsite type you want to book is not available for those dates, click on the yellow “View Available Dates” tab to find out when you can book at that location. While most campgrounds have sites available most of the time, weekends and holidays can make it a bit trickier – especially if you’re not able to plan ahead and book in advance.
Planning a long trip but aren’t sure which KOA campgrounds are along the way? Enter your starting and endpoints in the KOA Trip Planner to discover which KOA sites are near your route. You can also use the resulting map as a suggested driving route to make your road trip planning a breeze.
If you don’t own camping basics like a tent and sleeping bags or specialized gear for outdoor sports, try renting or borrowing what you need. Sporting goods stores and online outdoor gear rental services can help you get outfitted with everything you need for camping fun. Or you can borrow gear from friends and family, allowing you to give camping a try without having to buy everything.
Cut out the need to pack a tent entirely by staying in a KOA cabin. Camping Cabins provide solid shelter, beds, privacy and electricity. Many KOAs even have Dexlue Cabins with even more amenities, like kitchenettes and full bathrooms, allowing you to bring even less gear.
Want to try RVing but don’t own an RV or camper van? Find vehicles near you that you can rent on Outdoorsy and pick up locally. Find new, classic and just plain interesting options for your upcoming trip.
Figuring out what to eat and where is a big part of the camping experience. Ease into campsite cooking by cooking the highlights: hamburgers, hot dogs, and s’mores. Breakfast can be pretty easy, too, if you stick with cereal and milk.
Find out if your KOA location has a restaurant, snack bar, pancake hut or BBQ night by using the “snack bar” filter on the KOA location search results. A casual hot meal made to order will give you the vacation feels, and don’t forget to cool off with an ice cream cone!
And there’s always eating locally at a restaurant if your campground is close enough to town for grabbing a bite to eat. Try the local cuisine and make a total escape from food planning and clean up.
During the summer, many KOA locations run planned activities campers of all ages can participate in, along with year-round activities like cornhole and horseshoes. Many locations also have bikes available to peddle around the campground and swimming pools for a refreshing way to cool off.
Be sure to take it easy when things heat up in the summer. Find shade under trees, pavilion shelters, and RV awnings. For more warm-weather tips, read our blog post “Tips for Staying Cool on Summer Camping Trips.” Stay safe and happy camping!
Eva Barrows is an accomplished San Francisco Peninsula freelance writer and editor. She writes for regional magazines like PUNCH and Edible Silicon Valley and is editor-in-chief of Live&ThriveCA magazine. She founded the online literary journal Imitation Fruit in 2007 and has enjoyed promoting fellow writers and artists ever since. Read more of her travel writing at www.evabarrows.com.
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
Make checkout easy by booking all your reservations at once. Add your sites from different campgrounds into your shopping cart* and then choose checkout.
